Travel Times 7

 Welcome to Spidertown! We travelled from Siem Reap to Phnom Penh, a direct route diagonally through the country. Our single stop was at 'Spidertown' where we stepped off the bus to be greeted by what seemed like millions of children all carrying...tarantulas.

Fortunately for me, I am quite a fan of holding bunny rabbit sized spiders, but for others this was a nightmare come true. For those unlike myself who weren't so keen on playing with them (seriously, they are so big they become less scary, more like they are fluffy little animals!) there were opportunities to eat them too (after they had been deep fried of course!).

In the photographs you can see a lovely display of crickets, cockroaches, tarantulas and small birds.Yum!

Spidertown was probably one of my millions of highlights, although I do appreciate that for others it may not be quite so enjoyable...

Would you be brave enough to visit Spidertown?

NOTD - Face of Australia Brights Nail Enamel in Polyester Girl

Just a heads up, this would be more appropriately titled 'In which I misrepresent the most fluorescent polish I have ever stumbled across by displaying a creamy hot pink polish instead.' Yep, apparently this polish was so pain-inducing on the eye that my camera couldn't even capture it accurately. You need to see this just to believe it.

I don't like fluoro colours. Not a fan. In fact, I can't think of much worse than painting my nails in colours that reflect my highlighted chemistry notes, but that is exactly what Polyester Girl is like, so bright it almost hurts.

Because of the shockingly misleading photos I have I almost didn't put this post up, but then I realised how pretty it appeared to be and figured if I let you know that this is not at all what the polish looks like then we will be okay.

So - if you like the polish shade below, do not purchase Polyester Girl. If you are going to a fluoro 80s party and want the most amazingly pigmented pink fluoro polish then purchase Polyester Girl. 

As for the other aspects of the polish, it requires 3 coats, takes a longer time to dry than other FOA polishes and I'm not sure how long it lasts on the nails because I didn't wear it long enough.

Have any of you ladies tried this? Am I the only fluoro polish hating person here?

Australis Creme Lip and Cheek Tint - Flirtatious Pink

2013 has been the year of cream blushes and cream eyeshadows. Though I love their powdery cousins, there is something magical about a cream product and the way they give such a natural flush and literally melt into the skin. Can you tell I am a fan?

My first cream purchase was an Australis Creme Colour for cheeks and lips in Dusky Rose. I gave it an 8 out of 10 in my review back in March 2012 stating that it was a little challenging to apply. Well, with the purchase of my Real Techniques Stippling Brush it became an absolute staple in my collection and I have been using it almost daily. When I spotted the same blush but in a different shade - Flirtatious Pink - for half price at $4.95, I snapped it up in an instant.

Flirtatious Pink is quite a bit lighter and more peachy toned than Dusky Rose. I think it is a lot more wearable, certainly for use on the cheeks as a blush, although it is a little more challenging on the lips because it can look a little pasty and ghost like when applied poorly.

Though these are cream products they are quite a hard consistency, especially when they are left unused in a cool environment for a while. When used daily and in summer when it is hot, they are so creamy and considerably easier to work with.

This is such a richly pigmented blush and only the tiniest amount is required for an obvious effect. There is no shimmer in this, just pure colour, and the dewy finish it leaves is just perfect.

As I mentioned, I apply this on the cheeks with a stippling brush because it is the easiest and gives the nicest finish. I like to use this in warmer weather because it seems to 'stick' and just looks like a natural 'flush.' As a lip product I simply use my fingers to apply it.

The lasting power for this is pretty good. It doesn't last the entire day, especially if you don't use a translucent powder over the top (which I don't often do) but I find that it lasts longer than many powder blushes.

It is packaged in quite a small little container with a screw top lid. It's alright although a normal lid that clicks open probably would have been more convenient because I find that amongst all the rushing and in all of the clutter on my dresser it can get lost in the mornings!

One little thing that is a bit annoying is the fragrance. I love scented products, but not when they smell like Rosemary and Lavender. It could be worse, it's not actually that bad, but it could be better too.

All up, I am a huge fan of the peachy shade which is a nice change from the darker shade I owned, and it looks stunning. I am most definitely a cream blush convert!

I give this 9 out of 10 for the price, shade and formulation...thank you Australis!

