Skincare Favourites

Having very normal, non-blemish prone skin leaves me with little to work on in the skin department so instead of putting a lot of unnecessary product on my face I like to stick to a simple cleanse, exfoliate and moisturise routine. The only products in this routine I usually experiment with are eye creams and face washes but aside from that it has stayed pretty solid.

When it comes to moisturiser it even shocks me to admit I've been using the same one ever since I started moisturising. I have tried a few in between if they are something I'm curious about, but I always come back to my Dove Essential Nutrients. It has an SPF which I love, and is on the thicker side which leaves my skin so plump and soft especially if I apply a thicker layer at night.

My eye cream at the moment is the Palmer's one and I really enjoy it, especially for it's cocoa butter smell. It has anti ageing properties which I enjoy and really does moisturise the under eye area. I've never had an eye cream that has blown me away, so I'll definitely be trying something else when this tube runs out.

I like to keep my cleansing pretty simple as well and for these kinds of products I'm obsessed with Garnier. I go between my Garnier Micellar Water and and my Garnier Anti-Shine Cleansing Gel. The Micellar water has a full review here and the Anti-Shine Cleansing Gel just does the job and removes even heavy makeup.

Finally, my favourite scrub has to be the St. Ive's Blackhead Clearing Green Tea Scrub. The granules are medium sized so while abrasive enough to buff away dry skin they aren't harsh to the point where you face is left red. Aside from dealing with my dry skin this has visibly helped my blackheads.

Are you simple with skincare or go all out and what is your favourite eye cream?

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The Review: Maybelline's Brow Drama

Brows are by far my most favourite part of my makeup routine. Filling them in makes all the difference to my look and I love reading about new products to try. When I saw that Maybelline were coming out with an eyebrow gel I was so excited, especially since they are one of my favourite pharmacy brands.

I've read a lot of reviews on this product that were negative but decided to give it a go anyway. The two major complaints were the shade range and the brush being too large. There are no arguments to be made when it comes to the range of colours to choose from, I luckily fit into the category of people who's shade is available. However, I've had no trouble with the brush size whatsoever, it actually fits perfectly to my brow shape and makes doing the job so much quicker.

When it comes to formulation this is amazing. My eyebrows don't feel stiff or crunchy and actually feel like there's no product on them at all. The pigment in the gel definitely tints them, though I still like filling them in regardless. Another great thing about this product is that there is no drying period where you eyebrows are left looking wet - they look perfect right away.

I think if you have medium to dark hair and medium to thick eyebrows you will love this product. If you have lighter hair or thin brows I'm no so sure you would get along due to the colour selection and the brush being large, unless you don't mind a tiny bit of clean up after application.

What is your favourite brow product?

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Hey There Bright Eyes

For someone with under eyes as tired looking as mine I need a whole arsenal of products that are going to brighten things up and make me look at least a little bit awake. I focus on this area most of all when doing my makeup as it is the area I feel the most insecure about, so I've tried a lot of brightening products and know what I like.

I am an absolute concealer fiend and have tried most of the cult favourites. When it comes to brightening I love my Maybelline Instant Age Rewind, which really needs no introduction. This is so talked about for a reason - it's lightweight under the eyes with decent coverage and brightening effects. I don't think this "erases" dark circles, but it does visibly brighten and just make the whole area look a lot better. Another I like to use is the MAC Pro Longwear concealer which is a higher coverage with a thicker formula, but definitely brightens and aids dark circles immensely. Because this is a heavier formula I don't wear it on a day to day basis, but when I want a flawless face this is my weapon of choice.

Sometimes concealer just doesn't cut it and you need a few tricks to brighten things up even more. I am a big, big fan of the inner corner highlight as this is the area that gets the most dark. I love using my Benefit 'Watts Up?" as it's a cream formula and stays all day, but any highlighting product will do. Next I like to line my waterline with my Rimmel Scandal Eyes in 'Nude' which not only takes away the redness but makes your eyes look bigger and therefore more alert.

The most noticeable change I find is the application of mascara. I like to curl my lashes, as the perkier the lashes the brighter the eye, and apply a coat or two of a lengthening and thickening mascara such as my Revlon Grow Luscious. This makes such a difference and if you don't have time for all the concealer and highlighting even just this step will help.

