January Favourites + Highlights 2021

We are already one month of 2021 down, hope you’re doing okay! January is a time I enjoy as I feel it’s a good chance to take stock of the previous year and reset and put things in place for the year to come. January is also my birthday month. I have treated myself to a few goodies for my birthday but would like to keep spending to a minimum for the rest of the year. I plan on doing a separate post dedicated to my birthday and will share what I treated myself to in that.

Onto this month’s favourites:

1. Pixi Rose Oil Blend – I received this facial oil in a package from a blogging friend who sourced two MAC lipsticks for me. The timing couldn’t have been better as I had been without a facial oil in my collection for a little while and I enjoy the benefits they have on my skin. Rose is a lovely ingredient for the skin and I do like how this makes my skin feel when I use it. During summer my skin still gets dry so when I need more nourishment I have reached for this. The one negative is you can’t see how much product is left in the bottle but it’s easy to get past that.

2. Maybelline Face Studio Pore Minimising Primer – This reminds me a little bit of the Hourglass Veil Mineral Primer in that they both have a slightly slippery texture. My dry skin doesn’t mind that and foundation applies and blends out easily over the top as a result. If you are oily skinned I’m not sure you’d like this as much but it’s one to keep in mind if you’d like to try a cheaper alternative to the Hourglass primer. This doesn’t erase my pores but it does blur them so they don’t look as noticeable and makes makeup look smoother overall.

3. Silver heart pendant necklace – My boyfriend bought me this necklace for Christmas and it’s so cute! I love simple, elegant pieces of jewellery and this fits the bill. The heart sits on an angle which is also cute and the necklace is a lovely length, I find some necklaces don’t sit right and I’m less likely to wear them if that’s the case. Jewellery is a very personal gift but he did such a good job picking this out and I’ve been wearing it a lot.

4. Leuchtturm 1917 journal in Berry – My previous bullet journal lasted three years but towards the end of 2020 I knew there wouldn’t be enough pages left for another year. I enjoy the Leuchtturm 1917 dotted pages and knew I wanted another journal the same, it was just a case of choosing a colour. I almost picked a bright yellow to represent happiness and positivity but then I saw this gorgeous berry pink which reminds me of my favourite lipstick shade. I have loved getting my creative juices flowing again and setting up spreads throughout the month. When I journal I feel more calm and like there’s less clutter in my mind.

January Highlights

• Getting to set up my new bullet journal.
• Decided on the first 10 products for Project Pan and made a list of backups to rotate in as I finish products up.
• Enjoyed an evening treewalk with lights with my boyfriend on my birthday.

January’s Spotify Playlist:

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Share one of your highlights for the month and what you’ve been up to in the comments!

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November Favourites + Highlights 2020

November has been a really happy month overall. I still have the odd day I feel anxious or stressed or down but I’ve also had a good reason to feel happy and keep picking myself back up. I have been seeing a guy for a little while now and last week we made it Facebook official. Before announcing anything he met my mum and I met his family. We’re still in the getting to know each other phase but we enjoy each other’s company and we’re always joking around and laughing. He’s super sweet and supportive and honestly after the year I’ve had I’m pinching myself that this has happened.

Onto this month’s favourites:

1. NESCAFÉ Cookies and Cream Latte – You might know I’m not a big coffee drinker and I certainly don’t need it to function but I have tried a few different flavours of NESCAFÉ’s latte sachets over the years and found a couple I like. I tend to prefer sweeter, milky coffees where the coffee taste is less prominent. The cookies and cream latte tastes very similar to the vanilla latte which is the nicest flavour I’ve tried. I will happily devour the rest of these sachets over the next month or so.

2. Nike Swoosh Hoodie in Barely Grape/Iced Lilac – After my tonsillectomy I was looking online and wanted some good quality, comfy sweatpants. I stumbled upon a pair from Nike and also saw this gorgeous purple hoodie at the same time. The hoodie is designed to be oversized, I purchased a medium and it’s a nice fit; hugs in the right places but still has room to move. The material is lightweight but warm and I love how this looks on, I’ve already worn it a lot since it arrived.