L-R: Dusky Rose, Flirtatious Pink

Beauty Blogger Tag

I was tagged by Margo from Pretty Panda Makeup to do the Beauty Blogger tag (created by the Beau Bow) and it's taken me a little while to get around to it, but I'm finally doing it!

Questions & Answers:

1. Name a beauty routine you rarely do.
Using a primer before putting on my makeup.

2. Is washing your makeup brushes something you do regularly?
No way...I can't even remember the last time I washed my brushes (disgusting, I know).

 3. How long will you last with chipped nail varnish?
I can handle it on my toes but on my fingers it comes off as soon as possible!

4. How long do you put off buying/replacing a beauty or nail polish product even if you need it?
This never really happens because I have so many 'backups' that have accumulated, but if it did...let's just say I don't put off an opportunity to purchase makeup!

5. What is your worst beauty habit?
Probably not washing my brushes or keeping my mascaras for much longer than the recommended 3 months.

6. Name something non-beauty related that you put off all the time.
Maths assignments have been my latest problem. I will procrastinate in any way that I can. Often I find myself on youtube watching videos I don't even like because I just can't handle the thought of working on a ten page maths investigation!

7. When going out somewhere, do you leave getting ready until the last minute or not?
I usually allocate a good amount of time to get ready, although not when I'm going to school!

8. Can you commit to spending bans?
I sure can! I think the fact that, being a student, I don't have all that much money to spend may be an advantage, but I'm really quite good at sticking to spending bans.

9. How organised is your makeup and nail polish collection?
Not overly organised to be honest.My makeup is sorted into type (ie. eyeshadows in one spot, blushes in another etc.) but nothing fancy.

10. What is the longest time you've gone without writing a blog post?
A couple of weeks. Often I have 3 or 4 sitting in my drafts ready to be posted when I'm not feeling inspired to create new content.

11. How many hours a week do you spend writing/editing posts?
It used to be a lot more, but now I probably spend about 2 or so hours writing and editing a week. Life just keeps getting in the way!

12. Are you a spender or a saver?
In general a saver. I save for months and then deliberate about buying something for months. I'll research it and wait months and months, and then if I still want something after all that time I'll buy it!

3. When is it easiest for you to blog?
Literally the only time I have is on the weekends.

14. What makes writing behind a computer comfortable for you?
I write about what I enjoy. I don't worry that I may have limited knowledge about something because it is just my personal experiences and opinions of things. The beauty blogger community is just so lovely and supportive too, so it makes writing fun and easy!

15. What’s your worst makeup/hair habit?
I get really lazy with waterproof mascara and often don't bother to spend time taking it all off. I don't do anything to look after my hair whatsoever!

16. One quote that you wish the world would live by?
It's not a quote but I think if we spent more time thinking about others as opposed to being so focused on ourselves, things would be a lot better.

17. How long do you spend getting ready everyday?
On a school day it takes me about 15 minutes to get dressed and do my hair and makeup. On the weekend I'll take about half an hour.

18. Who is your favorite blogger?
I really love Australian bloggers - probably because I can relate a little more, and because I can read a review on one of the products mentioned and am able to actually purchase it (unlike being jealous of all the American and English brands I don't have access to!)

19. Who is a blogger that you read who deserves more subscribers than they have?
Rebecca and Tashi

20. One thing you're excited about in the upcoming year?
It will be my final year at high school, so that is pretty exciting (and scary!)

21. Your most awkward blogging moment?
Without a doubt, all of my first posts. They were painfully short and boring, and the photos atrocious!

22. How long does it take you to prep for a post?
Taking photos of products is the most time consuming part, as well as cropping them and uploading them. Once I have an idea for a post it doesn't take me long to write them.

23. Are you wearing pants(jeans/skirt) right now or are you actually wearing pyjama bottoms?
I don't think I've ever blogged in my pyjamas!

24. What are you most proud of in your life?
I'm proud of having survived some really tough moments in my life, and the person that I am today because of them.

So that's the beauty blogger tag! If you've managed to get this far, thank you! If you would like to do this tag, go ahead!

