Yearly Highlights + Signing Off For 2019

December 23, 2019December 22, 201931 Comments

Usually towards the end of each month I round up my favourite things but in December there hasn’t been anything new that I’ve come across that I haven’t talked about before. In lieu of December Favourites I’ve rounded up my favourite products of 2019. I will also be sharing some highlights from the year. This is my final post for 2019 as I want to give myself a break from posting between Christmas and the New Year. Thank you to everyone for taking time to read and comment and for showing support. I wish you all a Merry Christmas and I hope you have the best day with your loved ones!

Base

1. Trying higher end foundations from YSL and MAC – 2019 is the year I stepped up my foundation game and ventured away from the drugstore options slightly. I got a sample of MAC’s Studio Fix Fluid Foundation which applied beautifully each time I used it and made me start looking into other high end foundations. After finishing the MAC sample I purchased a bottle of YSL’s Le Teint Touche Éclat in B10 Porcelain and it is such a perfect colour match for me. A little goes a long way with this foundation and like the MAC foundation it applies and sits beautifully on the skin. I have still got a couple of drugstore foundations in my collection and once I’ve used those up I can see myself heading more towards bases that are slightly more expensive but perform better. It takes me so long to finish a foundation that I’d rather it be one that I really like.

2. Kevyn Aucoin Sculpting Powder in Light – I heard The Anna Edit talk about this product numerous times and I’d been curious to give contouring a go so I bit the bullet and purchased it. I wanted one shade that suited my skintone rather than purchasing a palette where most of the shades would sit untouched. This product is lovely to work with, the powder is soft and easy to blend and I don’t need to use much at all. I tend to use this over bronzer on days I want more definition.

Eyes

3. xoBeauty Heaps of Sweets Palette – This palette is a relatively new addition to my makeup collection. The layout and the number of different colour combinations excites me and makes me want to experiment with the palette. The pigmentation, formula and the combination of matte and shimmer shades is great and since the palette arrived I have not put it away, it’s sitting on top of my dresser within easy reach. Palettes like this that can be used for wearable everyday looks but also contain fun pops of colour are so versatile.

4. Zoella x Colourpop Group Hug Supernova Shadow Bundle – If I had to pick my favourite brand for 2019 it would be Colourpop! I hadn’t tried anything from Colourpop before and I remember asking on Instagram for product suggestions and someone mentioned that they didn’t like the Supernova Shadows. I didn’t purchase the Group Hug bundle in my first order but I am glad I picked it up in a subsequent order. The bundle contains the shades OG and Bellini and both are packed full of shimmer and glittery goodness. The pigmentation is stunning, especially Bellini, and they apply so smoothly and last all day. They are what I thought the Stila minis I have would be like but 100x better. Unfortunately this set has now been discontinued.

5. Colourpop Sol Palette – This is one of my favourite eyeshadow palettes in my collection and every time I use it I’m never disappointed, there’s not one bad shade. The warm, orange tones work really well with my hair and complexion and this palette is surprisingly versatile. If I had to pick one palette to travel with it would be between this and The Remix Palette from Shaaanxo and BH Cosmetics. One of the best nine pans Colourpop do in my opinion!

6. Colourpop Super Shock Shadows – One of the Colourpop products recommended to me were the Super Shock Shadows. This product is what the brand first started off with and having a creamy, highly pigmented texture with no fall out it’s easy to see why they are so popular. Across the four Colourpop orders I placed this year I purchased eight shades in total. My top picks are Slave2Pink (neon pink glitter loaded up with blue), Bouncy (cool toned bronze with gold and violet duo chrome), Nillionaire (bronze with pink and gold ultra-glitter), Dare (shockingly neon purple with hot pink and violet glitter) and I Heart This (taupe with silver ultra-glitter).

