Beauty Joint Experience + Haul

Three weeks ago I placed an order on BeautyJoint.com. I haven’t been able to find my holy grail Rimmel mascara in New Zealand for about a year now. I wear and love the Extreme Black shade (003) and I have only seen Black (001) in stores. I purchased a tube of Black in September 2017 but it’s just not the same. I hunted high and low and this site was the only one I found that had Extreme Black in stock so I purchased two tubes! I browsed the rest of the site and ended up adding a few other items to my cart.

This was the first time I had ordered from Beauty Joint but the experience was a good one and I would definitely consider shopping with them again. The website has a variety of brands, mostly drugstore but there is Korean beauty as well. I really have no complaints. I received a shipping notice 1-2 days after placing my order and in total the package took two weeks to arrive from the date I ordered. That impressed me because I know packages from the US can take longer and New Zealand only gets mail three days a week. The items arrived bubble wrapped in a bubble bag, nothing arrived broken or damaged and everything I ordered I received. If I purchased all of these in New Zealand I would have paid $30-$40 more – the prices are so good! If you’re looking for some great discount drugstore makeup, check this site out!

NB: All opinions are my own. This post is not sponsored by Beauty Joint and all items were purchased by me using my own money.

1. Rimmel London Scandaleyes Lycra Flex Mascara – Extreme Black x2

Rimmel is one of my favourite brands and I have been using this mascara for almost four years. I’ve tried other brands and other mascaras from Rimmel but this is the one I always go back to. The formula is great from the get go and when it dries out it’s even better! The brush is big but I’m used to working with it and this mascara gives length AND volume.

2. Maybelline Master Chrome Metallic Highlighter – Molten Rose Gold

I love highlighters that give more of a subtle, natural glow and have less of a warm tone. I could not go as warm/golden as Becca’s Champagne Pop. This is only my fourth highlighter and honestly I feel that’s all I need. Highlighters last a long time and I’d rather have a couple that I regularly use rather than 20 that sit in my makeup drawer and get used every once in a while. I don’t wear highlighter everyday and I tend to go for blush or highlighter but I feel like this shade could double as both.

3. NYX Eye Shadow Base – Skin Tone

Eyeshadow seems to apply on one eye better than the other and I thought it was about time I tried an eye primer or an eyeshadow base. Katie from Kate’s Vanity has talked about an Essence eyshadow base before but Essence isn’t sold in my city. I needed an item to add to my order to qualify for free shipping and this was it. I chose the skin tone shade to create a good foundation to apply eyeshadow over. The base aims to intensify the impact of eyeshadow and help colour last longer.

4. Rimmel London Lasting Finish Lipstick #12

I bought this shade of lipstick after Nadine from Ladies and Lace mentioned it was a dupe for Morange by MAC. I previously had a Revlon Lip Butter in the shade Tutti Frutti but this lipstick is everything I wanted Tutti Frutti to be and more. The lip butter was sheer which made the colour look strange on my lips – I love how opaque this Rimmel lipstick is. The formula is not drying and not patchy. Rimmel do lipstick really well in general. I tried this lipstick on when the order arrived and I’m a big fan! I’m sure you will see me wearing this soon.

5. Revlon Lip Butter – Cotton Candy

I have eight of these Revlon lip butters in total. I don’t think they are made or sold in stores anymore but as far as formula and pigmentation are concerned you can’t go wrong. I have a mixture of bright and everyday shades in my makeup drawer. Cotton Candy is such a cute name and as it suggests it’s a girly, pink shade. Cotton Candy is a light pink with golden shimmer and leans more towards the cooler side of the spectrum. This reminds me of Nivea’s Pearly Shine lipbalm which I love.

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As well as showing you what I purchased I wanted to do a little first impression try on with some of the products.

• NYX Eyeshadow Base – Skin Tone – I used this and applied MAC’s Tan pigment over the top. The pigment didn’t last longer than usual but maybe I didn’t apply enough of the eyeshadow base. Perhaps I need to let it set for a minute before applying eyeshadow over the top. I will keep experimenting.
• Maybelline Master Chrome Metallic Highlighter – Molten Rose Gold – I applied this using a fluffy blush brush but didn’t like how little the highlighter showed up on my skin. I switched to a more densely packed tapered blush brush which worked better. The glow was very pretty and not too pink or too golden.
• Revlon Lip Butter – Cotton Candy – I like how natural this looks on the lips. I can see myself reaching for this when I want to apply something and I’m not sure what lip colour to wear.

