December Favourites 2017

Merry Christmas everyone, hope you all had a lovely day and got spoiled with lots of presents. Best wishes for the rest of the holiday season!

It’s time for the last monthly favourites of 2017! December and 2017 have zoomed by and I can’t believe we are at the end of another year already. December’s favourites are more of a mixed bag than November’s; I’ve got beauty, skincare, fashion and music.

Onto this month’s favourites:

1. Dua Lipa – I can’t recall where I first heard of Dua and listened to her music but I have been listening to her songs since 2016 before she released her album. On first listen I wasn’t a big fan of the album apart from the singles but I decided to listen to it again a few months ago and something just clicked. Dua’s voice is deep and gravelly and very distinct. I started listening to the album more and more and purchased a physical copy at the end of November. Her songs are catchy and make you want to sing along – one of my top albums of 2017. Standout Tracks: Genesis, Hotter Than Hell, Blow Your Mind (Mwah), New Rules, Begging, Homesick and Last Dance.

2. Dannii For Target Tank Top – I bought this top in 2016 and have been wearing it more recently with the hotter temperatures. It’s a gorgeous mint green colour perfect for summer and the top is nice and flowy. The holes for the arms are quite low cut so I tend to layer a light cardigan type garment over the top to conceal that.

3. The Body Shop Honey and Oat 3 in 1 Face Mask – I bought this face mask all the way back in January in a Body Shop haul. In my Spring Beauty Edit I mentioned I wanted to start using this product more and I’m pleased to say I have been. I alternate between this and a Natio face mask. What I love about this mask is not only how good it smells but how easy and gentle it is. A little goes a long way and you only have to leave the mask on for 5-10 minutes. It’s simple to remove and leaves the skin feeling fresh and clean.

4. Makeup Revolution Ultra Face Base Primer – I have had this primer for over a year but rediscovered it a few weeks ago. When I first purchased it I didn’t notice its benefits and it sat unused. A couple of weeks ago I tried it again to see if it would make my makeup last longer in the heat. I have been using this nearly every time I’ve applied makeup in December and it makes my foundation apply smoother. It’s a silicone based primer and I have been using it with different foundations – it works in conjunction with all of them.

5. Australia – Gangsta Rap – This was one of the first lipsticks I ever bought when I started properly getting into makeup and it is one of my holy grail colours. I would describe Gangsta Rap (awesome name btw) as a magenta-violet similar to MAC’s Violetta. I haven’t tried Violetta but it’s in that bright pinky purple vein. The formula of this lipstick is lovely and creamy and contains Kakadu plum and vitamin C. The lipstick applies evenly and has outstanding pigmentation.

6. Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector – Opal (Mini) – I cannot believe I haven’t mentioned this until now! I have had Opal since February and it is one of my favourite highlighters to wear. The smallest amount of product is all you need and I can see this mini size lasting a while. The gold colour isn’t stark against pale skin and would suit a range of skin tones.

Best of 2017 playlist:

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What were your favourite things in December?

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November Favourites 2017

November’s favourites are all beauty items! I have been using a few new products recently and I’m pleased to say they have left good impressions. All of these products could be used together and I will definitely try a look with them in the coming weeks. In my October Favourites I mentioned I had been suffering bad headaches and this month it has been the polar opposite, I’ve barely had a headache.

Onto this month’s favourites:

1. MAC Studio Moisture Cream – I bought the travel size of this moisturiser in July after reading about it on Stashy’s blog and I am a big fan! I am still on the first 30ml tube but I have already purchased a back up for when this one runs out. This moisturiser makes my skin feel smoother and softer than any other I’ve ever tried and it doesn’t irritate my skin or break me out. The scent is also really nice. MAC boasts a super-rich creamy moisturiser boosted with skin-nourishing extracts including passionfruit, spinach leaf, green tea, algae, wheatgerm and coconut.

2. Mary-Lou Manizer – I’ve owned Mary-Lou for a month now and I have been reaching for her on a regular basis. The colour is subtle but I like a light glow and not too much shimmer. I also like using this as a base shadow on the eyelids, it’s got good pigment as a shadow and I am guessing it would help cream shadows set quicker and stay in place longer. Honestly, I don’t think Mary-Lou is my favourite highlighter but I will be using it a lot.

