My Priceline Cosmetics Sale Wishlist

Hey Guys

So hopefully you all know that on Wednesday and Thursday this week (18th & 19th of November) there will be the semi annual 40% off of cosmetics sale at Priceline.

I have developed a wishlist of items and thought I would share it here with you. Most of the products I have not tried and can't share a review of them, but I do always try to read up on items before I purchase them. 

Brushes

So I have been looking at adding better quality brushes to my collection, to slowly replace all of my eBay brushes. I have two Models Prefer brushes currently and I really like the quality of them. 

Models Prefer Dual Purpose 103 Highlighter & Contour Brush

I am really after a new highlighting brush as my current one makes the highlighter quite thick and noticeable, so much so that I have to blend with a clean brush after. I have heard great things about this brush so fingers crossed I can find it in stock somewhere!

Models Prefer Dual Purpose 102 Shadow & Concealer Brush

I thought this brush looked like a perfect eyeshadow blending brush which is always necessary.

Models Prefer Professional Professional Airbrush Brush or Models Prefer Professional Airbrush Foundation Brush

I love foundation and I love trying out new foundation brushes. Either of these brushes look perfect to add to my growing collection.

Nude by Nature Brushed Up Pro 10 Piece Brush Set + Case

I am not 100% certain that this brush set is included in the sale but I thought I would pop it on my wishlist regardless. These brushes look adorable and I always enjoy the Nude by Nature range. 

Face

Models Prefer Perfect Canvas Mattifying Face Primer

I absolutely love my Rimmel Stay Matte Primer but I am always on the look out for something slightly better. I have really enjoyed everything I have tried from Models Prefer so far and thought that this primer sounded perfect for me. 

Max Factor Facefinity All Day Primer

I have heard some amazing things about this primer and I figured that at 40% off it would be a perfect time to try it out. 

Revlon ColorStay Whipped Creme Makeup

I have always loved the oily/combination liquid version of the Revlon Colorstay foundation. I thought maybe I would try something different and pick up the whipped version of the foundation. 

Thin Lizzy Concealer Creme

My skin has actually been really good lately but I would love to have a full coverage concealer in my collection for the bad skin days. 

Models Prefer Finale Make-Up Setting Mist

I recently finished up my Australis Setting Spray so I thought it was time to try this one from Models Prefer. 

I probably will not end up getting all of these items, but I thought I might as well add them to a wishlist to share with all of you. What are you thinking of picking up in the Priceline sale?

Love Liz xx

April Favourites

Hey Guys

April was a fairly busy month for me but May is going to be even crazier with only 3 weeks left in my course and the beginning of my work experience at the end of the month. 

I stopped wearing makeup often as I was only going out once or twice a week, but I had a few firm favourites that I was relying on. 

Wotnot Facial Wipes for oily/sensitive skin*
I was sent these back when Wotnot first released their wipes for oily/sensitive skin and I must say that I have quite enjoyed them. I on the whole try not to use face wipes as I try to properly cleanse my skin but these are great for the times when you just really need to wipe off your makeup. These are very soft wipes that are quite large in size and I find do not make my face sting at all ($2 wipes I am looking at you). I really have enjoyed having these wipes in my stash and I would definitely consider picking up the full size packet when I run out. These retail for $7.99 AU for 25 wipes.

Revlon Colorstay Foundation for Combination/Oily Skin 
What more can I say about this foundation that hasn't already been said!? I went off this foundation for a while for my Estee Lauder Double Wear but have recently fallen back in love with Revlon. I cannot find another drugstore foundation that lasts all day and offers such high coverage. I am looking forward to Loreal's Infalliable Matte Foundation but sadly that is not available yet in Australia so this will have to make do for now. Currently I have the shade 220 Natural Beige but this may be slightly a bit too light and pink for my skin tone but considering it is almost Winter it should be fine for the next couple of months. This foundation retails for $34.95 AU but you can always find this on sale somewhere.

Nivea Lip Butter in Raspberry Rose

My lips have been ridiculously dry lately,winter is coming! I have made sure to have a lip balm close by and this month it was Nivea's Raspberry Rose which smells amazing! Quite an inexpensive lip balm and does a decent job moisutrising my lips. My only peeve is that it is a tub which can make it somewhat unhygienic and mainly just annoying that you end up with lip balm on your finger afterwards. This retails for $5.69 AU.

Sephora Eyeshadow in Be on the A-list #49

I got this eyeshadow in one of the Sephora kits I purchased back in January. I really love this eyeshadow as a lid colour and sometimes when I am super lazy as an all over sweep of colour. I am really addicted to bronze colours and this is pigmented and easy to blend. 

Face of Australia Blush in Terra

I picked up this blush during the Kmart clearance where it was only $4! I am so glad I did as I have found that this blush is perfect for a bit of colour and slight contour only lazy days. There is a slight amount of shimmer in this blush but it is not too noticeable when on your skin. It is a lovely pinky brown colour and looks great on my olive skin. This retails for $9.45 AU. 

Australis Blemish Buster Acne Fighting Primer

I have been using this primer in conjunction with my Rimmel Stay Matte Primer on days when my skin has been a bit out of control. I tend to use this mainly on the areas with spots as it is quite moisturising and I am always worried that if I used it on my whole face it would turn into an oily mess by mid-day. I find that this does not necessarily help my spots but it definitely does not break me out and I do not find that my spots are worse when I get home after having makeup on for the whole day. This retails for $16.95 AU. 