3. Urban Decay Naked2 Palette – I am so happy I purchased this palette! These kinds of shades are my favourite, they go with any look and the shimmers in this palette are stunning. If you’ve got a ton of neutral palettes you don’t need this but I’ve loved reaching for this palette every time I’ve worn makeup in November. I don’t mind that there are a lot more shimmer shades than mattes as the matte shades that are included are everyday staple shades that you don’t need multiples of in a palette. I’m planning to write a round up of all the palettes I’ve rotated through this year but I already know this is one of my favourites overall.

4. Maybelline Master Primer Pore Minimising – I have tried a number of different face primers this year and this is such a good one! About two months ago I finished the Hydrating primer from Maybelline and that was pleasant to use as well. I do think when I wear this primer my pores seem less noticeable and my base makeup looks more flawless. Before reading reviews and committing to purchasing this primer I was under the impression it would be a matte texture and feel drying on my skin but it’s the opposite; the texture is incredibly smooth and soft. A little goes a long way, it has more slip than the Hydrating primer from Maybelline but I don’t mind that.

November Highlights

• Kylie Minogue and Steps released new albums!
• Halo turned 3.
• I got a haircut for the first time in 9 months.

November’s Spotify Playlist:

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

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MASSIVE Beauty Haul

One thing I want to be more conscious of in 2019 is how much I buy makeup. Not only have I set a goal to try not to buy any lipsticks this year but I want to use up what I have before buying more and only buy something if I run out. In the last week of 2018 I took advantage of Boxing Day sales and used up a few gift cards before the low buy/no lipstick buy began.

1. xoBeauty Luxe Liquid Lipstick – Nam Jai – xoBeauty was most definitely my favourite brand discovery of 2018! I have two other liquid lipstick shades and if all liquid lipsticks had this formula I would be a happy girl! Nam Jai is described as a muted warm pink and in pictures I’ve seen it looks like a lovely watermelon pink. In the last xoBeauty order I made I was tossing up between Nam Jai and Kairos. I knew if I didn’t buy this shade it would have been tempting me all year.

2. xoBeauty Tulip Crease Brush – A standard Chanelle eye look usually involves a base shade, a transition shade in the crease and a shimmer all over the lid. I know the importance of blending and having a small enough brush to fit in my crease so the transition shade stays where it is supposed to. This brush reminds me of the Pointed Crease Brush by Real Techniques but this one can also be used to buff base shadows all over the lid.

3. Face Halo 3 Pack (White) – I have seen Shannon use these a lot in her vlogs and while they aren’t made by xoBeauty they are available to buy through the website. Each pack comes with three makeup removers that can simply be used with water. These pads are made up of extremely fine fibres to ensure a deep clean and they are also machine washable. I plan to use these instead of a facecloth to wipe my face after I have applied Clinique’s Take the Day Off Cleansing Balm. A black Pro version of the Face Halo was released recently but the pads didn’t look as soft and with the white you can easily see when they need a clean.

4. Britney Spears Prerogative EDP 30ml – Britney Spears fragrances have been a staple in my collection for the past 10 years. I have tried a handful of different ones in that time and when a new one is released I always pop in store to see if I like it. I didn’t do that with Prerogative so I took a bit of a risk ordering online without smelling it first. I bought the smallest size to be on the safe side but it smells amazing and I can already imagine myself repurchasing this scent.

5. MAC – Velvet Teddy (Little Mac) – Ever since Cleia used the mini version of Velvet Teddy in this makeup tutorial I knew I wanted to try it for myself. I think it’s a great idea that MAC do smaller versions of some of their popular shades, it means it won’t take as long to use up and if for some reason a shade is not right for me I haven’t spent as much money on the full size.

6. MAC Prep + Prime Fix+ 30ml – I like the idea of Fix+’s versatility. I’m interested to try it as a setting spray (especially with the hot summer we’re having) and to spray it on my eye brushes to get a foiled/metallic eye look. I got the 30ml size because I figure it will take a while for me to use based on the rate I go through products – I’m like a snail.

