NOTD - Heart Nail Art

Another NOTD! I have been doing a lot of these lately because I have come to realise how many polishes I own that rarely get used! It is tricky because I can't wear nail polish to school so most of the time I decide that it is too hard to apply it solely for the weekend!

As many of you probably know, I love my pink and red polishes so I thought I would use them up a little more.

I am absolutely hopeless at nail art but I managed to paint a shape that sort of looks like a heart on my thumbnail and I was very proud!

I don't love this NOTD, mainly because it is so childish and girly, but I love each of the polishes I used on their own. 

Real Techniques Core Collection and Stippling Brush & my thoughts on iHerb

Everyone knows about Real Techniques brushes. I don't think I have ever seen one negative review about any of them. Naturally I had to get my hands on them, but I wasn't willing to pay full price for them in Priceline as they cost $67.98. So, I went to iHerb and picked up the same ones for $21.38 (there was a sale on the brushes at the time and I had a discount code too). Pretty good deal in my opinion.

I wasn't really sure what I wanted to get as there seemed to be so many to choose from, but in the end I decided to get the Core Collection set as it seemed like a versatile little set of brushes that could be used to create an entire face look. I also picked up the stippling brush because I was getting fed up with applying cream blushes with my fingers and thought it might be handy to try out a stippling brush.

I selected the cheapest postage, the Global Priority Mail by DHL for a flat rate of $4. The average delivery time was listed as 13 days but it took 15 to get to me. Though I did run out of patience towards the end there, I am really impressed that I was able to get postage so cheap without any difficulties with lost or damaged parcels.

When they first arrived they were even better than I had expected. I was impressed with their sturdy handles, soft bristles and densely packed hairs, however the stippling brush didn't seem to be too great as it seemed to contain very few bristles and I feared it would be too flimsy to be of any use. All the brushes were synthetic and were lighter in colour on the top.

I didn't really take much notice of their intended purposes, rather allocating them according to my needs and what I wanted to get out of each of the brushes.

Buffing Brush - 9/10
"Ideal for full coverage application of powder and mineral foundation"
I use this to apply any liquid bases that have a medium to high coverage. I find that this method, in comparison to using my fingers, uses up considerably more product but the finish is absolutely flawless and almost leaves my skin looking airbrushed. Funnily enough, I don't love this look for everyday as it can be a little too fake, but when I'm having a particularly bad skin day or I am going somewhere special I use this brush.

Detailer Brush - 2/10
"Precision cut to effortlessly concealer problem areas; or use with lipstick for long-lasting shape and definition"
I'm not into this brush. It just seems like a bit of a waste of space to me as it is almost too tiny to do anything with. I do use a brush for concealer but it is a lot bigger and flatter than this one and to be honest seems to work a lot better too. Until I find a use for this it is just going to sit around collecting dust.

Pointed Foundation Brush - 3/10
"Use with liquid foundation to build custom coverage"
I feel like the only blogger to have ever criticised the Real Techniques brushes, but the shape and design of what is supposed to be a foundation brush is just ridiculous. It is way, way too small to be used for foundation (it would take years to apply a full face of it with this tool!) and it is too pointed for my liking. I was considering using it for concealer under my eyes but the bristles are so scratchy that it just didn't work out. Not impressed with this one...

Contour Brush - 9/10
"Delicately applies highlighter to contour or create sheer, soft-focus finish"
I use this to apply both bronzer and highlighter, though it is best suited to highlighter as it is quite small and compact. I love this rounded little brush - it is dense, soft and a perfect shape to fit in the hollows of your cheeks or on the tops of your cheekbones. It's wonderful! The only improvement I could make is the slightest bit bigger.

Stippling Brush - 9/10
"Is the trade secret for creating airbrushed, high definition results with all types of makeup"
I haven't used this brush for anything other than cream blush yet, but I LOVE it. Though my initial concerns of it not being dense enough and too flimsy are true to an extent, it works magically to disperse the colour evenly across my cheeks giving me the most natural, even looking flush of colour. All my forgotten cream blushes have been rediscovered!