My month was mainly about makeup that was easy to use and less effort to put on. I do love makeup and I love wearing makeup but sometimes you just need to slap it on and get on with the day :P 

Love Liz xx

Festive Nails

Hey Guys,

Christmas is so getting so close so I thought I would share with you my options for festive nails. Just a bit of a forewarning, I own absolutely no glitter nail polish, whilst it looks amazing it is an absolute pain to take off and a year or so ago I threw away all my glitter nail polish and have not bought any since. Obviously glitter nail polish is a great choice during Christmas time and if I owned any I would share it with you in this post however I only own a few nail polishes with little bits of glitter in them. So this post is more of the options that I have for festive nails! 

One obvious choice for festive nails is red nails. I actually was unaware that I owned so many red nail polishes as it is typically not a colour I will wear. I have a few options to choose from, going from deep wine reds to vibrant red orange almost colours.

First up we have a nail polish from O.P.I in the shade Malaga Wine (RRP $19.95 AU) which is a lovely deep red wine shade. I absolutely adore this shade and whilst it is more of a winter time colour than summer I think it fits perfectly for this festive season. Another wine red I own is the Covergirl Outlast Stay Brilliant Nail Gloss in shade Wine to Five (RRP $6.95 AU). This shade is ridiculously similar to my O.P.I one but I prefer the formula of the O.P.I nail polish, this is a great cheaper alternative however. The next nail polish I have to show you is the SinfulColors Nail Colour in shade GOGO GIRL (RRP $4 AU). In the bottle this looks like a very vibrant red colour however when painted on the nails it starts to lean a little bit towards pink. This is a very thin formula and it does take a few coats to build up to opaque. Another similar colour to the SinfulColors nail polish is the Maybelline New York Color Show Nail Lacquer in shade 250 Keep Up the Flame (RRP $5.95 AU). This colour leans towards pink and the formula is quite thin so does require layering. The last red shade I have to show you is the Revlon Parfumerie Scented Nail Enamel in the shade China Flower (RRP $15.95 AU). This is one is a gorgeous red that leans slightly towards orange which is great for my skin tone. This one also smells nice so there is that added bonus!

Another shade choice for festive nails that I own is green. Whilst these colours are not exactly green (more turquoise) I am sure no one will be disappointed.

First up is another Revlon Parfumerie Scented Nail Enamel in the shade Wintermint (RRP $15.95 AU). Finally we have some glitter polish, this is a turquoise shade with blue square glitter particles floating in it. This smells like mint and is such a lovely colour. The other green (not really) shade I have to share with you is Covergirl Outlast Stay Brilliant Nail Gloss in shade Mint Mojito (RRP $6.95 AU). This is another turquoise shade however this one is quite bright in comparison.

I think come Christmas day, O.P.I's Malaga Wine will be on my nails. What festive nail polish do you plan on wearing?

Love Liz xx

Review: Revlon Highlighting Palette

Hey Guys!

A few weeks ago Priceline had a 50% off Revlon cosmetics sale and I had to take advantage. I don't own a lot of Revlon products (the colorstay foundation is an exception) as I have always considered Revlon to be a little out of my budget for drugstore makeup. I have been crushing on the Revlon Highlighting Palette since seeing it on a lot of UK blogs a while back. I waited patiently but still could not justify spending $26.95 on essentially a blush/highlighter. 50% off came around and I knew that I had to own one of these. I was deciding between the Rose Glow shade and Peach Glow, can you guess which one I picked? Peach Glow of course! 

Peach Glow is a stunning five shades set in one single palette and can be used separately or blended together. Personally I just swirl my blush brush in this and apply as a highlighter/blush/bronzer. This creates a stunning peachy shade that looks gorgeous on the face. This is really pigmented which is something I wasn't expecting so you have to be seriously light handed when applying this. You could also use the shades separately as eye shadows. 

The packaging is simple, black plastic with a clear plastic window showcasing the palette. The whole thing is fairly reminiscent to the Bobbi Brown shimmer bricks. I do really love this highlighting palette but I am not 100% convinced on whether I would have spent the whole $26.95 on it, fortunately you don't have to as Chemist Warehouse currently has 50% off all Revlon cosmetics. If you have been eyeing this up I would definitely recommend picking it up whilst on sale!  

Love Liz xx

September Monthly Favourites

A little late but better than nothing hey? September was an awesome month for me, it started with a whole heap of assignments due at once and then ended with a birthday long weekend which included best friend sleepovers, my favourite food, tequila and of course, the Royal Show! I also have been loving a lot of new things this month, many of which have yet to be featured on the blog. On to the favourites for September..

• 

Neutrogena Pore Refining Toner

I picked up this toner after realizing that I had not been using enough acids in my skincare routine (thank you Mrs Hirons), I was occasionally using Clarins Gentle Exfoliating Toner and the Alpha H Liquid Gold but on a weekly basis rather than a daily basis. I picked up this massive 200ml toner from Priceline on sale for around $12 (however it retails for $14.99), it contains salicylic and gylcolic acid and has been doing wonders for my skin. If you have oily and blemish prone skin I do recommend that you check this toner out, it is quite strong however!