3. Chi Chi Metal Foil Eyeshadow – Spice – Spice is best described as a warm, shimmery pink, and is a shade that would not be out of place in the Naked 3 palette. Despite pink being my favourite colour, I don’t have many pink eyeshadows as they don’t look as good as neutrals/browns on me. I was drawn to Spice because of the slight berry tinge to the pink and thought it would be easy to use due to it’s formula. I have only tried applying this with my finger so far and boy does a little go a long way! This eyeshadow can be a bit slippy so I want to try applying a base shadow underneath to see if that prolongs wear time.

4. NYX Cosmic Metals – Fuchsia Fusion – This lip cream has to be one of the most amazing products I have ever seen! If you didn’t already know, fuchsia is my favourite lip colour to wear and the addition of glitter/sparkle drew me in instantly. The pigmentation is outstanding and the doe foot applicator isn’t too big. One coat of this is enough to last a work day including eating and drinking and there is no transfer onto teeth. The formula doesn’t feel sticky like a gloss and glides onto the lips upon application. The shimmer is noticeable but there isn’t so much that it looks like a disco ball on your lips.

I had to include a close up of the tube so you can see how beautiful the colour looks and the sparkle and shine.

5. Max Factor Lasting Performance Foundation in 100 Fair – I wanted to try this foundation in the shade Fair ever since purchasing the second lightest shade Ivory Beige in 2016. New Zealand doesn’t sell Fair so I ordered it from Feel Unique and the colour match is perfect! It’s everything I love about Ivory Beige but one shade lighter and a better match for my skin tone. This foundation has good coverage and makes my skin look flawless. The formula is lightweight and doesn’t emphasise lines or dry skin.

November’s Spotify playlist:

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What were your favourite things in November?

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New Makeup: First Impressions

I’m a firm believer that first impressions count and I try to trust my gut instinct as much as possible. Makeup is different as it can take a few tries and techniques to apply products before you get a feel for them… or not. Being a makeup fanatic is a double edged sword, you’re excited to try new products but at the same time you hope they’re good and a worthy investment.

I picked up some new makeup on Feel Unique and wanted to put it to the test. I used the new products alongside some of my old favourites to give a true representation and opted for a classic Chanelle look; neutral eyes and a bold lip. Read on to find out how the new products stacked up!

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Products Used:

• MAC Studio Moisture Cream
• Rimmel Professional Eyebrow Pencil – 002 Hazel
• Max Factor Lasting Performance Foundation in 100 Fair *NEW*
• Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer – 1 Fair
• Max Factor Wild Shadow Pot in Feral Brown *NEW*
• Rimmel Scandaleyes Lycra Flex Mascara
• Becca Shimmering Skin Perfecter in Opal
• Tanya Burr Blackberry Fudge Lip Cream *NEW*

New Product #1:

Max Factor Lasting Performance Foundation in 100 Fair – I have been using the Ivory Beige shade of this foundation for a while now and I really love the formula and coverage it gives. I apply Ivory Beige with a light hand as applying too much gives an orange tinge. I always blend it well so I can get away with it but I was always curious to try the ‘Fair’ shade. This particular shade isn’t sold in New Zealand and when I saw it on Feel Unique for half of what I paid for Ivory Beige, in the basket it went! The packaging has been updated but thankfully the formulas of both foundations perform the same. The formula is comfortable, long lasting and can be worn dewy or matte depending on your preference. Fair is pretty much a perfect match but we are going into summer so I’ll still be wearing Ivory Beige as well.

Face with only foundation applied.

I am pleased to say this foundation is everything I hoped it would be! I am super happy with my purchase and I will go as far as to say that the Lasting Performance foundations have overtaken Rimmel’s Match Perfection as my favourite. I’ve fallen out of love with the Rimmel lately and have been preferring the coverage of my Max Factor bases.

New Product #2:

Max Factor Wild Shadow Pot in Feral Brown – Neutrals and browns are definitely the shades I wear most and are the shades which I think suit me best. I love colour but prefer that on my lips and a nice shimmery or neutral shadow on the eyelids. Feral Brown is a warm copper with slight shimmer and it looks so pretty on. The colour applies evenly and has good pigmentation. This will be a great shade to throw on when I want something simple but pretty and for taking with me when I’m away from home. The pot is small and won’t take up hardly any space.

Freshly applied eyeshadow.

The eyeshadow did last throughout the day but I will try applying a cream coloured base shadow underneath to see if it makes a difference or alters the colour payoff. I have been looking for a copper coloured shadow for a while so I’m glad to have found this.

