Lockdown Life

Hello, it’s me! (Chanelle, Adele – they sound similar right?!)

I haven’t posted for a few weeks and to be honest I was enjoying downtime when I could get it. The past couple of weeks I have been quite busy with work and preparing for my return to the workplace. I did want to write this post to check in and share what I’ve been up to throughout lockdown. New Zealand is no longer in strict lockdown and on Thursday, May 14th the majority of businesses and sectors started back at work in the workplace (including me).

I’m not going to lie, I relished lockdown life! I am quite a homebody so didn’t find the staying at home difficult. I didn’t find my productivity suffered and I found I probably had more of a work-life balance. I was less stressed, I was eating less often but better and I got to spend time with my loved ones (mum and Halo). I also kept myself distracted with the following:

Reading

It’s natural that as a librarian I enjoy reading and I got through a good chunk of books! I would sit at the table and read as I was waiting for email replies, on my lunch breaks etc. Over the past seven weeks I managed to get through eight books and I’m currently 48% of the way through my Goodreads goal for the year.

I finished:

1. Twas the Nighshift Before Christmas – Adam Kay
2. The Longest Holiday – Paige Toon
3. The Hunting Party – Lucy Foley
4. If I Never Met You – Mhairi McFarlane
5. I Dare You – Sam Carrington
6. The Guest List – Lucy Foley
7. She Lies In Wait – Gytha Lodge
8. Our Stop – Laura Williams

Working

I was able to work from home and it was good to have a routine of sorts and a bit of distraction and something to focus on. I was able to do all the admin parts of my role including payroll, raising and receipting purchase orders, answering customer emails and phone calls and attending Zoom meetings as required. There’s lots of other little elements to my role as well and it keeps me busy.

Online shopping

I have possibly been more spendy than I should have during lockdown and I will share everything I purchased when it arrives in a separate post. Prepare for quite a few beauty bits!

Exercise

Along with eating less and eating better I was also able to start exercising regularly again. I’m probably not as ‘fit’ as I was a couple of years ago and my stomach and legs are certainly not as toned but I loved getting back on the exercycle and I will try to keep it up. Exercise helps stamp out any bad feelings and makes me feel more positive.

Singing

People most likely wouldn’t think of singing as exercise but it can help greatly if you’re asthmatic as it teaches you to breathe in different ways and gives you techniques that help with inhaling and exhaling. Singing has so many good benefits; it relieves anxiety, helps oxygen move and circulate around the body and teaches muscle memory when it comes to hitting the notes. I found during lockdown my voice was sounding better than it has for a while which I think is due to being less stressed which allowed the vocal chords to open up and created less constriction. I also like to sing whilst using the exercycle, proper little multitasker!

Playing with makeup

I didn’t wear makeup as often as I usually would but I did enjoy applying it and making myself look nice for Zoom meetings. I took some great selfies during lockdown too. (Shameless I know!) It was nice to take a bit of extra time to play with colours and products I felt like using on the day and apply my makeup in daylight again (usually I apply my makeup at 6am before sunrise).

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I hope you enjoyed catching up with what I’ve been doing. I was actively reading blog posts and leaving comments the whole time as well as being around on social media.

Leave a comment and let me know if you’re still in lockdown, how you’re going and what you’re most looking forward to when it’s over!

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Black Friday/Cyber Monday Haul

I’ve never seen these big sales as an excuse to go crazy and buy items for the sake of it but if there is a sale on something I’ve been looking at purchasing or spot a good deal I’m likely to go for it! I have done a few hauls this year but the majority have only contained a handful of items. (I count less than 10 haul posts throughout 2019). I personally enjoy seeing what people pick up and what has either been on their wishlist or they’ve been intrigued to buy in the spur of the moment. Let’s get started!

1. Kylie Minogue Logo Hoodie (Peach)

Jumpers are one of my favourite clothing items, they are super comfortable and make me feel all snug and cosy. Band/artist merchandise is one of my favourite things to wear and I didn’t have any Kylie stuff. This is a simple peach coloured hoodie with Kylie’s logo on the front and back. It will look great with blue jeans and it will be good to pop on between seasons when the weather can’t make up its mind.

