Priceline 40% off Haul and Skincare Bag

So as you all know, Priceline had a 40% off sale this week and I couldn't resist!

It had been a while since I last hauled some makeup and a lot of new and exciting things had come out since. Some of these purchases were planned, others impulse, however I don't regret a thing! All the prices listed below are what I paid with the 40% discount, so you can see I really did get some bargains!

Australis AC On Tour Palate - $10.11

This palate took the beauty world by storm and to be honest, it never really captured my interested however with 40% off I figured it would be worth giving it a go. 

Bourjois Aqua Blush in CocoriCorali - $13.80

I'd never heard a whisper about these but as soon as I spotted it I knew it was mine. I have no liquid blushes in my collection and this shade is absolutely beautiful. In summer I really don't wear a whole heap of makeup so this will be perfect for a light and natural bit of colour.

Bourjois Rouge Edition Velvet in 02 - $14.40

I've only read positive things about this, and naturally as a lip product it is up my alley! I was totally smitten with this gorgeous shade too.

Essence Liquid lipstick in Show Off - $3.06

I didn't realise how similar a shade it was to the Bourjois one that I grabbed, but I guess that's the colour I'm craving at the moment. For such a good price I'm hoping these liquid lipsticks will impress.

Lanolips Makeup Bag and Lipsticks - $19.99I didn't realise until I got home that this wasn't actually a part of the 40% off sale, so $20 is the regular retail price. I've never tried Lanolips but I've been in desperate need of a moisturising lip product, ideally with a bit of colour, and these seemed to fit the bill. I love the two shades that were included too.

Nude by Nature Brush Kit - $17.97For such a wonderful price I couldn't go wrong with these brushes. Nude by Nature is a brand I always walk past, however these brushes are so soft, and I'm always in need of more eyeshadow brushes. I'm really looking forward to using these. 

Rimmel Oh My Gloss in Glossaholic - $8.37

I'd never seen these before and bit the bullet, chucking one in my basket without giving it much thought. I am in love with the shade I grabbed, a beautiful milky pink with no shimmer. It is unbelievably moisturising, in fact so far it ticks all the boxes for my perfect gloss. 

Luma Illuminating Highlighter in Pearl - $14.97

Once again, I'd never seen this brand let alone the product before, but of my gosh is it beautiful. I own no cream illuminators despite them being my absolute favourite product of late, so it was a no brainer to take this home with me. 

Face of Australia Kajal Eyeliner Stix in Horus - $3.47

To be honest I think these eyeliners look absolutely ridiculous, and once you start to use them up would be incredibly impractical, however the stunning bronze shade meant that fell for it. For $3.50 I don't mind if this ends up being rubbish.

So they were all the products I picked up in the sale, and because I ended up spending a heck of a lot, the lovely lady gave me the Skincare bag that has been a part of one of their other deals. I am so grateful to her as it is a really amazing bag!

Housed in a clear black bag with copper handles, it's not my favourite bag ever however the products inside are what take the cake! I'm sure there are a million other posts about this so I'll just list the products I received. Note that some of them I was able to choose with the vouchers that it comes with.

I've listed the prices for the full sized products where possible.

Models Prefer Tan Remove Exfoliate Double Sided Body Wipes
Physiogel Daily Moisture Therapy Intensive Cream - $15.99
Suntivity Hydrating Face Lotion SPF 30
A'kin Pure Radiance Rosehip Oil - $19.99
Swisse Micellar Makeup Remover - $10.99
Le Tan Jet Dry Bronze Instant Tan - $14.29
Proactiv Deep Cleansing Wash - $31.99
Australis Tinted Let's Go Steady Gradual Tan - $19.99
Skin Physics DNA Reset Ultimate Rejuvination Cream - $69.99
SugarBaby Sugar C-Rush Coconut and Raw Sugar Exfoliating Body Scrub - $14.99
Touch In SOL Pure Dew Water Drop BB Cream - $39.99
Aveeno Daily Moisturising Lotion - $14.99
NIP Fab Skin Dragon's Blood Fix Plumping Serum (Sache) - $32.99
KLARA Reset Instant New Skin - $9.99
Skinny Tan Mini Mitt
Derma e Microdermabrasion Scrub - $29.99
Revo Lip Balm in Cherry
Nip Fab Skin Glycolic Fix - $34.99
Spot Medic - $9.99
Manuka Doctor Purified Bee Venom and Manuka Honey Skincare

