Monthly Favourites - January

January is over and we are well on our way into 2014 (aka the year of all things scary!). This month was really just about getting back to basics in terms of makeup because it is the middle of summer and here in Adelaide we have had many days over 40 degrees! I've been spending a large portion of my days in the sun hence why it's not really been a time for elaborate eyeshadow looks and heavy foundation, but rather the absolute minimum where possible.

Face: An absolute life saver for me this month has been my Savvy by DB loose translucent powder. I find loose powders to be so darn fiddly and annoying to use but I've been willing to forgive that aspect of it because it's like magic dust that stops your face from getting oily, even on the hottest of the hottest days. Naturally it is discontinued (all the best products are) but I have so much left I can tell it won't be running out soon.

Lips: I love my lip products and I was absolutely thrilled to get the Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain in the shade Rendezvous as part of an amazing pack of 5 that I picked up for $20. I've wanted the stunning tangerine shade for so long and it just fits the summery vibe perfectly, I've been wearing it every day.

Eyes: For eyes I've worn very little shadow, instead opting for plain old mascara. I've been really enjoying the Maybelline One by One mascara because I find it to be defining and lengthening, my two favourite things, and hasn't smudged or flaked in the heat. My only complaint is that I have it in brown/black so it's not as dark as I would normally like it.

Nails: The Maybelline Colour Show Sequins polish in Rose Bling was such an impulse buy, but it really paid off because I wore it a heck of a lot in January. It's just a pretty rosy pink glitter.

Other: I had no choice but to include my Lana Del Ray CD in Born to Die that I received for Christmas. I know there are many people out there who were just not impressed with it at all, but I've literally listened to it hundreds of times since having found it wrapped up under the Christmas tree.

I have decided that within all my monthly posts I'd make a quick note about how I was going with my New Years resolutions in the hope that it will help keep me on track, so here we go...

Resolution review

My first resolution was to read more books, and because I've been on holidays it has been so easy to achieve that! I've read so many and it's been lovely to see my sky high pile of 'to read' books starting to get a little smaller.

My second resolution was to drink more water which I am also pleased to say I have been fulfilling too. It may have something to do with the fact that it has been so hot, but I've been really conscious of it and trying so hard to increase my intake. For those of you also trying to drink more water, I've written a post about the ways I manage to do it if you are interested.

Another resolution was to continue blogging, which in my opinion has been successful. I love the holidays because I get so much time to be creative with my posts, take good photographs and spend time writing them. The real challenge will be when I go back to school.

Lastly was to be content with less than perfection, and to be honest I've not yet had a good opportunity to put this into place. However, I am already getting scared and stressed about the year to come so I know this will be the hardest resolution to keep up with!

So there's January in a nutshell! January is always one of my favourite months and this year has been no different!

Top 3 Tuesday - Bronzer/Illuminator

Bronzer and illuminator, along with primers, are probably the products I neglect the most. It's not because I don't like the look of them, nor is it because I don't know how to apply them...it's simply because I am just too lazy. Unfortunately I always have limited time to get ready in the mornings and therefore only the bare minimum finds itself on my face. Highlighter and bronzer often isn't even considered in the slightest. When I do have time, however, I make the most of it, and these are my favourite Bronzing, highlighting and illuminating products.

1. Savvy by DB Jumbo Bronzer - Teracotta
I purchased this bronzer when Savvy was having a crazy sale and everything was $3. It is jumbo sized, has hideous packaging and crumbles quite easily but is so worth it. This matte bronzer doesn't make me muddy and is perfect for contouring. Of course, as is the case with all good products, it is discontinued. I haven't tried any of the bronzers in their new range but I would be interested to know what they are like.

2. Face of Australia Mineral Therapy Illuminator - Angel Flame
I thought that these were limited edition, but I have still seen them around and being advertised in magazines, so fingers crossed that they are still being sold because they are wonderful! I love this illuminator because it has a really glowy finish. I use it like a normal illuminator or with blush and it really just brightens up my face.

