Tis' (not) the season...

I love the thought of wearing makeup and nail polish to suit the season. Autumn makes me think of oxblood red nail polish,chocolate brown eye shadows and deep berry lipstick yet lately I've been reaching for the most seasonally inappropriate polishes in my collection. I don;t know what it is but I've been craving bright pinks, sand browns and oranges, shades I would associate more with Spring than Autumn. I blame all the American youtubers I watch!

I decided to make a little post about it anyway because who said you have to stick to the rules?

First up is the Sally Hansen Complete Salon Manicure in Rosy Outlook. This is a spring polish if I ever saw one, the most beautiful bright warm pink that looks simply gorgeous on the nails. I love the formula of this polish as it is quite chip resistant, as well as the wonderful flattened brush that makes it so easy to apply.

We then have a Face of Australia polish (let's face it, I can't get enough of FOA), in 'Would you like some orange sherbet?' Once again there is no denying this orange pastel is a spring colour through and through, but I've been wearing it a lot in these autumn days. 

I then have an Essence polish that is the newest addition to my collection and I am completely addicted. The Nail art topper in 'Black Dress and white tie' is undeniably fascinating to look at and perhaps the coolest glitter/special effect polish I own. 

Next is my very first Essie polish in a beautiful, ever so slightly shimmery skin tone beige shade called Mambo. This is the most flattering neutral I have ever stumbled across and would be perfect for office wear. For my first Essie polish I am thrilled!

I then have Rimmel Space Dust polish, one of the recent 'textured' polishes that have come out. This is pure silvery pink glitter and honestly, who could resist that?

Last but not least is a mini Essie polish in 'Meet me at sunset' a striking orange that demands your attention. When I wear this I cannot help but stare admiringly at my beautiful, bright nails.

So there you have it, the most inappropriate nail picks for autumn that I have been enjoying immensely over the past couple of weeks!

Revlon Lip Butters in Tutti Frutti and Creme Brulee (& Revlon lip butter collection)

I don't even know how it happened, so don't ask. One minute I had my very first Revlon lip butter at a sale price of $15, the next minute I was the proud owner of 7. When they first arrived in Australia with a disgusting $21.95 price tag I promised myself I wouldn't purchase a single one but a good sale sucks me in big time.

I was at Priceline (what's new?) and spotted this gorgeous little gift set for $15 on the shelf. When I got to the checkout it was actually only $10 and I nearly died of a heart attack. Now do you see why I added two more lip butters to my collection? They were only $2.50 each instead of a whopping $21.95. Oh my gosh.

Additionally, it contained Tutti Frutti, the gorgeous tangerine shade I had been interested in since I first saw all the overseas reviews yet hadn't managed to find on sale. There was no way on Earth I was going to walk past this bargain.

I'll start with Creme Brulee, a shade I'd not ever noticed due to its pale and unflattering nature. I gravitate to brighter pink and red based tones and rarely take an interest in the really pale brown based shades. Still, when I opened this up I truly thought that it had potential. When swatched it was a pretty cream colour that wasn't too opaque and therefore I felt would give a gorgeous nude, shiny look to the lips. Instead it was a little too pale and made me look a little corpse like. The shimmer present was also a problem, making it far too frosty to be flattering, instead looking childish and fake. It's a shame this didn't work out as well as I had hoped, however all things considered it's not actually that bad and I would much prefer to wear this over the shade Gumdrop or Brown Sugar.

Then comes Tutti Frutti, a stunning wearable orange shade that for someone like myself who rarely braves the purple and orange lip shades managed to wear it confidently with ease. I thought it would be a similar shade to the Revlon Balm Stain in Rendezvous however Tutti Frutti was a much darker more pumpkin kind of shade that was also a lot less neon. To my delight it contained no shimmer or glitter and was instead just pure colour. It has a very soft and creamy appearance and wears well. Tutti Frutti was quite pigmented and two coats on the lips left an opaque finish.

As is the case with all the other Revlon lip butters I own, they are relatively moisturising and reasonably long wearing. Because they are a hybrid of both lipsticks and lip balms, they embody both the good and bad qualities of both. This means that they aren't quite as pigmented as a lipstick but more so than a balm. They aren't as drying as a lipstick but less moisturising than a balm. Their wear time, as predicted, is longer than a balm but not as long as a lipstick. In my opinion they are the most perfect balance of both and would be suitable for anyone of any age.

I had a strange problem with the red shade Wild Watermelon whereby when it wore off it would leave a ring of colour around the edge of the lips and no colour in the middle. I was pleased to find that neither Creme Brulee or Tutti Frutti had this issue.