I am so pleased that I picked these brushes up. I haven't had them for long and therefore can make no judgement on their lasting power, whether they shed or how they respond to being washed but they are such good quality (except for the pointed foundation brush!). Even though two out of five I was not happy with, the three that I do love I love so much and it was absolutely worth every cent!

If you were like me and are not too keen on the prices for these brushes, jump on to iHerb and pick up a couple because they are so worth it. You can use the discount code JTJ998 for up to $10 off too!

Do you own any Real Techniques brushes? Do you have any other ways I could use them?

Behind the Blog - Shiwashiful

You guessed it - it's Friday and therefore it's time for Behind the Blog.

This week I got the chance to find out a little more about Tashi from over at Shiwashiful. Tashi has the most wonderful looking blog (it is so vibrant and joyous!) containing an assortment of reviews, NOTDs, hauls and TAGs. All of Tashi's photos are absolutely flawless and it is a joy just to drool over them let alone reading her posts too!

Tashi spoke her blog name (which I was very curious about!), her year 12 subjects and life as a Grammar Nazi.

Why did you start blogging?
Before I was obsessed with makeup, I was obsessed with nail polish! From reading nail blogs and then watching nail polish related videos it lead me to the beauty community. I spent so much time watching and reading Youtube and blogs that I became very obsessed, very quickly! I enjoy writing and photography and thought, hey – I could start a blog! I am so glad that I did and although I don’t have the most extensive collection or knowledge, I enjoy writing about it and I am very proud of my blog!

What is the significance of your blog name?
There is quite a long-winded story behind my almost unpronounceable blog name, haha, so I will try to keep it brief! My sort-of nickname is tashi-washi and one of my friends started calling me shiwashi. When I was making an account on Youtube, shiwashi was taken and shiwashiful was suggested so that’s where the name came from!

Is beauty your only obsession?
I am hopelessly obsessed with TV and watching TV shows, and I watch way too many to be healthy. Youtube, blogs and TV is where my spare time goes to die (I’m the worst procrastinator too).

If you are at school, what subjects are you studying/planning to study in year 12?
I am currently in grade 11 and have chosen quite the array of subjects. I’m studying English, Maths B, Chemistry, Accounting, ITS (Information Technology Systems) and Chinese. I have absolutely no idea of what I want to do in the future, so I definitely kept my options open!

If you could feature on any TV show, which would you pick?
I don’t have any particular favourite TV shows as I watch and love so many! While I do love my Dramas, if I had to choose, I’d go with a comedy like How I Met Your Mother, The Mindy Project, The Big Bang Theory or 2 Broke Girls because I think it would be very fun!

Do you have any nerdy characteristics?
I am a total nerd! I am such a Grammar Nazi and am constantly correcting others, I actually get annoyed when people say things incorrectly! I also LOVE The Lord of the Rings trilogy, sometimes I spontaneously quote it and some of my friends look at me weirdly haha. That, and I’m totally un-sporty!

Thank you Tashi for being featured, it was lovely to get to know more about you.

If you would like to nominate a blogger to be featured, please don't hesitate to let me know by emailing me at candiceyoureview@yahoo.com

NOTD - Face of Australia Pastels Polish in After Dinner Mint

 I've never been one for blue or green polish, at least not on myself. I have, however, always found myself drooling over other people's nails when wearing such polishes, and that is exactly what happened when I became surrounded by all the hype for the polish Essie Candy Mint Apple. I wanted it so desperately but I knew deep down that it just wasn't a polish for me. Had it been under $5 I would have purchased it, but at $20 I wasn't so keen.

When FOA brought out their pastels range a little while ago and I saw a potential dupe, After Dinner Mint I didn't hesitate to grab it. I wore it on my toes for one day and realised that unfortunately, it looked awful. Absolutely awful.