3. Maybelline Dream Lumi Touch Highlighting concealer
I am cheating a bit here with this one, but who would have thought such a combination, concealer and highlighter, could work so well! I always thought that concealer was to hide imperfections, not highlight them! I use this on the inner corners of my eyes and on my cheekbones and it is so subtle but gorgeous. I love this product!

Close but not close enough...


For my close but not close enough product this week I have...a no name product. Yes, if this had a name I would have put it as my number one product, but because it doesn't have any label whatsoever and my Mum cannot recall where she purchased it (it was hers initially) I figured it couldn't take out the title of the best highlighting product. It's the most gorgeous stick highlighter, a pinky/pearl colour that is just so flattering and easy to work with. I love it and hope it never runs out!

Top 3 Tuesday - Lipstick

I certainly love my lipsticks, and when I went to pick out my top 3 it became apparent that I always go for a particular shade. I found it quite easy to select my top 3 lipsticks but it was hard to put them in an order.

1. Essence lipstick in All about Cupcake
After much deliberation I had to come to the conclusion that this was my top lipstick. I wear this lipstick more that any other, almost every day in fact. It is one that you can just slap on without looking in the mirror and feel confident that it will look good. It has a nice buildable formula, it smells amazing and it is the most gorgeous shade. Even better is that it doesn't cost more than four dollars.

2. Savvy by DB lipstick in Pretty Pink
This is another cheap lipstick that I have fallen in love with as it is a 'my lips but better' colour that can be worn with ease and without effort. It is a beautiful shade, slightly drying in formula though, but perfect for an every day look.

3. Loreal Paris lipstick in Pink Fever
This is probably one of the oldest lipsticks of mine, but it is still in my top 3. The colour is a strong barbie pink that is actually rather flattering and appropriate for special occasions. The formula is a little drying, but nothing terribly concerning.

Close but not close enough...

For the close but not close enough award is the Face of Australia lipstick in lychee crush. I love this lipstick, but the reason it didn't make it into my top 3 was simply because I just don't wear it as often as the others. It is a beautiful shade and a lovely formula (and it is also a lovely price). I know this is a favourite amongst many beauty bloggers.

L-R: Savvy, Loreal, Essence, Face of Australia

Top 3 Tuesday - Lipgloss

I'm going to kick start my new, exciting blog series 'Top 3 Tuesday' with my current top 3 lipglosses.

Each week I will feature my top 3 products from the chosen category, link the reviews I have done on them and describe each of the products relatively briefly. I will select the products not only based on their brand, formulation etc. but their shades too - this might mean that I have three products from the same brand that are different shades. I will also include a 'close but not close enough' product that just missed the cut for one reason or another.

This week is lipglosses, one of the most loved and most recognised makeup products amongst ladies of all ages. I was always more of a balm/lipstick kind of person, but that didn't mean I wasn't a fan of the classic lipgloss too!

My top 3 picks:

1. Savvy Lip Jewels Lipgloss in Pink Diamond
I absolutely love my Savvy lipgloss, and it is probably the cheapest of the three! I purchased it for three dollars a long time ago and I still wear it frequently. I love the texture, shade, formulation, lasting power and of course price, the only problem is that (of course) it is discontinued. I must check out one of their new lipglosses...

2. Essence Stay with Me long lasting lipgloss in Candy Bar


L-R: Essence, Australis, Savvy

This was a semi raved about product for a while there and it was when Essence was just new to Australia that I purchased this. I bought it for four dollars and I really loved this bright (but subtle enough for daily wear) shade that contained no shimmer or glitter. It is a lovely formulation, tints the lips when it wears off and it an all round good lipgloss.

3. Australis Lipgloss in Jazz
I purchased this as part of a set, and this is my favourite of all the shades. It has a nice formula and once again remains shimmer free. It isn't overly sticky, has a nice formulation and I have grown fond of its mini size.

Close but not close enough...

