A new year and week's worth of shadow

Hello, it's 2016. What the heck. Since it's already the 20th of January, I'm not going to repeat the usual stuff you say in the new year because you've already read a billion of those posts.

I've been on holidays, road trippin' with my boyfriend for weeks. Yep, it was totally teenage movie-esque full of camping, ice-cream, beaches, starry nights and loud music. Damn, I was living the dream.

But now I'm back and starting to think about the year ahead. I'm going to get around to making some little goals - I hope to write a post about it once I've really gathered all the information in my own head! - and thinking about what is to come.

In the meantime, I thought I'd give you an interesting post (that, by the way, has taken me so long to make). It's 6 eyeshadow looks that I wore over a period of two or so weeks. Most of them involve some of my newer shadows by Sleek and Makeup Geek. Enjoy!


Date Night

My boyfriend and I went out dancing and I felt it was the perfect chance to get a little glam. I've always been hesitant around black and grey shadows but I think I managed to pull it off in a classy manner! I used my Makeup Geek Shadow in Corrupt as a base shadow, with Urban Decay's shadow Virgin on the inner corner and Half Baked in the centre of the lid. Both of the Urban Decay Shadows are from the NAKED palette. My mascara was the Rimmel Scandal Eyes.





Dessert bar with the girls

I have been loving exploring all the dessert bars around the place with my friends. I chose Inglot's shadow in 09. It's a stunning rose gold that changes from the rose to the gold in the light which you can see from the photos. I put a tiny bit of MAC's Cork in the crease, lined my eyes with the Maybelline Master Precise Liquid liner and put on some Rimmel Scandal Eyes Mascara.

Lazy day at home

Purple shadow was never something that interested me at all, however when I purchased the Makeup Geek Starter palette it came with some purple shades and I've since found them to be really flattering. I used the lilac matte shade Unexpected and then applied a tiny bit of the dark shimmery purple Drama Queen in the outer corner. Because I have Hazel/Green eyes, I think it complements them really well. The one thing I do have to be careful of is that it doesn't look like I have a black eye! I used Maybelline's Great Lash Lots of Lashes mascara.



Evening music gig

I decided once again to venture into the realm of black eyeshadows, using a matte black from the Makeup Geek palette called Corrupt. It is the only shade I used for this look. I simply lined my upper lashline with it and then blended it upwards, creating a very subtle smokey eye. I lined my upper lashline with a super thin line of Maybelline's Master Precise liquid liner, and smudged some of Rimmel's Exaggerate eye definer (in black) along my lower lashline.

Getting Creative

I picked up the Sleek i-Divine Palette in Storm and I couldn't resist getting a bit creative with some of the gorgeous shadows in there. The shades don't have names so I'll simply describe the colours I used. I used a golden olive shade all over the lid, with a dark forest green in the outer corner and champagne in the inner corner. I lined my upper lashline with the Face of Australia Kajal Eyeliner Stix in Horus. I put some of the golden olive on my lower lashline. I was surprised with how much I loved the green!

Christmas Party

In my opinion, a Christmas party calls for a cranberry coloured eye! I wanted to use my Sleek palette (again) which was perfect as it has a pink shade that I used all over my lids and a deep cranberry shade that I applied in the outer corners. I applied a tiny amount of shimmery white shadow in the inner corners. For mascara, I used Rimmel's Scandaleyes Rocking Curves mascara which has been my go-to for a while.

I don't wear red/cranberry shades often, but when I do I recall how much I love them!

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

Collective haul - Face of Australia, Essie, OPI and more

Over the last couple of month I've managed to acquire some wonderful stuff for some ridiculously good prices so I thought I'd share my bargains with you all...

Kmart has actually been my best friend in the beauty department lately. I purchased the Nivea Lip
Butter in Caramel Cream (and oh my gosh it smells divine!) for only two dollars. They're obviously no longer stocking Face of Australia which is a major disappointment however it did mean I was able to pick up three of their lipsticks, each for four dollars. I grabbed some seriously beautiful shades, my favourite being Forbidden Fruit and the other two including Power Surge and Pink Champagne.

When Priceline had their 40% off sale I actually didn't go too crazy but I did get two Australis products - an Australis concealer which I am so freaking disappointed with, and the brow tint which thankfully makes up for the crappy concealer. If any of you have actually tried the concealer let me know because it's probably one of the worst I've ever come across...

Essie has captured my heart with its amazing colour range and incredible formula so I was tempted with this beauty, Limo-scene. I adore the colour (which is why it made it into my March favourites) but sadly, as is often the case with white polishes, the formula isn't great.

Now that Priceline is stocking OPI polishes I've found myself souring the bins for good bargains. A lot of the shades they have a pretty unappealing but the shade Nomad's dream caught my eye. I don't usually go for the frosty kinds of polishes but this one is damn gorgeous. I also grabbed some hairspray, and the reason it is so exciting is because I've never owned hairspray in my whole life...I know right!