Note: This item hadn’t arrived when the photos for this post were taken.

2. The Body Shop Warm Vanilla Body Butter

Vanilla is one of my favourite scents and The Body Shop tend to release a vanilla line as part of their Christmas range. I prefer musky, spicy vanilla scents when it comes to body lotions but this one is quite sweet. I tested a little bit of this body butter when it arrived and I like the scent once it’s had time to sit on the skin for a while. I can’t comment on how moisturising the formula is compared to others I’ve tried as I won’t be using this straight away but it seems to be up to The Body Shop’s usual standard from the small amount I sampled. This is the only item in this haul that wasn’t on sale.

3. xoBeauty Luxe Liquid Lipstick – Impavid

I’m sure you know the story by now, the xoBeauty liquid lipstick formula is my favourite – it is not drying at all and so comfortable on the lips. The liquid lipsticks were 40% off which took them down to roughly $15 (NZD) which is super affordable. Impavid is a deep, rich, cool toned red. I have a few red lipsticks in my collection and I’m currently in the process of evaluating them all by wearing a different shade each day to figure out which ones I most enjoy. As Impavid is new it will be sticking around.

4. xoBeauty Luxe Liquid Lipstick – Ineffable

I also picked up the shade Ineffable which is a neon, hot fuchsia and is the perfect Chanelle colour! Funnily enough I have less bright pink lipsticks than reds yet this is my favourite colour to wear. This kind of shade is my go to when I’m stuck and don’t know what to pick and I know it goes with whatever makeup I pair it with. This shade is a creme finish whereas other bright pinks in my collection are more of a satin/shiny finish and contain tiny sparkles.

Lipstick swatches:

Left to right: Ineffable and Impavid.

5. xoBeauty Round Eye Brush

I have been loving the Real Techniques Deluxe Crease Brush lately for applying transition shades all over the lid and through the crease. The Real Techniques brush has nice dense bristles which really places the shadow where I want it to go and brushes like this work best for my small eyes as I don’t have a lot of lid space. Fluffy brushes are fine if I want a soft, natural look but I do like definition in the crease. I’m hoping due to the shape and look of this brush it will perform in a similar fashion.

6. xoBeauty Angled Eye Brush

I haven’t tried an angled eye brush before but the reviews on this one were really good. The head isn’t overly big so I think this will work well for carving out my crease and applying eyeshadow to the outer half of my eyes. This brush can also be used to apply and blend out concealer underneath the eyes or to apply primer to the eyelids – a good multitasker.

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Did you pick up anything in the Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales?

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Black Friday Shopping Haul

Black Friday shopping is becoming more popular in New Zealand and while a lot of brands and stores have good deals I didn’t actively go seeking anything out. The weekend before Black Friday I’d gone shopping and the products I ended up buying during the Black Friday sales were impromptu purchases. Earlier in the day I commented on an Instagram post saying I hadn’t caved and bought anything… I tempted fate. Let’s get on with the haul!

Starting with The Iconic:

1. Alexis Fluffy Knit – I already know jumpers are one of my weaknesses but fluffy jumpers I love even more! This white jumper is super soft, has long blouson sleeves and doesn’t feel heavy. I do think I could have got away with sizing down as it is a relaxed fit, especially around the neck, but having it slightly bigger allows me to tuck it in or wear layers underneath.

2. Missguided Chunky Sole Trainers – The Spice Girls are back and so are chunky trainers! I saw a friend post a picture of trainers similar to these and instantly fell in love. These will look nice with jeans and the metallic silver detailing breaks up the white. I originally ordered a UK size 6 but also ordered a size 5 to see which was the better fit. I kept the 6 as there is more room around the toes. Because these are white I don’t think I’ll wear them all the time, I want to keep them clean.

Onto xoBeauty:

3. Radiant Glow Highlighting Powder – Lucent – I purchased the pink, champagne shade, Aurora, a few months ago and I’ve been loving it; I knew I wanted to pick up Lucent as well. Lucent is a glowing, sandy golden shade and the more pigmented of the two, but both suit any makeup look. The powders are soft, easy to blend and can be built up if you want a more intense highlight. These also double as all over face powders to give your skin a natural radiance.