Bourjois Colour Burst Glossy Finish Lipstick in Peach on the Beach

Once again I am upholding my tradition of purchasing a product months (even years) after it's taken over the world. I don't care, I get there eventually.

And once again, I have found myself smitten with a product you've all let fall to the back of your makeup drawers because this was cool years ago. I am here to remind you to get this magical little product back out again!

Bourjois is a brand that I've not given a real chance in the past because it is so much more expensive than its other counterparts (like Maybelline and Face of Australia). I do have two of their blushes which, admittedly, are pretty darn great, but I just can't justify forking out twenty bucks for a blush. You may as well go the whole hog and get one from MAC or NARS if you're going to do that.

Anyway, when their Colour Burst Glossy balms arrived in stores, people went crazy for them, and in particular the somewhat strangely named shade, Peach on the beach.

I was, at that stage, already convinced that it was the greatest shade in the world and that my makeup collection would forever be incomplete until the day I placed this little beauty upon my dresser. I wasn't wrong, my god this shade is beautiful.

I won't bore you with another recount of the packaging because I've gone on and on about how wonderful it is in the million other reviews I've done on lip crayons. I will say though that these are identical to the Revlon kissable balm stains.

The product itself is actually quite different to any other lip crayon I've tried. It is so creamy and smooth, almost too much in fact because at room temperature you are at risk of breaking the whole tip off completely, it is just that soft. Because of this, it also means that the application is quite thick and it can look like a thick layer of paint on your lips. In saying that, if you're careful to limit your application, it is juicy, glossy perfection.

The peachy pink shade is just ideal for everyday wear because it looks relatively natural whilst still pretty and flattering. Though there really never was a gap beforehand, I feel like this balm filled a 'natural lip kind of day' gap in my life!

One problem that I do have with this is that it accentuates any dry patches on the lips unlike anything I've ever seen! I have to be extra sure to exfoliate my lips before application because otherwise it just looks like hell. It does mean that to wear this well it requires a little bit of fiddling around, but seriously, it's so worth it.

If you are in need of want a stunning everyday kind of shade then you can't go past this beauty. I would highly recommend it!

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!

Updated "How much is your face worth?" TAG

Back on October 26th 2011 I completed this highly enjoyable yet somewhat shocking tag and since the products I use on a regular basis have changed drastically, I thought it would be interesting to see how much the results have changed. I don't use any of the products featured in that last post on a regular basis... except perhaps the BYS blush and the Maybelline Baby Lips. Oh how I have changed!

I know for a fact that I use more products of a significantly more expensive nature, though a lot of them have been given to me either as gifts or to complete reviews on for my blog, so I don't feel too bad for what I believe will end up being a ridiculously expensive face!

I will also admit that I don't use these products everyday (this is more makeup than I would wear on a normal day) but I would wear this if I was going shopping or out for lunch or an occasion like that. Of course, my lip products and eyeshadows are forever changing too because I have so many to play around with.

Face:
Alina Professional Primer - $39
Garnier BB Cream - $15
Maybelline Superstay 24 hour foundation - $22
Catalina Geo Concealer - $40
Maybelline Dream Lumi Touch Concealer - $18
Maybelline Dream Matte Powder - $19
Nude by Nature Illuminator - $23
Bourjois Blush - $20

Eyes:
- Inglot Eyeshadow Palette - $31
- Bloom eyeshadow duo - $10
- Urban Decay Ink for eyes eyeliner - $20
- Covergirl Lash blast length waterproof mascara - $18
- Essence Clear Brow Gel - $3.50

Lips:
- Maybelline Baby lips - $4
- Revlon lip butter - $22

Total: $304.50

I am not really surprised at the grand total because makeup in Australia is crazy. Thank goodness all the products that I purchased myself I managed to get on sale!