Burt's Bees Lemon Butter Cuticle Cream

I received this in the massive skincare goody bag from Priceline earlier in the year. This smells aboslutely amazing and has been doing a great job of fixing up my cuticles and my poor dry cracked nails. It probably isnt the most nourishing cream on the market but it does the job for my hands and I think that this 17g tub will last me a very long time. It retails for $14.99 at Priceline.

Nuxe Reve de Miel Lip Balm

This 15g lip balm is seriously luxurious. It costs $19.99 (I purchased it for $12 while there was a skincare sale on) and comes contained in a frosted glass tub. It is quite a thick texture but I have been using this every night and it has been doing a fantastic job of keeping my lips lovely and not gross and dry and cracked. It also has a really nice subtle scent that I cannot put my finger on, citrus maybe?

Revlon Highlight Palette

I picked up the Revlon Highlight Palette in shade Peach Glow during the Priceline 50% off Revlon sale. I absolutely love this highlighter as it works as a highlighter, blush and bronzer all in one. The shades can be used separately or mixed, I prefer to mix personally. This item has graced my cheeks a lot this past month and probably will for the next few months! My friend picked me up the Rose Glow palette so I have that to look forward to as well.

Australis Fresh & Flawless Pressed Powder

This powder is absolutely amazing. I have used it every time I have worn makeup since I purchased it, it retails for a very low $11.40 but I purchased it whilst it was $4 off at Kmart. I think I will be repurchasing this over and over again, I very much understand the hype surrounding this product. It adds coverage while not being cakey and helps to control shine throughout the day.

Essence Longlasting Lipstick & Lipliner

Ah the Kylie Jenner lip look. If you haven't been obsessed with this lip look then you probably haven't been on Instagram, it is everywhere at the moment. I have been obsessing and have purchased a fair few products that are deemed as dupes of the Mac products used by Miss Jenner. The Essence Longlasting Lipstick in shade 06 Barely There! and the Essence Lipliner in 06 Sative Mauve are, in my opinion, a great dupe. They do last a long time on my lips and don't dry them out or accentuate any cracks, they are very flattering and I have been wearing this combo non stop which is amazing for someone who rarely wears anything more than lipbalm. The lipstick retails for $4.10 and the lipliner for $1.80 so they are definitely worth checking out.


What were your favourite things in September?

Love Liz xx

Review: Revlon Parfumerie Paradise Collection

Hey Guys

So a few weeks ago I was shopping in the city with my brother (shoutout to him, he told me to mention him in this blog post when I bought the item) and came across this Revlon Parfumerie Scented Nail Enamel set. The Paradise Collection contains two scented nail enamels, China Flower and Pink Pineapple. The value of these two nail polishes equals $31.90 RRP however the kit is offered at only $19.00 which is a great deal when you think about it, however at Target this was reduced to only $10.00 (I paid $9.50 after staff discount, them savings). $5.00 per nail polish for a Revlon nail polish is ridiculous, let alone their scented nail polishes. 

China Flower is a lovely vivid red shade, the scent of this one is floral but only lightly scented. The scent is a little disappointing but the shade is absolutely gorgeous. Opacity can be reached after two even coats but it is probably advisable to do three coats. 

Pink Pineapple is a very soft light pink colour, the scent of this one is absolutely amazing. It is a very very heavily fruity scented nail polish, I actually got a bit of a headache when I applied this as I had sniffed my nails so much. The formula of this one is a bit disappointing however, it takes three coats to get this close to opaque and even then in some places it was patchy. The scent of this one lasted on my nails for a good few days, I kept catching the scent whenever my hands went past my face. 

Izzy Helping!

I wish that the scent of Pink Pineapple was combined with the colour of China Flower as that would make one amazing polish. However for the price I paid for these I am not at all disappointed. I am very happy to welcome these to my polish collection.

Love Liz xx

Chemist Warehouse Haul

Hey Guys

I think my spending ban was officially over when I decided to do an online order from Chemist Warehouse, they had 50% off all cosmetic brands which included Revlon, Rimmel and Maybelline. To be honest I could of done much much more damage, I kept it simple and mainly just purchased backups for when I run out, because half price is amazing value. So here is what I picked up.

Rimmel

Rimmel Stay Matte Long Lasting Pressed Powder

I absolutely adore this powder, I already own one in the shade 001 Transparent and I picked up another two in the same shade. I do love my loose finishing veil which also has no colour, however sometimes a pressed powder is just more convenient. This ensures I stay shine free for a longer period of time, usually 4-5 hours which is great on an oily skinned gal like myself. One little niggle with this product is that every one I own the lid is cracked! It's like the lid doesn't fit the container, does anyone else have this problem or just me? This retails for $12.95 but was on sale for $6.47.

Rimmel Wake Me Up Concealer

I grabbed this concealer in shade 030 Classic Beige as I wanted a new concealer for under my eyes. I have been suffering from really bad under eye circles. This shade may be a bit too dark for under my eyes as I prefer something a bit lighter than my skin tone. So hopefully if it's too dark I can use it on any blemishes. This retails for $14.95 but I purchased it for $7.47.

Rimmel Scandaleyes Waterproof Kohl Kajal 

I have heard so many great things about this eyeliner in shade 005 Nude so I had to pick it up for myself to try. I hear that when used on the waterline it really brightens up your eyes. This retails for $9.95 but was on sale for $4.97. 