4. Detail Face Brush – I picked up this brush because it will be perfect to use with the xoBeauty highlighters as well as my others. This brush lets you pinpoint exactly where you want to highlight. The bristles are lovely and soft and I see myself reaching for this brush often. It reminds me of the Setting Brush from Real Techniques, a small, fluffy, multi-purpose brush.

5. Philocaly Lipstick – This lipstick is one of xoBeauty’s best-selling products and I can see why! It is in a similar vein to Brave by MAC – a mauve toned down pink – with less of a satin formula. The lipsticks all have a creme brulee scent which doesn’t linger if you don’t like scented lip products. This shade also looks pretty with a light pink gloss dabbed over the top to make lips look fuller and less matte.

6. Kairos Lipstick – I have eyed this shade up a few times when I have browsed the website and I finally took the plunge and added it to my cart. Kairos is described as a medium, muted peachy-pink but it looks like a bright coral on me. I like the colour and it will be fun for summer, I’m excited to experiment with toning down the boldness and wearing this shade muted. xoBeauty has a similar liquid lipstick shade called Nam Jai which is more pink and one I can see myself picking up in the future. The liquid lipstick formula is creamy, comfortable to wear and doesn’t dry completely matte.

xoBeauty swatches:

Top to bottom: Philocaly, Kairos and Lucent.

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Leave a comment with what you picked up in the Black Friday sales!

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Redhead Rambles #37

Hello everyone and welcome to ‘Redhead Rambles’. The series does what it says on the tin, it is a redhead (me) rambling about her week. I share what I’ve been up to each week, how I’ve been feeling and what I’ve been listening to or watching. Occasionally I will my share favourite blog posts and links I’ve found useful or interesting.

• Friday was a busy day. Mum took her car to get serviced and a WoF (Warrant of Fitness). After that I was on a mission to find a hat for quiz night at the last minute. My team were The Three Musketeers and I improvised by adding an elastic feather headband to a hat. We had swords and stick on moustaches to complete the look.
• Quiz night was fun (but long) and there was definitely an age bias on the questions. Our team didn’t come last which was the goal and we ended up with a goody basket to split between us. The dinner was lovely and dessert was even better, there was cheese and crackers and a caramel chocolate brownie.
• My quiz night makeup was so pretty and I felt like a very glamorous musketeer!
• I had a sleep in on Saturday and had an easy day. I prepped upcoming blog posts, read some of my book and made macaroni cheese for lunch.
• On Sunday I loved my makeup yet again and went for a smoky eye with pops of pink on my cheeks and lips.
• Work was quiet but that’s the only day it has been quiet this week. There’s only a couple of days left of school holidays which is a relief!
• I woke up around 6am on Monday morning with the worst migraine I’ve had in a long time. I got up and took some ibuprofen and put herbal relief cream on my shoulders but my head was pounding and I ended up vomiting from the severity of the pain. I phoned in sick on Monday and went back to bed.
• To cheer myself up on Monday afternoon I placed an order on White Fox Boutique. I purchased a bodysuit (I haven’t worn one before but the strap detailing on the one I ordered is really nice) and a t-shirt dress. Depending on how the t-shirt dress looks and the length, it may be nice to use as sleepwear for summer. At the time of this post the order is yet to arrive.
• I wore one of my favourite lipsticks on Tuesday – Show Orchid by MAC – and it got such lovely comments!
• On Wednesday I published another of the most personal posts I think I’ve ever written. I shared my thoughts and feelings towards dating, love and relationships. To read the post, CLICK HERE.
• Wednesday also marked World Mental Health Day and I saw lots of positive, uplifting posts on Instagram and Twitter which is great. Mental health is just as important as physical health and I wish we could live in a world where everyone felt comfortable to talk about their feelings. I used to hide away a lot as a teenager and sometimes I revert back to that but I try not to bottle things up as much anymore. Being completely honest I have days I feel alone and don’t want to bother anyone and that’s why I try to be there for others because I don’t want them to feel that way either. I am always only a conversation/tweet/DM/message away if you EVER need someone ❤
• I worked extra again on Thursday.
• Thursday afternoon the weather turned grey which I quite liked. Sometimes I’m in the mood for miserable, dull weather.