For the 'close but not close enough' award is my Maybelline Shine Sensational lipgloss in Tempting Toffee. This gloss tastes incredible, is a gorgeous colour and has an alright formulation, but the reason it didn't make my top 3 is because it isn't packaged with a doe foot applicator, unlike the other three. I have discovered that whilst I don't hate the tube glosses, I really do prefer the application wands.

Let me know if you like any of these glosses, or if you have any other glosses that are your favourites!

Savvy eyeshadow trio - Dusty Pink

The last of my Savvy posts for a while, is the eyeshadow trio in Dusty Pink. I'm not entirely sure what compelled me to purchase this, considering it possesses a number of characteristics that I don't like. The first is that the shades aren't separated by any pan. This bothers me so much as I find there are always little crumbly bits that mix into the other shade. The other problem I have with this is that in order to open it you have to chip your nail polish or bust a nail trying to lever open the latch. Last but not least is that the colours are so similar to one another, especially when swatched. I knew this when I used the tester in Priceline but yet for some silly reason I still went ahead and bought it. Why on Earth did I do that?

Anyway... as mentioned, a big problem I have with this is that once applied on the eyelid, it is really difficult to tell the difference between each of the shades. In the pan they look reasonably good but when you apply them they just all the look the same. In the swatches on my hand they would appear to be quite different from one another, however I had to layer the shadows up multiple times to achieve this effect.

The pigmentation of these shadows isn't great, although if you stick at it they can be layered (to a point). There is more shimmer than there is colour which I struggle to appreciate. The shimmer also seems to find its way all over my face which I also don't find to be a wonderful quality.

When using a brush to apply the shadows I struggled to get any of the shadow to show up, but using fingers allowed me to get a more pigmented result. This is okay, but I am not a fan of using my fingers as it is less precise and a lot messier.

These shadows are pretty silky, although there is an element of chalkiness to them. It is difficult to tell how long they last because they are quite sheer, but they don't make it through the whole day.

They crease a little, but not to a terribly concerning extent.

I didn't hate this product but I found it to be a bit of a nothing kind of product. The pigmentation was in the middle, the texture was in the middle, and the lasting power was too. It is for these reasons that I can only give this product a 5/10. Even though this product was cheap, I wouldn't suggest you purchase it.

Savvy Brushes - New vs Old

When I purchased some Savvy brushes a long time ago, I was mightily impressed with the quality - not because the bristles were heavenly or the durability was incredible, but because it cost me three dollars for six brushes. I have used these brushes every day since January and they are still strong, serving me well. In fact, I love these 50c brushes so much that I don't use any others that have the same purpose as these.

When Savvy's new range came out and there were some new brushes, of course I was going to stock up, I would be crazy not to.

The brush set contained four brushes (is that a strange number or is that just me?) including a powder brush, lip brush, concealer brush and eyeshadow sponge. Once again I find that a strange combination.

Basically, if you don't feel like reading the rest of this review, I shall sum it up right now - it is a waste of money. The powder brush and eyeshadow sponge are absolutely useless, although the concealer and lip brush are alright.

Powder brush
This brush has rough bristles that are useless for applying powder (or blush, or bronzer for that matter). They fall out often and the brush isn't particularly dense. It's also really quite small in my opinion. Not worth your money.

Eyeshadow sponge
First of all I am not a fan of eyeshadow sponges for applying makeup. I prefer brushes and think that it is actually quite strange to include an eyeshadow sponge when a brush is so much better. This is quite a soft, dense sponge but stains upon first use and is simply too difficult to use effectively. I'm not a fan.

Concealer brush
This concealer brush saves the whole set. The bristles are soft, dense and sensibly sized and it is actually useful for applying concealer, especially on pimples and blemishes. I tend to use my fingers to apply concealer because it is a lot quicker (and means that I don't have to wash the brush later) but this allows for precise application and decent coverage.

Lip Brush
I have an Australis lip brush which I rarely use (simply because I'm too lazy to use a lip brush) but I find it pretty good when I do need one. My only problem with it is that it is not very sturdy as it breaks into two parts. This is where this Savvy one is better because it is one sturdy handle. The rest of the features of the brush are pretty much on par with the Australis one.