Rimmel Finishing Touch Ultra Shine Top Coat

I need another top coat as I currently only own one from O.P.I but it takes forever to dry! I borrowed this while at a friends house and I quite liked it, goes on smoothly and dries quickly and appeared to do a good job of making my nail polish last! This retails for $8.95 but was on sale for $4.47. 

Maybelline

Maybelline Fit Me! Shine-Free Foundation

I have read mixed reviews on this foundation, I don't plan on using it as an actual foundation as I read it isn't great coverage which is not something I am interested in. I picked up shade 240 Golden Beige to contour with, I wanted the Toffee shade but they were sold out online. Most of these were sold out! Swatching this it looks a little orange but hopefully will blend out ok. I also wanted to pick up one of these for a concealer as I have heard that they are great concealers, but sadly there was no close matches in stock. I will have to look at picking up another if I enjoy the formula of this one. These retail for $15.95 but I grabbed this for $7.97.

Maybelline Fit Me! Concealer

I have actually owned this a long time ago when I used to use the whole Fit Me! range but I found the foundation oxidised on my skin really badly. I have been reading great reviews on this concealer though so I have picked this up in shade 20 Sand for concealing scars and blemishes. This retails for $14.95 but was on sale for $7.47.

Revlon

Revlon Colorstay Foundation for Combination/Oily Skin

I have really been loving this foundation so I picked up a spare because I can't imagine not having it. It is long lasting and keeps the shine away, it does smell a bit chemically but the pros far outway the cons. I have shade 220 Natural Beige which retails for $34.95 but was on sale for $17.48.

Revlon New Complexion Oil Control Makeup

I picked this up on a whim, it was only $12.48 so I decided that considering how much I loved my Colorstay foundation I might love this as well. It is aimed at my skin type but I am unsure of how high the coverage is, hopefully similar to the higher coverage of Colorstay. 

And there you are, everything I picked up during the sale. I purchased this all on the website as the nearest store is an hour away! It is free shipping when you spend $99 or more, so my friend and I purchased together. Shipping was super quick, only a day. Some items were missing as they were being shipped from another warehouse but that only took an extra two days. I had originally believed the sale was ending on 29 May but according to the website and Instagram it is still on, so get in quick.

Did you participate in this sale?

Love Liz xx 

March Monthly Favourites

Hey Guys

This is a bit late I know, but I have never done a monthly favourites before and I really wanted to start it but couldn't get my act together to chose everything I have been loving the past month. Better late than never I believe in this case!

March has absolutely flown by and April will be jam packed for me! I have multiple assessments due, a week holiday, a rental inspection, an upcoming hair appointment and another vet trip. I have also chosen to participate in the 30 Days of Beauty Challenge that is currently making its way around Instagram, I have never been one to take heaps of photos so it will be interesting having to post a photo a day but I am looking forward to participating more in the social side of beauty blogging. 

On to my favourites for the month though..

It has been a beauty heavy favourite month this month, my skincare has been the same for a while as my skin can be fairly sensitive to some products so I am scared of breakouts if I try to switch up my routine too much. One good new product I have been using on my skin is the Sukin Certified Organic Rose Hip Oil which I mentioned in a blog post here, back in February. I try to use treatments every other night and an oil in between, when I use this Rose hip Oil I tend to wake up in the morning with much smoother and plumper skin. The only other sort of skincare product I have been using constantly this past month is the Lanolips Lemonaid Lip Aid with Lemon Oil. My lips are fairly dry and cracked a lot of the time (might have something to do with a nervous habit I have of biting my lips) so I like to keep this on hand to use. It is travel friendly and smells fantastic!

I have been using the Maybelline New York Instant Age Rewind Eraser Dark Circles Treatment Concealer under my foundation and then placing a cream concealer on top, that is just how bad my under eye area is at the moment. I really like this product and on a good day this is more than enough to cover and conceal everything. I also enjoy that it aims to conceal AND treat your puffy and dark under eye area. The base that I have been loving lately after repurchasing is the Revlon Colorstay Makeup for Oily/Combination Skin, I was a little concerned that this was breaking me out, but I believe I have narrowed that down to a primer I was wearing. I really hope this isn't breaking out my skin as I absolutely love this foundation. It is the only low end foundation I have found that stays on my skin all day and will look relatively the same at night as when I put it on in the morning. I have shade 220 Natural Beige which is a good match for my skin colour at the moment. 

The only cheek product I have been wearing lately is a light sweeping of BYS Compact Blusher in shade Coral. This is really pigmented and very cheap so I love to use this on a daily basis, I don't have to feel guilty if I use it all up. It is coming up to colder months now so I should probably stop wearing coral products but I absolutely love this blush so I probably wont be giving up using it any time soon. On my eyes I have mainly been using the Essence Quattro Eyeshadow in shade 05 to die for, I reviewed this product fully here. I really enjoy using this eyeshadow quad, the shades are lovely and the formula is really good, they are not chalky and are quite buttery smooth. You can create a few looks from just the four shades, but I mainly just stick with the same one, if it aint broke don't fix it.

There is all the products I have been really loving this past month. What have you been loving?

Love Liz xx 

Empties #01

I finally have used up a few of my products so I can share with you a quick review of the empty products which are all makeup products bar one haircare.