It is a bit strange to think that I could have made it so much more expensive though, with a $65 dollar blush from Bellapierre, Primer potion from Urban Decay and a $50 foundation from Arbonne, the addition of a bronzer, lipgloss and more expensive lipstick.

Have you ever counted up how much your face is worth? Do you think it would be a bit too much for comfort?

Most Worn Things for Summer TAG

I saw this TAG on Cherie's blog and whilst I was reading it decided I had to do it too. I worked out well then, when I saw that she had tagged me! Thank you Cherie!

Basically it is a collection of your most worn things for the summer (which I am terribly sad has come to an end).

1. Nail polish
Though I don't wear nail polish a whole lot, I think my most worn nail polish for this summer was any of my favourite reds, like my polishes from Essence, Innoxa or Ulta.

2. Hair Product
Though I am painfully lazy when it comes to my hair (and unfortunately I am finally starting to see the results) I do use at least one product on my hair - the Salon Confidential Repair Ends Mender, which prevents and heals split ends.

3. Bag

This was so easy as I use the same bag all the time, just my regular, boring, brown 'satchel' style bag with buckles. I also loved my $15 purse, the greatest buy I have had in a long time!

4. Shoes
Though they look a little wintery, my most worn shoes would have to be my black flats from Rubi shoes, with the little bows on them. I wore them so much that the soles fell off but I had a backup anyway!

5. Clothing item
This is a tricky one, but I guess it would have to go to denim shorts in general, which I wore to death!

6. Accessory
I don't wear a lot of jewellery - not because I don't want to but because by the time I have figured out my clothes and makeup I just forget to put on jewellery! I do, however, always remember to put on my favourite ring.

7. Foundation
In summer I like BB creams and tinted moisturisers more than foundations. Subsequently, my most used foundation was the Garnier BB cream. I don't love it (I find it really quite greasy) but it does the job.

8. Bronzer/Blush
I used blush more than I did bronzer (strangely) and I continually turned to my Bourjois Blush in Rose Frisson.

9. Lip product
As lip products are my absolute favourite, I use so many. It was really tough to pick my most used lip product but in the end I realised that my most travelled was my Nivea Fruity Lip Balm in Guava. Gorgeous!

10. Mascara
Unlike my most used lip product, this was a no brainer - my Covergirl Lashblast Length Mascara in waterproof was my one and only choice. Occasionally I would change it up with my Avon daring curves one, but because it was not waterproof it didn't tick all the boxes for me.

11. Eyeshadow
I stuck to neutrals all summer (of course) but I changed which palette they were from. I explored an Essence quad, Australis palette, Maybelline Quad and Essence eye souffle but in the end it was a Bloom eyeshadow duo that I used most, though only the bone/champagne shade.

12. Fragrance
Of course, my Marc Jacobs Daisy Eau So Fresh. Incredible.

Top 3 Tuesday - Blush

L-R: BYS, Australis, Bourjois

Blushes are one of those products that are really quite exciting to buy. They are also one of those products that even though I know I already have a shade exactly like that, I still find a way to justify why I need yet another one the same. I struggled to come up with only three of my top blushes this week.

1. Bourjois Blush in Rose Frisson
This is a beautiful warm pink blush that appears to be full of shimmer but in fact has just the right amount to give is 'glow' but not make your face resemble a disco ball. It comes in an adorable little pot that usually retails for around $20 (a little expensive if you ask me) but I got mine on sale for $5.