I don't know whether it is my skintone, my taste in polishes or simply just an ugly polish but I hate it so much. I can't stand the way it looks on me and I am glad I didn't pay $20 for the Essie one. It looks sickly, fluorescent and hideously unnatural...I wouldn't wear this out of the house if you paid me!

Still, I can guarantee that if someone else put this on I wouldn't mind it at all, because it's becoming clear that I am a little crazy in that respect and that blues and green will always look gorgeous on others and absolutely shocking on me!

Dove Hamper giveaway winnings

I am not going to lie: there are many cool things about being a beauty blogger, and being lucky enough to win a giveaway is one of them. 

I was reading a post the other day that someone had written, and the author expressed that she felt when people made a post about something they had won that it was arrogant and uncalled for, rude and disrespectful. I wish I could remember the blog (it wasn't one that I read regularly) but it made me re-think whether I was going to make this post or not. I personally love reading other people's posts about how lucky they have been to win something. I enjoy getting excited and celebrating with them, and every winnings post I have ever read hasn't been about rubbing it in people's faces but rather sharing the excitement and speaking about all the wonderful reviews to come, in addition to thanking the person who held the giveaway. Anyway, I hope that you know that I intend for this post to be just the same, sharing my excitement with you all!

I was blessed to win Lilit's giveaway from Makeup and Macaroons, held by Nuffnang. When the package arrived in the mail I was astounded. 

Weighing just over 4kg I had no clue as to how much was actually in there! When I unwrapped the box and lifted the lid it was so very exciting! 

Included in the prize was 20 Dove products - 8 from the men's range and 12 from the women's. There is an awesome selection of products from haircare to cleansers, deodorants and moisturisers. The products I was so lucky to receive are as follows:

Men's Range

- Men care Deep Clean Body and Face Bar

- Men care Clean Comfort antiperspirant roll on deodorant

- Men care Clean Comfort antiperspirant spray can deodorant

- Men care Clean Comfort Self-foaming facial cleanser

- Men care Clean Comfort Body and Face Wash

- Men care Daily Deep Clean 2 in 1 Shampoo and Conditioner (citrus)

- Men care Fresh Clean 2 in 1 Shampoo and Conditioner (menthol)

- Men care Deep Clean Foaming Facial Cleanser 

Women's Range

- Pure Antiperspirant 48 hour protection spray can deodorant

- Extensive Repair treatment hair mask

- Face Care Essential Nutrients Protective Moisturising lotion 

- Pure Antiperspirant 48 hour protection roll on deodorant

- Clinical protection antiperspirant deodorant fresh touch (cucumber and green tea scent)

- Triple Moisturising deeply nourishing body wash

- Hair therapy intense repair Shampoo

- Hair therapy intense repair Conditioner 

- Summer glow nourishing lotion for fair to normal skin (gradual self tanning moisturiser)

- Purely pampering nourishing lotion with coconut milk and jasmine scent

- Cleanser and toner in one 

- Beauty cream bar (soap)

The hamper has a total value of $120.76, and I can see why with all those products!

I am so looking forward to trying these all out (as well as my brother who promptly snapped up all the Men's products!). If there are any products you would like to see reviewed in particular, please let me know!

Behind the Blog - Beauty for Thought

It's Friday (thank the lord) and that means...Behind the Blog!

This week I spoke to Ashleigh from Beauty for Thought, a blog that I have only recently discovered. Beauty for Thought is a collection of incredible makeup looks, hauls, reviews and swatches from a fellow Aussie blogger.

I think perhaps my favourite of her posts are her creative eyeshadow looks (most of which I would never be able to pull off but I love admiring her handiwork!)

This week Ashleigh spoke a little about food for thought, Leighton Meester and her high school days.

What is the significance of your blog name?