Lips

7. Revolution Jewel Collection Lip Toppers – These sheer, non-sticky glosses are packed with stunning shimmer to switch up your favourite lipstick. I have two out of three shades; Fortune (iced silver shimmer) and Exquisite (duo chrome sheer pink with cool silver shimmer). They can be worn alone or layered over lipstick for a high shine finish and colour shifting duo chrome effect. Fortune is my favourite!

8. L’Oreal – Bois De Rose Lipstick – A work colleague gave me this lipstick and the colour reminds me a lot of Syrup by MAC which I completely finished a couple of months ago. Bois De Rose has more of a rosy tone whereas Syrup has more of a purple-berry tone. The formula of this shade is lovely and creamy and it is such a lovely colour for everyday wear.

Accessories

9. YSL Black Opium – The 7.5ml perfume sample of Black Opium did not last me long at all, it’s finished already! I instantly fell in love with the scent and in the near future I definitely want to pick up a full sized bottle. The combination of warm, sweet vanilla and coffee with a hint of spice is extremely sexy.

10. Daniel Wellington Petite Melrose Watch – I purchased this watch last year and whilst it was an investment piece I love wearing it! My wrists are tiny (which I have a weird fascination with) and Daniel Wellington watches accommodate that. When you order from Daniel Wellington you can customise your watch by choosing the size of the dial, the colour of the dial and the colour of the strap. I chose the Petite Melrose in rose gold with a white 28mm dial. The watch goes with everything and looks dainty and elegant.

Top 5 personal highlights from 2019:

1. A personalised signed album from Claire Richards – Claire Richards has one of my favourite voices in the music business and she released her solo album in February 2019. Through Claire’s website fans could pre-order personalised signed copies of her album.

2. Securing tickets to So Pop 2020 – Speaking of Claire, Steps were announced as one of the acts for the So Pop 2020 series of concerts alongside The Pussycat Dolls, Jesse McCartney, Sophie Ellis-Bextor and others. It hasn’t properly hit me yet that I’ll be able to say I’ve seen my favourite band in concert even if they aren’t the headline act – 10 year old Chanelle never thought this would happen.

3. Finding a denim jacket – I knew that when I purchased my denim jacket from Pagani it is one of those timeless pieces that goes with everything. I often pair it with leggings for simple, casual outfits when I’m not sure what to wear and it’s a great layering piece that can be dressed up and dressed down.

4. Purchasing new perfumes – Halfway through the year I purchased a couple of new perfumes and I’m really pleased with all the scents in my collection at the moment. Girly, vanilla based scents are my favourite and you can’t go wrong with Juicy Couture in my opinion. The fragrances next on my list to buy are Viva la Juicy Rosé and a full size of Black Opium.

5. Being more social – I am by no means a social butterfly but I have been on my fair share of dates, attended a few quiz nights and been out to dinner with work friends this year.

December’s Spotify Playlist:

I hope you are able to look back on 2019 and the decade with fond memories. If 2019 didn’t go the way you planned I hope 2020 will treat you better and bring plenty of happiness ❤

I will still be reading posts and commenting but this is me officially signing off – see you in 2020!

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GRWM: Girls Dinner

September 6, 2019September 5, 201921 Comments

On Monday I went out to dinner with some of the girls from work. If you saw my post on Instagram earlier in the week you may be aware I was worried about the dinner. Social situations make me nervous and not being a very adventurous eater magnifies the nerves. Evenings out aren’t something I do as I don’t usually have company and part of me feels like I don’t deserve it. I knew I wanted to go because I felt grateful to be included and it was a big deal for me. I made everything out to be worse in my head than it was but when you worry so much it’s a natural instinct. If a similar situation arises again I will be less nervous which is a positive.

Not only was I nervous about the food/dinner – I stepped out of my comfort zone with my outfit. The restaurant had a dress code so it meant I had to get a little glammed up. I wore a dress AND heels and wanted to do nice makeup. This look features some newer products in my collection and products I’ve been reaching for a lot recently.

(Products have been categorised and listed in order of application under each category).