7. MAC Strobe Cream 30ml – I have been looking at the Strobe Cream ever since I made my MECCA Beauty Wishlist. I have now managed to pick up everything on the list except Too Faced’s Better Than Sex mascara which I’m no longer worried about trying. My plan for the Strobe Cream is to use it on top of my moisturiser like a primer for a natural glow. The travel size comes in the shade Pinklite.

8. Max Factor Smooth Miracle Primer – I kind of picked this up on a whim but seeing as Max Factor Lasting Performance is my favourite foundation and there are a few other Max Factor products I enjoy I thought I’d try this to see if I like it. I got it as a back up in case the MAC Strobe Cream doesn’t work for me as a primer and because I am almost out of my current primer. I like how you can see exactly how much product is left and it has a pump.

9. Rimmel Wake Me Up Foundation – 010 Light Porcelain – Last month I finished up a bottle of Rimmel’s Match Perfection foundation and after falling out of love with it for a while, using it in conjunction with a good primer and concealer made me realise why I loved it in the first place. It has good coverage for everyday wear and it caters for my fair skin. A couple of years ago Rimmel discontinued some shades of Match Perfection (including the one I used) but in 2018 they released a few new ones. I have never tried the Wake Me Up foundation before but I have seen it in New Zealand, albeit not in the Light Porcelain shade. From what I have seen online the Light Porcelain shade of Wake Me Up is slightly darker than the Light Porcelain of Match Perfection, which isn’t a bad thing. I actually find the Match Perfection version of Light Porcelain can look pale if I don’t use bronzer – another reason I’m glad new shades of Match Perfection were released. I’m excited to try Wake Me Up to see how it compares and if it becomes my everyday foundation.

10. MAC Viva Glam II – I actually didn’t realise until after I bought this lipstick that it wasn’t what I thought it was! Six months ago I saw a swatch of Viva Glam V online and thought it looked so pretty, when I saw this Viva Glam lipstick on Fragrance Direct I thought this was it. I’m not completely disappointed, Viva Glam II (originally released in 1997) is still a nice shade, a pink-mauve beige brown and it has one of my favourite MAC finishes, satin.

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Did you buy anything in the sales after Christmas?

Have you tried any of these products? Would you like to see some of these in a makeup tutorial or first impressions soon? Let me know which products I should use!

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MECCA Beauty Wishlist

MECCA is the Australia/New Zealand equivalent of Sephora (we have Sephora too, online at least) and the beauty retailer stocks and carries popular brands that aren’t all available elsewhere in New Zealand. I thought it would be fun to show you what’s currently in my cart and the items I’d like to add to my collection and try. Some brands I haven’t tried but I have heard many good things about in the beauty world!

Soap & Glory Hand Food | $5.00

Hand cream is one of my beauty staples and $5.00 for 50ml from Soap & Glory compared to $10 for 30ml from The Body Shop is a good deal. The hand cream contains shea butter, macadamia oil and marshmallow and features Soap & Glory’s original pink rose and bergamont scent.

Why I don’t need it: I want to use up the hand creams I’ve got before I buy more.

Urban Decay Original Primer Potion | $22.00

This is a classic among beauty lovers and one of Rachael’s – whose opinion I trust very much – personal favourites. I’ve never tried eye primer before and I personally don’t see it as a necessity in my beauty routine but I’d like to try this to see what the hype is about and maybe afterwards I will be converted.

Why I don’t need it: I often use concealer as my eye primer and I’ve already got a NYX eyeshadow base as well.

Too Faced Better Than Sex Mascara | $36.00

I’ve tried the L’Oreal dupe for this mascara (Lash Paradise/Paradise Extatic) and it’s pretty damn amazing but it would be interesting to see how it compares to this mascara and if it’s worth paying twice the price for the Too Faced.

Why I don’t need it: I could get two tubes of L’Oreal’s Lash Paradise for the price of one of these and I’ve got two brand new tubes of my favourite Rimmel mascara waiting in the wings.

