Nivea Lip Butter in Vanilla and Macadamia

I don't understand how I manage to acquire so many lip products. Honestly, it's getting ridiculous. My makeup drawers are literally overflowing with lipsticks and lip balms and lip crayons, and now lip butters. I can't help it, of all the types of makeup it is the lip products that draw me in the most, and when something is on sale there is no hope for me.

Priceline was getting rid of the widely spoken about Nivea Lip Butters for $3.40 instead of the usual price of $5.69 when I popped in the other day and so I couldn't pass on the opportunity to try them out. Blaming it on the need for a new product to review on my blog (which I totally don't, I have so many products I could review) I was happy to grab the Vanilla and Macadamia flavour, having read in reviews that it was more appealing than its Caramel cousin. I still don't know what the caramel flavour is like, but Vanilla and Macadamia is the most gorgeous balance of rich vanilla and nutty scent. I seriously just want to eat it.

Though it comes in the most inconvenient, unhygienic and impractical packaging it possibly could, who could ignore the adorable little tin? I hate the fact that every time I want to apply it I'm going to have to shove my grubby little fingers into a pot housing an ever growing bacteria culture, but despite this I still purchased it because it is just so darn cute.

Speaking of packaging, I think Nivea chose a really clean and effective design. I like that if you own multiple shades it is easy to identify which flavour it is from the packaging which has a different photograph according to the flavour. The tin is compact and sleek, suitable for carrying around. I expect when I go back to school this will live in my pencil case.

When it comes down to the product itself...well, it's a little disappointing. To be honest, after having read so many raving reviews about it I had very high hopes and it really wasn't as life changing as I'd imagined. Don't get me wrong, it is exactly as silky smooth as I'd read about and has the incredibly soft formula that I had hoped for it's just I don't find it to be as comfortable to wear as I'd imagined.

It's the same with its moisturising properties. I had it ingrained in my head that it was the most moisturising balm in the world that would give the most smooth and supple lips ever, and instead it's just okay. I feel that it leaves a slight film over the lips rather than soaking in completely. This is honestly not an issue as it is common with most products and it is still an effective lip balm, it's just that as I mentioned, I thought this was going to be magical.

This does leave a slight white cast on the lips, but nothing too noticeable. It gives quite a glossy finish and I imagine it would be the ideal product to use if you wish to sheer down an intense lipstick.

Don't get me wrong, this is not a bad product by any means. It's good, it is, it's just not fabulous. I'll take it to school, keep it in my pencil case and fend off the grubby hands of several girls desperate for a lip balm because they've forgotten to bring their own. It smells great and looks cute, two positive properties, it's just nothing incredible.

I give this 7 out of 10.

Don't forget to enter my giveaway here!

Fake glasses - I'm not trying to insult you

So recently I purchased a pair of glasses. Contrary to, uh, logical reasoning, I don't have vision problems. These glasses contain no fancy lens but rather do nothing to enhance my already adequate eyesight in any way. They're not the oversized, thick-framed hipster glasses commonly viewed in a negative light, but rather petite little square shaped frames that don't even try to make a statement. So why on Earth did I hand over the cash (which actually wasn't very much I might add) for an essentially useless item? The same reason that I own more than one T-shirt and shoes in more than three different colours. Because I like how it looks.

You may be thinking that I am painfully vain. Maybe that is so, but at the end of the day we all have to wear clothes and I would assume that at least 50% of the female population (a statistic based on no reliable evidence whatsoever, just the inner workings of my estimation making brain) in the Western world enjoy a bit of unnecessary accessorising with jewellery, scarves, bags etc,etc. To wear a pair of glasses when I in fact do not rely on them in any way is to me, simply another way of completing an outfit. Why should the vision impaired ladies get to have all the fun?

Well apparently not everyone agrees. After having made the spontaneous purchase I started to doubt my actions. A little web surfing scientific research produced a whole other side to the argument whereby those who actually needed glasses for medical reasons were a little extremely irate, finding it to be a huge insult. It seems that when it comes to the fake glasses trend, you can't sit on the fence about it - you either love it and embrace it with all your heart or you hate it with a deep loathing from the bottom of your soul. Why so extreme?