All up this is terribly disappointing considering I adore my old Savvy Brushes. I would not spend the ten dollars it costs to purchase this set, which is lucky as I got it as a free gift when I spent over ten dollars on the rest of the Savvy line. Don't bother spending your money on this set, unless you desperately want a cheap, semi-decent quality concealer or lip brush.

Savvy Lipstick - Pretty Pink

This is going to be part of a (very) small series of posts on a couple of the products from the small, unnoticed brand found in Priceline that has recently updated their range - Savvy.

Savvy and I have had a pretty good relationship over the years - Savvy provided me with my favourite lipglosses ever (even after about two years of testing and discovering other brands, they are still my favourite, but of course with the recent update they are now discontinued), cheap lipsticks, ridiculously pigmented blush, giant bronzer, my first liquid eyeliner, good brushes and a heck of a lot of translucent powder. It was never a popular or highly respected brand (the range was small and there really were some shocking products) but it meant I could snap up all the goodies and have them all to myself! Priceline was always having sales on the brand, especially when they were trying to discontinue the range and had an 'everything for three dollars' sale - whether its RRP was two bucks or twenty!

A while back when Savvy had a 'makeover' I was quite looking forward to what exciting products were to come. I also hoped that the price and quality would remain consistent. Now that the products have come out and been out for a little while, I've discovered that unfortunately that is not the case.

Whilst the new packaging and logo is much more appealing, for some reason the products really haven't called out to me. The price has gone up and the range is about the same, but I'm not particularly interested in their products any longer.

Nevertheless, I still went out and purchased a lipstick and, despite all the negative talk I just gave you up above, I really, really love this lippie.

You might know from my posts highlighting my tendencies to gravitate to pink or nude lipsticks or my frequent declarations of my love for natural and neutral makeup that I like to play it safe the majority of the time. Sure, red lipstick is a blast and crazy eyeshadows can be so much fun (now that I think about it, more frightening that fun) but the products I love most are my everyday neutrals. This humble lipstick is exactly what I adore - a 'your lips but better' shade, ideal formula, easy to wear and 'slap it on' type application. Wonderful!

This lipstick in 'Pretty Pink' travelled with me on my recent road trip and it was the only lip product I wore for about five days. It was also the cause of a small heart attack when I thought it was going to be run over by a car, despite the fact that it is so cheap to replace (FYI, it is not a good idea to rummage through your handbag while crossing the road, there is a good chance things will fall out and get run over.)

Anyway, this lipstick is a beautiful natural dusty pink colour perfect for my lips and skin tone. It has a reasonable lasting power, but of course wears off after eating. The formula is slightly drying but all up relatively good. The price is lovely, on par with Essence and BYS and the shade range is pretty impressive (although about 50% of the shades are strange ones that few people would pick as pretty, but that's okay). The packaging is nice and plain and I love how the shade is displayed on the bottom. It also makes a lovely 'clicky' noise when you put the lid back on which is a bonus.

All up, I am a fan of this lipstick and have been wearing it continuously for a number of weeks. Even though I spent a large portion of this post complaining about the changes this brand underwent, there are some good things that have come out of it, and this lipstick is one of them.

I give it 9/10.

Australian beauty at its best - products I am proud to call Australian

So since starting this blog, I have been reading incredible reviews on all these gorgeous, high end, American/English brand products. I try to resist reading them because I know all that will happen is that I will end up desperately wanting something I can't have, but it never works out. Ever. If I had a money tree, I can guarantee I would own a significant amount of makeup from overseas brands!

So, I have decided to do something about it, and no, it does not involve splurging and buying a ship load of American/English makeup (I wish). I am going to get over myself and recognise the products that Australia has to offer. How? I am going to list some of the best products Australia has to offer (in my personal opinion) so that someone else can have a turn to drool and be jealous! I would love it if other Aussies contributed to the product love and listed their favourites down below (or created a post referring to this one, much like you would with a tag).

It can include brands that are Australian but ship products world wide - for example BYS is an Australian company (from Melbourne to be precise) but they do export products all over the world.