My favourite concealer is the Face of Australia stick concealer in natural so I had to repurchase it recently when I ran out, and while I was there I grabbed their illuminating stick in When in Rome which I highly recommend you look into because it's super pretty.

There is a Chemist's Warehouse near me and they always have really good deals, so I couldn't resist when I saw the highly raved about Rimmel Match Perfection Foundation in my shade for only $9. I've been really impressed with it so far.

Of course, Priceline is always calling my name with good sales and in one of the million occasions that I set foot in the store, I managed to come out with a Models Prefer Lip Crayon in the shade Raspberry Ripple and an Essence lipstick in the shade Love Me. I'd never taken any notice of the Models Prefer lip crayons but for $2 it was a worthwhile purchase.

Last but not least is a totally unexpected purchase, a Sportsgirl lipstick. I have never ever owned any Sportsgirl makeup but have seen fairly positive reviews about their stuff. I was in Sportsgirl and I think something must have been mislabelled because I purchased their lipstick in the shade Doll Face for $0.98 and I really like the bold shade!

L-R: Raspberry Ripple, Forbidden Fruit, Power Surge, Pink Champagne, Doll Face, Love me

 So there you have it, my recent additions to my beauty stash. Let me know if there are any products in particular that you would like to see a review on. I've been really slack with my posting but I promise I'll try my best to write about anything you're particularly interested in!

L-R: Raspberry Ripple, Forbidden Fruit, Power Surge, Pink Champagne, Doll Face, Love me

Monthly Favourites - March

Hello dear friends, it has been far too long. Yep, I disappeared for ages but I'm kind of back, at least I'm here right now with a post full of lovely things. It seems that since my last post I started a new job, found myself living the Uni life and also got myself a boyfriend. It's been absolutely wonderful but ridiculously busy at the same time. I've missed blogging but sadly it has to be the first thing that's put on hold. Nevertheless, I'm here with a bunch of new, really cool stuff.

Face: I don't know about you but I am a sucker for glowy face products, making highlighters and illuminators really difficult for me to resist. Face of Australia is probably my favourite 'drugstore' makeup brand so when they came out with some cream illuminators I knew I was going to grab one. The shade I snapped up is 'When in Rome,' a stunning champagne that is neither too brown nor too pink. It suits my skin tone magically and it just livens up my face. I love this stuff!

Eyes: I've never really been a primer girl but lately I've had no choice because my eyeshadow has been creasing like crazy. I don't even really recall how I acquired this product (it was one of those that seemed to just magically appear in my drawer one day) but gosh it's good. Even though it is a tiny little tube it is going to last me forever because you need only the smallest little bit of product. 

Lips: This was a real bargain lipstick because I grabbed it for $4 at Kmart (I think they are no longer stocking Face of Australia because the whole brand was reduced so much). Anyhow, this is the most perfect red in the world. Yes, I know I know, I'm changing my mind about the perfect red every week but this is a stunning cool toned red that I've been rocking non stop since I got it.

Nails: This is kind of a funny products to have in a favourites, but hear me out. I actually don't like this polish much at all. The formulation is crappy, it requires at least 5 coats to get even close to being opaque and it's expensive! But, the reason I included it is because I love the shade and I've been wearing it all month, despite its many flaws. Basically, don't buy this Essie polish because it is a waste of your money, but you can admire the pretty colour because it is lovely!

Other: I was super lucky to be sent a body scrub from aussie brand Sugar queen body scrubs. I'm in love! I got sent the flavour Lemon Cheesecake which is just incredible (and a bit dangerous really because I just want to eat it). They have a whole bunch of other wonderful scents like Warm Sugar Cookie and Pina Colada which I highly recommend you checking out because they are amazing. Also, look at the beautiful packaging! I just love love love it! Check out the website here.

So these have been the lovely things in my life lately. Sorry again for going AWOL, but sadly I think it might start happening more and more often. It's a real shame because I love blogging but unfortunately I just have so much else on. Let me know if you have any tips for balancing it all!

Monthly Favourites - January

2015 is in full swing and I am thrilled to say that it is already one thousand times better than 2014 was! January was a freaking huge month for me - at the end of December I got my Ps, I received my ATAR (98.5 out of 99.95), I got into my Speech Pathology course and I caught up with all the people I love over the month and for my 18th birthday party. All in all it was a pretty amazing month to kick off the year with!

But alas, now for the favourites!

Face: I don't know what it is (probably all the junk food I've been inhaling lately) but my skin is the worst it has ever been. Ever. I have been breaking out so much all over my whole face and even foundation hasn't helped much. Of course, my tendencies to pick spots until they become disgusting great scabs that can't even be covered by makeup doesn't help, but agh, it's so frustrating! Nevertheless, those spots that can be covered I've been using the Face of Australia stick concealer for because I think it does a magical job. Mine's a bit busted because of all the travelling it's been doing, but it does the job.