I do appreciate the haters' point of view to a small extent. It must be frustrating seeing someone frolicking about with a pair of glasses they don't need when they themselves have no choice but to wear the frames they were assigned to upon discovering that they couldn't actually see anything.

Maybe short ladies feel the same way when they see a tall lady wearing sky scraper heels. I mean, tall ladies shouldn't be allowed to wear heels because they've been blessed with the long leg gene. It's simply preposterous that they indulge in a bit of shoe shopping in the heels section of the store when short ladies aren't even given a choice whether they want to wear flats! Similarly those with blonde hair should not be allowed to dye it brown, nor should straight haired ladies curl their hair because....because...I find it insulting.

See how ridiculous it is?! Of course tall ladies can wear heels, and in the same way those blessed with 20/20 vision should be allowed to play around with 'useless' (but oh-so pretty) glasses. It's not meant to be an insult, and we really do sympathise with those who don't have a choice, but when it comes down to it we're not really doing all that much harm are we? We always want what we don't have when it comes to the superfluous world of fashion, and in this case we feel like we are missing out.

Take it as a compliment. So many people are opting for 'fake' glasses these days that surely you're getting the message...glasses are attractive. You heard me, your glasses look great and to be honest they look so great I'm jealous and have decided to buy my own. Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, isn't that right?

Basically, I've bought my fake glasses and I like how they look. I will admit, I do feel a bit silly wearing them around people who know my vision is fine, but around the house or around people I don't know, I love to wear them. I'm not wearing them to offend you, I'm not wearing them to impress you, I'm wearing them because I like them and there's nothing more to it.

I would love to know how you feel about the fake glasses trend, even if you are extremely against my opinion!

Also, if you've not entered my giveaway yet be sure to check it out here.

NOTD - Glitter gradient with Maybelline's Colour Show Sequins polish in Rose Bling

How are all my fellow Aussie readers enjoying this weather? I myself am a huge fan of summer and the heat, but a 42 degree heatwave for a week is pushing it a little. Luckily for me, we recently purchased one of those swinging outdoor seats (you know the ones I'm talking about, right?) and so I've been reading books in the shade. It's been lovely! Anyhow, that's not what this post is about at all!

Something weird is going on. I've never been a nail polish kind of person, despite my makeup loving character. Though I'd drool over a pink lipstick or bright blush, polish really didn't capture my attention. I blame the sudden interest on Face of Australia who then started to come out with some killer limited edition ranges (and if there's something I can't resist it's limited editon products) but even so, I still couldn't care less about glitter polish. I'd read other people's NOTD posts featuring some of the most beautfiul glitters, I would admire it on their nails and then click out of it, not feeling any need to have some myself. Then out of the blue I started to go crazy, wanting to buy literally every glittery lacquer known to man. I hardly even wear glitter and I despise having to take it off because it's absolute hell, so why oh why is glitter polish calling out my name?!

Ahhh, I don't know the answer to that question but I do know that Maybelline's Colour Show Sequins Polish in Rose Bling is the newest addition to my glitter collection. I felt bad about all the glitter accumulating so I decided to actually wear some of it for a change, hence why my first ever gradient manicure was born.

Surprisingly, creating a glitter gradient was not nearly as challenging as I had anticipated and I actually love the results. I think what put me off of glitter was that it was just so overpowering, and at times a little tacky, but with a gradient I find it to be slightly more tasteful and toned down. Is that just me or can other people relate?

Anyhow, this NOTD was so easily achieved and I've decided that Rose Bling is really quite a pretty polish with its fine and small hexagon shaped baby pink glitter and a few larger hot pink ones floating around. Subtle (if you could ever call a glitter subtle) and sweet.

I layered this over Face of Australia's pastel polish in I'll take you to the Candy Shop (which was also featured in this NOTD here) and I think it is a perfect combination.