Maybelline One by One Volume Express Mascara - Brownish Black

In the same way that many beauty lovers know Revlon for their lip products, I think that Maybelline's claim to fame are their mascaras. With so many options to choose from in their permanent range and such a widespread number of reviews, it is hard to miss all the raving that occurs regarding their mascaras. Naturally when Priceline had a sale and Maybelline mascaras were only $10, I made a special trip to go and pick up one that had been catching my eye for a while.

When I think of my ideal mascara, the terms definition and length come to mind. Unlike many, the idea of volume isn't terribly appealing for me - largely due to the fact that every day I am surrounded by teenage girls who have no concept of using makeup to make themselves look attractive and instead pile approximately ten layers of mascara on to their lashes until they look like fattened dead caterpillars poking out from their lashline. Yep, when you are faced with that kind of visual every single day you kind of become a bit turned off with the thought of a volumising mascara!

It was only natural then that I liked the idea of One by One, which did claim to give a bit of volume but also excellent definition too. I did a bit of research and found that it was quite well liked by most people and then made the decision to give it a shot.

First up is the brush. My favourite kind of brushes are plastic ones, which is what One by One has. This is unlike any brush I have come across in that it is really quite chunky, shaped very much like an AFL football, although each of the bristles are quite long. One might expect that this would be a little tricky to use but I found it quite manageable. For use on the lower lashline (which I never do) it is a bit fiddly.

The packaging is pretty appealing, bright and bold with the red tube and green writing. It does have a borderline Christmas vibe (am I the only one who thinks this?) but in the end it is the formulation that I really care about.

I think Maybelline was spot on when they named this 'One by One.' My pet hate is when a mascara makes my lashes stick together in one horrible mess, but this defined and coated every.single.lash. I am so impressed. Not once did I struggle with clumping or feeling the need to excessively comb through my lashes with an old and unused mascara wand because this worked so beautifully the first time. I've taken a photo of it on my lashes (albeit a horrendous one) and you can see the length and definition it gives.

I am quite biased in that I love really dry formula and don't often get along with wet ones. I would describe this as in the middle of both, and surprisingly I find it works just fine and I don't dislike it at all.

When attempting to layer this mascara it gets a bit more challenging. Though I wouldn't describe it as clumpy, my lashes most definitely need to be brushed through a couple of times to fix it up. I personally think that a single coat is more than enough for lovely looking lashes.

Usually I go for waterproof formulas but I didn't this time, and it has worked out quite well because unlike their waterproof cousins, this is so much easier to remove! Unfortunately the only shade left at Priceline was brownish black, and it is noticeable, though only slightly. If I had the choice I definitely would have gone for blackest black.

This lasts an entire day without flaking or smudging. It hasn't caused any irritation or problems whatsoever.

Overall I am so impressed with this and am really glad that I purchased it. If you want more than 'natural' looking lashes, but don't want terribly dramatic ones either, then this is a perfect in-between.

I give this 8 out of 10.

Apologies for the horrible photo, but can you see the length and definition it gives?

Giveaway Winner!

First up: Apologies for going AWOL in this past week and a bit. I am back and I will be posting some reviews on some cool products for you all!

Secondly, and most importantly, we have a giveaway winner!

Tashi, from Shiwashiful!

I was really excited when I typed in the random number and saw that it was Tashi! She is an awesome Aussie blogger, be sure to check her blog out!

Thank you all for entering and supporting YouReview! I love blogging and it is just the coolest feeling knowing that others read what I write!

Thanks a bunch, and congrats Tashi!

Last chance to enter my GIVEAWAY

YouReview's giveaway is ending tomorrow! If you haven't entered yet, click here!

Simple Kind To Skin Hydrating Light Moisturiser.

This is a review long overdue. In fact, I took these photographs while at the beach back in January, and soon this will feature in an empties post. Yep. I have been using it religiously since January and I have failed to tell you all about it!

Simple is a skincare brand that would be appealing to many due to its strong commitment to formulating products without any unnecessary perfumes and dyes. I personally, as a young and somewhat ignorant kind of kid in regards to this area quite appreciate products with strong fragrances and colouring - it's what makes products fun! I can only imagine the damage it might be doing, but for now it won't be changing much!

Anyway,when I ran out of moisturiser (an event that I never thought would ever happen as a beauty blogger) I picked up what was on sale, the Simple Kind To Skin Hydrating Light Moisturiser.