Base

MAC Strobe Cream – Pinklite – I applied this kind of like a primer and to give my skin more glow. I wanted this look to be soft and dewy.
Max Factor Lasting Performance Foundation in 100 Fair – One of my favourite foundations that I’ve tried to date; good coverage and a satin finish.
Collection Lasting Perfect Concealer – 1 Fair – The pigmentation and creamy consistency pairs so well with the Max Factor foundation. I had a bit of redness I wanted to cover up and also I wanted my skin to look glowy and this concealer isn’t as matte as my MAC one.
The Body Shop Strawberry Smoothing Face Mist – This smells good, feels lovely on the skin and keeps makeup looking fresh. This was the last product applied before my lip colour.

Cheeks/Eyes

Rimmel Professional Brow Pencil in 002 Hazel – Used this to fill in my brows.
Kevyn Aucoin Sculpting Powder – Light – I hadn’t used this for a few weeks and I missed it. Often in the morning when I’m getting ready for work I skip contouring as I’m short on time but I do really enjoy how this product looks.
Urban Decay Primer Potion – This little 5ml sample has lasted me over a year and is still going strong.
The Body Shop Honey Bronzer – 01 Light Matte – This was dusted over the tops of my cheekbones, down my nose and across my chin. I also applied this in my crease as my transition shade.
BECCA – Royal Glow – I used my ring finger to apply this highlighter all over my eyelids as a base shadow and used it to highlight my cheeks as well.
Zoella x Colourpop Supernova Shadow in Bellini – Bellini is a high-impact, ultra glittery shadow with a metallic rose gold base. This shadow is so easy to use, I swipe product onto my finger from the applicator and transfer it to my eyelid. Product dries quickly and lasts all day, this shade looks a foiled shadow when set.
L’Oreal Paradise Extatic Mascara – This is starting to dry out and I feel like I haven’t had it open very long. It definitely doesn’t seem as long lasting as the tube of Lash Paradise I had. I’m not ready to let go of this mascara just yet as the dark, thick fluttery lashes it gives are so pretty.
MAC – Warm Soul – I wanted a hint of colour on the cheeks and I knew the highlighter and strobe cream would give the glow factor so I went for this light pink-beige blush. It gives a lovely natural flush.

LIPS

L’Oreal – 302 Bois De Rose – I mentioned in my August Favourites I wanted to do a makeup look for the blog with this lipstick and here it is! It’s a great shade for everyday wear and I knew I’d be eating so wanted something that would fade gradually. This shade gives me MAC Syrup vibes, this is a satin finish and more pink but super pretty!

The Final Look:

Let me know what you think of this makeup look! What type of look do you go for if you’re going out?

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GRWM: Mexican Quiz Night

June 17, 2019June 15, 201937 Comments

At the end of May I went to a Mexican themed quiz night with four work colleagues. We didn’t have to dress up but I knew I wanted to do bright, glowy makeup and incorporate colourful flowers into the look. The week prior to quiz night I purchased a headband with coloured flowers attached and it topped my makeup off beautifully. I kept my outfit simple wearing black pants and a black top and a black and white striped blanket wrap over top to look like a poncho. I absolutely adored the makeup I did and I hinted in a previous post about recreating the look and sharing it on the blog – I had a few requests to do so.

(Products have been categorised and listed in order of application under each cateogry).

Base

Simple Radiance Brightening Moisturiser – At the moment I’m working on finishing up this travel sized moisturiser from Simple. This particular moisturiser is lovely on my dry skin and it would be great if this was more readily available in New Zealand and came in a full size.
Max Factor Smoothing Miracle Primer – Smoothing and moisturising, a pea sized amount of product is all that’s needed.
Max Factor Lasting Performance Foundation in 100 Fair – My favourite foundation that I’ve tried to date, good coverage and a satin finish.
Collection Lasting Perfect Concealer – 1 Fair – The concealer that works best for me! The pigmentation and creamy consistency pairs so well with the Max Factor foundation.
The Body Shop Strawberry Smoothing Face Mist – Not only does this smell good but it feels lovely on the skin and it keeps my makeup looking smooth and soft. This was the last product applied before my lip colour.