What I’ve been listening to:

Sarah Close – Crazy Kind – Sarah is a British singer-songwriter and Crazy Kind is a catchy, upbeat pop tune!

How was your week?

P.S. A quick reminder, there’s a few days left to enter the giveaway I’m running. CLICK HERE TO ENTER!

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Collective Clothing Haul (White Fox Boutique + Glassons)

Does anyone else feel like treating themselves to some new pieces of clothing when they lose weight? I haven’t lost a significant amount but I look slimmer and I’m feeling more confident. I was in need of a few basics and the two crop tops I thought would be really cute for summer with jeans, leggings or a skirt if I’m feeling brave enough to get my legs out! Let’s jump straight in!

Starting with what I got from White Fox Boutique:

1. “I’m So…” Slogan Crop White

I don’t really have any slogan tees and this one looks girly and stylish. White tees are a really good wardrobe staple and everywhere at the moment. I love the calligraphy style writing of the word obsessed on the front and it’s a pretty light pink colour. I ordered a couple of sizes bigger so it will be more of an oversized fit. The sleeves are a good length as well and I much prefer round neck tops to v neck.

2. Smoothie Crop White

This smoothie tee is adorable! The little drink detail reminds of a Starbucks frappucino and strawberries are one of my favourite fruits and one of my favourite flavours. This is basically identical to the obsessed crop top and again I ordered bigger for an oversized fit. These two tees are part of a collaboration with New Zealand beauty vlogger Shaaanxo. She designed them herself and I can’t get over how cute they are!

(I’m sorry about the dirty mirror, I really need to clean it!)

Moving onto Glassons:

3. Linen Blend Pleat Back Shirt – White

Like the crop tees from White Fox Boutique this top gives me summer vibes. The colour and linen material make it light and breezy and as with everything else in this haul will go with so many things. I’m a fan of the rolled up sleeves because full length is too long on me and it gives the shirt a more relaxed, casual feel.

4. Long basic legging

Leggings are so comfortable and one of my go to pairs of pants. I haven’t bought a new pair in a while. My mum has a pair of these ones from Glassons and says they’re really good because they’re thicker than pairs she’s tried from other brands. They are not too long at the ankle either which is a bonus when you’re short!

5. Cotton Blend Scoop Neck Tank – White

I have a basic white tank top but it’s very low cut so I have to be mindful when I wear it. I bought this one as a backup. Tank tops are great for layering under blouses when the weather starts changing or on their own under cardigans on cooler summer evenings.

6. Ribbed Tank Top – Navy

This tank top was on sale for $7! I really like navy as similar to black, white and grey it goes with most things and you can mix and match with lots of outfits. This tank top has a ribbed pattern giving it a point of difference from the white one.

Wearing the white shirt, white tank top and black leggings from Glassons. I apologise for the creases in the shirt as it had been folded and I tried it on straight away.

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Which item is your favourite? Have you splurged on any new clothing lately?

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Redhead Rambles #21

Hello everyone and welcome to ‘Redhead Rambles’. The series does what it says on the tin, it is a redhead (me) rambling about her week. I share what I’ve been up to each week, how I’ve been feeling and what I’ve been listening to or watching. Occasionally I will my share favourite blog posts and links I’ve found useful or interesting.