MAC Sized To Go Strobe Cream | $25.00

This product aims to refresh, perfect, hydrate and brighten skin, smooth texture and replenish moisture. The travel size comes in the shade Pinklite. Not only does this keep your complexion looking fresh and flawless, the cream is infused with powerful botanicals, vitamins and green tea. The sized to go Studio Moisture Cream lasts me a while and the small size means you get a good amount to try to decide whether or not you like the product.

Why I don’t need it: I see myself picking this up sometime in the near future to use as a base under foundation instead of primer.

NARS Mini Orgasm Blush Highlight Duo | $38.00

NARS seems like such a high quality, well-loved brand and their Orgasm blush is another classic for bloggers. I have a dupe of Orgasm and it is one of my favourite makeup items out of everything I own. The blush gives such a lovely flush to the cheeks and a little goes a long way.

Why I don’t need it: Again, I can also see myself picking up this duo. My favourite blush is a dupe for Orgasm and to have a backup and be able to try the real thing would be cool. The highlight in the duo, Hot Sand, also looks stunning.

MAC Prep + Prime Fix+ | $22.00

Lately with face mists I have been enjoying applying the mist to my face before moisturiser and massaging the face mist in alongside the moisturiser to give my skin more hydration. With warmer weather on the horizon this product would help set my makeup and keep it in place during the day. I also want to try the trick of spritzing an eyeshadow brush with Fix+ to really pack on shimmery shadows.

Why I don’t need it: I’m using one of the new face mists from The Body Shop but I can see myself picking this up once that’s done.

Too Faced Hangover Primer | $23.00

Fellow New Zealand blogger, Angela, loves this primer and I’d like to try it after hearing her mention it on her blog. One thing that does worry me though is the coconut scent, does it linger after application?

Why I don’t need it: I wouldn’t buy this primer and the MAC Strobe Cream. I don’t need both if I use the strobe cream as a primer.

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Have you tried any of these products? What’s on your makeup wishlist?

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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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Empty Products #3

This is only my third Empties post in a year and a half. I published my first ‘Empties’ in November 2015 and it is one of my most popular and most read posts. I find it astounding how slowly I go through and use up products compared to other bloggers but in some ways it shows how economical I am. I like to amass empties until I have a decent number of them to share, I would never have enough to warrant monthly posts. Let’s get started!

Makeup

1. Rimmel Glam Eyes Day 2 Night Mascara

I purchased this mascara for $10 in March 2016. I didn’t start using it until a few months later but as with most Rimmel mascaras I was impressed. The mascara has two different wands and formulas depending on whether you prefer volume, length or both. I like the bright pink packaging and how secure this closes. I especially love the smaller length brush for my bottom lashes, it doesn’t smudge and get everywhere and adds a nice natural definition.

Repurchase: I can see myself picking this up again although it’s not my holy grail. At the moment I have a couple of other mascaras to use first.

2. Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer – 1 Fair

I frickin’ love this concealer! As you can see from the image the writing has completely rubbed off the packaging but that’s a small flaw. This concealer is the perfect match for my fair skin and the formula is so creamy and high coverage. A few dots of this on my red areas and blemishes is all I need.

Repurchase: I already have! I think they may have changed the packaging because so far no writing has rubbed off.

3. Rimmel Super Curler Mascara

This is my least favourite Rimmel mascara that I’ve ever tried. I was so excited about this when I saw it on Instagram but it didn’t last as long as my other Rimmel mascaras and it didn’t curl my lashes. The only thing I liked about this mascara is the bristle brush as opposed to a plastic one – that’s the reason Rimmel mascaras are my favourite.

Repurchase: Nope.

4. Rimmel Fix & Perfect Primer

I don’t know what to say about this product because it’s been so long since I used it. I do think this product prolonged my makeup wear time and it didn’t react badly with my skin. It made my skin soft and a little bit went a long way, this primer lasted me over a year. This had a really nice smell to it as well.

Repurchase: Possibly. I’m not sure if this exact product is available anymore, I know Rimmel still do a Fix & Protect primer but it might not be the same one.