New Product #3:

Tanya Burr Blackberry Fudge Lip Cream – This lip cream was one of the products I was most excited to receive. The colour is unlike anything else I own, the packaging is gorgeous and the scent of the product is like a cupcake (think NYX’s Soft Matte Lip Creams). I tried Blackberry Fudge on the day it arrived and swatched it for Tuesday’s post, My Recent Purchases #2. When I went to apply it two days later it did not go well at all. I had to apply it five times! To say I was disappointed is an understatement. The colour didn’t take well to multiple coats either. I took a picture to show the uneven application then removed it and went for a different lipstick altogether.

Full face complete with patchy lipstick. *sob*

Sadly, I’ll be passing the set of lip creams along. It shouldn’t be that difficult to apply a lip colour and it didn’t meet my expectations. It’s a shame because Blackberry Fudge was such a beautiful, unusual colour. I have already replaced it with Black Cherry by Revlon as I loved the colour so much. It’s not the same but it’s similar.

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To quote Meatloaf, “two out of three ain’t bad.” I didn’t quite hit a home run but the eyeshadow and foundation make up for the lip disaster. I’ve got plenty of other lip colours to keep me going and I learned that I probably wouldn’t be a fan of matte liquid lipsticks (despite owning two).

Have you bought new makeup lately? How did it perform?

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My Recent Purchases #2

It was not long ago I shared My Recent Purchases and here I am back with a second lot of goods. In that post I mentioned I go through stages of not buying anything then seem to buy in clusters. Guilty once again. This time I’ve got fashion and makeup, I made online orders with ASOS and Feel Unique. I have shopped on both sites before and I am a huge fan of ASOS’ service! (This post is not sponsored. I genuinely rate them highly).

I had hoped to get this post up before now but I was waiting on the Feel Unique order so I could swatch everything.

NB: Mary-Lou Manizer was purchased from a New Zealand site.

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1. ASOS Curve 90s Style Dungarees

I vowed not to purchase another pair of dungarees online after the Boohoo disaster but I have shopped with ASOS a number of times. They have free returns compared to Boohoo so if this pair doesn’t fit I can return them for no cost and get my money back. I purchased a pair in this 90s style which seems like a looser fit and has more room to layer underneath. They are made from a stretch denim composed of 98% cotton which will sit nicely on the body and not feel too heavy.

So again I have a little dungaree story! I purchased the size which best matched my measurements but this time the dungarees were too big. That same day I jumped back on ASOS to order a size down and six days later they arrived. The fit is pretty much perfect and further confirmed to me how weird my body is when it comes to clothes sizes. Third pair’s a charm, right?!

2. the Balm Mary-Lou Manizer

I have heard numerous compliments about this highlighter in the beauty world and I am so pleased I was able to get my hands on it! I picked it up for a bargain price and it arrived less than 48 hours after I made the order. The packaging concept is really fun and it was love at first swatch. It applies beautifully to the skin and can double as an eyeshadow. The hype is real!

3. Tanya Burr Sweet Lip Creams Gift Set

I subscribe to Tanya on YouTube and saw the video of her showcasing her Christmas collection. These matte liquid lipsticks stood out to me, both of the colours look gorgeous and I was particularly excited to try the deep purple shade, Blackberry Fudge. The red is called Santa’s Little Helper. The lip creams arrived in lovely box packaging featuring a ribbon and snowflakes.

4. Palmer’s Moisture Rich Night Cream

Soon I will be running low on my current night time moisturiser (Kiehl’s Ultra Facial Cream) and I was looking at alternatives I could try. I do enjoy the Kiehl’s and would like to use it again but I’m not sure if I’m willing to pay $54 (NZD) for a moisturiser. I’ve wanted to try something from Palmers for ages and I was able to pick up this night cream for $15 (NZD). I read reviews online and this rates highly.

5. Max Factor Lasting Performance Foundation in 100 Fair

I currently have this foundation in the shade 101 Ivory Beige but I’ve always wanted to try Fair which is a shade lighter. Fair isn’t sold in NZ and I picked this foundation up for half the price I paid for Ivory Beige. The packaging seems to have been updated but I hope the formula is the same because whenever I wear Ivory Beige I like the way my skin looks and the medium to full coverage.

6. Max Factor Wild Shadow Pots in Feral Brown and Auburn Envy

Feel Unique had a 3 For 2 offer on Max Factor and these two eyeshadows suckered me in! I like single colours for days I want simple makeup looks. They also make travelling and staying overnight a breeze, you don’t have to take a whole palette. Feral Brown is brown/copper which will go nicely with my hair and Auburn Envy is a lighter brown with specks of gold.

Swatches

Left: Mary-Lou Manizer.