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Have you ordered from Beauty Joint before? Have you tried any of these products?

P.S. This is my last blog post for a little while. I’m not sure when my next one will be but I still plan to share my monthly favourites and daily happiness highlights at the end of May.

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January Favourites 2018

It feels like forever since I’ve written a favourites post but it’s only been a month! A fair bit has happened in that time which is probably the reason why it seems so long. These favourites are all things I have been using in January and incorporating into different parts of my day.

Onto this month’s favourites:

1. Leuchtturm 1917 Dotted Journal (Navy) – Hands up who guessed this would feature! I purchased a Bullet Journal to keep organised lists essentially. I don’t treat mine like a diary (maybe if I didn’t already have a planner). I’m loving writing in this and coming up with new page ideas. I have written a post about my Bullet Journal which you can view HERE. The post also includes a video giving you a look inside my journal.

2. Rimmel Kate Moss Lipstick #45 – I chose this lipstick as part of a Rimmel gift with purchase in 2017 and rediscovered it this month. This shade is a gorgeous dusky rose nude. Shade #45 sits in the middle of the range colourwise, it’s not the lightest shade nor is it the darkest. This lipstick is creamy but still has good pigmentation. It’s not the longest lasting but it’s nice for during the day. I like to apply Revlon’s Super Lustrous Lipgloss in Super Natural over the top to make lips look extra plump.

3. Real Techniques Bold Metals 203 Tapered Shadow Brush – Towards the end of 2017 I purchased some Real Techniques makeup brushes off of iHerb. This brush is lovely for applying and blending shadow in the crease and the outer corner of the eye. The brush looks like it will be too big but this isn’t the case at all. I love to use this brush alongside the Morphe 25A Copper Spice palette I received for Christmas. This brush is perfect for defining the crease and for blending out matte shades from the palette.

4. Nescafé Toffee Nut Latte – Every year Starbucks bring out their Christmas drinks and one of the flavours is usually Toffee Nut. I tried a Toffee Nut Frappucino and really enjoyed it so when I saw these sachets in the supermarket in the trolley they went. This is actually my second box, I purchased the first one in December and repurchased two weeks ago. For someone who doesn’t drink coffee I find these have a nice, light flavour. Lattes contain more milk than other types of coffee so they’re not as strong.

5. Instagram – A lot of people have been complaining about Instagram and the ‘algorithm’ lately and I’m going to admit I have no clue what the algorithm is supposed to do. I use Instagram because I like it and because I enjoy sharing photos and engaging with friends and bloggers and seeing what they post. I don’t have a theme I stick to or a routine where I only post at certain times or on certain days. I remember a couple of years ago Instagram made it so you could turn on notifications when people post so you will see your favourite accounts first and more often. I did that for no one simply because I like chronological order and although photos aren’t posted in chronological order anymore I still see every photo. In the morning I scroll until I get up to where I stopped the night before and I don’t seem to miss photos. I’m enjoying Instagram because of the engagement I’ve been getting recently.

January’s Spotify Playlist:

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What were your favourite things in January?

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Favourite Red Lipsticks

This post was suggested to me by Cat who blogs over at My Lip Addiction. As you can probably guess from the name of her blog lip products are her weakness, a woman after my own heart! I don’t know what it is about lipstick but for me it completes a makeup look. Different colours represent moods and how you’re feeling on a certain day and I love that.

Red lipstick makes me feel confident and bold and shows a fun, playful side of my personality. Up until three years ago I steered clear of red lipstick, not because I didn’t like it but I hadn’t tried it before and thought it would clash with my red hair – it totally doesn’t! Now a few years on I wouldn’t be without red lipstick, it is a timeless classic and every lady needs at least one in her makeup bag.

Christmas is coming up and if you want some red lip inspiration, look no further!