Face of Australis lipstick - Lychee Crush
I expect this would come as no surprise to anyone who owns this lipstick or has heard about it - several bloggers are huge fans of this little beauty. The perfect nude and such a good lipstick all round. I have a review here if you are interested on my further thoughts regarding this product.

BYS blushes
Another favourite amongst many Australian beauty bloggers, are the BYS blushes. So cheap, so pigmented and so lovely, these little beauties are something to be jealous of. Reviews can be found here and here. I did find that one colour suited me much more than another (hence why there is such a difference between the reviews) so your opinion could be based on whether you have found your perfect colour match!

BYS lipsticks - Sassy Salmon and Champagne Rain
Although the packaging is a bit of a let down, these lipsticks have a lot going for them. The price is a huge standout, but the product is pretty good too. Yet another Australian product worth being jealous of. I have two reviews here and here.

Savvy lipglosses
I know this is nothing new and would come as no surprise to many followers, but I adore these lipglosses. Shiny, glosses, non sticky, sweet smelling, pigmented. Yeah, I'm a fan, and you should be too! Read about them here. I can't guarantee that the Savvy by DB brand is Australian, but I am pretty sure it is. Please correct me if I am wrong.

Australis creme blush
When I first reviewed this, I didn't give it in incredibly wonderful rating. It wasn't bad but it wasn't amazing either. I don't know what I was thinking because it is actually an amazing product. I think it was because I had never really used a product like it before, but I have since altered the review to reflect how amazing it is. So worth buying.

Savvy bronzer
This is my favourite bronzer and it was so cheap! It gives that glow Australians are famous for and it will last forever with its jumbo size!

Face of Australia Illuminator in Angel Flame
This is probably one of my prettiest makeup products and it certainly draws in the compliments. Admittedly it doesn't get enough recognition and use that it should, but when I do use it I am reminded of just how lovely it is. See my thoughts here.

Natio Eyelash curler

I wasn't aware that Natio was an Australian brand until I did a bit of researching for this post. I decided to include my Natio eyelash curler because even though it made me realise how curly my lashes are anyway, I would miss it if it suddenly disappeared.

Lucas Papaw Cream
The last product if of course, Lucas papaw ointment. This multi-purpose ointment is so well known amongst the Aussie beauty girls!

So I hope those of you living overseas got a chance to be jealous of some Australian products. Aussie girls, please add to this list if you feel I have left something out. I'm happy to test some more Aussie products out!

The colours of the rainbow tag

Gianna tagged me to do this post which I am so excited about! It's called 'The colours of the rainbow' tag and involved finding makeup products from all colours of the rainbow. It is ideal that the actual product is of that colour, but packaging can also be included.

Red
The product I chose for this was my Savvy by DB lipgloss in Ruby. I love this lipgloss range as posted here and Ruby is such a gorgeous red colour with very slight golden shimmer. It is perfect when you want a red lip but not too bold and in your face. I love it! I was debating whether to post my Innoxa nail polish in Hot Chilli because that really is such an amazing colour, but since it is discontinued I decided to go with the lipgloss.

OrangeThis was a bit of a tricky colour, but I decided that my Formula 10.0.6 Deep Down Detox mask would have to be my Orange product.

Yellow
The only yellow product I actually had is my Covergirl Lashblast length waterproof mascara. I was trying to find my review on it to link and then realised I hadn't actually posted one which is unbelievable because I use this almost every day!


Green
This was near impossible this colour...I actually don't have any green products. Okay, I have green nail polish but I don't exactly wear it because I am not exactly a green nail polish fan. Is it possible to fail a tag, because I think I just have...

Blue
Another fail. I have no blue product...except for blue nail polish which I never wear. Oh dear.

Indigo
Aaaannnddd yet another one I cannot complete. Okay, I do have Indigo eyeshadows but I never use them. So that would be cheating, wouldn't it. I also have dark blue eyeliner. I never use that either.