Cheeks

Kevyn Aucoin Sculpting Powder – Light – I wanted my cheeks to look sculpted and chiseled, this shade is a perfect match for fair skin such as mine.
The Body Shop Honey Bronzer – 01 Light Matte – This was dusted over the tops of my cheekbones, down my nose and across my chin. I also applied this all over my eyelids to set the eye primer and act as a base shade.
Dainty Doll Blush – 004 You Are My Sunshine – A dupe for NARS Orgasm. I need such a small amount of this blush as it is very pigmented but it gives a lovely flush to the cheeks. I applied this with a big fluffy brush and really concentrated application between my highlighter and contour.
BECCA Shimmering Skin Perfector Pressed – Opal – I have always been a fan of this highlighter but over the past few weeks I’ve been having a real moment with it! The glow it gives in combination with the blush makes my skin look super glowy and healthy and the formula is like butter.

Eyes

Rimmel Professional Brow Pencil in 002 Hazel – Used this to fill in my brows.
Urban Decay Primer Potion – This really does make a difference to the longevity of my eye makeup.
Colourpop Sol Palette – OOO was applied through the crease and lightly over my eyelids before using my ring finger to apply Floaties all over.
MAC Melon Pigment – Melon was applied over top of Floaties to add extra sparkle and to tie the orange tones from the Sol palette in with the peachy-gold blush.
L’Oreal Paradise Extatic Mascara – I tried Lash Paradise last year and loved it! I picked up Paradise Extatic (The European/NZ version) to compare the two and so far so good. Lashes appear dark and fluttery and the mascara provides good coverage in one coat but I still apply two!

Lips

NYX Cosmic Metals Lip Cream – Fuchsia Fusion – My favourite shade of lip colour to wear and all the glitz and glam I needed!

The Final Look:

What do you think of this makeup look? Have you created any looks recently that you can’t get enough of, if so what products did you use?

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May Favourites + Highlights

May 29, 2019May 28, 201934 Comments

I got sick this month and my asthma hasn’t been good for the second half of May. I have been taking things easier than normal to conserve energy and get back on my feet. My breathing has been the biggest concern, a cold usually starts in my nose and drips down but it went backwards this time, it started in my chest and the blocked nose came later. I’ve noticed in the past year my immune system has been weaker than usual. Also, as a result of the cold my skin looks tired and blotchy and products aren’t looking as nice as they normally do because my skin is drier. Apart from being sick I have also had some yummy food this month, I treated myself to Indian which I don’t have very often and I got a little spendy!

Onto this month’s favourites:

1. Kevyn Aucoin Sculpting Powder – Light – A couple of months back a thought I wanted to give contouring a go. I was browsing Beauty Bay and saw the Kevyn Aucoin Sculpting Powder for a price that yes, was an investment but nowhere near as expensive as MECCA sells the product for and decided to pick it up. I did my research, I knew it was well loved and had the right undertone I was looking for in a contour for pale skin such as mine. I didn’t want to buy a sculpting palette with six shades and only realistically use one or two. This powder gives my face a slight hint of shape/shadow which is what I’m after and it really is the perfect shade for fair skin! I’ve applied this with both soft and dense brushes and currently my favourite brush to apply it with is the Real Techniques Setting Brush. The brush is soft and diffuses the product but still small enough to get in under the cheekbones and blend.

2. The Body Shop Shea Eau de Toilette 30ml – Shea is one of my favourite scents from The Body Shop and the range I have tried the largest number of products from. These small 30ml bottles of fragrance are compact and fit nicely in my handbag if I need. This scent is lovely as a spray and smells just like the body butter. It’s nice when I want something light and natural and not too girly. I know I say this all the time about this scent and I mean it in the least weird way possible but I would love to smell this on a guy. There’s something masculine about Shea that I love.