First up is the packaging. I like the simple, clean approach they take to their products. The green works well as it supports their 'natural' and organic stance on skincare, overall it looks very put together and effective. The bottle this moisturiser in is quite rigid, which I really appreciate except when you get to the end and can't squeeze the last of the product out.

The product itself is just great. It is quite lightweight and absorbs into the skin instantly. It isn't greasy or heavy, although this does make it unsuitable for people with super dry skin. I found that on an everyday basis this was ideal, but if I was having trouble with my skin and it was either too oily or too dry this moisturiser just became ineffective. This is the kind of this that is just perfect for those with normal or combination skin, but a bit useless for those with dry or oily.

It's quite hard to talk about a moisturiser because it's not like a lipstick where the results are immediately and obviously visible, but this certainly felt great on the skin and was a pleasure to use. I don't think I would rave about it, but I do really like it.

I used this both morning and night and found that my skin was adequately moisturised, and that combined with my other skincare products I had very few blemishes. I am not 100% sure whether this contributed to my clear skin, but I have a feeling it probably would have as it is so natural and lacking in harmful chemicals.

This moisturiser is really affordable and accessible and having run out of this I will most definitely be purchasing another!

I give this 7/10.

NOTD - FOA Glitterati Nail Polish in Looking for some Hot Stuff and FOA Molten Metallics Polish in Titanium

Clearly Face of Australia polishes are the only ones that interest me any more, as indicated by the fact that every NOTD I've done this year has been on a FOA polish! They're just so lovely!

For today's NOTD it features a polish that I have owned for about a year an a half and never used - the Molten Metallics polish in Titanium which I was given - and a more recent purchase, the Glitterati polish in Lookin' for some Hot Stuff.

I never would have thought of these as a suitable pairing, but I'm pretty pleased with the results. Lookin' for some Hot Stuff contains an abundance of densely packed hexagon shaped glitters in colours red, black and lilac. You can barely tell but there are also some silver bar glitters hiding amongst the craziness. It is terribly pretty. Though the combination is borderline alien-robot from out of space, I think it is crazy in a good way...right?

I used two coats of Titanium which I found to be opaque but a little streaky, topped with two coats of Heart of Glass. I am so impressed with the density of the glitters because there is nothing worse than having to fish around in the bottle to meticulously place the glitters on the nail.

As always, this lasted an acceptable amount of time on the nails. As is the case with every glitter polish, it was horrendous to remove. The silver also left tiny shimmers everywhere and no amount of acetone could eat it off my skin!

So perhaps this look isn't for the faint-hearted, and I certainly think that paired with a more subtle basecoat this could look a look less robot-crazy and a lot more pretty and girly, but you get the idea that Lookin' for some hot stuff is pretty darn awesome.

Don't forget to enter my giveaway here.

Travel Times 6

Royal Palace

Today's photos are from the National Museum in Phnom Penh and the Royal Palace, both of which we visited. For someone who has no appreciation or understanding of architecture whatsoever (like myself) I was still completely mindblown by how elaborate and over the top everything was. Admittedly, it was a little difficult to get used to after having spent a week building simple brick homes for those who had none but nevertheless, I wouldn't mind being back here again!

The Cambodian culture was so evident in all of their buildings.

Royal Palace

National Museum

Don't forget to enter my giveaway here.

Haul - Maybelline, Australis, Face of Australia, Essence & Lovisa

After having accidentally been on an unofficial spending ban whereby I went nearly three months without a single makeup purchase (except for, of course, my giveaway) I splashed out after a particularly stressful Saturday involving lots of maths assignments and stressed tears! Retail therapy was the only solution.

After a short trip to Priceline I returned with a couple of exciting products!

The Maybelline One by One mascara has been on my radar since it was first released quite a while ago but I never felt all that compelled to spend $19.25 on it! When I saw that they were on sale for $10 I figured there was no better time to buy it and therefore seized the opportunity! I am a bit annoyed that the only shade left was brown/black but I think I will cope!

I then ambled over to the Essence stand and discovered a completely uniterrupted Me & My Ice Cream collection! I don't think I've ever stumbled across one of the collections that hasn't been trashed with grotty finger prints pressed into all of the products. I grabbed the Cream blush in Ice bomb. Now I have had a bit more of a look at it I've discovered that it actually contains quite a lot of shimmer, but hopefully I can make it work.