Violet
This tag has reminded me of an old eyeshadow I bought ages ago on sale and never used. It is my Maybelline Shadow Stylist loose eyeshadow in Rich Violet. I really should try and use it more often, apparently lilac eyeshadow is good for green eyes...

So, since I really mucked that tag up, I decided it was only fair that I include a couple more colours to make up for it!

Black
For black I chose my Australis eyeliner. Even though I gave this product 2 out of 10, we have been trying to make things work. We are getting there!

BrownI was going to choose a bronzer but in the end I had no choice but to select my Maybelline mousse eyeshadow in suede sensation. I love this eyeshadow so much and have had so many compliments on it. I was debating whether to select my other Maybelline eyeshadow in the Autumn spirit too. I can't believe I haven't done a review on the mousse eyeshadow. I know it is discontinued, but it is so wonderful I think I'll do one anyway. I know you can get it at some Cheap as Chips shops too despite the fact that it is discontinued...

Gold
Another shadow that I absolutely love is my Loreal Paris Shadow Minerals eyeshadow in 10 Gold. Yet another product I cannot believe I haven't reviewed since I use it so often!

SilverI must go with my two silver polishes that helped me create this look that I got so many lovely comments on from you all. They are so lovely!

Pink
The easiest colour of all, pink! I have so many lovely pink lipsticks, lovely pink blushes and my new illuminator, but in the end I had to go with my Lush Bubblegum lip scrub. It is just that amazing.

 Well, this tag has shown me that in the colours that I do have like brown and pink and red I have thousands of products, and then in the colours green and blue I have nothing! I think I may need to extend my makeup products out a bit. Then again, I would never wear any blue or green product anyway...brown, pink and red are my favourites.

This tag has also shown me that some of my favourite products have not been reviewed. What have I been thinking! I must get on to them right away!

Savvy Translucent loose powder

I bought this giant 18.52g container of loose powder when Savvy was selling everything off for three dollars. I didn't have any setting powder (other than this) and I had been finding that in the really hot weather my makeup hadn't been sticking around. I am so pleased with this product!

Even though it says it is translucent, it gives a tiny bit of colour. I am really pleased because I didn't want it to be a foundation but I wanted a tiny bit of coverage too and this is the perfect amount. I apply my liquid foundation as normal and then use this over the top - it makes it stick ALL day, rain or shine, indoors or outdoors, good day or bad. It is amazing.

You know how sometimes powders, well, make you look powdery? This is not one of them! It doesn't settle into any creases, doesn't stick to dry areas, doesn't clump into groups. my skin looks dewey and fresh as it did without the powder, all this does is adds a tiny bit of coverage and makes my makeup stick like glue (without the sticky feeling!)

There is one thing that I cannot stand...the packaging! I hate it so much it's unbelievable. I hate it more than mushrooms and seafood put together, and that is a heck of a lot of hate! You see, the holes are so giant that a massive amount of product comes out. The brush I use picks it all up, I try and apply it to my face and a massive powder cloud explodes in my face. I sneeze, it gets in my eyes, the air from my sneeze blows more power around the room. I yell, I threaten to throw it in the bin, it's a disaster (and a true story!)

So, the packaging was a problem. Until I figured it out. Rule number 1 - Never ever hold it upside down, or even on the side. Rule number 2 - lightly dab the brush in the product. Get as little of it as you can on the actual brush. Rule number 3 - Use the lid to swirl the brush around, ensuring that the powder is evenly distributed across the brush. Rule number 4 - Blow lightly on he bristles of the brush. Rule number 5 - apply to face.

Now I realise that may seem like a lot of rules to apply powder, but it's so worth it. I adore this stuff. It is amazing. For three dollars, it is even more amazing. I want to give it 10/10 but that would be lying, because the packaging is awful. That is why I can only give it 9/10. So sad, so sad...



Oh, I have a question - Maybelline Dream Matte powder. Yes or no? I have heard good reviews, but now that I have this I'm not sure what to do. Is it a "translucent" powder like this, or is it a powder foundation?

Savvy brush set

This is a very long review so I have made the key brush names in bold and underlined, so should you just want to know about one of the brushes, you don't have to search through the whole, incredibly long review!