• Last week I dropped one of my bracelets into a jeweller to get some links removed because I have tiny wrists and I wanted the bracelet to fit better. I picked the bracelet up last Friday and it looks even more beautiful now.
• This year I have really been enjoying Shaaanxo on YouTube and I have been lusting over her makeup brand xoBeauty for weeks. I placed an order last Friday night and I got the items on Wednesday. (It would have been Tuesday but no one was home so a courier left a collection card and I picked up the parcel on Wednesday after work). If you’d like to see what I picked up let me know in the comments!
• Saturday was a low day mood wise, I tend to get Saturday blues as it comes up another week without my boyfriend and also it was my last day of annual leave before returning to work on Sunday.
• A new TV series called Instinct started this week and I decided to give it a go. The series is based on James Patterson’s Murder Games and is about an author and former CIA paramilitary officer who helps a New York detective stop a serial killer. The serial killer uses the former CIA officer’s book as inspiration for the murders.
• On Tuesday my Steps DVD of their Party On the Dancefloor tour arrived – I pre-ordered the DVD back in January. Mum and I watched the concert on Thursday and we both thought it was amazing! Steps are the reason I originally wanted to be a singer and their music always makes me happy.
• On Tuesday after work I had some training and during the hour after finishing work and the training beginning I was naughty and treated myself to Burger King for lunch.
• I opened my xoBeauty package and found I had been sent a palette signed by Shannon. I requested one when I placed my order as I know Shannon often goes into xoBeauty and helps package up orders and I was luckily enough to get one. I’m so excited to play with the palette and come up with looks, I’ve been watching so many YouTube tutorials about the palette.
• Thursday was winter solstice meaning it was the shortest number of daylight hours and from now on days will be getting longer.
• I painted my nails using Rimmel’s Go Wild-er-ness; a pretty light purple shade.

What I’ve been listening to:

Morgan Deane – You Or Anybody – Morgan is a singer I have followed since she was a member of Irish pop group Industry. This track is funky and cool and has a laid back vibe.

How was your week?

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Shop With Me: Glassons

Over the past year or two Glassons has become one of my favourite places to shop! I purchase in store and online and their delivery service is great. Glassons have a quality mix of stylish and affordable pieces. All of the items in this post are tops, I tend to buy those the most and mix and match them with different pants. The first two blouses were bought in store and the two t-shirts and hoodie were ordered online.

1. Frill hem blouse – milk

I fell in love with this blouse on the hanger. 3/4 sleeves are what I personally like to wear and the sleeves are beautiful and flowy – I feel a bit like a fairy. I am short so the length of the blouse is perfect and it emphasises curves in all the right places without clinging. There is also a cut out detail on the back but it’s only small so nothing is on show. This blouse would be lovely to wear on a casual day out or in the evening if you’re going out.

2. Frill Blouse – Black

This blouse is similar to the first one but there are some differences. The sleeves on this are long and not as flowy and have cut out detailing with a button at the wrist. This is a peplum blouse so it’s slightly more fitted around the middle but like the first blouse doesn’t cling and shows off curves. This also has the same back cut out detail. This top could be worn casually too or would look nice for a job interview.

3. Slim Fit Crew Tee – Fairy Bread

T-shirts are an essential, they are nice to wear on their own in summer and can be layered up when it starts to cool down. I have a small criteria when it comes to t-shirts: I don’t like v necks and I don’t like the sleeves to be too short. The material of this tee is super soft and the colour is unlike anything else I own, it’s a pretty peachy-rose pink.

4. Crew Tee – White

This t-shirt also has a crew neck but the material is slightly different, it’s thicker and not as soft (not in a bad way). You can’t go wrong with a classic white tee, it goes with everything!

5. Waffle Crop Hoodie – Blue Me Away

I don’t know what it is about blue jumpers but they always sucker me in. I wanted a casual hoodie and liked the look of this one. The length is cropped but I find lots of cropped things are the correct length for me. The material is light with a waffle pattern and the hoodie sits nicely on the body. You can definitely layer up underneath or even wear a coat/jacket over top.

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What was the last clothing item you purchased?

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Redhead Rambles #20

Hello everyone and welcome to ‘Redhead Rambles’. The series does what it says on the tin, it is a redhead (me) rambling about her week. I share what I’ve been up to each week, how I’ve been feeling and what I’ve been listening to or watching. Occasionally I will my share favourite blog posts and links I’ve found useful or interesting.