Lastly I do need to mention the fact that this was the most challenging polish I've ever had to remove. It honestly took me about thirty five minutes of scrubbing and attempting to peel it off, which was very frustrating. I expect this was due to both the polish and the fact that I had multiple layers of it on.

Overall I'm still very confused about my new obsession for glittery polishes, but I guess I'll just go with it and create some more pretty glitter gradients!

Don't forget to enter my giveaway here.

Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain Gift Set in Adore - Shades: Cherish, Darling, Rendezvous, Adore & Lovesick

The Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain in Romantic made it into my 2013 Favourites as my favourite lip product of the year. If you've read my blog for a long time, you may be away that this is a huge deal because I live for lip products. I reckon if it came down to it, I would put my love for lip products ahead of my love for chocolate, they are just that good. Needless to say, I own about a billion lipsticks/lip crayons/lip balms so to select a winner means it must be a pretty good product. You can imagine that when I managed to acquire five Kissable Balm stains for a measly $20 I just about had a heart attack and died. A single balm stain retails for $17.75 and I got five for $20! TWENTY DOLLARS!

I had seen another blogger (I can't for the life of me remember who it was) write a post about the same amazing deal they found at Priceline so I made it a mission to have the same luck. When I got to the store I was bitterly disappointed because it was sitting on the shelf under a $40 price tag. This, of course, is still a very good price, however I wanted an amazing bargain, not a mediocre one. Still trying to remain hopeful I asked the lady to scan it for me just in case...Luck was on my side because she chirped out that it was "only $20, what an excellent deal!"

And what an excellent deal indeed, for I now have a beautiful range of shades that I know for sure will get a lot of use. I love that within this set they included a light pink, coral orange, lavender, deep red and hot pink. This would make the most perfect gift for a beauty lover because it contains such a wonderful assortment of beautiful quality lip products. It's also packaged beautifully, as you can see in the above photos. Revlon really did a magnificent job with this one.

The shades included within the set are as follows:

Cherish: A beautiful light baby pink, I imagine this would be the least frightening of the lot for someone new to lip products. It's bright enough to be noticeable on the lips, but certainly not too overpowering.

Rendezvous: This was the one I was most excited about, a stunning bright orange shade that despite its somewhat frightening nature, is actually very wearable and striking.

Darling: A lavender based light pink, as though Cherish has had slight purple tones mixed into it. My first instinct was to liken it to Revlon's lip butter in Gumdrop, however I found Gumdrop to be way more purple toned. Darling is a lot more wearable...in fact, I think even I can pull it off (and purples look horrendous on me!)

Adore: A deep dark rusty red, almost entering oxblood-red territory. Having loved Romantic so much, I imagine this will be a favourite of mine in the future.

Lovesick: I'm not going to keep this shade for myself because from swatches online I've found that it is so similar to Smitten (which I already own) so I've decided to keep it for a giveaway which you can enter here. As far as I am aware, it is a beautiful hot pink, bright blue toned berry kind of shade.

All of the shades have their distinctive strong minty fragrance. When I first purchased a Revlon Balm Stain I really did not like the minty scent at all, but with such regular use I have grown to simply accept it as opposed to hating it.

I love that all the Balm Stains are packaged in colours corresponding to their shade. It makes it so much easier to identify the shade you want when you are rummaging through your collection. 

The chunky, almost childlike nature of the products makes them so fun and friendly. I do have a fondness for lip crayons, being my favourite type of lip product surpassing lipsticks and balms, but these with their bright colours, sturdy lids and silver twist ups are just lovely.

The lasting power of these balms is incredible. These can endure eating, drinking and hours of wear without fading in the slightest. I don't know what kind of damage they must be doing to my lips but they last all day without fail. This is my favourite aspect of the product because I can be lazy and apply it once in the morning and not think about it for the rest of the day. The only time it frustrates me is when I purchased these five in a pack and wanted to try them out all at once (which totally didn't work because once I'd applied the first one I couldn't scrub it off to try out the others!).

Surprisingly, I don't find these to be drying at all. I forget that they are on my lips and I go the entire day without feeling as though I need to reapply anything. If you do find these drying it is easily solved by a simple swipe of a lip balm over the top.