In terms of the packaging, I don't need to go into too much depth about how great I think these are. I love the colour coded quilted packaging and the silver bullet. I think it looks classy and quite high end. I also love that the top of the cap is completely clear so that looking from above when you are sifting through your collection you can easily identify the shade you want.

These lip butters are very soft and as a result aren't very good for carrying around in your handbag. As soon as they get slightly warm they start to melt and reshape.

I love my Revlon Lip Butters and couldn't recommend them enough, however I wouldn't suggest that you pay full price for them when there are so many opportunities around the place to get them on sale.

The Beauty Scenario Tag

I was tagged by Sophie from Born to Buy to do the popular 'Beauty Scenario Tag' created by Youtuber Lily Pebbles. Some of the questions are a bit hard for me to answer (you will see why in a minute) but this was definitely an enjoyable tag to do!

1. You have to get rid of all your foundation and only keep one high end and one drugstore. Which do you keep? 

The problem with this question was that I don't exactly have a whole heap of high end foundations. I have an Arbonne tinted moisturiser which I would consider high end because it costs $50 but it's really not that amazing. I also have a Bliv foundation which isn't quite as expensive at $32, but once again I'm not terribly impressed by it. The last possible contender for a high end foundation would be my Catalina Geo skin cover which I adore as an incredibly pigmented concealer but not at all as a foundation. Basically I can't answer that question for the high end part but it would easily be my Maybelline Superstay foundation for the drugstore choice. 

2. You go for an interview and the lady interviewing you has lipstick on her teeth. Do you approach the subject or ignore it completely? 

Ahhhh! I'm ashamed to admit that I hardly point it out to my friends and family, it's just one of those things I feel really uncomfortable doing. There is absolutely no way I would do that in a job interview, I would simply pretend I haven't noticed it!

3. You're not feeling yourself and you need a pick me up lipstick. Which do you go for? 

Either my Essence lipstick in All about Cupcake, Revlon lip butter in Berry Smoothie or MAC lipstick in Creme Cup. 

4. You go back in time for a day to your teenage years; How would you do your hair and make up differently? 

Well I'm still in my teenage years and trying not to make too many beauty mistakes that I'll regret but there have been a couple of things in the past that I cringe about. I used to wear my super long hair in a low, slick ponytail at the very nape of my neck that was really awkward and unflattering. I don't know what I was thinking! In terms of makeup, when I first learnt how to use liquid and gel eyeliner I would have a really thick and uneven line that just looked ridiculous! I was still practicing and hadn't quite managed to master the technique yet.

5. You ask your hairdresser for a shoulder length Pixie Lott cut but they hear you wrong and give you a pixie hair cut. Do you A. Smile, say thank you, leave and call your Mum crying hysterically, B. Cry in the chair and things get awkward or C. Complain to the Manager and demand a refund.

Definitely B! My hair is about ten cm short of being able to sit on it so a pixie cut sounds like the most terrifying thing I have ever heard of. I know I would get really teary if my hair was to be cut off like that and I don't think I would be able to hold it all together or demand a refund, so definitely just sitting in the chair and crying would be my response!

6. Your friend surprises you with a four day city beauty and you have one hour to pack. Which 'do it all' palette do you pack in your make up bag? 

Well doesn't that just sound lovely? I've mentioned this before but I'm not really a palette kind of girl, in fact I have very few eye palettes at all and they generally don't appeal to me (excluding the original Naked palette of course!). I would probably have to go with the Australis Paparazzi Perfect eyeshadow palette for this one because it has a nice selection of neutrals to work with. 

7. Your house had been robbed (don't worry, everyone is safe) and your beauty stash has been raided. What's the product you really hope is safe? 

I haven't really got anything that couldn't easily be replaced but I would hate to lost my MAC lipstick in Creme cup simply because it was a gift from a fellow blogger and I have such lovely thoughts associated with it. It makes me so happy whenever I use it and is a lovely piece that makes me appreciate blogging!

8. Your friend borrows your makeup and returns it in awful condition. Do you A. Just pretend you haven't noticed B. Ask them to repurchase it or C. Secretly do the same to something of theirs?

I think it would be a little bit of a mix of A and B. If it was a more expensive or treasured item I would probably make a bit of a joke about it being a little different to what I remembered when I lent it to them, but wouldn't directly ask them to repurchase it. I certainly wouldn't do it back to them because that achieves nothing!

Thanks for tagging me Sophie, this was a really fun tag to do!

Essence Nail Art Special Effect Topper in Black Dress and White Tie

The speckled egg nail polish trend is one that I've had my eye on since the gorgeous Illamasqua polishes burst onto the scene. I didn't really feel like spending that much on a polish, especially because I was pretty sure that there would be millions of copies made by more affordable brands in no time at all, so I waited it out.