• This past week I have had time off from work and it has been nice to relax and complete tasks from my to do list. I’ve slept in pretty much every day and I’ve loved it!
• I painted my nails using Two-Timing the Zones (the second OPI polish I purchased in my Discount Beauty Haul). I needed three coats of polish.
• Mum cut my fringe.
• On Saturday night I ordered curry and there was so much food! I had butter chicken, pakora, fries, cheese and garlic naan and pappadum. I had to save some for the following day.
• On Sunday I went into town and did some shopping, I purchased two blouses and a new bra. Bras are difficult to buy, I’ve got narrow shoulders so the straps have to be in the right place, I like the cups to cover my boobs a decent amount and I don’t like a lot of lace. Bras are either pretty but impractical or they don’t suit my personality.
• I thoroughly enjoyed watching *THIS VIDEO* of The Anna Edit decluttering her makeup.
• On Monday I woke up with a stuffy nose and thought I was getting sick again. My nose feels better now thanks to sinus rinses.
• I cleared out my drawers and wardrobe and will donate old clothes and pieces I don’t wear anymore.
• My mum made homemade vegetable soup which is one of my winter highlights.
• Tuesday was a windy, dull, grey day so I stayed inside and didn’t do hardly anything. The internet was cutting in and out too which was annoying.
• I placed an online clothing order on Tuesday night, it only makes sense when you clean out your wardrobe right?!
• I took a bracelet into a jeweller as I want some links taken out. The bracelet has always been big on my wrist and I hope in getting some links taken out I’ll wear it more. The bracelet is beautiful and it was a graduation present from my mum back in 2014.
• Wednesday was another takeaway night, this time fish and chips which I haven’t had for ages.
• I watched *THIS TV SPECIAL* of Delta Goodrem’s Wings of the Wild Tour. Delta has such a beautiful soul and is one of the most talented musicians.
• The clothes I ordered online arrived on Thursday afternoon. A post will be up on Monday showing what I got.

What I’ve been listening to:

Two of my favourite albums from 2017 that I still listen to all the time:

• Steps – Tears On the Dancefloor
• Dua Lipa – Dua Lipa
  

How was your week?

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Casual Makeup + OOTD

Sometimes even on my days off I wear makeup if I have things planned or I want to look nice. Last Thursday I went into town for my first visit to Kmart and did a little bit of shopping. I opted for a casual, comfortable outfit and simple, pretty makeup. Hope you enjoy this post!

Outfit:

Can’t go wrong with stripes and monochrome!

• Top: Dannii For Target
• Jeans: Glassons

Makeup:

Products listed in order of application:

1. Makeup Revolution Ultra Face Base Primer – This primer helps my foundation apply more smoothly and keep everything in place longer.
2. Rimmel Professional Brow Pencil in 002 Hazel – You know how much I love this by now! Look how small the pencil is getting.
3. Rimmel Match Perfection Foundation in 010 Light Porcelain – Despite this no longer being my favourite foundation it is still good for everyday wear and one of the best colour matches for my skin. It looks nice with the primer and I notice the difference if I don’t use the primer.
4. Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer – 1 Fair – This concealer is my all time favourite. It blends like a dream and the colour match is perfect.
5. The Body Shop Honey Bronzer in 01 Light Matte – I love pairing this bronzer with the Rimmel foundation as it warms up my skin ever so slightly and still looks natural. The bronzer is extremely difficult to overdo. It also makes a good base for eyeshadow which I used it for on this day.
6. Max Factor Excess Shimmer in Pink Opal – I applied a small amount of this on the inner corners of my eyes to make them stand out more.
7. MAC Pigment in Tan – I applied this over the rest of my eyelids with my finger after going in with the Max Factor shadow. It gives the most beautiful sparkle. I love how you can go in light or heavy handed with this depending on the look you’re going for.
8. L’Oreal Voluminous Lash Paradise Mascara (Blackest Black) – This mascara makes my lashes look long and full and black – it is amazing! I apply two coats to my top lashes and one coat to my bottom lashes.
9. Dainty Doll Powder Blush in You Are My Sunshine – This gorgeous peachy-coral is my favourite blush. It gives the prettiest flush to the cheeks and I only need a small amount as it is pigmented. I love to apply this with my Real Techniques Setting Brush. It is small and fluffy and allows me to be precise with my application.
10. Dainty Doll Lipstick in Material World – This is quite a warm shade of pink but it’s extremely beautiful. I think of this lipstick as ‘my job interview lipstick’ because it is a neutral, sophisticated shade. The formula is nourishing and has a kind of demi-matte finish. It’s very comfortable to wear and stays put and doesn’t slide around.

The Finished Look:

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What items of clothing and makeup products do you associate with a casual look?

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Beauty Bean + Glassons Haul

Hi everyone!