2. BYS Blush in Pretty in Pink


L-R: BYS, Bourjois, Australis

BYS blushes are fairly well known amongst Australian beauty bloggers, especially the shade Coral (which I don't actually own). I really like this blush because despite it looking quite cool toned and shimmery in the swatch, it really gives me a rosy glow. I use this one in winter as I like the pink flush, but in Summer I tend to go for warmer, more peachy shades.

3. Australis Blush in Dusky Rose
This blush is perhaps the trickiest to apply, but it is so worth it. This, whilst it does look a little scary, gives the most gorgeous natural glow to the face that no powder blush is capable of giving. It is a little tricky to blend, but it is so worth taking the time to do. I love this blush.

Close but not close enough...

This week for my close but not close enough product is my Face of Australia blush in Sheer Mauve. It is a beautiful shade, but the problem I have with this is that it is so messy to apply! It is remarkably difficult to get an appropriate amount of product on my brush and I always lose the majority of it into the atmosphere. I love the shade, but am not keen on the loose mineral style of it. It also has a strange smell, but I will go further into depth with that when I get around to completing a review on it.

CLOSED - Giveaway - Australis, Bourjois, NP Set, Maybelline, Revlon, Face of Australia, Ulta

Now I'm not going to get all emotional or anything, but I have been blogging for a year exactly today, and what a year it has been! When I first started I had absolutely no idea what I was doing. I crashed my way into beauty and flopped my way into blogging, stumbled and tripped up for months before I finally regained my balance and began to make sense of what I was doing. A year later I've still got a lot to learn but I am loving every moment.

As a part of the celebrations I thought it was only fair if I held a giveaway. It is international. Please bear with me as this is my first time I've held a giveaway and I haven't got much idea of what I am doing. I did my best at selecting interesting products that I thought most people would be able to use.


The Australis palette featured is mine, obviously you will get
a new one! I just wanted to show you the shades.


The prize I am giving away is as follows:
Bourjois Eyeshadow in shade 08
Australis Nudist Eyeshadow Palette
Maybelline Baby lips in Cherry
Maybelline Makeup travel bag
Ulta Polish in Pink Colada
Revlon Colourstay Eyeshadow Quad 05 Blushed Wines
Face of Australia lipstick in Lychee Crush
Napolean Perdis Set Mascara and lipgloss trio








I have put links to each of these (if I have reviewed them on my blog) in case you wish to get more of an idea of the product.


The rules for this giveaway are:
- You must be a follower of my blog (one entry)
- You can earn an additional three entries if you make a post about this giveaway, including a photo and linking this post
- You can earn an additional two entries if you put a written notice/picture (including a link) about this giveaway in your blog's sidebar
- Anyone under 18 must gain parental permission prior to entering this giveaway
- This is an international giveaway
- Unfortunately I will not be able to replace anything that is lost or broken in the mail
- The giveaway closes at Midnight GMT on the 21st September 2012
- If the winner does not respond within 7 days after I send them an email, a new winner will be drawn

To enter, please leave a comment containing these things:
- Your name (GFC name)
- How many entries you should get, out of a maximum of six (linking your blog post or blog (for sidebar) accordingly)
- Your email address (so I can send you an email should you win)
- (OPTIONAL) A post from this blog that you like, for example a haul post, reviews on particular brands, ring collection, TAG etc. (so that I can get an idea of what you like me to post about)

I would also love it if new followers left a link to their blog so that I can check them out (old followers can do this too if they wish!).

As you would expect, all products are new (the Australis palette featured is mine as I wanted to show you the shades but you will get a new one!). I have removed the cardboard packaging for the Maybelline lip balm as it was too bulky to fit in for postage.

Good luck to everyone and thankyou all for supporting me and my one year old blog!

Bourjois Blush - Rose Frisson

I have always read posts praising the brand Bourjois, in particular their 'Healthy Mix Foundation' and blushes. When I was at Target the other day and all the blushes were on sale for $5, I knew I had to purchase my very first Bourjois product to fall in love with.