Of course, as is always the case with me and trends, because of my stingy nature I end up jumping on the bandwagon waaaayyy after it has been and gone. It doesn't really bother me all that much, in fact I was thrilled when I saw that Essence had come out with this alternative for about $3!

I will admit, this isn't exactly a speckled egg kind of polish but it's close enough to satisfy my cravings. In fact, I think it would be better described as a hundreds and thousands kind of polish but nevertheless, whatever you wish to call it...it looks pretty cool.

It's a gorgeous black and white spotty polish with fine silver glitter throughout it. I personally would prefer it without the glitter however it does suit the polish and look quite nice on. I also love that it is actually quite fast drying.

I only applied one coat for the photos but I find two or three coats to be even more effective and eye catching. Speaking of photos, don't look too closely! I must apologise because I took the photos four days after having applied the polish (base and top coat) and therefore there was significant chipping. At least you get the idea of what it looks like, even if it isn't perfect...

I did find that there was a particular technique you could use when applying the polish for better results. I found that by 'pressing' the polish onto the nail I was able to control the amount of glitter and its placement a lot more than the traditional way of painting it on with long strokes. I used the traditional method to achieve the look with the tan coloured base, and the 'pressing' method for the pink base...you can see the significant difference it made.

In regards to the most important thing about a glitter polish, as always it is absolutely horrendous to remove. I had to scrape the glitter off my nails physically as polish remover just wasn't able to do the job.

Despite this, I am so very fond of this polish and think it gives the coolest effect in a really simple and easy way. 

Essence XXXL Shine Lipgloss in 24 Just Gorgeous

I know what you're thinking: tacky name, tacky packaging...tacky gloss. That's what I was thinking too when I walked past this on my regular trips to the Essence stands, but then I heard a couple of people praising the gloss and started to question my initial judgements. I love Essence but they can get it wrong sometimes and for someone like myself who isn't even a lipgloss fan in the first place, this was a recipe for disaster. It was on sale for 50% off in Priceline, making it $1.50 so I took the plunge. In short, it's fabulous.

Beginning with the packaging, I have to say I am not a fan. I don't know what it is but I find this to be terribly childish and unappealing. I think the awful name contributes to this too but this gloss is just something I would never have been drawn to had I not read positive reviews about it online and found it on sale. In saying that, regarding practicality this is sturdy and most importantly doesn't leak everywhere like I have experienced with cheaper glosses in the past.

In regards to the gloss, it's pretty darn lovely. Though the shade can appear to be painfully bright - perhaps even borderline neon - it translates onto the lips as a lovely mid toned pink that is incredibly flattering. I've been reaching for this on a regular basis which I so very unusual for me as I love my lipsticks much more than a gloss! It is a real pleasure to wear on the lips because the gloss is so very smooth and comfortable to wear. It is a little on the thicker side which means it's not the type of gloss that you forget you are wearing, however I find that it stays in place and is relatively long lasting all things considered. As is the case with every gloss that has ever existed, you can't wear your hair down when wearing this as you will find it sticks to your face and smears your pretty pink lips over your chin but that is just the nature of a lip gloss.

This product has what I perceive to be the stock standard 'gloss' smell, the vanilla crossed with fruit plastic chemical kind of fragrance that isn't too potent yet probably wouldn't be described as overly pleasant by most people either. I adore the shape of the wand it comes with. It is like a traditional doe foot applicator however significantly longer with a thick and flat edge making it considerably easier to apply both accurately and efficiently.

Never did this gloss bleed out of the lip line, sink into the fine lines or look patchy in any way. As implied by the name of the gloss, the shine this gives really is impressive, so much so that I found it to be a little too intense as it gave a slightly plastic, almost fake look that I'm not very used to with the makeup I usually wear.

When this gloss wears off it leaves a slight pink tone to the lips but nothing drastic. It certainly could not be considered a lip stain and needs reapplication regularly.

I've come to realise that more and more I've been enjoying lip glosses that I come into contact with. I don't think I have the right to say that I'm not a lipgloss girl anymore because the last heap that I have tried I have enjoyed immensely! Have my personal tastes changed or have the formulas of glosses improved over the years? Probably a bit of both, but this is certainly a gloss to consider purchasing as it is so darn affordable, comfortable to wear and rather pretty if I do say so myself!

Giveaway Winnings from The Beauty Box

I was so very lucky to win Erin's giveaway from over at The Beauty Box. Her blog is a new discovery of mine and she is such a brilliant blogger - please go and have a look at her blog!

Anyhow, I received the most incredible prize ever and Erin was so kind to throw in a few unexpected extras into the mix too! I am in love with everything I received!

First up is the Versace Bright Crystal perfume which I was so excited about! I absolutely love perfumes but don't have too many because they're so pricey, so this was such an exciting thing to win!