3. Essence Shine Shine Shine Lipgloss in Dress Up Your Lips! – This lipgloss was given to me by a work colleague when she returned from a trip to the Philippines. Her and I often talk about makeup and it’s nice she thought of me. Dress Up Your Lips! is a nude gloss and I think of the colour as a cross between MAC Brave and MAC Velvet Teddy. The gloss is nicely pigmented, super comfortable to wear and has a fruity scent which I like. It won’t last a whole day but it’s easy to reapply.

4. Silver Pendant Necklace – I picked up this necklace for 50% off in a pharmacy and it was a total bargain! It is simple and beautiful and that’s what I like in jewellery. I like dainty, elegant pieces that compliment an outfit but aren’t the main attraction. The chain isn’t adjustable but the pendant sits in the right place on my neck. The amount of sparkle the pendant gives off is really pretty.

May Highlights

I’ve been loving a couple of British crime dramas – The Bay and Prime Suspect: Tennison.
I purchased two dresses from Glassons that I can’t wait to wear; a triangle print long sleeve peplum dress and a floral, short sleeve high-low dress.
The Zoeva makeup brushes I mentioned in last month’s favourites arrived.
I placed my first Sephora order! A haul post will be up in the near future.

May’s Spotify Playlist:

How was your month? Share one of your highlights in the comments!

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Autumn Makeup Look

May 6, 2019May 5, 201927 Comments

Browns and neutrals are go to colours for my eye makeup most days but I appreciate them even more in autumn! Since I started this blog nearly five years ago my makeup skills and knowledge have improved so much. I definitely have preferred methods and know what I like makeup wise but for this eye look I strayed a little from my norm and I am so happy with how it came out – I can’t wait to recreate it again!

When I create the majority of these makeup looks for the blog I know how I want them to come out and the kind of tones I want to use. I actually created a couple of different eye looks I thought would turn out to be autumnal before settling on this as a clear winner. The others either had too much bronze or not enough depth of colour in the crease.

Products listed in order of application:

I thought I would stray away from doing a big list of the products I used to create this look like I normally do as most of the time my base products are the same.

My current go to day moisturiser is Olay’s Complete UV Sensitive Lotion. I let my moisturiser sit for about 10-15 minutes and then I go in with primer, at the moment I’m using Max Factor’s Smooth Miracle Primer. I then fill in my brows with Rimmel’s Professional Eyebrow Pencil in Hazel. I’m very much enjoying using Max Factor’s Lasting Performance Foundation day to day instead of just for special occasions. It is my favourite type of coverage and formula wise it holds up well throughout the day. I apply one layer all over my face and additional product to areas I get redness – around my nose and chin. MAC’s StudioFinish Concealer comes next before applying Urban Decay’s Primer Potion to my eyelids. While I let the eyeshadow primer sit I go in with contour and bronzer. Kevyn Aucoin’s Sculpting Powder in Light is perfect for my skin tone and The Body Shop Honey Bronzer gets dusted over my cheekbones, chin, around my nose and on the temples. Sometimes I also apply highlighter before doing my eye makeup and on this occasion I did and used Soft & Gentle from MAC.

The ‘original’ side of The Remix Palette.

After my face is prepped and done I move onto eyes. I pulled out The Remix Palette from Shaaanxo and all the shades I used are from the ‘original’ side of the palette which contains a mixture of nine neutral shimmers and mattes. First I applied Buttercup (warm matte custard yellow) all over the lid. I used a combination of Terracotta (warm matte brown) and Silhouette (charcoal matte) in the crease. Terracotta is a lovely shade to add depth and with Silhouette I focused it more on the outer V and outer third of my eyelids. I wanted a dark smoky element and this shade gave it. To finish the look I patted Avocado (blue-brown duochrome) onto the lid with my ring finger and applied a few light layers to build up the colour and duochrome effect.