Davroe Hair Wellness Moisture Senses Argan Oil

I received this 50ml bottle of Argan Oil in a Lust Have It! box a while back, and I have used this product up a long time ago. It actually started leaking when I received it in the box but never bothered to email the Lust Have It! team about it, so it continued to leak the rest of the time I had it. I liked this product, it smelt quite nice and was a little bit heavy on my hair but I felt like it was doing some good so I did not mind. Sadly my hair is beyond repair so this didn't fix my dead ends, but I am sure if you hair is not bleached to death then this will do your hair some good! 50ml is the full size and it retails on the Davroe website for $23.95 AU.

Tony Moly Cats Wink 3Go Mascara

I purchased this off eBay a really long time ago, I haven't actually used up this product but it needs to be thrown out before I get an icky eye infection. I actually really like this mascara, it was simple and plumped up my lashes making them both longer and thicker. It wasn't waterproof which is what I prefer, it lasted all day and did not clump. I think I purchased this for around $7 off eBay and I would definitely purchase this again for a cheap mascara, but I think there are better mascaras out their.

Maybelline New York Super Stay 24HR Concealer

I purchased this concealer a while ago in a 50% off Maybelline sale. I typically prefer cream concealer over liquid so I am not really sure why I picked this up. I purchased this in shade cream which was too dark to use under my eyes but was good on blemishes and discolourations. As far as liquid concealers go this is quite long lasting and pigmented, however I still prefer to use cream concealers. This retails for $14.95 AU.

Revlon Colorstay Combination/Oily Skin Foundation

This is probably my favourite low end foundation, I had tried not to repurchase it and see what else is out there but I could not resist repurchasing it. This old one is in shade 180 Sand Beige which is a winter shade for me but possibly still a bit light, so this time I purchased shade 220. The old version was great but did not come with a pump, they have since added a pump in which I couldn't be happier about. This retails for $34.95 AU and comes in a large range of shades and also a normal/dry skin formula.

Loreal Blush

I cant find this blush online as it is actually so old! I received this a few years ago as part of a Christmas gift and it was probably the first blush I ever had. It was in shade 114 Fresh Papaya which is a lovely coral shade with small shimmer particles. It also came with a brush that fits inside the compact and also contains a small mirror. I really wish they still had this blush (I also own another one in a more plum shade) as I think its a great blush and had a reasonable wear time.

Love Liz xx

Priceline Haul

So yesterday I visited Priceline to purchase some items during their infamous 40% off cosmetics sale which ran on Tuesday and Wednesday. I can never resist a sale and cosmetics is one of my (huge) weaknesses. I wanted to buy almost everything but I was restrained by my friend, I however managed to make her buy a lot of things (sorry!). I ended up with 8 items from 4 different brands. I will only quickly go over what I purchased as I plan on reviewing the items again once I have had time to test them out!

Revlon

Revlon Colorstay Combination/Oily Skin Foundation

This is probably my third or possibly fourth bottle of this stuff, I have tried other foundations but I always come back to this. It is high coverage and will last forever on my oily skin, the only issue I ever had was the smell (still not fixed but can't complain too much) and the fact it didn't have a pump. We'll guess what it finally has a pump! It has had a pump for a while now actually, but because I always purchased online I was always sent the old version, it was well worth the extra few dollars to purchase the one with the pump however! This retails for $34.95 AU but the sale price was $ 20.97 AU.

Revlon Parfumerie Scented Nail Polish

I have been dying to purchase one of these scented nail polishes by Revlon for a long time and I decided that at 40% off it was the best price I was going to get for a while! I was planning on getting a nice dark winter shade, perhaps a royal blue or brown. But I could not find one that I particularly liked and the other shades were similar to ones I already own (damn having such a large nail polish collection) so I chose shade 040 Wintermint which is a lovely aqua blue that has gold flecks and blue glitter particles running through it. I have not smelled it yet as my nose is completely blocked so it'd a bit pointless, but regardless I am happy to own this shade which is unlike anything else I own. This retails for $15.95 AU but was on sale for $9.57 AU.

Maybelline New York

Maybelline Lasting Drama By Eyestudio Gel Eyeliner

I have not used a gel eyeliner in a really really long time and I decided that my pencil eyeliner just was not cutting it lately, so I quickly threw this in my basket without having seen any reviews or really giving it a second thought. I purchased this in the shade 950 Blackest Black and it comes with a brush and a pot of gel eyeliner. This retails for $16.95 AU but was on sale for $10.17 AU.

Maybelline Express Remover

I have been dying to get one of these pot nail polish removers ever since I had seen a Bourjois one featured on a lot of UK blogs. Surely enough they trickled into Australia and I now finally own one! This is a pot that contains sponges soaked in nail polish remover and the idea is that you twist your finger in the sponge and it removes your nail polish. I am sometimes a little slack and can take a while to remove chipped nail polish but I am hoping with this little addition it will make it a lot easier. This retails for $9.95 AU but I picked it up for the sale price of $5.97 AU.

Australis

Australis Make-Up Finishing Spritz

I have wanted to try an 'official' make up setting spray for a while to compare it to using thermal water in an aerosol can, which is what I currently use. I haven't read any reviews on this product but it contains Aloe Vera and Rose Water which sounds like nice added ingredients. I will see how this goes and keep you updated. This retails for $14.95 AU but was on sale for $8.97 AU for 150ml.