#1. Rimmel 107 – I purchased this beauty in March 2015 and it is one of my favourites from my entire lipstick collection! It is the perfect berry lipstick with hints of plum, cranberry and wine. The formula is matte but it’s not as drying as other matte lipsticks I’ve tried. Normally I apply Dainty Doll’s Wonderbalm before applying this and it keeps my lips from drying out. The pigmentation is superb and the colour applies beautifully and evenly. If you’re a Zoella fan, this is also one of her faves!

#2. MAC Ruby Woo – If I could only recommend one red lipstick to you it would be Ruby Woo. The hype and love for this shade is real because it is pretty much the perfect red. This red has been made to make teeth look whiter and once this shade is on the lips it gives them a velvety look. Out of the four lipsticks in this post it has the most drying formula but it’s nothing a lip balm underneath doesn’t fix. The colour lasts all day and the lip balm helps keep the lipstick in place and prolong wear time.

#3. Bourjois – Frambourjoise – This shade is more of a raspberry red and has pink undertones but it is still an absolutely gorgeous colour! I was intrigued by the formula and inspired to try these by Anna from The Anna Edit on YouTube – (previously Vivanna Does Makeup). The formula is a mousse-type texture and it doesn’t dry matte straight away so you’ve got time to apply multiple coats if you need and make sure application is even. I’m a perfectionist and like to make sure there is the same amount of product and colour on each lip. I like the small applicator as well, it allows for precision and gets right in to the corners of your mouth.

#4. Smashbox – Bawse – I won Bawse in a giveaway hosted by Nerdy Librarian Girl in 2016 and it is a very bold, ‘don’t mess with me‘ red. Bawse is a collaboration between Smashbox and Canadian YouTuber Lilly Singh and I flippin’ love it! The packaging is simple but nice and the doe foot applicator is easy to use. It is bigger than Frambourjoise’s applicator and isn’t as precise but one coat of Bawse is enough, there is no need to touch up certain areas. I would say the formula is drier than Frambourjoise’s as well but both dry down to very comfortable, wearable mattes which last throughout the day.

Lipsticks In Action:

Left To Right, Top To Bottom: Rimmel 107, Ruby Woo, Frambourjoise and Bawse.

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What’s your favourite red lipstick?

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My Everyday Makeup Bag

Hi everyone! I have been meaning to write a post along these lines ever since I organised my makeup collection. I have a small-ish black and white makeup bag (which you can see in THIS post) that sits on my drawers which houses my favourite products. I define favourite as products I tend to use more often and products that I can always rely on for a go to look. This is essentially the crème de la crème of my makeup collection.

1. BYS Fuschia Surprise 

This is my favourite lipstick and one I’ve mentioned many times on the blog, it needs no introduction. Fuschia is my shade and the formula of this lipstick is fab! It’s creamy and pigmented and is a steal at under $10.

2. Rimmel Kate Moss Nude Lipstick #45

There are so many beautiful nude shades out there and this is the most recent product in my bag. Again, the formula is really nice, the lipstick is comfortable on the lips and I don’t see myself getting sick of this for a while.

3. Bourjois Frambourjoise

Bourjois was my first foray into liquid lipsticks and this raspberry shade is incredible! This is probably the red I reach for most (even over Ruby Woo). The formula is like a mousse when applied but dries down quickly. The applicator is small which I prefer as it allows for more precision which is important when it comes to liquid lipsticks.

4. Tanya Burr Afternoon Tea

Afternoon Tea is probably the nicest lipgloss I’ve ever tried. The packaging, scent and shade is gorgeous. This lipgloss is the perfect light pink when you don’t know what to wear and you want lips to look naturally plump.

5. Dainty Doll Blushes

Billion Dollar Babies is the only cream blush in my collection but it is the most versatile and wearable nude shade. If my cheeks look like they are lacking something I tend to dab on a bit of this and I’m good to go!

You Are My Sunshine is the most gorgeous peachy-coral and a dupe for Orgasm by NARS. I tend to wear this more in the warmer months and it looks lovely paired with light pink and peach lip colours.

6. Maybelline ‘The Nudes’

This is the eyeshadow palette I reach for the most! I never get sick of the shades and the number of combinations they bring. This palette works for everyday and glamorous night-time looks. I honestly like the pigmentation, others have said it can take a while to build up but I don’t find that at all. The shadows are soft and apart from the matte black don’t feel powdery. This palette travels well too.

