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.

Shrinking Wallet's giveaway!

Abigail from Shrinking Wallet...I may have a problem...is holding a giveaway!

It is open to Australian residents only, but includes some of the most wonderful prizes. If you are an Aussie girl and are interested, check it out here.

It finishes on the 2nd of August 2012.

My New Purse

In my excitement I had to blog my newest bargain - this purse from Bluebird.

Isn't it lovely?!

The best bit is that it cost $15!

My Travel Makeup Bag

When I go travelling, whether it be for a weekend, a week or a month, whether it be a camping trip or a luxurious stay in a hotel, I always pack too much makeup. Always.

I'm the kind of person who packs 'just in case,' justifying any ridiculous additons to my suitcase with the phrase 'but what if...(insert ridiculous scenario here).' Who knows, maybe I will end up going out to dinner at a posh restaurant in the middle of a camping trip, which of course would mean I have to pack my red lippie. It hasn't happened yet, but it could.

I have noticed that when I go travelling, any plans that I have made regarding the kind of looks I am hoping to wear and the makeup I am planning to apply fly out the window. I become terribly lazy and only want to wear the bare minimum, if any at all. Nevertheless I still pack way to much makeup, and enjoy every second of cramming as much as I can into the little nooks and crannies of my already overpacked suitcase (I am an expert at shoving yet another blush inbetween my socks and another mascara in the pockets of my third pair of jeans!)

This time is going to be different though, I am going to pack as little as possible because I am only going on a road trip for five days. I do not need ten lipsticks in a range of pinks, nor do I need three foundations. At least, that is what I keep telling myself.

Here are the lucky products  that have wiggled their way into my makeup bag. I doubt most of them will be worn, and I'm sure whatever I leave out I will need, but sometimes you just have to go with the flow and deal with it.

- Girlz Only Dry Shampoo
- Covergirl Lash blast length waterproof Mascara
- Garnier BB cream
- Maybelline Dream Lumi touch Concealer
- Maybelline Dream Matte Powder
- Essence lipstick - All about Cupcake
- Essence lipstick - In the Nude
- Savvy lipstick - Pretty Pink
- Nivea fruity shine lipalm - Pink Guava
- Maybelline baby lips balm - Limited Edition
- Essence lipgloss - Me and my Ice-cream
- BYS blush - Candyfloss
- Brushes - Kabuki, Contour and blush, eyebrow brush/comb
- Essence eye souffle - Pas Des Copper
- Maybelline eyeshadow trio - Autumn Spirit
- Clean and Clear Moisturiser
- Marc Jacobs 'Daisy eau so Fresh' Perfume
- Smart Skin Makeup wipes (I only use them when travelling as I am always too lazy/tired to wash my face properly!)
- Essence Clear Brow Gel
- Tweezers
- Nail file

Okay, so maybe there are a couple of additional products that I don't really need, but I think this is pretty good. It is quite amazing how little space these take up to be honest, I can cram all the makeup into this lovely Tommy Hilfiger makeup bag I am so glad I received as a present, and have room to spare!

Essence Clear Brow Gel

I had been looking for this particular Essence product for ages but it never ever seemed to be stocked. When I finally found it I snapped it up, and I have now been religiously using it for weeks.

I wasn't exactly sure what it was going to be like as I hadn't read any reviews about it, but I needed one and wanted it to be cheap (who wants to spend money on something you can't see anyway!).

First of all is the packing - I get that it is a clear brow gel/clear mascara, but that doesn't mean the packaging has to be clear too. Honestly, it's so unattractive and looks tacky. It would make the world of difference if it had simple black packaging and a nice black lid...oh why Essence, why?!

As for the actual product, I'm pretty pleased with it. I apply this in the morning with the rest of my makeup, and I don't touch it up during the day. It feels really sticky and gross when first applied, but once it dries out you can't tell it's on, even if you do touch your eyebrows. It doesn't make them crunchy and there is no visible residue left.

In terms of holding power, I am pretty impressed. It doesn't have the power to make them stay put during a cyclone, but I can be confident that my brows are still groomed for the majority of the day, even if I do need to give them a quick 'boost' with a swipe of my fingers every now and again.

I didn't want a product that made them look terribly rigid and unnatural, but I did want something that I could rely on to keep them looking half decent - and this was suitable.

In terms of a mascara, I really don't like it. Because it is such a wet and sticky formula when first applied, it is so very uncomfortable. It does dry but I cannot be bothered applying it when it really does make no visible different. It doesn't thicken, define or make the lashes glossier, so there is really very little point.