Bourjois Paris

Bourjois Happy Light Ultra-Covering Concealer

I have read reviews on this concealer and it seems like the perfect cream concealer for myself, I also swatched this in store and was quite happy with it. It does only come in two shades and I purchased it in shade 23 Beige. I mainly need this to help my under eye area but it can also be used on blemishes so it is considered multi purpose. I will test this out and do a full review soon. This retails for $19 AU but I purchased it at the sale price of $11.40 AU. 

Bourjois Delice de Soleil Bronzing Powder

This is probably the one product that I feel guilty about purchasing, I think it took me a good half hour to decide whether I should or shouldn't purchase this. Obviously I did decide to purchase this, I had been looking at purchasing a new bronzer for a while. I originally wanted the Body Shop Honey Bronzer but it retails for $28 AU and I have yet to find it on sale. I compromised and picked up this bronzer, in my eyes Bourjois can do no wrong, I have not yet found a product by them that I haven't loved. I have read lovely reviews on this bronzer so I know I wont be disappointed. I purchased this in shade 12 for fair/medium skin, although I typically consider my skin tone as olive/tan I have a darker Australis bronzer which looks way too dark on my skin so I decided to play it safe and get the lighter shade. This retails for $30 AU but the sale price was only $18 AU. 

Nude By Nature

Nude By Nature Natural Mineral Cover

This is just a back up product for my makeup stash. I have been using Nude by Nature for a couple years now and have fallen in love with it. My favourite product would be their finishing veil (but I have a huge amount left in my current one) but I also use their natural mineral cover daily, I have this in shade Light/Medium as I found the medium one left my skin looking orange. I usually dust this over my liquid foundation to provide that little bit of extra coverage. This retails for $39.95 AU for 15g which does last a very long time, I paid only $23.97 AU for this. 

I also saved money by using my voucher that I recently received from Priceline, I had managed to spend over $500 last quarter (eep) and so I received a lovely voucher for $21.08, even the checkout person was impressed (I blame the skincare and cosmetic 40% off sale having occurred in the previous quarter) so I know that I have been fairly naughty with my spending lately. I will be going on another spending ban and so I will be reviewing products I haven't featured on here before and continue doing posts such as weekly loves and the minis, if you have any ideas for posts let me know! 

Love Liz xx

Wishing For #01

While you are on a limited spending budget, you tend to end up lusting over and wishing for a long list of things. I decided to start a post so I can share with you want I have been wanting, maybe you guys will have some insight on whether or not the items are worth it, and mainly just to keep an online list of everything I am after. Now for the wishlist..

The Body Shop Honey Bronze Bronzing Powder

This beautiful creation is from the Body Shop and is fairly popular with UK bloggers, which is how I discovered the product. This retails for $28.95 AU which I don't think is unreasonable as I expect this product would last me quite a while. I am currently using a sample bronzer I received in a Clarins gift bag, as my other Australias bronzer was way too dark for me. This has been on my wish list for a few months now so I do plan on eventually purchasing this, when I am no longer on a spending ban. 

Revlon Highlighting Palette

This palette has yet to be released in Australia, so I may have to search eBay in order to grab this for myself. It is an absolutely gorgeous shimmer brick style highlighter which looks reminiscent to the lovely offering by Bobbi Brown. In the US it is available in three shades, Peach Glow, Bronze Glow, and Rose Glow (pictured). The retail for $9.59 US on the Target online website, it would of course be a lot more expensive than that if this product is released in Australia. 

Clarins Instant Smooth Perfecting Touch

I only use a cheap mattifying primer from Loreal currently, I am still not sure whether or not it actually does much to keep my foundation staying longer or whether it actually keeps my skin oil free. I have heard really good reviews and considered getting this primer for Christmas but I already had so many other things I wanted so I left this out of my Christmas wish list. I am really regretting my decision and this has since stayed on my wish list. This retails for $38 AU in Myer but you can get this from adorebeauty for $31.92. 

Korres Mango Lip Butter

I have had this lip butter on my feel unique wish list for quite a while now. It is $16 AU which seems quite expensive for just a lip balm type product, which is why it hasnt been put in my basket just yet. I have heard many good things about these Korres lip butters, they come in a range of flavours, and I would be happy to try any of them, but I just have a weakness for mangoes. The packaging does not really remind me of mangoes but looks very lovely and vibrant nonetheless. This may have to stay in my wish list for a while longer though as I am not quite ready to part with so much for a lip butter. 

I have recently bought a few items that I will be reviewing soon that have been on my wish list, I am excited to test them all out. I just hope they live up to my expectations! I also have a few more things I am wanting, mainly home items as we will soon have some more room in our house so the spaces must be filled with beautiful things. Another Ikea trip will be coming up soon I foresee. 

What have you got on your wish list?

Love Liz xx

Weekly Loves #03

Hey Guys

Its the time of week again where I share with you what I have been loving this week. Mainly all beauty products this week and one haircare product managed to slip in.

Michael Mercier Hair Brush

I had first heard about these brushes from UK bloggers and was intrigued about them, I have fairly frizzy tangled hair now thanks to my constant need to change my hair colour so I was definitely interested in a brush that claimed to detangle easily and result in less hair fallout. I love this brush and it gets the tangles out of my hair like no other. It retails for $20.95 here in Oz but Priceline will usually have a 20% off sale every so often. There is three different brushes dependant on your hair thickness, so there one for thin, normal and thick hair. I of course own the thick hair one which is the blue one. 