I then checked out the Face of Australia stand in the hopes that the Glitterati polish in Studio 54 would be there, but alas it was not and I had to make do with 'Lookin' for some hot stuff.' All I want is Studio 54 but at this rate I will have every other polish in the whole collection! At least I managed to get this one on sale a little bit, for $3.50.

I saw that a couple of Australis products had been marked down and the Paparazzi Perfect High Definition Blush in Screen Siren was on sale for $6.47 instead of its usual $12.95. Even though I feel like these blushes have been around for years, I am really excited to finally try one out!

This is where you would think that I would recognise that perhaps two blushes were enough but no...I grabbed an Australis creme blush in Flirtatious pink because I LOVE my Australis creme blush in dusky rose and use it multiple times a week and thought that an additional shade wouldn't hurt. This too was half price and therefore cost $4.95! Bargain!

I then stopped in at Lovisa for a split second and grabbed a pair of earrings on sale for $3 down from $6.99.

Lastly I went to The Reject Shop and purchased two candles - one of them a Skittles candle in the flavour Melon Berry that smells exactly like green skittles, and an M&M 'Crisp Vanilla' candle. I love them, and for $3 each I am so happy I bought them!

So there is my little haul! I did spot some Essie polishes in Priceline which could be problematic as despite their painfully high price tag (at least in comparison to some other brands) they are still very tempting...

*And I just realised I forgot to include my Maybelline One by One macara in the photos! Argh!

 Don't forget to enter my giveaway here.

Face of Australia Impact-Curl Extreme Volume and Curl Mascara

Face of Australia is without a doubt one of my favourite brands (if not my number one!). I have written so many positive reviews on their products and I would use at least one of their products on my face every day. It is for that reason that it pains me to write a negative review on one of their products, but this mascara is probably the most awful mascara I have ever swiped across my lashes and never again will I use this hell-in-a-tube.

Let's start with the packaging. I do quite like this metallic purple tube featuring white writing and a classy silver top. It features a rubber wand (my favourite) and the mascara itself is a super strong, deep, glossy black. So far so good.

I curled my lashes and began applying this and soon discovered that this mascara was incredibly wet. I am a little biased because I do much prefer quite dry formulas however this was beyond ridiculous to the point where it was simply unusable. As I ran the wand through my lashes I found that enormous clumps of wet mascara just stuck to them, and it clumped all my eyelashes together in several 'sticks.' It was absolutely hideous. I used an old mascara wand to attempt to comb through my lashes to separate them a little and get rid of the huge mascara globs but it simply stuck together and pulled on my lashes. Apparently the formula was as sticky as honey too!

Imagine this mascara as a thick black tar, perhaps one that might be used to make a road. Yep, it is honestly that bad. I tried to take pictures to show you how bad it was but it really doesn't look nearly as nasty as I found it to be...see for yourself.

For an 'extreme volume and curl' this is just diabolical and results in a couple of gloopy sticks poking out from my eyes. It feels awfully uncomfortable to wear, looks stupid and once dried leaves me genuinely concerned that they are going to snap off any second for they are so rigid and dry.

Because I simply love Face of Australia so much, I decided that surely it was me who must have been doing something wrong. I attempted to do a second coat. Biggest mistake ever. Running the wand through my lashes for the second time was like grabbing hold of my lashes and attempting to tear them out clean. The end result was watery eyes and balls of mascara randomly dispersed throughout blackened sticks coming from every angle. Beautiful! Clearly it wasn't suitable for layering.

So is there anything about this mascara that could be considered likable? It is the deepest black I have come across yet, and different to my usual mascaras has a glossy finish which I quite enjoy. I love the rubber wand - it's also quite a nice shape too - and with a good formula could work remarkably well. Apart from that, I suggest you avoid this like the plague because this is without a doubt the worst product I have used this year. Don't waste your $11.95.

Although...having said that I do know other bloggers who have really enjoyed this. If you are one of them, tell me your secrets because I would love to be able to make this work!

I (very sadly) have to give this 1 out of 10.

What a mess!

Don't forget to enter my giveaway here.