As I mentioned in my Savvy haul post , I recently bought a set of six Savvy brushes for $3! Yes, fifty cents for a brush, I think that is a pretty good deal, even if the brushes are useless. Thankfully, they're not.They came in a little case which I use to store them.
I haven't tried them all that much, but I have been using them where possible in order to post this review as quickly as possible. I myself am not really that good with brushes and at first wasn't entirely sure what each of the brushes were for. With a little bit of research and asking around, I soon understood how to use each of the brushes. Embarrassing? Yeah, but you won't tell anyone, will you?

The first of the brushes that I used was the foundation brush. This was partly because I had used another foundation brush before and therefore knew what to expect with this one. It is (or should I say was) the softest brush I have ever come across. I spent about five minutes just brushing it across my face with no product on it, it was just that amazing. Eventually I forced myself to actually use it, and I applied my foundation. It was a little streaky and uneven, but with a little time spent blending it all worked out to be perfectly fine. I used the same foundation that I do everyday (my Innoxa liquid foundation) but found that with the brush my skin looked even more flawless and had a higher level of coverage. I personally would only use the brush to apply my foundation at night or on special occasions because I feel that it made it more obvious that I was wearing foundation, it looked less natural and more 'airbrushed', I suppose. I personally find that I have to wash my foundation brushes every time I use them, so I washed it and left it to dry. It didn't recover very well. No longer is it so lovely and soft. Sure, it's soft and beautiful but not amazing like it was before. The bristles kind of clump together as well which is awfully disappointing. It still works very well and feels lovely, but I guess I am disappointed that it didn't return to its former self after washing.

On the end of the foundation brush was a concealer brush. The concealer I currently use (which is not amazing for covering blemishes but wonderful for under eye circles) has a little sponge applicator which I use to dab the concealer onto my skin, and then I usually pat it in with my fingers. Well, I shall never ever go back to doing it like that, this brush is amazing. I have never used a concealer brush before so I cannot compare it to anything, but I love this brush. It is absolutely wonderful. The only problem is that I have to wash the brush every time I use it. Because I am lazy (and it seems to take forever to dry!) I avoid using it as much as possible. Oh how I love this brush!

The next brush is the blush brush, at least, I think that is what it is meant to be used for. You see, I always used a rounded brush for blush, and this one is a lot flatter than I was used to. I looked online for a blush brush and came to the conclusion that it is just personal preference. Some people like round, some like flat, some like big, some like small, it just depends. Anyway, this blush brush holds a good amount of product. I find that I gently dab the brush on my blush and then blow the excess away, which gives me the perfect amount to apply. It leaves a flawless finish which is quite impressive. I will continue to use this brush for blush.

On the other side of the blush brush is the bronzer/contouring brush. This is the brush I was most looking forward to as I actually don't have an angled brush like this one. What I really liked about this was that it wasn't coloured. This allowed me to see how much product I had applied to the brush which was in fact, incredibly useful to know. It prevented me from brushing the product on my face only to find that I looked like some terrible fake tan job. It was angled just enough to allow it to be the perfect shape to apply product into the contours of my face. I really, really love this brush.

Next we have the eyeshadow brush which I use to apply shadow over the lid. It is a little too big for my liking, but I personally like really small eyeshadow brushes. It is lovely and soft and doesn't irritate the eye area whatsoever, I just find that the application can be a little messy because it is a little too big. I do quite like this brush as the quality and feel of it is very good, but I still prefer some of my smaller eyeshadow brushes. This brush looks very similar to the eyeshadow brush that Ecotools has.

Last and definitely least is the angled eyeshadow brush. This was the brush that I really wasn't impressed with at all. For a brush that is supposed to be used on the eyes, it is the roughest, more coarse brush of the lot. It irritates my eyes so much and I find the the bristles are too spiky. The angle is a bit pathetic to be honest. Once again it looks very similar to the brush Ecotools has, but I haven't used the Ecotools one. I expect that it would be a lot better than this one!