I have been on an unintentional makeup low buy this year and have barely purchased anything new… until last week. I first heard about Beauty Bean through a work colleague. I wasn’t looking for anything in particular at the time and it wasn’t until I was Googling foundations that the website popped up again.

Long story short, I made an order and purchased three items. The prices are really reasonable and if you buy three or more items shipping is free. Everything is stocked locally in New Zealand and shipping was a breeze, my order arrived within days.

1. L’Oreal True Match Lumi Healthy Luminous Makeup W1-2 Porcelain Ivory

If you saw my recent post about Rimmel’s Match Perfection foundation you’ll know that I used to adore it until the formula changed and my shade was discontinued. I’m not a fan anymore and I am simply using it up because it’s not bad enough to throw away and I don’t like wastage.

Buying foundation on a whim isn’t something I normally do but I know a lot of people enjoy L’Oreal’s True Match and I’m guessing this is meant to be the more dewy, luminous version. According to the ingredients the foundation is 40% water for all day hydration and contains antioxidants, Vitamin C and Vitamin E for improved clarity. Sounds like a dream for dry skin, right? I was a little worried about the colour match but I looked up swatches online and they don’t look any darker than my Max Factor foundations which I’m a big fan of.

First Impression: The shade doesn’t look dark for me at all. The formula feels light and blends easily. It seems to layer nicely as well. I’m impressed!

2. L’Oreal Voluminous Lash Paradise Mascara (Blackest Black)

Ever since this mascara launched I have heard nothing but rave reviews for it! The mascara goes under the name Paradise Extatic if you live in The UK and it has gold packaging. I recieved the American version of the mascara in a gorgeous, metallic light pink tube which I am glad about – I love pink! This is supposedly a dupe for Too Faced’s Better Than Sex and while I haven’t tried that, this L’Oreal mascara is half the price of Better Than Sex (in NZ). The wand isn’t plastic and is big which I like – I am used to working with a similar size wand on my favourite Rimmel mascara. I ordered the washable mascara and opted for blackest black because I love my lashes to be super dark.

First Impression: The formula isn’t wet which I like and the mascara doesn’t smudge or flake as the day goes on. My lashes look similar if not better to how they do when I use Scandaleyes Lycra Flex from Rimmel.

3. Real Techniques Sculpting Brush

This brush was added to my cart because I needed a third item for free shipping. It was a toss up between this brush and the Real Techniques Miracle Complexion Sponge. Since I prefer to apply foundation with a brush I went for this. The brush has really good reviews and like many of the Real Techniques brushes has multiple uses. This brush can be used to apply foundation and also to highlight and contour. The shape of the bristles means the brush fits perfectly under the cheekbones.

First Impression: The bristles on this brush are so soft! It blends foundation quicker than my Expert Face Brush also from Real Techniques and doesn’t eat up product. I haven’t tried to contour or highlight yet but I will.

Onto the Glassons part of the haul:

Glassons is a popular clothing store across Australia and New Zealand and price wise I’d say it’s mid-range. You get stylish, quality items for a good price, clothing isn’t cheap but isn’t expensive either. I have shopped in Glassons for years and have made numerous online orders and in store purchases in the past year. Shipping was also free as I spent over $40 and the order arrived less than 48 hours after I placed it.

1. Seagrass Sloppy Cardi

This is described as a lightweight, sheer cami for the trans-seasonal weather which is exactly what New Zealand is going through right now. The mornings and evenings are cooler but the days can still be warm. I really like the colour of this, it’s almost a light khaki and I love the way it was styled online.

2. Black Flare Sleeve Knit Jumper

I love my cosy jumpers and this reminded me of one Lily Pebbles wore in THIS VIDEO. Black is a staple colour in my wardrobe but I think I only have one other black jumper. I like the flared sleeves and the material is super soft.

3. Black Cropped Jean

I have a pair of these jeans in white already and they are super comfortable. As I am short these are full length on me and the jeans are stretchy and really nice to wear. I bought these to replace a pair of black jeggings I intend to get rid of. Black pants/jeans go with just about anything!

I shared this Instagram snap of me wearing the cardi and jeans:

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Have you tried any of the makeup items?

What did you purchase in your last haul?

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