Lanolips Lemonaid Lip Aid

I think this is a great lip balm/treatment; it smells amazing, tastes alright, and is very hydrating on the lips. Lanolips describe this as:

An ultra rich and creamy whipped lanolin lip treatment with organic lemon oil to naturally exfoliate, leaving lips fresh, soft and moist. The citric acid in the organic lemon oil acts as a natural exfoliator on dry, dead skin; when applied there may be a slight tingling on the lips as it works. 

I don't find this very exfoliating, maybe a little as I have found it to be a bit tingly on my lips. The claim that it is hydrating is spot on though, I typically have quite flaky and dry lips but using this frequently I have found that my lips are no where near as bad as normal. This is a range of the many Lanolips products, this retails for $15.95 AU. 

Maybelline Eye Studio Color Tattoo 24 HR Cream Gel Shadow

I have 3 of these Color Tattoo's in shades, Bad to the Bronze, Tough as Taupe and Inked in Pink. I have featured the shade Bad to Bronze in this weeks loved items as I still cannot get over how much I love this. I love everything, the shade, the wear time, the texture, the fact that you can wear this alone or as a primer for similar coloured eye shadows. I highly recommend these to anyone who wants a long lasting eyeshadow that looks great on its on but can double as a primer. These retail for $11.95 AU but are typically on sale for at least 20% off or part of a buy 2 get 1 free deal. 

Revlon Lash Potion Volume + Length Mascara

This mascara is definitely growing on me, I was not too fond of it at first but after continued use of it I have grown to love it. I purchased this in the black formula and not the waterproof version, I don't typically have any need for waterproof mascara and I hate the extra effort of scrubbing it off my eyes at the end of the day. I have very short and thin lashes but this elongates and gives them volume without clumping. I use a wiggle kind of technique at the roots and then brush up and this technique seems to work best with this mascara. This retails for $21.95 AU and does come in a waterproof formula and in a brown shade. 

What have you been loving?

Love Liz xx

Current Foundations

Hello Everyone

I have been placed on a spending ban, I say placed as I wanted to take a break from spending, but my friend is keeping me in check and making sure that I stick to it (Thankyou!!). I have decided to shop my stash for a while and only buy new things once I have finished something similar that I already own. This however is leaving me a little bit lacking in blog posts as hauls are my favourite. So I decided I should write about things I have had for quite a while and just have never featured in my blog.

Today I wanted to talk to you about the three foundations that I have been using lately. I have mentioned two of them previously, so I will not repeat myself and just update you as to how I feel about those now during summer time. 

This is the scar on my hand that I will use to swatch for comparison

Revlon Colorstay Makeup for Combination/Oily Skin

This is probably my third or possibly fourth bottle of Revlon Colorstay for combination/oily skin and I have finished the bottle completely! This is possibly a holy grail product for me and I am surprised that I have yet to repurchase this as I like to always have one in my stash for times like this when I have run out. I think I have not repurchased this as the current bottle I have is in shade 180 Sand Beige which is currently too light for me at winter, I remember having a darker shade last summer but it did not match me very well so I was dissatisfied with it. 

I love this foundation, I have oily/blemish prone skin and this provides long wearing full coverage. I do still need to set my foundation with powder and use some later on in the day, but this stays on my face and does not slide off which I have found with many other foundations. When I purchased this it had no pump so it could be quite wasteful to use when you have a full bottle, but they now are sold with a pump so yay for that! I will probably be repurchasing this after I finish the next foundation I will mention. 

I tend to buy this online as it retails for $34.95 AU for 30ml in store, I typically can find it for around $18-20 AU from US sellers on eBay as Revlon retails for a much lower price point in the US than here in Australia. 

Pros:
- Full coverage
- Long lasting
- Cheap when purchasing it off eBay

Cons:
- Has a strong smell to it
- Expensive to purchase in store

Swatch of Revlon Colorstay Makeup

Bourjois Paris Healthy Mix Foundation

I mentioned this in my previous post here, but now I have actually had time to test this. I purchased this in shade 54 Beige as the lighter beige shade 53 was sold out. This does match my current tanned skincare provided that I make sure I blend it down my neck, nothing worse than two different skin tones from your face to your neck. I tried to find this on the Bourjois Paris website however it is not featured there anymore, only the healthy mix serum is there. I purchased the healthy mix foundation over the healthy mix foundation serum as I had read that the healthy mix foundation provided more coverage than the serum version. This is still lighter coverage than my Revlon foundation, but I have found that if I wait a few minutes I can layer up this foundation where I want it.

I think the main thing I love about this foundation is that it comes with a pump, so I never have to worry about wasted product so I believe that I will get more use out of this product. It also is much nicer smell than my usual foundations, a bit like fruit I believe but the smell does not linger on my face nor did it cause any sensitivity. It does last quite a while on my skin with powder, not the 16 hours it claims but more like 6-8 depending on what I am doing and how hot the weather is. I think I will need to use this a few more times as to whether I would repurchase this over my Revlon Colorstay. So far I have to stay that Colorstay is higher up on the list. The healthy mix foundation does retail for cheaper at $32 AU for 30ml, I purchased it for $24 on sale however. 