5. Maybelline The Falsies Mascara

I dislike this product so much I didn’t even keep it for the picture, it went straight in the bin. In the beginning I liked this mascara, it gave good length and the brush was really good for wiggling mascara onto the lashes. This was such a pain to remove though, I’ve had waterproof mascaras before but nothing as stubborn as this. This became such a pain to remove I didn’t want to wear it so I chucked it out.

Repurchase: No, not even the washable version. Maybelline mascaras are expensive for what they are in New Zealand.

Body & SkinCare

6. Derma V10 Strawberry Body Sorbet

I picked up this for roughly $3 and considering the price it is a decent product. This tub lasted me ages and the strawberry scent is scrumptious! I do prefer body butters from The Body Shop as they are more moisturising and they have a range of scents to choose from. If you have normal skin (I have dry/sensitive) I’d say this would be a great budget alternative for you.

Repurchase: Maybe.

7. The Body Shop Vitamin E Face Mist

When I first started using this product I didn’t see any real benefits and as a result I would only use it now and again. This product featured in the Project Pan collaboration I did last year and when I was using it more often I started liking it a lot more. I use face mist after moisturiser and before foundation to give my skin that extra bit of moisture.

Repurchase: I’m undecided at the moment. I’m using a Vitamin C Face Mist and once I’ve finished that I can determine which I preferred or if I want to go back to primer instead of face mist.

8. The Body Shop Hand Creams: Wild Argan Oil and Vanilla Chai

I love hand cream, I like to have a stash of two or three at a time so I don’t run out. The Body Shop’s selection is incredible and their formulas don’t react with my skin. There are certain scents I prefer to others and out of these two it would be the Vanilla Chai. Vanilla Chai has a nice spiciness to it and a hint of milk chocolate. The Wild Argan Oil felt slightly less hydrating than the Vanilla Chai and had an almost medicinal scent.

Repurchase: Vanilla Chai  – yes (but it was a Christmas scent), Wild Argan Oil – no.

9. Simple Moisturisers: Light Hydrating and Replenishing Rich

I’ve mentioned numerous times on the blog that I have used Simple moisturiser for years and I continue to do so. I was trialing which one of the two I prefer and the Replenishing Rich was the winner.

Repurchase: Yes to both but I prefer to buy the Replenishing Rich moisturiser.

10. The Body Shop Brazil Nut Body Butter

I bought this body butter in my 2016 Body Shop Birthday Haul and finished it in mid 2016. I love the scent and how soft this made my skin. It had a nutty, kind of cocoa scent and I imagine this would smell really nice on a guy too, it’s one of those gender neutral scents that’s not overpowering.

Repurchase: The Body Shop have discontinued the Brazil Nut range but if they bring it back, I’m buying another tub for sure!

11. Olive Pomegranate Hand & Nail Cream

This product has one of the nicest scents I’ve ever come across, it literally smells like bubblegum. Olive is a New Zealand based beauty/skincare brand but this is the only product of theirs I’ve tried. This hand cream contains more product than those from The Body Shop but overall I feel like The Body Shop hand creams are more moisturising.

Repurchase: I don’t think so.

Other

12. Cutex Strengthening Nail Polish Remover

This is probably my favourite nail polish remover that I’ve tried. It doesn’t smell like alcohol like most of them and it removes nail polish really well. The formula contains Vitamin E which also helps strengthen nails and keep them looking and feeling good.

Repurchase: Yes! I couldn’t find this when I purchased a replacement, so I had to settle for a Sally Hansen one.

13. Britney Spears Radiance Perfume

For some reason it takes me ages to go through a perfume. I got this bottle for Christmas in 2013 and finished it some time in 2016. This perfume has a similar scent to Juicy Couture’s Viva la Juicy (which is my favourite) which is probably why I liked it. I couldn’t find an affordable bottle of Viva la Juicy so I got this instead. The bottle looks like gem stones and is very pretty.

Repurchase: I want to buy another bottle but I can’t find it in store so I may have to resort to online, it makes a nice everyday perfume.