Right, top to bottom: Blackberry Fudge, Santa’s Little Helper, Feral Brown and Auburn Envy.

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Have you tried any of these products?

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Online Shopping Haul

Hello, hello! Hope your week is going well so far! Towards the end of last week I placed two cheeky online orders: one with ASOS and one with Target Australia. I’m really excited about the two ASOS items and I’m sure you all know by now how obsessed I am with Dannii Minogue’s petite clothing range. I haven’t done a haul post in a little while so I hope you enjoy this one. Let’s get into it!

Starting with ASOS:

ASOS Textured Striped Dial Watch – I have been on the hunt for a watch for the past couple of months and I decided to take a chance on this one from ASOS. I spotted this watch when I made my very first ASOS order in July but this time it was $20 cheaper. I wanted a watch with rose gold and I like the combination of the rose gold face with the material strap. My wrists are tiny so I figure a strap like this will be better than a metal strap or a bracelet type strap that can’t be adjusted. When I was in Auckland a couple of weeks ago I actually bought a watch but even on the smallest loop it was too big. Fingers crossed this one is perfect!

Rimmel London Good To Glow Highlighter in 003 Soho Glow – I needed something else to qualify for free shipping and I got browsing the makeup section of the site. I love Rimmel and I love the sound of this cream/gel highlighter so it was a no brainer – in my cart it went! I went for the shade Soho Glow which is a bronze-gold shade and totally different to the other highlighter I own from Makeup Revolution. This can be worn on it’s own, under or over the top of foundation.

Dannii For Target:

 

Blanket Knitted Wrap – Even though it’s currently Spring in New Zealand the weather has been pretty nasty and there hasn’t been much sun. I like cardigans but they don’t suit me at all and I thought this would be a good alternative for the unpredictable weather. I can throw this on if I’m cold and take it off if I warm up. I like the look of this on the model and it doesn’t look too long which is what I don’t like about cardigans. The black and white pattern looks funky too.

Chambray Shirt – I don’t have any casual long sleeve shirts and I’ve had my eye on this shirt since it came out. This shirt will look cool with black leggings, particularly my Dannii For Target coated leggings if I want more of a glam look.

Halo Tank – This tank top is another piece I have loved since I first saw it. It is a gorgeous mint colour which will look so nice and fresh during the summer. Again, I don’t really have a lot of tank top style items so I wanted to pick this one up in case I’m feeling brave enough in the summer to get my arms/shoulders out. The back strap detail (image here) is different from normal tank tops and looks stunning.

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Those are all of the items I picked up! What do you think of them? Have you done any online shopping recently?

The Purple Makeup Menu

Happy Friday lovelies! This is the last blog post before I fly up to visit my brother on Sunday and I thought I would share a makeup menu. I haven’t done one of these in a while, I think my last one was around Valentine’s Day, and the inspiration for this look comes from a lipstick that featured in my Shop My Stash: Berry & Purple Lipsticks post. Canadian blogger Stash Matters and I were talking in the comments and I told her that I would use Sparkle Baby (the name of the lipstick) in a makeup menu. Voilà!

Purple is one of my favourite colours to wear in general and a lot of people tell me it suits me. I don’t have a lot of purple makeup but I wanted to create a look using different purple toned beauty products. I love how this look turned out and I didn’t feel it was too dark or too much. I wore this makeup last Tuesday with a black outfit.

Products listed in order of application:

1. Simple Kind To Skin Hydrating Light Moisturiser – Recently I have taken to applying moisturiser in the mornings straight after I wash my face to keep as much moisture in my skin as possible. This was applied a couple of hours before the rest of my makeup.

2. Makeup Revolution Ultra Face Base Primer – The smallest amount of this primer goes a long way and I only use a tiny strip for my whole face. I like to wait for five or so minutes for this to sink in properly before continuing on with my face.

3. Rimmel Professional Eyebrow Pencil in 002 Hazel – While I’m waiting for the primer to sink in, I fill in my brows. This pencil looks natural and is so easy to use. I’m lucky to be blessed with quite thick brows so I don’t need to do a lot to them. This pencil makes sure everything looks uniform and makes them look that bit neater.

4. Rimmel Match Perfection Foundation in 010 Light Porcelain – With this look I wanted a nice, natural, glowy base and this is my favourite foundation to achieve that. This foundation never applies harshly or makes me look orange which is what I look for in a foundation. I like traceless coverage and something that blends in easily with my skin tone.

5. Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer in 1 Fair – I totally understand the hype behind this baby! I have been using it for a couple of months now and this blows Maybelline’s Fit Me concealer, which I raved about last year, out of the water. The coverage and the way this feels on my skin is a winner. I highly urge you to give this a go if you can!

6. The Body Shop Honey Bronzer in 01 Light Matte – I mentioned I wanted a natural, glowy base but my skin needed a tiny bit of brightening up so I dusted some bronzer onto my cheeks and across my forehead.

7. I ♡ Makeup Goddess of Love Highlighter – This is the only highlighter I own and I really don’t think I need any others. This highlighter is so versatile and pretty much goes with any look. The highlighter is a cross between a shimmery pink-purple/silver but it is very natural looking and gives a lovely glow. This can be applied with your fingers but my favourite way to apply it is with my Real Techniques Setting Brush.

1. Revlon Diamond Lust 105 Plum Galaxy – I purchased this eyeshadow a few months back and while it’s not the greatest on it’s own, I do like to use it to create a purple, smoky base to apply lighter shades and other purples on top of it. Pigmentation is best when the eyeshadow is applied with a finger as the glitter is a bit chunky and the finger distributes it more evenly than a brush. I only paid a couple of dollars for this eyeshadow so it’s not a big deal and I have come up with a way to use it which looks really nice so I can’t complain.

2. Max Factor Excess Shimmer in 15 Pink Opal – The name of this may be deceiving but it definitely comes out more purple than pink, lilac is more accurate. I’ve professed my love numerous times for the Copper one of these and while I don’t get as much use out of Pink Opal, it does look lovely layered over the top of Plum Galaxy. On it’s own Pink Opal is a little patchy and doesn’t show up as well as it does layered over other shadows.

3. Rimmel Day 2 Night Mascara – I have been using this mascara for about a month now and I really like it. It can be used it a few different ways: just volume, just length or both together. The length wand is nice and small which makes getting into the lower lashes a breeze. The mascara formula is still quite wet but it’s not messy and doesn’t end up all over my eyelids. I haven’t been able to try applying this in the day and then reapplying it later in the evening but hopefully I will get the chance to next week and I’ll let you know how I get on.

(I know it looks like my left eye has more eyeshadow than the right but that’s just the way the light hit my face).

1. BYS Sparkle Baby – This is what  inspired the whole post! I’ll admit I probably don’t wear this lipstick enough but it is so beautiful and creamy and has such a lovely formula. The shine from this lipstick doesn’t look unnatural or feel uncomfortable on the lips and the effect it gives is subtle but beautiful. This colour might seem intimidating but as you know I love my bold lipsticks and my philosophy is, just rock it!

Let me know if you enjoyed this post and if you would like me to do more makeup menus and MOTD posts!

First Impressions: Revlon Cherished Love Gift Set

Over the past few weeks I haven’t had a lot of new products to test out but I have been road testing a gift set from Revlon. Last month I had lunch with one of my old work colleagues and she gave me this as gift from everyone. I was completely overwhelmed and did not expect anything like that at all and it was a really nice gesture. I have used each of the items a couple of times now and I wanted to share my initial thoughts with you! I will also let you know the price of each item and whether or not I think they are worth purchasing.

What’s In The Bag?

Revlon’s Cherished Love gift set retails for $59 (NZD) and contains seven pieces: a lipstick, a lipgloss, a nail polish, a top coat, a highlighting palette, an eyeshadow quad and a vanity bag. I must say I love the bright red quilted vanity bag. The zips are heart shaped and say Revlon on them. This would be a good bag for travel if you had taller products you didn’t want lying down. The bag is my favourite item from the gift set! 😛

Lips

1. Super Lustrous Lipstick – Softsilver Rose | RRP: $25.99

As soon as I saw the colour of this lipstick I thought it was beautiful! Pinks are my favourite to wear and this lipstick should be right up my street. Revlon are famous for their Super Lustrous lipsticks and the formula of this one is super moisturising and is nice to apply. Softsilver Rose has a pearl finish which is the perfect way to describe how it looks on the lips. The shade has a frosted, metallic element to it but you won’t end up looking like Tin Man from the Wizard of Oz. When I applied this for the first time I found I had to apply a few coats to get nice, even coverage and to build up the colour. Honestly, I found this shade a little underwhelming and if I saw it in a shop I wouldn’t be jumping to pick it up. I have only worn this lipstick once and I’m not going to give up on it yet but I haven’t reached for it again since trying it.