I've swatched all the Revlon Balm Stains I own (so these plus Romantic and Smitten) so that you are able to make comparisons should you be interested in purchasing any of them. I think that Adore and Romantic are very similar - I imagine only the hardcore beauty lovers would be able to tell a difference between the two!

L-R: Smitten, Rendezvous, Cherish, Darling, Adore, Romantic

L-R: Cherish, Darling, Smitten, Rendezvous, Romantic, Adore

All up, I am so excited about this bargain and I know I will be getting good use out of them all. I give them 10/10, I honestly can't fault these!

I would love to know if you have tried any of the Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm stains and which shades are your favourite!

If you've never tried one of these, or don't own the shade Lovesick then be sure to enter my giveaway here.

GIVEAWAY - Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain in Lovesick

So it's only a little giveaway but we all love free things so why not! This giveaway celebrates no special occasion at all, it's just for fun.

This is an international giveaway, open to those over 18 (if you are under 18 make sure you have your parent's permission) and you must be a follower on GFC to enter. I purchased this myself, it is brand new and I will not be responsible for any losses or breakages in the mail (but of course will do my absolute best to prevent this!).

I don't like to say this but it goes without saying that it is disappointing as a blogger if people immediately unfollow this blog once the giveaway is over. I have had this happen before, so please don't enter if that is your intention.

Good luck, and thanks for all your support on YouReview.

Also, on a little side note - I finally made a twitter account yesterday and it would mean so much to me if you checked it out. It's https://twitter.com/CYouReview

a Rafflecopter giveaway

My most impressionable books

"I use Grammarly's plagarism checker because originality is the new black."

So every now and again I dabble into the world of books here on YouReview, but it's really not a common occurrence. Though I love all kinds of beauty related chatter, this year I hope to expand my blog a little further to incorporate lifestyle based posts too, including perhaps my greatest love of all...books.

I had this post sitting in my drafts for a very long time, unsure as to whether I should take the plunge and post it. I took it as a sign when I received an email from Grammarly who wanted to sponsor this post, so here it is, some of the most impressionable books I have read to date... the books that have stuck with me in some way or another.

Unwind by Neil Schusterman
This was a 2013 discovery that I was so captured by that I requested the entire series as a Christmas gift! In a world when 'unwinding' is legal, teenagers between the age of 13 and 18 can be sent off in accordance with their parent's wishes to be 'harvested' - cut up and used as spare body 'parts' for the general (adult) public to use as required. Yes, it is as horrible as it sounds and a novel that really questions morals and ethics in every way. It is so cleverly written that you are almost, at times, manipulated into supporting the cause! I recommend this very much!

To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
Of course, To Kill a Mockingbird's (TKAM) influential nature was at its peak when it was first published in 1960 yet I feel that all these years down the track it still has its place in our society. Whether you feel that the racism addressed by Lee is still relevant or not, TKAM makes a statement about the complexities of the adult world and the prejudices people form based on no logical reasoning at all. Dear little Scout, the central character in the novel, sees the world so very clearly in either black or white, and though we as readers appreciate that it is just not that simple, this texts begs the question "Does it really have to be so complicated?"

Perfume by Patrick Suskind
Perfume is one of its kind, there is no doubt about it. Who would have thought that an entire novel could be centered completely around the sense of smell, the plot driven by an individual's drive to obtain the most desirable scent in the world. For anyone who has ever attempted to describe a perfume you would appreciate the sheer difficulty of such, but what about bringing to life a brass doorknob or the smell of a baby? Suskind is literally a genius, I have no doubt about that, and this heart-wrenching tale of a man with an unnaturally heightened sense of smell was impressionable in many, many ways. Just a little warning, this is a novel unsuitable for younger readers.


We need to talk about Kevin by Lionel Shriver
Another novel targeted at older readers, this is a sorrowful tale of a mother who, contrary to what she perceived to be instinctual, is unable to feel love for her child. This child then grows up to be a teenage killer who murders his teacher and classmates. Eva writes harrowing letters to her estranged husband that cleverly evolve to reveal just how Kevin grew up to be so very unlike the other children. I imagine that when I read this again as a mother it will mean even more to me, but even as an older teenager I felt such despair for this mother and was hooked in completely by the text.