One problem that I do have with it is that after using it for about a month, the formula went from lovely and crystal clear to horribly cloudy and gross! I don't know if all mascaras do this and you just can't see it because the tube isn't clear, but seriously - it's awful. I'm am currently debating whether to chuck it and get a new one or continue using it despite the cloudy appearance it currently has.


All up I give this product a 7/10.

The big chop - My terrifying haircut!

Okay, I'll give you a bit of background information about my hair. Earlier today it was long, very long, 80cm long in fact. (If you are wondering about the accuracy of this measurement, I pulled out three hairs, measured them and they were lengths of 80cm, 80cm and 79cm) It wasn't styled with layers, although there were some slight layers framing my face at the front. When my hair was down, when I sat on a chair it just touched the seat. It's pretty thick, so it gave me headaches when it was pulled back in a ponytail. There was too much for an attractive looking bun, and it would get too knotty when I wore it down, so my hairstyles were as follows: ponytail, plait, ponytail, plait, repeat. Was my hair particularly attractive? No, not really. So why did I have it like that?

Because when you have long hair you get ridiculously attatched to it.

It took months of convincing myself that a chop would be a good idea. Months of of friends telling me that it wouldn't look any different, and that I should cut 20cm, 30cm off!

I only cut about 10cm but it feels like half my hair is gone! I will miss the 'Wow you are like rapunzel!' 'I wish I had hair like yours,' and 'I used to have hair like that but then I cut it all off and it never grew back ever again - never ever cut your hair!' kind of comments. Even the ridiculous 'you have long hair' comments, to which I responded with 'Really?! Thanks for telling me, it could have been dangerous had you not informed me of that!' I will miss. A long haired friend of mine, who recently cut it off to shoulder length in fact (and sold it for $1000) said the comments I will get now are 'Oh wow you look so much better, seriously you looked disgusting before but now you look great!' and 'Did you cut your hair?' (to which she responds with 'No I just grew it shorter.')

As you can see in the pictures, my hair looks soooooo much nicer now. Admittedly, in the before photo it was half wet so it looks a lot scrappier than it actually was, but I am so glad I cut it.

Before

After

Maybe you don't think it is much of a change, I get that I am being a little ridiculous and exaggerating slightly, but seriously, to me it is as if I have shaved my head bald!

I do like it much better - it feels thicker, healthier and really does look more attractive, but honestly, it's so strange. Everytime I touch it it stops so early, and brushing it does my head in! It is still a little too blunt for my liking - a little bit harsh and bleurgh, but it's alright.

Anyway, I would love to hear about any of your hair stories. Are you precious about your hair, or are you the spontaneous 'How about we colour it bright red and hack it all off!' kind of person?

Monthly Favourites - June

Time for another Monthly Favourites! June was a terribly busy month for me, and I spent a week away which was lovely but meant that I didn't get up to much posting (my apologies) as I had limited internet access.

Being away meant that I was using basic products that were simple,easy and did the job. My trusty Covergirl mascara was the only mascara I used this month and it is definitely the winner of the eyes category.

For nails this month I wore my Ulta polish in watermelon. I had forgotten how beautiful it actually was and then when I applied it I fell in love with it all over again! It is the cheapest nail polish I think you can get in Australia, and the quality is just brilliant. The colour range is huge (with both hideous and gorgeous colours) but so worth checking out.

 For the face I wore a lot of the BYS blush in Candyfloss. I own two BYS blushes in the shades Pretty in Pink and Candyfloss and they are amazing blushes that cost approximately four dollars! This month I was craving warmer peachy colours, and Candyfloss fit this perfectly.

For lips I came back to my Nivea Fruity Shine lip balm (Fact of the day - this review was the first ever post I did on my blog!) This balm is moisturising and has the most incredible tint to it - suitable for pretty much any lip colour. It also smells great, and is oh so cheap.

Last but not least was my 'other' category. This was a tricky one to do this month, but I thought I might include a bracelet that I have been wearing quite regularly. It's unlike any other bracelet that I own, and is bordering on a little strange. If I remember correctly, I think I picked it up really cheaply at an Op-shop. I will admit, it is a little uncomfortable, but because it is so cool I can deal with it! It's a hard, chunky plastic bracelet but inside is a material pattern with jewels. Have no idea what I am talking about? Fair enough - just look at the pictures below!

I'm curious to see what you think of the bracelet - the responses I get towards it are of the two extremes - either "Oh my gosh I love your bracelet, it's so unique and the coolest ever!" or "What on Earth is that, it's hideous!" Let me know if you love it or hate it!

My guest post on Makeup and Macaroons

I was lucky enough to be given the opportunity on Lilit's blog Makeup and Macaroons to write a guest post! If you are interested in what I came up with, please go and check out her blog - she is a wonderful blogger!