14. Revlon Fire & Ice Perfume

This perfume was an item in a gift set I got for Christmas a couple of years ago. This scent is difficult to describe. It’s very different to the type I go for, it’s more mature and not so sweet and doesn’t contain vanilla. This perfume does smell pleasant and again it’s a nice, cheap everyday one for work.

Repurchase: Probably not.

15. Nivea Invisible For Black and White Deodorant

I have used this deodorant for years and I still enjoy using it. I know I won’t start smelling throughout the day and it’s not sticky and doesn’t get all over the armpits of my clothes.

Repurchase: Of course!

16. TRESemmé Keratin Smooth Shampoo and Conditioner

I purchased these 750ml bottles in June 2016 so that shows you how long I’ve had them. These big bottles are really good value for money, I only have to buy shampoo and conditioner about once a year. I find this shampoo and conditioner decent enough and it smells good but I don’t feel the Keratin Smooth makes my hair any smoother or straighter than before I used it.

Repurchase: I don’t think so.

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That’s everything that I’ve been amassing for the past year or so. You probably won’t see one of these posts for another six months or so, so I hope you enjoyed this one!

Do you enjoy reading empties posts as much as I do? Let me know if you’ve tried any of these products!

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!

Mini Rimmel Haul

I was going to wait until today (Tuesday) to pick up Rimmel London’s Fix & Perfect Primer but my brother wanted to go to town yesterday so I ended up getting it a day early.

I also decided to buy a new mascara. I’ve had my current one – Rimmel’s Extra Super Lash – for a while and even though it hasn’t run out yet I thought I’d take advantage of the sale. I wanted another Rimmel mascara as I’ve never had any problems with the one I’ve got and the brand caters for sensitive eyes. I don’t think my eyes are that sensitive but it’s always better to be on the safe side. I wanted something a bit more dramatic to create volume so I opted for Scandaleyes Lycra Flex. I nearly chose Glam Eyes Day To Night but it only contains 9ml of product as opposed to Lycra Flex’s 12ml.

Scandaleyes Lycra Flex: “A big volume mascara that won’t leave your lashes stiff or brittle, so you can build drama from day to night! Lycra Technology formula makes lashes look full and voluptuous while remaining soft. MaxDensity brush covers whole lash line with one effortless coat to reveal and plump every lash.” – Rimmel Website

All Rimmel cosmetics were 25% off so I paid $12.38 for the primer and $15.38 for the mascara. (All prices are in NZD).

Can’t wait to try these out!

Chanelle x

All About That Base

Hi beauty babes!

Primer is essentially a base (hence the word play on Meghan Trainor’s hit ‘All About That Bass’ in the title), applied to improve coverage and lengthen the amount of time cosmetics stay on the face. There are different kinds of primer: foundation primer, eyelid primer and lip primer but today’s post will be focusing on foundation primer.

Foundation primers can work like a moisturiser. They aid in applying foundation more evenly and smoothly and increasing the longevity of the foundation. There are both water-based and silicone-based foundation primers. Some have a sun protection factor (SPF) and others are tinted to even out/improve skin tone or colour.

Some people say you should use both a moisturiser and primer as they do different things and others say if your skin is oily just use a primer. I’m pretty much a makeup novice and haven’t worn primer before but during Mollie King’s Q&A on Grazia’s Twitter account I asked for her top beauty tip and she replied, “use a primer before applying foundation.” Ever since I’ve been researching and looking into possible options. The product I’m leaning towards trying is Rimmel London’s Fix & Perfect Foundation Primer. I’m hoping to pick up some on Tuesday when I’m next in town. It’s on sale as well so if it doesn’t end up working for me I won’t have spent too much on it.

British make up artist Lisa Eldridge has a series of tutorials and informational videos on her website about all kinds of make up. I watched the one about primer this morning and thought it was very interesting. Lisa talks about primers and moisturisers and explains the difference as well as mentioning some of her favourite products.*

*The video is a few years old so products may have changed or may no longer be available.

Let me know if you use primer and if so, what product you use!

Chanelle x