Source

Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck
Perhaps you may have read this one at school, but for good reason! Two friends, George and Lenny are bound together by Lenny's intellectual disability and George's unending loyalty as they fight to survive and dream of a better life they know will never happen. It's a beautiful story of friendship at its best, and of course the ending tears your heart out. It messes with your head which loves George and his strength, but your heart that empathises with dear Lenny.

Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
What? How did this make it on to the list? I know, I know, the Hunger Games Trilogy is hardly on par with the great classics...or is it? Thousands and thousands love the series, particularly within the young adult sector and therefore doesn't that allow it to qualify as an impressionable text? When you think about it, Hunger Games really does make a statement about society. It's hardly a new take on the way of the world, but it's definitely there and still makes you uncomfortable when you realise you yourself are essentially a member of the Capitol, those citizens that you just loved to loathe.

I'm always on the look out for new books to read. I would love to hear what books stood out and made an impact on you.

*Please note that being sponsored by Grammarly for this post has in no way influenced my review. As I mentioned, this was already written and in my drafts prior to them contacting me. I support what they do and stand for, hence why I accepted their offer.*

2013's Most Loved part 2

The second installment of 2013's most loved includes all my non-beauty favourites. There are quite a few, and as was the case with almost all my beauty favourites, it was remarkably difficult trying to narrow it down to just one or two items!

My favourites for 2013 were...

Music: Florence & the Machine, Of Monsters and Men and Red Hot Chili Peppers
Anyone who knows me is so very tired of hearing me play songs by Florence and the Machine on repeat, everyday, all day. I can't help it, I'm obsessed! Of Monsters and Men was another favourite of mine in the middle of the year, and I re-discovered the Red Hot Chili Peppers which was my Mum's favourite when I was really young and therefore has sentimental value from my younger years!

Books: Looking for Alaska by John Green and Unwind by Neil Schusterman
I read many of my old favourites over and over this year but didn't include them because they've been my favourites long before 2013! Instead I've included two standouts that I only discovered this year, Looking for Alaska and Unwind. I loved the characters in Looking for Alaska, and the concept of the novel in Unwind.

Food: Homemade Pizzas
This was actually the easiest category to determine as I practically inhaled homemade pizzas in 2013. You can purchase little bases from the supermarket and then I simply topped them with tomato paste, ham and cheese and grilled them in no time. I ate so many of these it's really unhealthy but my god they are good!

Activity: Blogging and Learning to drive
Blogging was without a doubt my most favourite activity this year. It was a much needed break from hectic school work and I loved reading everyone else's blogs too. Learning to drive was another favourite, though a challenging one at that!

Blog post: EOTD: Olive Garden
Why on Earth was this my favourite post? It certainly wasn't my most popular one, nor was it the most humorous or well written. The reason I like it is because I was so scared to do it and the photographs turned out so well. It took me such a long time to create and I put in so much effort, so that is why it is my favourite for 2013.

School subject: Biology
It was a close call between Biology and English but in the end I had to go with Bio because it never fails to capture my attention and feed my hunger for learning about science and the human body.

Travel: Mission trip to Cambodia
This was the highlight of my year, and easily the most important and life changing thing I've ever worked towards in my life. I was so blessed to travel to Cambodia to build houses for underprivileged families in remote communities and it is an experience that I know will never leave me.

Celebrity: Emma Watson and Florence Welch
I don't read up on celebrities or follow their lives, but I think Emma and Florence are just about the most beautiful and admirable celebrities out there in a world that is full of craziness (*ahem Miley Cyrus*).

TV Show: The Big Bang Theory and Call the Midwife
When I could afford a moment from study, it was Big Bang Theory and Call the Midwife that I dedicated my time to. For lots of laughing and a good science fix, who could go past the most wonderful show on earth, Big Bang. For a little more seriousness, I tuned into ABC's Call the Midwife. I can't wait for the new seasons for both shows in 2014.