Overall there were some good and bad things about these brushes. Of course, the price was wonderful, and I would buy them even if they weren't on special. I didn't like how there was a brush on each end though, because it meant I wasn't able to stand them up in a container like I do with all my brushes. That annoyed me a lot, actually. None of the brushes shed at all which I was really impressed about considering it is such a cheap brand. I would pay full price for this brush set. I'm not sure exactly how much they cost full price, but I know it is relatively cheap. As for paying three dollars, I am so glad I found this little beauty!

Foundation brush - 7
Concealer brush - 10
Blush brush - 8
Bronzer/Contouring brush - 8
Eyeshadow brush - 6 (it's a very good brush but too big for my personal preference)
Angled Eyeshadow brush - 3

If I have made a mistake with any of these brushes (ie. used it for the wrong thing!) please let me know. It may change my opinion completely!

Savvy jumbo bronzer in Teracotta

 Bronzer and I haven't always been best friends. When I was first starting out with makeup, I had very little idea about where on Earth bronzer was supposed to go, let alone whether I was interested in using it to contour my face or give me a healthy glow. I have advanced a little since then, and I have a little more information about what to do with bronzer, and I can safely say that bronzer and I get along quite well.

I had heard good things regarding this product prior to purchasing it, so I was expecting a lot. It is very large in size (Hence why it is called a Jumbo bronzer!) and has a pretty pattern of the sun and stars. Much like the Savvy blush I reviewed, I found that it crumbled quite easily. Too much brush swirling, and you end up with a powdery mess.

The bronzer itself isn't nearly as pigmented as the blush. The swatch below needed to be done twice because one swatch didn't show up. I quite like the fact that it isn't too pigmented, because it allows for such easy blending and gives a gorgeous, natural colour.

The shade really suits me and doesn't make me look muddy. It is completely matte so it is good for contouring, but I also use it to give a nice glow.

The lasting power of this bronzer was really good. When it wore off I swear there was still a hint of colour, so I personally didn't feel it necessary to reapply at all.

I really like this bronzer. I only have two others, so admittedly I haven't really tried too many to compare it to. Despite this, I think for the bargain price (even full priced it is still a bargain) it is so worth it. It is the best bronzer, the biggest bronzer and the cheapest bronzer. A damn good bronzer I say! I give this product 9 out of 10.



L-R: Revlon in Deep Bronze, Savvy in Teracotta, Maybelline in Forever Warm



Savvy blush - Rose



I love this photo, it just looks so professional!

As mentioned in my '$3 Makeup - I'm in heaven!' post, I bought a whole heap of Savvy products. I bought the blush because I don't really have all that many blushes and I was interested in trying out a new one.

Let me tell you, this blush is VERY pigmented. I swirled my brush around in it, not really paying all that much attention. I ended up with a stripe of bright pink blush. A trip to the bathroom was required!

I really love the colour of this blush. I wasn't too sure about it after I had bought it and I was fiddling with the packaging, trying to open it. I was worried that it was going to be much too dark, however it was really lovely.

It is quite a bit darker than my BYS blushes, so it's nice that I can wear blush in several different shades. It allows me to have a couple of different 'looks' to play around with. I personally think that this Savvy blush is the colour that would be made if both the BYS blushes were combined together!

Though it isn't a loose powder, as soon as you swirl your brush around in it it goes crumbly. It leads to mess all over the pan. It doesn't bother me all that much, but I wouldn't want to take it in my bag or anything because I think it would end up everywhere.

The lasting time is pretty good. It lasts about five hours and then it kind of has a little hint of colour, but it is incredibly subtle.

I know that this blush is going to last for a very long time as you only need a tiny bit each time you apply it. Saying that, I'm not sure if some will be lost due to its crumbly nature.



I really like this blush and I am so glad that I bought it. I give this product 7 out of 10. I haven't worn this too many times, so I may change my opinion later on, but right at this point in time, I really quite like it.



Another professional(ish) looking photo - cool!



It's kind of a cross between all of the BYS blushes.