I almost instantly picked the shade I wanted (rather unusual for my indecisive self) and ran to the Price checker to double check that every shade was five bucks, not just the horrid left over, unloved deep brown shades. Sure enough I was in luck!

My first impressions of this blush was that it was tiny, really tiny. I love the pink packaging with the gold print, small and classy, but gosh it seems small. The little brush provided is, as most 'token' brushes are, useless. I think I could use it at a push, but it is much too fiddly and a strange shape. The mirror is also a waste of space - too small to show much more than my nose (not particularly helpful for applying blush!)

I love that instead of having an awful clasp that results in chipped nail polish when trying to open it, it has a magnetic strip that holds it shut. This is how all products should be!

I love the shade of this blush, which is a gorgeous pink that is not too shimmery, but does have an element of shimmer that gives it 'glow.' It is pigmented enough to make an obvious difference when applied, but not so much that it is impossible to wear without looking like a clown. I was concerned that it would be a little too light and bubblegum looking, but it is absolutely perfect!

The lasting power is pretty good, but by the end of the day I feel as though it has completely worn off. This really doesn't bother me as I usually have a bit of colour in my face at the end of the day anyway so I don't really need much blush.

So far so good right? Well here is the problem - this blush stinks. Literally.

Who forgot to mention that these blushes reek of roses? Every review I ever read about these was a huge rave post on the shade, lasting power, brand...no one told me it smelled like grannies? I don't think it is the actual scent that bothers me so much - it does smell like roses which of course is linked to the name. Roses can be pleasant at times. I think the problem is that the smell is so potent. As soon as you open it the odour is overwhelming. I love fragrances in makeup - lipstick that smell like lollies are a big tick in my books (Essence, I am talking about you!) but this is absurd.

I really, really like this blush but there are two things I fail to understand. 1. Why it smells so strong, and 2. Why they cost $20 in the first place. Maybe I am just being stingy, but $20 for a lower end blush (I consider everything in Priceline to be relatively low end, at least in comparison to Chanel, YSL and Clinique) that is pushing it. Perhaps if there was a bit more than 2.5g of product then it would be alright, but I think that is a bit much.

Despite the smell, I am a huge fan of this blush and I will willingly put up with the fragrance to wear it on a daily basis. In fact, this blush has been on my face everyday (which is not helpful for my project 1 pan, which I haven't forgotten about!) I give this 8/10.

Haul - Revlon, Face of Australia, Australis, Bourjois

I haven't had a decent beauty haul in what seems like ages. I went shopping with a friend of mine recently with every intention of purchasing a heck of a lot, and came back with some products I have been admiring for a long time.

First up was Myer, where the Revlon Lip Butters were on sale for $15. Whilst I still think it is a little excessive in price for what is essentially just a tinted lip balm, I knew I had to buy one. I had been selecting a shade for months now, swatching all the shades every time I went into a Priceline, and so I knew it would be Sweet Tart that would be coming home with me. Isn't it gorgeous?!

I then went running to Target where I bought three more exciting products. The Face of Australia lip crayons weren't on sale but I had to get them anyway. All three shades come in a pack for $15, which means that each crayon costs only five dollars! These have been compared to the ridiculously priced Clinique Chubby Sticks ($35) which I don't own, but I am interested in seeing how the Face of Australia ones turn out.

I then went past the Australis stand and noticed the Nudist palette for the lovely cheap price of $5! Weeks ago it was selling for $12 and then it went down to $10, but I am so glad that I bought it for five!

Last but not least I noticed the little Bourjois stand. Only the other day I read the blog Sleep and Water where I admired the beautiful post on the Bourjois blushes. To my delight, the blushes were on sale from $20 down to only $5. I ended up purchasing the shade Rose Frisson.

I will be posting reviews on all of these products, of course, in the upcoming month. Have you tried any of these products?