Nails: This was such an easy pick, and when I think about it if I had done a 2014 favourites post this polish would have won the title for the year: Essie's polish in Mamba. It is the most perfect nude pink that is so flattering and subtle yet classy. I love the formulation of this polish (it is the first and only one I've tried from Essie) and gosh, it is just wonderful!

Eyes: Like the nail polish, if I were to make a 2014 favourites the Max Factor Wild Mega Volume mascara would have taken the prize for my top mascara. I use this every.single.day. and it was no different in January. For someone who has never been interested in volumising mascara, this has made me change my mind...

Lips: When I realised that I'd not even mentioned this product on my blog I was astonished because this lipstick is perfection! I'm not even sure why I was compelled to pick up the Rimmel London Matte Finish Lipstick in 107 but it was the best decision ever. This is the most incredible dark wintery red/berry shade that I just adore - you can tell how much I love it because I have been wearing it all summer even though it matches none of my summery outfits! Don't quote me on this, but I think it might be Youtube star Zoella's trademark lippie and I can totally see why. Get it.

Other: For the other category I was going to choose a particular book but in the end I just decided to go with books in general. Since being on holidays I have rediscovered my passion for books. I honestly don't know how I survived 2014 not reading anything because books are what keep me alive and well. It has been such a luxury sitting outside in the hammock delving into good literature. 

I recently wrote a post on my most beautiful book covers if you are interested!

Well there they are, my favourites for January 2015. I hope the rest of the year continues to be as wonderful as this month has been!

2014 Empties

I'm not good when it comes to empties, I've just got too many wonderful products to choose from that I never really get stuck on a product that I completely use up. Nevertheless, I've decided to post an empties for 2014 because I actually used up some makeup products and I'm hoping it will encourage me to get through some more in 2015!

Garnier BB cream 
I loved the Garnier BB cream when it first came out and then when the oily skin version came out (the one pictured above) I couldn't believe that they had made the formulation even better! This is a product that I literally use every single day and I've already repurchased it.

Rimmel Recover Anti-Fatigue Concealer
This was the first concealer I ever bought and I don't even know if they even sell it anymore, but it was pretty good. As the name suggests, it was more for under the eyes but being the unexperienced, new to makeup kind of girl, I just used it on whatever I felt like! I won't be repurchasing this again (if it is even still being sold) because there are better ones out there.

Face of Australia Concealer in Neutral
I really, really like this concealer and I've already picked up another one because it's affordable, a good colour match (despite there only being three shades available) and it does the job well. Face of Australia is one of my favourite brands too!

Essence Clear Brow and Lash Gel
This is my annual empty, I've used up a tube of these every year for a while now I just love it so much. Even when I'm having a no makeup day (and I mean not a scrap of concealer or mascara or anything) I still use this because I have nice thick brows that look amazing as long as they are tamed! I've already got a back up or three of this!

Covergirl Lashblast Length Mascara
I loved this mascara to death and continued using it wayyy beyond its use-by date (don't do it!). Having discovered so many other mascaras I've now realised that this wasn't quite as incredible as I thought it was, however it still is relatively good and served its purpose well.

Face of Australia Pressed Powder in Beige
Technically I only hit pan on this one but I am going to count it as an empty because that's a big achievement for me! This powder was okay but I wouldn't buy it again because I've tried others that are superior (although admittedly more expensive).







Girlz Only Dry Shampoo in Party Nights
Though this isn't the best dry shampoo in the world, it's $2 and it works just fine for me! Dry shampoo has made me the laziest person and I just love it. I've already repurchased a couple more of these.

Batiste Dry Shampoo in Fresh
Well what do you know, another dry shampoo! Batiste make really good dry shampoos so if you're willing to spend a little more then definitely go for their products. I've not repurchased because I'm stingy and find the Girlz Only ones work well enough for me.

Dove Deodorant 
I used up way more than one deodorant this year but I only showed this one because they were all Dove roll ons. I don't know why I tend to purchase Dove ones, I guess it's just habit!

Herbal Essences Split Ends Protector Mask
I quite enjoyed this product although it was by no means a huge favourite or anything. I think it did improve the state of my hair, but I've used other intensive conditioners since and I feel as though they all do pretty much the same thing.

Michika Complete Synergist Cloth Masks
This was the first time I'd ever tried one of these masks and I really enjoyed the experience! They were richly moisturising and left my skin feeling amazing. I'm not sure I'd buy these again, or any mask for that matter, because I just don't ever get around to using them.

So there are my empties, probably a dismal amount compared to others but not bad for me!

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!

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