Would I purchase the item on it’s own? Yes, on a couple of conditions. Despite what I just said, if you were in the market for a shade like this or you were starting to get into makeup, I would consider it. This lipstick has a lovely formula and feels comfortable to wear. As far as price goes, it’s mid-range, you’re getting a quality product so the price tag is justifiable.

2. Super Lustrous Lipgloss – Super Natural | RRP: $27.49

The packaging of this lipgloss is really nice. It’s quite simple and sleek and lightweight but I like that. You can clearly see the colour you’re getting and in my opinion, the packaging makes the product more luxurious. I have reached for this lipgloss more than the lipstick. I have tried wearing it on it’s own and layered over Blankety by MAC – I really liked this combination! As the shade name suggests, Super Natural is a lovely nude gloss and is the lightest of the lipglosses I own. The formula is more sticky than some of my others but the applicator is a good size and applies the product well.

Would I purchase the item on it’s own? Possibly. I like the shade and would be tempted to pick it up if I was in the market for a nude gloss. Personally, I wouldn’t spend more than $15-$20 on a lipgloss and if this gloss was cheaper I might buy it. I don’t wear lipgloss as frequently as lipsticks and that coupled with the sticky formula means I’d rather invest my money in one of the lipsticks.

Face

1. Colorstay 16 Hour Eye Shadow – Addictive | RRP: $34.99

This little quad does look lovely paired with the lipstick. Neutral browns have pretty much become a staple in everyone’s makeup bag and this palette is the perfect compact size if you’re traveling or going away. Having said that, the plastic does feel a little cheap. The quad comes with it’s own applicator which I have used and it does OK to apply the shades. You get three matte eyeshadows and one with a slight bit of shimmer. They aren’t the most pigmented eyeshadows but they do apply smoothly and are easy to blend. The shadows aren’t powdery and don’t create fallout. There is a diagram on the back showing you how to apply the shades but you can come up with your own combinations too.

Would I purchase the item on it’s own? No. The formula is fine but there are plenty of palettes out there with similar shades. $35 for an eyeshadow QUAD is too much. I’d recommend saving $5 and buying ‘The Nudes’ palette by Maybelline instead. You’re getting eight extra shades with more colour variety for less money.

2. Highlighting Palette – Rose Glow | RRP: $32.99

Just like the eyeshadow palette, this is a good compact size for travel and if you’re on the go but the packaging is more sturdy this time. This product is a highlighter and blush all in one so it’s handy if you’re in a rush. Pink blush is a classic and I this palette would suit fair skinned beauties in particular. The pigmentation is OK (which is why it might not work for people with darker skin) but that means you get a more subtle look and can build the product up if you desire. This is a wearable everyday palette if you’re looking for that rosy flush.

Would I purchase the item on it’s own? Again, no. I don’t know if it’s just me but the prices of these products individually seem too high. I don’t wear pink blush a lot because my skin has quite a pink undertone to it and this palette didn’t enhance my complexion. I do have a pink blush (My Girl by Dainty Doll) and I prefer how that looks to this palette.

Nails

1. Colorstay Gel Envy – Beginner’s Luck | RRP: $19.99

I am loving natural, neutral looking nail shades at the moment and when I saw this in the set I instantly liked the colour. However, similar to the lipstick I’m underwhelmed. The colour is a beautiful light pink iridescent shade with red shimmer but it doesn’t translate on the nails to look as nice as it does in the bottle. The colour is ever so slightly too light and almost washes my nails out (which you will see further on in the post). This shade would look better on darker skin tones, the contrast and lightness would really pop. I have no problems with how the polish applied, the brush was lovely and the formula easy to apply. This isn’t the longest lasting nail polish but you will get a few days wear without chipping.

Would I purchase the item on it’s own? No. As much as I love the name of this shade and how pretty it looks in the bottle I wouldn’t buy it. I’d rather spend my money on a different colour or an OPI polish (as I think they’re a similar price, $19.95). I don’t know what ‘gel envy’ refers to but my nails didn’t look extra glossy and shiny.

2. Colorstay Gel Envy Diamond Top Coat | RRP: $19.99

Like the nail range, I’m not sure what’s meant to make this top coat special but with Diamond in the name I’m imagining strong, shiny, beautiful nails. Having only tried the top coat once and only with Beginner’s Luck, I can’t really comment on it until I’ve worn it with my other polishes. My nails haven’t cracked or split since wearing it and they do feel quite strong. One thing I don’t like is the black bottle, you can’t see how much product is left or if the product has hardened and dried up and needs to be thrown out.