What are your bright eyed tips and what is the best concealer you have ever tried?

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New In: The Lorac Pro Palette

I've spent so long holding off on buying cult favourites when it comes to palettes and I'm glad I did, because when the Lorac Pro got a lot of attention earlier in the year I knew that I wanted it even more than the Naked palettes I'd been eyeing up previously. Finding a reputable online seller that actually delivered to Australia was a challenge, but I found one on Amazon, ordered it and it landed on my doorstep bright and early this morning.

The thing that really drew me to this palette was the total mix of colours. There's a little taste of each Naked palette within the Lorac Pro. Some warm golds and bronzes for the original, cool blues and taupes for the Naked 2 and finally some mauves and pinks for the Naked 3. The quality is so buttery and smooth, even when it comes to the mattes which is rare.

Above are some swatches I did to see what some of the colours I was most curious about would look like on my skin. I didn't realise how in love I'd be with the shade 'Mauve' - it is stunning and I hope I can work it into a lot of eye looks. As I already knew I would be, I'm obsessed with Pewter and Slate and can't wait to do some darker looks with these.

This will definitely be popping up again around these parts, I was just too excited not to dedicate a post to it's arrival! Do you have the Lorac Pro? What is your all time favourite neutral palette?

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The Review: Rimmel's Wonder'Full Mascara

I can be overly picky when it comes to mascaras and am not satisfied with most of the ones I try. I've been using the Revlon grow luscious mascara for almost a year now non-stop due to the fact that I was constantly disappointed by mascaras that weren't like it. I've never gotten along with Rimmel mascaras before due to clumpier formulas, so naturally when I heard the claims of their new Argan oil rich formula I was curious.

While I can't say too much in terms of the nourishing effects of the Argan oil, the slickness of the formula is apparent from the very first application. Don't take this as the formula being extremely wet, because it isn't, there is just a smoothness to it unlike anything I've felt before. This is a mascara I need to build upon, but considering how it seems almost impossible to get a clumpy look from this product, this isn't a problem at all.

Overall I am really impressed with Rimmel's 'Wonder'Full' mascara and am glad my bias towards their formulas has been swayed. I think most people would enjoy this mascara, but if you are in need of intense length or volume you might need to pair this with something else. Because of it's smooth formula it makes a great base for other mascaras if you're a fan of mixing!

Have you tried this and if so, what are your thoughts?

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The Review: Garnier Micellar Water

This is a product I rave about and recommend whenever makeup removers come up. While this is an obvious dupe for Bioderma, I've never actually had to try it because of how well the Garnier one works. When a product goes above and beyond I always get a little nervous to try anything else in case it's a let down, so I've been sticking firmly to Garnier's Micellar Water.

I don't wear waterproof eye makeup, but I'm often found sporting heavy winged eyeliner and lashings of mascara. Soaking a cotton pad in this and pressing it to the eye area for just a few seconds and finishing with a firm swipe leaves barely a trace. Another swipe with a fresh cotton pad would do the trick to remove everything completely, but in terms of a makeup remover before a second cleanse one soaked cotton pad usually does the trick.

I strongly recommend this to anyone who wants a good makeup remover or anyone looking for a cheaper alternative to Bioderma. What is the best micellar water you've tried?

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The Review: Garnier BB Cream

My first ever makeup product was the original Garnier BB and I remember picking it up so vividly. I wanted something to just enhance my skin a little without looking like foundation and something that could be worn alone without any other makeup. This product does exactly that, and while the original definitely needed to be thorougly powdered, this formula has a more matte finish which I love even more.

I am a huge fan of BB creams and generally like every one I try. It's hard to go wrong with such a light coverage, and while I do have preferences I have never been disappointed completely. Regardless of what BB's I try I always come back to the Garnier one. There are a few in the range that you can pick and choose from to suit your taste, but this is my favourite that I've tried so far. The coverage is "barely there" but it definitely noticeably enhances yet there is no noticeable product on the skin.

My go to base is usually this with concealer as a spot treatment for under the eyes and any redness. This method is my personal favourite when it comes to base application as your skin looks naturally flawless and as if you've done nothing to it at all.

Overall, I'd recommend this to anyone who is looking for a lighter "perfecting" kind of base. Something to keep in mind when selecting your match is that while this is the oil free formula, I don't have oily skin and the other was too shiny standalone and needed to be powdered.