I applied two coats of Tanya Burr’s Selfie Lash Mascara. MAC’s Velvet Teddy was my lipstick of choice and I finished off by spritzing The Body Shop’s Strawberry Smoothing Face Mist to set everything in place.

The Finished Look:

What products do you associate with autumn? What do you think of this look?

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GRWM: Metallic Easter Makeup

April 19, 2019April 18, 201920 Comments

This makeup look is inspired by the bright, shiny foil wrapping around chocolate Easter eggs. The idea to create a metallic type look came after purchasing Colourpop’s Super Shock Shadow in the shade Slave2Pink. This shade is described on Colourpop’s website as an “electric neon pink glitter loaded up with blue, violet, hot pink, and silver in an insanely metallic duochrome finish.” I didn’t want to go full on tin man shine but I did want there to be visible shine and I’m super pleased with how the look came out! I wore it to work earlier this week as part of a glam, dress up day.

Products listed in order of application:

1. Olay Complete UV Sensitive Lotion – I am enjoying using this moisturiser and having a break from the Simple moisturiser I used for years. I stuck with Simple for so long because I knew it didn’t irritate my skin but I actually think this Olay one is better. My skin feels more hydrated and it doesn’t soak up the product as quickly.

2. Max Factor Smooth Miracle Primer – This primer is a good combination between hydrating and smoothing. The primer has a slight silicone feel without looking oily or greasy on the skin and makeup applies over top so easily and lasts well throughout the day.

3. Rimmel Professional Eyebrow Pencil in 002 Hazel – Filling in my brows with this since 2016.

4. Max Factor Lasting Performance Foundation in 100 Fair – The demi-matte finish of this foundation is my favourite. I don’t like overly dewy formulas and the coverage of this is also really nice, a good medium that can be built up to medium-full with a second layer.

5. MAC Studio Finish Concealer in NW10 – This concealer pairs well with the Max Factor foundation and it’s a great all rounder: good coverage, good colour match, contains SPF 35 and the formula doesn’t dry out in the little pot.

6. Urban Decay Primer Potion – A staple in my makeup routine since I started using it.

7. Kevyn Aucoin Sculpting Powder in Light – I recently bought this from Beauty Bay after being intrigued and wanting to try contouring to give my face some shape. I have been using this for just over a week now and the shade is good for my skin tone. I’m still determining which brush applies it best but I haven’t looked like I’m wearing a stripe on my face which is a good start!

8. The Body Shop Honey Bronzer in 01 Light Matte – I have officially hit pan! I love this bronzer for adding a nice bit of colour to my skin but I also treat it like a setting powder. I don’t use setting powder unless it’s warm or I need my makeup to last extra well. I also find with having drier skin I don’t like a lot of powder products sitting on top of my foundation and concealer or else it looks cakey.

9. I Heart Makeup Goddess of Love Highlighter – To go with the pink metallic theme I decided to wear my pink-purple highlighter. This was the first highlighter I ever bought and it’s such a beautiful, versatile shade. Goddess of Love can be worn lightly for a natural, everyday look but can also be easily built up if desired.

10. Colourpop – Slave2Pink – This is the product that inspired the whole look! I applied theBalm’s Mary-Lou Manizer as a base shadow before applying a light layer of Slave2Pink all over the lid with a shading brush and using my finger to apply more eyeshadow to build up the colour and shimmer.

11. Tanya Burr Selfie Lash Mascara – The more I use this mascara the more I like it. It’s not as dramatic and doesn’t give as much volume as my favourite from Rimmel but it’s still good. It gives a lengthening, separated, natural effect that compliments any look.

12. NYX Cosmic Metals – Fuchsia Fusion – I have been wanting to wear a fuchsia lip colour with the fuchsia Colourpop eyeshadow since it arrived and this look was the perfect opportunity. This is my most metallic looking lipstick and it’s such a comfortable formula. There’s shine and pigment but no gritty glitter. This product is long-lasting and one that always makes me happy when I wear it.