Would I purchase the item on it’s own? Maybe. Again, what’s putting me off is the price. I can’t comment so much on the quality of the top coat until I’ve used it more but Maybelline’s Dr Rescue is about half the price and I really like how that performs.

Swatches

Top To Bottom: Super Natural, Softsilver Rose, Addictive eyeshadow quad and Rose Glow highlighting palette.

Beginner’s Luck and Diamond Top Coat.

Left: Wearing Addictive, Rose Glow and Softsilver Rose, Middle: Wearing Super Natural and Right: Wearing Super Natural over Blankety by MAC.

Overall

I would only consider purchasing half of the products on their own if they weren’t part of this gift set. $59 for the set is an absolute steal when you consider you’d be paying $161.44 if you were to purchase these products individually. For $59 I believe the set is worthy of it’s price tag, but it makes me wonder how can they afford to sell the gift sets at such a discounted price. If you were giving this to someone who is a makeup lover or is just starting out with makeup, I’m sure they’d love it. I won’t be reaching for these products all that often but I will continue to test them out because my thoughts could change.

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Let me know your thoughts! Did I give a fair review or was I too harsh?

June Favourites 2016

It’s favourites time once again! Can you believe we are already halfway through the year?! If I could sum up June in one word, it would be odd – I’ve experienced both highs and lows. At the beginning of June I was enjoying time off from work and now as I type this post I am jobless. I had no idea it was coming when I returned after my time off and I was only back at work for 11 days until I got the news. I’ll direct you to Monday’s post if you’d like to read more. For the past week I have been job hunting and setting some plans in place. I don’t want this to be a negative time so I am focusing my energy on getting my learner licence and in just under two months I’ve arranged to go up and see my brother and spend time with him.

Onto this month’s favourites:

1. Philips Moisture Protect Hair Dryer – This hair dryer featured on my Winter Beauty Wishlist and I have now purchased everything on it – yay! I have the matching white/rose gold straighteners which I purchased last year and absolutely love! This hair dryer is pretty powerful, it operates at 2300 watts and has a drying speed of 120 km/h. I do have to be careful where I point this so that it doesn’t knock anything over, it’s that powerful, but the end result is worth it. The best part about the Moisture Protect styling tools is the sensor to measure hair temperature and automatically adjust itself to prevent hair overheating. As a result you’re left with smooth, frizz-free, shiny hair. This hair dryer has a range of speed and temperature settings and also comes with two attachments, a concentrator and a diffuser.

2. Tanya Burr Lipglosses – I purchased three Tanya Burr lipglosses during a 3 For 2 offer on Feel Unique and I have been wearing these a ton ever since they arrived! The shades I purchased are I Found Nemo, Afternoon Tea and Picnic In the Park. I love them all but my favourite is definitely Afternoon Tea, it is the perfect subtle everyday shade with the slightest hint of pink. These glosses are great as they are nicely pigmented and don’t feel sticky on the lips. If you’d like to see me wearing each shade as well as swatches, CLICK HERE.

3. The Body Shop Black Musk Eau De Toilette – I talked about this fragrance last Friday but I will reiterate the main points here in case you missed that post. This fragrance is one I can see myself wearing a lot over the winter months as the warm tones make this scent sophisticated and the right mix between naughty and nice. The packaging of this perfume is also really nice and because the bottle is quite small it won’t take up much space in your handbag. If you’re a fan of musk scents I urge you to give this one a go!

4. The Body Shop Vitamin E Nourishing Night Cream – I purchased this product after encouragement from the lovely Rachel. She raved about how good this was and with the weather beginning to cool down in New Zealand I was on the hunt for something more nourishing and hydrating than my regular moisturiser and a product specifically designed for night time use. I haven’t a bad word to say about this little pot! You don’t need to apply much at all and it sinks into the skin quickly without leaving it greasy. I have been waking up with lovely, soft skin and I really notice the difference when applying my makeup.

5. I ♡ Makeup Goddess of Love Highlighter – In May I FINALLY made my first Makeup Revolution order and it arrived approximately three weeks ago. My favourite product has to be this gorgeous silver/pink highlighter from I ♡ Makeup as it gives a lovely glow to my skin and is incredibly beautiful. I am a huge fan of the packaging and you get so much product – it will be a while before I hit pan on this!

June’s Spotify Playlist:

This is a playlist of two halves for a couple of reasons: there is a mix of male and female artists and one half of the playlist is emotional and ballad-y while the other half is happy and uptempo. It’s the perfect mix of my music taste.

P.S. Have you entered my GIVEAWAY? CLICK HERE for info!