Drink: Hot Chocolate
Another easy choice, Hot Chocolate always accompanied me in my maths test revision and Engligh essay writing. I don't know what I would have done without it.

Fashion Item: Black Skater Skirt and Maroon Jeans
2013 was the year of the Skater Skirt for many, myself included. I also grabbed a pair of maroon jeans (having never worn coloured jeans in my life) when they were on sale and fell in love with them.

Jewellery: Rings
Considering the amount of jewellery that I own, I really don't wear a lot of it, however I could always be found wearing a pretty ring in 2013. My favourite ring, you ask? Well I could never choose just one...

Accessories: Scarves
I love scarves and I wish that they weren't so limited to the cooler weather because I would wear them everyday if I could. I typically wore black and white scarves in every style with every outfit.

Shoes: Rubi Shoes Black Bow Flats
I mentioned these in many posts, but if you go through about three or four pairs of the exact same shoe you know it's a winner.

Bargain: $8 dress from the Op Shop that I saw on a website for $250
I don't believe I spoke about this bargain of the century, but I was Op-shopping (as always) and found an unusual kind of dress for $8. I tried it on and quite liked it, purchased it and went home content. I was then browsing formal dresses on various websites and, in the most amazing coincidence ever, saw my Op-shop dress for $250. Heck yeah!

Candle: Skittles Candle from Cheap as Chips!
Another bargain, my favourite candle was a $3 skittle flavoured candle that smelled like green skittles (although always made me hungry when I burned it!). Along with a Hot Chocolate it helped me survive my maths revision time and time again!

Movie: No movies stand out to me that I watched in 2013
Next is my favourite movie...of which I could not decide. I rarely watch movies to be honest and therefore I just don't recall a movie that stood out to me. Maybe in 2014 I'll find one.

Photograph: 2 from Cambodia
I just simply could not narrow my favourite photograph that I took in 2013 down to 1...maybe you could help me decide!

So there it is, 2013 in a nutshell. To those of you who have written similar posts, I have loved reading about what captured your heart in the year that just passed and I look forward to what 2014 will bring.

2013's Most Loved: Part 1

I'm a little bit late on this post, but I couldn't transition from 2013 to 2014 without wrapping up the year through a favourites post (or two - my non-beauty related favourites will be posted tomorrow). I've absolutely loved reading everyone else's favourites and thought I'd do my own for those who were interested.

Skincare: Arbonne RE9 Advanced Generating Toner
It astounds me that of all my skincare, a toner was my favourite. I've never shown any interest in a toner in my life (primarily due to the fact that all past experiences with them have been bad ones) but when I was given the opportunity to try this out, I fell in love with it. It is the best.

Hair care: Batiste Dry Shampoo - Fresh
I can be lazy at the best of times, but when it comes to my hair I am lazy to the extreme. It is for this reason that my favourite hair care product was easily a dry shampoo, in particular one by Batiste. Maybe I'll have a hair product that is a little classier in 2014, say a lovely hair oil or serum or something, but for now I'm content to rely on the lazy girl's hair wash.

Fragrance: DKNY Be Delicious
I was given a tiny little bottle of DKNY's Be Delicious perfume for Christmas in 2012 and wore it non stop in 2013. Along with Marc Jacob's Daisy Eau So Fresh, I think it will be a perfume I continue to use for a long time into the future.

Body: My New Skin Multipurpose Balm
A super late addition to the family, the My New Skin Multipurpose Balm practically saved my life. Okay, perhaps not my life but certainly my horribly dry skin around my feet and elbows. I has a super heavy duty formula and works like a charm.

Brush: Real Techniques Stippling Brush
I had heard so many magical things about Real Techniques brushes and took the plunge myself, purchasing a face set and Stippling brush. Then came my obsession with cream blushes, and in turn I came to use the Stippling brush everyday thus appreciating how darn amazing it is.

Tool: Eyelash curler
It was a toss up between the humble Q-tip and eyelash curler, but in the end I realised it is the eyelash curler that has the truly magical touch.