I came across the saying "Food for Thought" while I was thinking of a name, which means anything that provides mental stimulation and I wanted to apply that to makeup & beauty for the everyday girl who want to learn more about these things that most people think of as superficial on a more deeper level. 

What is your signature makeup look?

I always try to do something different but without fail it usually always involves a winged eye & glowy skin.

Who (a celebrity) do you think always gets it right when it comes to beauty? 

I always love Leighton Meester's effortless & subtly sexy makeup & also Amber Heards' sultry look. It helps that they are both stunning!

What is your dream career/job?
I'm studying Beauty Therapy at the moment but I'd love to eventually focus as a MUA one day. A beauty editor would be awesome for all the free products to try out, and the invitations to beauty events.

What is the best thing you have ever won?
When I was younger I won an awesome drawing book that I didn't even know I was in the draw to win at school. I've also won a couple of giveaways which is awesome!

What were you like at high school?
I was fairly quiet and I had a small group of friends that would change throughout the years. I was into Art & Japanese &  was good at English but sucked at Maths haha. I suppose you could say I was a quiet achiever and made it through without ever really standing out.

Thanks for being featured Ashleigh - I hope some of you were able to get to know a bit more about her or discover a new Australian blogger!

If you would like to nominate a blogger to be featured, please don't hesitate to let me know by emailing me at candiceyoureview@yahoo.com

Arbonne Lipstick - Strawberry

It has taken me a little while to get around to reviewing this, but I was contacted by Arbonne to write a review on some of their products (see tinted moisturiser, blush and eyeshadow) and I have thoroughly enjoyed testing out a new brand.

The Arbonne lipstick is unlike any other lipstick I own, packaged in a sleek little matte black tube squared off at the edges, kind of like the Revlon lipbutter shape but a lot slimmer. I say this every time, but Arbonne packaging is so classy and looks like it costs gazillions!

I received the shade Strawberry, a vibrant red. When I first swatched it on my hand I was blown away, the pigmentation is out of this world. It has the most beautiful opaque finish that I have ever come across and means that this stunning blood red shade literally takes the spotlight no matter what other makeup you have on your face. I don't think I have ever come across a red lipstick that has this same effect, it is the richest most eye-catching shade.

Naturally, as a result only the most fearless could pull this off, so I had to find a way to alter it so that I could wear it! My preferred way to wear this is as more of a stain. I apply it super lightly and then rub scrub it off with a tissue, leaving behind a highly pigmented stain that lasts hours. It blends into my lips perfectly and looks quite natural (well, as natural as a blood red lip can look). When you apply this lipstick you really are committing to it for an entire day as it won't budge!

You can eat and drink as much as you like, but even once the lipstick itself seems to have worn off it leaves a lovely stain behind.

This lipstick has no scent and in terms of texture does actually get a little dry in the bullet and can be a little tricky to apply. It certainly requires time and effort during application as a result of its insanely pigmented nature. I personally would apply it with a lip brush, however as it is such a thin bullet it can be quite precise straight from the tube.

On the lips it is neither glossy nor matte, just an in-between kind of finish. The way I wear it, as a stain, can be quite drying so I apply either a balm underneath or gloss on top, but when wearing it as intended dryness is not a problem.

I am blown away by the incredible quality of this lipstick and how beautiful the shade is! It is not cheap, at $37 but if I wanted to splurge on a lipstick, this would be it. I have checked out their range multiple times (which consists of 14 lipstick shades) and can easily say that I have fallen in love with the shade Coral Reef, as modelled by Tram over at Beauty with the Beautifool. 

I give this product 9 out of 10.

B.liv Got me Covered Foundation

I was contacted by B.liv to test a number of their skincare products out. Being a beauty blogger, I was initially most interested in their foundation, Got me covered and promptly replied with a 'yes!'. I have been trialing their products (see a review on their incredible blackhead clearing gel here)and I have fallen in love - they are so good.