Feel Unique & Makeup Revolution Haul

Hello and happy Friday! At the beginning of May I placed two online orders, one on Feel Unique and the other on Makeup Revolution. I’d heard so many good things about Makeup Revolution and it was only a matter of time before I placed an order. I kept adding things to my cart and taking them out but I finally settled on a few bits to buy. It was my first time ordering from each site and I want to commend both Feel Unique and Makeup Revolution on their efficient dispatch and particularly Feel Unique on their prompt delivery. My Makeup Revolution order took a lot longer to arrive and finally arrived on Wednesday. Thankfully, nothing was damaged or missing.

Kicking off with Feel Unique…

1. Zoella Beauty Tutti Fruity Beauty Pouch | £3.00

I’ve known about Zoella’s beauty range for a while and I’ve started getting into her videos and become a recent subscriber to her YouTube channel. I was browsing Feel Unique and literally stumbled across this wee beauty pouch. I loved the makeup illustrations on the pouch and the light pink colour with pink polka dots. This pouch is pretty versatile too, you could use it for cosmetics or a coin purse as suggested on the tag or you could use it to keep receipts in, as a pencil case or in your handbag as a divider.

2. Tanya Burr Lip Glosses | £9.97 (3 For 2 Offer)

When I was browsing Feel Unique I wanted to look at brands and makeup you can’t buy in New Zealand and Tanya Burr’s is one of those. I’ve heard a lot of praise for her lipglosses in particular and I wanted to try them out for myself! There was a 3 For 2 offer on so I selected the shades, Picnic In the Park (a vivid pink), Afternoon Tea (a light pink) and I Found Nemo (coral). The shade names are super cute! I’ve tried all of the glosses on my lips and the pigmentation and wear time is excellent. The formula has a lovely watermelon scent and doesn’t feel horrible and sticky. The applicator applies the glosses nicely and is a nice size as well. The packaging is beautiful and makes the product look more expensive than it is.

I’ve swatched all three shades and included an image of me wearing each one.

Left To Right: I Found Nemo, Afternoon Tea and Picnic In the Park.

Top To Bottom: I Found Nemo, Afternoon Tea and Picnic In the Park.

Now onto Makeup Revolution:

1. I ♡ Makeup Goddess of Love Highlighter | £4.99

I haven’t tried any highlighters before and I couldn’t go past how gorgeous the I ♡ Makeup ones looked. The packaging is adorable and again makes the product look more expensive than it is. Goddess of Love is a gorgeous shimmery pink/silver. The highlight can be applied lightly for a more subtle look or with a more heavy hand for a night out, special occasion etc. I wore this highlighter for the first time yesterday and it looks very natural on my skin and adds the loveliest glow.

2. Iconic 1 Eyeshadow Palette | £4.00

If you can’t buy the actual Naked palettes by Urban Decay you buy a dupe right? This palette is full of gorgeous warm tones and contains a mixture of pearls, shimmers and mattes. One thing that has always intrigued me about the original Naked palette is the blue/grey shade right on the end. It seems like such an unusual colour and I can’t wait to use it. I also don’t think I’ve seen or read a bad review about this Makeup Revolution palette.

3. Iconic 2 Eyeshadow Palette | £4.00

I had only intended to purchase one of the Iconic palettes but ended up adding the Iconic 2 to my cart as well after reading this post of Karen’s. The swatches and look Karen came up with convinced me I needed this palette big time! There seem to be quite a few shimmer shades in this palette which I don’t actually own a lot of already and I am fond of a bit of shimmer! This palette reminds me of Maybelline’s ‘The Nudes’ which I love, but the Iconic 2 looks like it has more shimmer shades giving it a point of difference.

4. Ultra Face Base Primer | £5.00

I bet you were expecting to see the Iconic 3 next and while I did consider it, my W7 dupe will have to do for now! I recently finished up my Rimmel Fix & Perfect Pro primer and I haven’t seen that available anywhere for a while so I settled on this one as an alternative. The primer comes housed in a cute, pink tube and contains 25ml of product. The primer itself is clear so I know it won’t alter how my foundation looks and it looks more of a thicker texture than the Rimmel one I was using. It will be interesting to see how both primers compare.

Total (Feel Unique + Makeup Revolution) = £30.96

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Overall, I am extremely impressed with the quality of everything and I am so pleased with my choices! Let me know your thoughts if you have tried any of these items.

P.S. I also ordered a few extra items not shown here which I purchased for a blog giveaway coming next week. Keep your eyes peeled for that!