What is your favourite "barely there" product?

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The Wishlist: Spring 2014

The warmer weather has me craving bare legs and short sleeves. I'm usually a lover of autumnal type dressing, but prospect of summer has me excited for once. I've been loving the sport luxe trend more than ever, and some of these pieces would create the perfect balance of laid-back and chic for warmer-weather ensembles. 

1. Sport Luxe

Mesh, numbers, panels and striped sleeved everything is on my wish list. I'm not the biggest fan of the "chic tracksuit pants" aspect, but when it comes to jersey style tops I'm obsessed. There are so many offerings at the moment it's hard to narrow them down and make a decision, but you can be sure to see me rocking these pieces in the warmer months.

2. Sliders

I'm absolutely in love with the pair I already own and I find myself wearing them daily, so I've been wanting to extend my collection. They are much cuter than thongs and look much more put together, yet are just as comfortable if not more so. I would love some funkier ones like the holographic style featured above, but I'd also like some Birks for ultra-comfiness. 

3. Crystals 

I've always loved the aesthetic of crystals and geodes, and now that they're becoming a common feature in jewellery I couldn't be happier. I would love a pointed crystal necklace as I think there is just something so cool about them, especially worn around the neck.

4. Marc Jacobs Holographic Pieces

I would be over the moon with any of them, and while the silver collection is largely sold out, the coloured are just as pretty. I really need a new smallish pouch just for my cards and one of these would be perfect! 

5. Cateyed Sunglasses

In Australia sunglasses are necessary all year round because even in the winter the glare from the clouds is blinding. I have so many oversized shades, but am lacking in the cat eye department because I haven't been able to find my ideal pair. 

6. Phone Case

This kind of counts as an accessory in my eyes. I've been eyeing up the Rifle Paper Co 'city' themed cases and have my heart set on the Paris one. I would honestly be happy with any of their cases though, to be honest.

What is currently on your fashion wishlist? 

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The Review: NYX Matte Bronzer

I have had a year long love/hate relationship with this product. When I swatched it in store I loved the shade but when I got it home and on my face I hated how muddy and orange it made me look. Pricier than a typical NYX product I was kind of grumpy that I'd wasted my money on something I deemed "unwearable".

When reassessing my brushes after a wash I decided to swap my blush brush for my bronzer blush and vice versa, meaning that my Sigma angled contour would now be reserved for blush while my big, fluffy Ecotools powder brush would become my new bronzer brush. This honestly made all the difference and I began to fully appreciate this product. The Sigma brush was simply putting too much product onto the skin, which gave me the orange/muddy look I hated. With a fluffy brush it distributed just the right amount and made my skin look lovely and tanned with a slight contour.

This is by no means the product I'd suggest for a full on Kim K contour as too much product goes bad very quickly, but as an every day bronzer with a light hand this is amazing! Overall, I'm never one hundred percent happy with bronzers, but this has definitely been one of the better ones I've tried.

What is your all-time favourite bronzer for contouring?

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Tumblr Inspo #8

It's a super bright, sunny nearly-spring Sunday here and I feel refreshed even though there is a giant pile of assignments for me to do. Something about the weather has just put me in a good mood and I'm positive about tackling the workload I have at the moment. I'm hoping this feeling stays considering I can stress myself out so, so much when things get hectic.

There is nothing more energising and motivating to me than sitting down and organising all of my to do lists, calendars and deadlines. Feeling on top of things is definitely key when it comes to stressing-less which is something I've really been working on this year. Speaking of, it's almost time to start thinking of new New Years resolutions which is a little bit scary to say the least.

Coffee in hand I'm going to spend half of today catching up on blog stuff such and the other half working on my major assignment which is a psychoanalysis type task which on one hand is super fun but on the other requires a lot of research of past literature, referencing and all that other good university-level-paper kind of stuff.

I hope you are all having an amazing weekend, tell me what you got up to!

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The Review: The Body Shop's 'Instablur'

Let me start off by saying that the chase for this product was just as sweet as what's inside the tube. Slipping in and out of four stores empty handed I was by no means ready to give up on the elusive Instablur. On a whim after an optometrists appointment two weeks later I found myself making a beeline to The Body Shop to see if maybe, just maybe, Instablur was back in stock - and it was!

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