I was also terribly excited to see a gorgeous selection of nail polishes. Erin has wonderful taste in nail polishes, all of which I am so darn excited about using! I received polishes from the brands Essie, Bourjois, Sally Hansen and Rimmel as well as some nail stickers from the brand Kiss. My nails are going to be looking beautiful these holidays!

Last but definitely not least is the gorgeous assortment of lip products. Long time readers of mine would know that lip products are my weakness and I squealed when I saw the selection of Revlon products since Revlon makes amazing lip related cosmetics! I am so excited to use everything!

Thank you Erin for the amazing giveaway and your wonderful blog and I look forward to trying out all these amazing goodies! If you would like to see a review on a particular product let me know in the comments!

NOTD - Revlon Nail Enamel in Creme Brulee

I've blogged about this little bargain in this post, but in short this polish was $2.50 and who could resist a sale like that when they normally retail for $13.95? 

Revlon polishes I have always found to be of magnificent quality. They are fast drying, chip resistant and have beautiful formulas. Creme Brulee was a welcome addition to my collection and upon further exploration I realised I actually didn't even have a shade quite like it.

I would describe Creme Brulee as a muted antique gold, a shade not terribly well named in my opinion. It's the perfect inbetween in regards to being both subtle yet noticeable in addition to having a metallic shine but not so much that you look like some crazy robot. Having said that, I do feel a little futuristic when wearing this polish and would hesitate to wear it on a regular basis, instead saving it for a party or music festival where it is a little more fitting.

The formula was a little disappointing. Though it was incredibly easy to apply and wonderfully fast drying, it appears to be rather streaky once dry. This is of course due to its metallic nature (almost all metallic polishes do the same thing) but nevertheless it's less than ideal. 

Despite this, it's a lovely polish and for $2.50, an absolute joy to have in my collection.

While I was taking my NOTD photos I managed to capture this lovely moment and though it is very much unrelated I thought I would include it in my post...

Collective Haul - Fashion, Beauty & Jewellery

I'll get all the warnings out of the way - this post has about a billion pictures but they're pictures of pretty things!

I've acquired lots of things (from both my own purchases and gifts from others) over the past two months in the areas of fashion, jewellery and beauty and I thought I'd do a little massive haul.

Fashion
I was in the mood for dresses this month and when they're $15 dollars or so you really can't go wrong! I also found some absolute bargains in Ally Fashion and a gorgeous clutch in Colette. I needed new pyjamas and of course managed to buy a scarf on the way!

Temt floral dress - $15 down from $30
Temt blue dress - $20 down from $35
Temt Black and White Dress - $15 down from $30
Ally Fashion tank - $2.50 down from $10
Ally Fashion Jacket - $7.50 down from $30
Colette Clutch - $20
Rockmans Scarf - $5 down from $20
Kmart Pyjama pants - $3.50 each

Temt black and white dress

Temt floral dress (front)

Temt floral dress (back)

Temt blue dress

Ally Fashion Jacket

Ally Fashion Jacket

Colette Clutch

Scarf and pyjama pants

Beauty
Target is just magical for its beauty bargains! I picked up the Essence and Ulta polishes for an absolute steal, as well as the much raved about Loreal Colour Infalliable eyeshadow in Tender Caramel for only $2.10! Can you believe it? I then grabbed a candle (it's terrible, don't get it!) and FOA matte top coat from Priceline. In a different trip to Priceline I spotted the greatest bargain of all time - 2 Revlon lip butters and nail polishes for a total of $10 or $2.50 each! Essence was also calling out my name that day too...

Priceline Candle - $2 down from $5
FOA matte polish - $4.95
Essence Studio Nails Ultra Strong Nail Hardener - $2.75
Essence Quick Dry Top Coat - $1.45
Ulta3 Polish in Flashback Fuchsia - $1
Ulta3 Polish in Gold Rush Fever - $1
Loreal Paris Colour Infalliable Eyeshadow in Tender Caramel - $2.10 down from $20
Revlon Fascinate Gift Scent - $10 (products value $71.80)
Essence XXXL Shine lipgloss in 24 Just gorgeous - $1.50 down from $3
Essence Extra long lasting eyeliner pen - $2.50 down from $5
Invite Concentrated Vitamin E cream - $11.49
Bio Oil - $14.99

Jewellery
There were just too many bargains in the Jewellery stores so I picked up some pieces that I fell in love with.

MOSH (charity fundraiser) red ring - $2
MOSH (charity fundraiser) gold ring - $2
Equip Leaf bracelet - $3.75 down from $15
Equip Lace necklace - $3.75 down from $15
Colette White teardrop necklace - $5 down from $10
Colette Leaf earrings - $2.50 down from $5