7. Max Factor Excess Shimmer – Copper

This little pot is my favourite eye product! The formula is like mousse and it doesn’t fade throughout the day. It has a gorgeous sparkle. I love pairing this over top of shades from The Nudes palette – it is my go to look when I don’t know what to wear.

8. Collection Lasting Perfection Concealr – 1 Fair

Since buying this concealer it is all I use. I, like plenty of other bloggers sing it’s praises! The shade is perfect for my pale skin and the formula has a nice consistency which feels moisturising. Cheap but definitely not nasty!

9. Rimmel Match Perfection Foundation | 010 Light Porcelain

I have been using this foundation for over two years now and it is still my top pick. When I’ve strayed I’m quickly reminded why I like it so much. The foundation is traceless and very natural on my skin which is how I like makeup to look. Another plus is the added SPF and pore blurring technology.

10. Rimmel Professional Brow Pencil in 002 Hazel

This is all I have used to fill in my brows for the past year. My brows don’t need a lot of attention and I like the natural look this pencil gives. 

11. Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector Pressed in Opal

I received this highlighter in Stashy’s giveaway and first fell in love with the size of it. I was worried the gold tones would be too much but a light hand makes cheeks look flawless. It doesn’t feel chalky or powdery and a little goes a long way.

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What are your holy grail makeup items and brands?

Christmas Day Makeup Menu

Hey everyone! It feels a little weird doing a beauty post on a Wednesday but this has been one I’ve been excited to share with you for a couple of weeks. Whether you’re someone who has made last minute Christmas plans or you’re unsure how to do your makeup for the big day, sit back, relax and read on to see what I’ll be wearing come December 25th.

For my Christmas makeup I had two things in mind: sparkle and a red lip. I kept everything traditional and relatively simple. I believe this look would also suit a range of outfits from dressy to casual.

Base:

If you’ve been a reader of my blog for a while now, you’ll know all about my base products for my face. I use these three every time I wear makeup and I’m always impressed.

1) Simple Kind To Skin Hydrating Light Moisturiser – This moisturiser gives such a lovely base for the foundation to adhere to and keeps my skin nice and soft throughout the day. I didn’t use a primer for this look but this moisturiser works well with or without one.

2) Rimmel Match Perfection Foundation – If it’s more of a light coverage you’re after this foundation mixes really well with moisturiser and gives you that tinted moisturiser look and feel. On this occasion I applied the two separately as I wanted slightly more coverage. Side note: I recently discovered Rimmel have re-branded their Match Perfection foundation (I have the old formula). I use the shade 081 Fair Ivory and I hope that’s still part of the range otherwise I’ll have to try 010 Light Porcelain or find a completely new foundation.

3) Maybelline Fit Me Concealer in ’15 Fair’ – I don’t use the wand to apply this concealer, I dab the product onto my finger and pat it into my skin. Normally I just apply it to my chin, the sides of my nose and the corners of my eyes to eliminate redness.

Eyes:

1) Maybelline ‘The Nudes’ Palette – I have used this eyeshadow palette so much since I purchased it and it is one of my favourite purchases of the year! I used the palest, whitest shade in the palette as a base all over the lid then applied the gold shade over top of that.

2) Rimmel Super Curler Mascara – I recently mentioned purchasing this mascara in my HUGE Me Spree post. The mascara wand is smaller than what I’m used to using with Rimmel’s ScandalEyes Lycra Flex and shaped to mimic the natural curl of eyelashes. The size of the wand doesn’t detract from the mascara by any means and I do find this mascara does a similar job to the Lycra Flex; it adds a nice voluminous, fluttery look to my lashes.

Lips:

1) Rimmel Kate Moss Lasting Finish Lipstick in 107 – I have come to the conclusion I don’t wear this lipstick enough. It featured in my Winter Essentials due it’s dark, berry tones which look especially gorgeous in Autumn/Winter. This shade screamed FESTIVE to me so it was the obvious choice when it came to choosing a lip colour for my Christmas look.

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I hope you enjoyed this post and seeing what makeup I’ll be wearing on Friday! Let me know what you think of my Christmas look and if this post has inspired you at all. Also, don’t forget to tell me what makeup you’ll be rocking!