This foundation comes in a simple yet effective pump bottle. The labelling is simple and appealing and claims to contain both suncreen and foundation, targeting blackheads and oil control. Sounds like my kind of product!

In terms of the shade range, I may be mistaken but I am under the impression that there is only one shade. I absolutely hate it when brands do that so I am quite disappointed, considering that this costs $32. If it had not matched my skin tone and I had paid for it I would have been really annoyed.

An entire pump of this product is enough to cover my face adequately, though the coverage is at best as much as a tinted moisturiser offers. At first I thought this was intended as a full on foundation but now I am more inclined to think that perhaps they meant to market it as a tinted sunscreen, especially as upon further research I discovered that it has SPF 35! I don't think I've seen a foundation with such a high SPF before, so that is really wonderful!

This product is slightly greasy at first (due to the sunscreen in it, I imagine), and can be quite difficult to work with as it is thick and resistant to settle into the skin. In time it eventually does though, until it can't be felt at all. I could have gotten away with not applying a powder on top but I added just a touch to my T-zone to ensure I didn't get too shiny throughout the day. It has a nice fragrance that is fresh and almost a little fruity, though certainly not noticeable after application.

It was difficult to determine the lasting power of this product due to the fact that it was so light and had such little coverage, but I don't think that it lasted the duration of the entire day. Having said that, it was pretty good and nothing to really complain about.

This is definitely a product that I liked using however I will keep it for the days where my skin is looking pretty much perfect, and only a bit of this and a hint of concealer is required. It is ideal for summer when you don't want to load on the makeup but still want to look fresh and presentable and you can use this in place of sunscreen due to the high SPF factor.

This foundation, as mentioned, is $32 and can be bought from B.liv's website, here.

I give this product 6 out of 10.

Free B.liv samples

I wrote a review on the B.liv 'Off With Those Heads' serum and a couple of you commented on how amazing the results were.

B.liv is currently giving out free samples (includes 3 different products) if you are interested! You need to fill out your name and address (no payment details because it is free) and then you can pick which of the sample packs you are most interested in.

I think it is a perfect way to get to see if the products are for you and if they are worth purchasing full sized!

If you are interested, you can find the information here.  The sample packs you can choose from are shown below.

Monthly Favourites - May

It's the end of May. MAY! I swear this year just started!

I bought a lot of new products this month (as shown in this haul post) but if I'm really honest with you, I haven't had much time to try them all out because my life has been absolutely crazy. With assignments literally coming out of my ears and exams looming, trialing new makeup has kind of been last on the agenda, and I have been sticking to what I know works best.

My favourites for this month aren't really all that exciting but I guess are long time staples in my collection.

Face: The Maybelline Dream Matte Powder is the first makeup product I have ever hit pan on (crazy right?) and I hit pan on it this month. I guess that in itself explains how regularly I use this, it is a life saver.

Eyes: With the absolutely miserable cold weather (had a rant about it here) I have been changing my makeup to suit, and one of those changes was my eyeshadows, switching from lighter golden toned shades to darker more chocolate based browns. Arbonne eyeshadow in Smoke is one that I have been wearing regularly.

Lips: I have had this Blistex Lip Conditioner for ages and I absolutely hate it. Not even kidding. It is literally painful to apply - my lips sting burn- and it smells awful but my lord it works so well. My lips will never be the blistering, flaky, cracked mess they once were because of this product. I force myself to apply it before bed every night and it is saving my life, though I shall still continue to whinge about how much it hurts and how awful it smells.

Nails: I only wore one polish this month, the FOA Glitterati polish in Heart of Glass and my oh my it is pretty.

Other: For the last category this month it is my new watch. It is from nowhere special, just some random little shop in my local shopping centre, but I picked it up for $20 and I think it is beautiful! It had the most hideous band but my lovely Auntie made me a new one in about ten minutes and it has stuck by my side (or wrist) ever since.

All up this has been a crazy busy, painfully cold month! How was your May?