Pros:
- Smells nice
- Coverage can be built up
- Comes with a pump
- Often on sale

Cons:
- Not quite the right shade for me
- Not as long lasting as it claims

Swatch of Bourjois Paris Healthy Mix Foundation

Estée Lauder Double Wear Stay-In-Place Makeup

I have done a review of this product here, and I am still very much in love with this foundation. I do not use it as an everyday makeup but more for special occasions. I must say that it is not great for events in which photos will be taken as it does cast a white look on your face in flash photography thanks to the spf 10 that is included in this foundation. It has a high price point at $50 AU for 30ml but I think that it is highly worth it, a little goes a long way.

Pros:
- Full coverage
- Lasts all day
- Oil free, fragrance free and non-acenegenic
- Small pea size amount will blend and cover your entire face
- Beautiful packaging

Cons:
- Does have a strong medicinal smell
- No pump
- Expensive

Swatch of Estee Lauder Stay-In-Place Makeup 

I originally used my Real Techniques buffing brush from the core collection to apply my foundation but I recently purchased the expert face brush from their range and I have to admit I have been loving it just that bit more than the buffing brush! 

What is your favourite foundation?

Love Liz xx

It has been too long! Another Makeup Haul

Hey everyone

I know it has been so long! I am sorry, but I just got a new computer so that should make things easier.
I was planning on using my camera to take the pictures, but of course I have misplaced it somewhere, so I will have to make do with my phone, sorry in advance for the quality!

So I celebrated my 21st birthday last month, and I wanted to look spectacular so I bought a whole bunch of new makeup and skincare that I want to discuss. This post will be focusing on some of the makeup that I have purchased, I will also be doing a few more for the rest of my makeup and skincare soon.

So in this post I will be discussing my new foundations, concealer and highlighter!

L-R Estée Lauder Doublewear; Bourjois Healthy Mix; Maybelline Super Stay Concealer; Revlon Skinlights

So to start with is something that I am absolutely loving:Estée Lauder Double Wear Makeup in shade 2N1 Desert Beige.


I bought this before my birthday at the Myer in Perth CBD. Back story, I have terrible skin so the idea of being makeup less inside a massive department store is almost torture to me. However, the Estée Lauder booth had their lovely beautician in and she was so sympathetic and quickly took off my makeup and swatched me to my closest colour (and it is very close!) and then even continued to finish off the entire look, adding blush and everything else. I had already gone in knowing that I would purchase this, I knew how much it cost ($50AUD for 30ml) and I had read so many positive reviews about this foundation, mainly I just went in to find my correct colour otherwise I would of purchased it online.

On to my actual review of this foundation. Its fantastic for what I wanted. I want a medium coverage foundation that can be built up on bad skin days, this does exactly that. I was also amazed at how little product I actually need to cover my face, its about half the amount I usually use when applying my regular foundation. I use my real techniques buffing brush to blend this in seamlessly, and it does a great job in a small amount of time and with little effort. It lasts a very long time, with little to no smudging, however it does last longer when applied after primer and set with a powder, I do this anyway so this is not a big thing for me. It is definitely not a 'light' feeling foundation, it can feel a little heavy but does end up looking caked on. I can oversee this however given the amazing amount of coverage it gives. It is oil free, fragrance free and non-acenegenic (I had to google this but it just means that it does not cause breakouts, which it hasn't for me!).I believe I will definitely be repurchasing this when I eventually run out (it could be a while though haha).

Swatch of Double wear (it does not look so mismatched on my face I swear)

Next up is Bourjois Healthy Mix Foundation in shade 54 Beige

Living in Australia we are usually a little behind in the beauty department. I am behind in the trend by saying that I have only just gotten around to purchasing this, I was over my usual everyday foundation (Revlon Colorstay in the combination/oily skin formula) and Priceline had a sale for $24AUD RRP being $32. Again, I have read many great reviews of this foundation, but I am yet to actually try it myself (I want to wait for my Revlon foundation to run out). This shade may be a little dark for me, but they were out of the 53 Light Beige colour, and I am hoping to be a little bit more coloured this summer (the safe way in lots of SPF of course) so I am hoping that it will be more accurate for the upcoming months.

Swatch of Bourjois Healthy Mix Foundation

Maybelline Super Stay 24 HR Concealer in shade 20 Cream

I bought this when Priceline had a 50% off Maybelline sale a while back (I think I paid approximately $7-8), they had run out of the shade that I would of preferred, but I bought this shade thinking it would be great as an undereye concealer for brightening up my eye area. Typically it does do a good job, it creases after a few hours without powder to set it. It also does not do a lot for me on days where I have not had enough sleep or am feeling rather stressed out, so instead I use it over some cream concealer from a cheap palette I bought a while back. I probably would search for something with a higher coverage next time though.

Swatch of Maybelline Super Stay 24HR Concealer

Revlon Photoready Skinlights in 100 Bare Light

I received this full sized product in a beauty box which was a lovely surprise! I probably would not have purchased this myself as I do think its quiet expensive for a highlighter, it retails for $29.95AUD. I still have not fully figured out how to incorporate this in my routine, I have tried using it as a highlighter on top of my foundation, but perhaps I am not using enough as it does not seem noticeable. I haven't used this in a while but I might try mixing a bit in with my foundation to create a subtle glow everywhere. It does look lovely when swatched though so I hope that I can figure out how to best wear this!

Swatch of Revlon Skinlights

Love Liz xx