Winter Essentials

Happy Monday everyone! How was your weekend? Since it’s officially summer in New Zealand and it’ll be a while before the wet, cold, frosty days are back I wanted to talk you about my winter essentials. I also thought this post would be nice for all my blogging buddies living in the northern hemisphere. I have compiled a small list of my favourite things for the cold winter days and even colder winter nights. Enjoy!

1. A good book

I have always enjoyed reading and something I love to do is curl up with a book. Winter is a really good excuse to curl up in bed of an evening with a hot chocolate; cream, marshmallows, the works! I have spoken before about how I love to read autobiographies but I am also partial to a bit of romance *awww*. Romance novels make you feel good and are heartwarming. If you have any suggestions for winter books leave them in the comments below!

2. Rimmel Kate Moss Lasting Finish Lipstick in 107

This shade of lipstick is spoken about so much in the blogging world and for good reason! If during the cooler months you like wearing dark, berry lips you will love this shade. 107 is a gorgeous wine colour with a matte finish so you can be sure it will wear well and last throughout the day. If you have dry lips dab on some lip balm before applying this lipstick to make sure they stay hydrated. Normally when wearing this lipstick I dab on Dainty Doll’s Wonderbalm and I find this makes the colour into a vibrant dark red.

3. Body butter

I’m currently using The Body Shop’s Vitamin E body butter which I picked up in July. I apply my body butter after a shower before I get dressed as I find it soaks into my skin more effectively and provides more nourishment. I don’t pair scents with seasons but if you do, Wild Argan Oil and nutty, shea scents would be perfect matches for winter. If you haven’t tried a body butter before I’d recommend starting off with one of the smaller 50ml tubs. They still last a decent amount of time and if you find you don’t like the scent you’re not stuck with it. The only downside to that is there are certain scents only available in the 200ml tubs.

4. Slipper boots

If you like UGG boots but can’t afford them or get hold of them any pair of ordinary boot styled slippers will do. Boot slippers are the most comfortable for me and because they come up past the ankle you stay warmer. No warm air can escape and let any cold air in. I picked these slippers up last summer when there was a sale on and paid $4.95. I love the ice blue colour too, it adds to that cosy winter feeling.

5. Throw

I have purchased two lovely throws for my bed this past year: a coral and the grey one in the picture above. Not only is a throw stylish, it is an extra layer for your bed to help you keep warm. Throws are also useful for curling up on the couch when you’re watching TV or a movie; they’re lightweight and easy enough to grab and put back on the bed. I love the thought of snuggling up when there’s a good night of telly on.

Tell me, what are your winter essentials?

First Impressions: Rimmel Lipstick #107

A few weeks ago I added a new lipstick to my collection, one of Rimmel’s Kate Moss Lasting Finish lipsticks in shade #107.

The shade is called Plum and is a gorgeous deep berry/wine colour perfect for autumn and winter or if you’re going for the vampy look. I will definitely be wearing this lipstick a lot over the coming months and giving my brights a wee rest unless I’m looking for that extra little pick me up.

Swatch – My skin is quite pale which makes the colour pop but this lipstick would suit a range of skin tones.

Initial thoughts and tips:

The first thing you notice about this lipstick is the bright red casing which I’m a fan of. In a dark make up bag and amongst black lipstick cases this will really stand out and make it easy to find. Kate’s signature on the lid is a nice touch!

The lipstick has a slight scent, which doesn’t worry me as it’s not unpleasant or plastic-y. After application the scent fades and you can’t notice it.

The lipstick has a matte finish and the handful of times I’ve worn it already I haven’t found it to be drying or lose colour quickly. (I notice this with all my lipsticks though, there must be something in my lips that holds pigment well).

When applying this shade, be careful as I feel it could easily stain, especially if you’re pale skinned. I tend to apply this not too heavy handed as I’d rather have to put more on than try and clean up if I overdo it.

When wearing this lipstick I’d keep the rest of my makeup subtle as the colour can be quite intense. Think blush, a neutral eyeshadow or a little bit of shimmer.

Finally, a shot of me wearing the lipstick! (Excuse the rest of my bare face).

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What do you think of this shade? Have you tried it? Let me know in the comments!

Chanelle x