Nails: Red Nail Polish
I have no overall favourite polish, but my most worn shade was most definitely red. Red, red, red, I acquired so many gorgeous polishes all in...red.

Shower product: Lush Snow Fairy Shower Gel
Though this is the most sugary, intense flavour I have ever come across, I did use this regularly in the shower and I came to love this more than when I had first received it as a gift. Some days it is too sweet, but most of the time I am a big fan.

Base makeup: Garnier BB cream for oily skin
I rave about this all.the.time. so I'm not going to make you endure yet another ramble. Just take my word that for light, everyday coverage this is the best of its kind.

Foundation: Rimmel Wake me up foundation
For a cheap foundation (in comparison to both other 'drugstore' foundations like Revlon and higher end ones too) this is pretty impressive. It's glowy and youthful, healthy looking and easy to work with. My only complaint is its shimmer which can, at times, be a little too much, but other than that it's excellent.

Setting powder: Maybelline Dream Matte Powder
I hit pan on this in 2013 which shows you just how much I loved it. If there weren't so many cheaper options out there I would get it again, but I'm currently in the middle of three other adequate powders and (sadly) won't be purchasing this anytime soon.

Concealer: Face of Australia Stick Concealer in Neutral
I played around with a couple of concealers in 2013 but the best all rounder and the one I turned to most often was the cheap little stick concealer by Face of Australia.

Bronzer: Maybelline Bronzer in Forever Warm
I'm not really a bronzer person, nor do I have that many in my collection. Though I wouldn't purchase this bronzer if it disappeared from collection due to the fact that, well, it's just not that good, I did use it often in 2013.

Blush: Australis Creme Blush in Flirtatious Pink 
Choosing my favourite blush for the year just about killed me. Honestly, I am such a blush junkie that I have enough to use a different one everyday for two weeks...which is basically what I do. In the end I had to give the award to a cream blush, specifically Australis' Flirtatious Pink. Perfect in every way, it is the gorgeous colour that pulled it over the line and onto the winner's podium.

Highlighter: Essence Twilight Breaking Dawn Part 2 Shimmer Powder in Bella's Secret
Despite that it has the most awful name I have ever heard of, this is stunning. It's a warm toned golden powder highlight that catches the light exactly how I want it, looks subtle enough not to make me resemble a disco ball but not too subtle that you can't even see it. Oh my, it's so frustrating that it was a limited edition product (like all of Essence's best products have been!)

Eyeshadow: Bloom Eyeshadow Duo in Waikiki
Like blush, this category was very near impossible to narrow down to a single shadow. In the end I had to recognise the incredible champagne golden shade from the Bloom duo that accompanied me on every trip and was the base shade for every eyeshadow look I wore. It really does deserve to win 2013's best shadow although it does pain me to leave out my much loved Inglot Shadows...

Eyeliner: Face of Australia Liquid Liner in Black
This liner is the best, no doubt about it. It's jet black, sticks like glue and easy to use for even the most useless eyeliner appliers. I turned to it time and time again and even wore a cat eye look for the first time in my life. Thank you FOA!

Mascara: Covergirl Lashblast length waterproof
The tube of this mascara that I own is honestly a magic mascara - there is no other explanation for the fact that I have used this every.single.day. for two years and it has still not yet run out. It lengthens like crazy, defines every lash and gives a gorgeous natural look. Sure, it's not at all suitable for you if you want a bit of drama but for me it is just perfect.

Eyebrows: Essence Clear lash and brow gel
I had many empties of this and raved about it all the time. It's super cheap and makes my brows somewhat acceptable, so who could ask for anything more?

Lipbalm: Blistex lip conditioner
I share the most complicated love/hate relationship with this product, but the bottom line is that it saves my chapped lips and works better than anything I've ever tried. I apply this every night and at the rate I'm going it will be a 2014 empty for sure.

Lipstick: Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain in Romantic
I deliberated about this for twenty minutes, no exaggeration. I narrowed it down to ten lip products, then five, then three, then two and final to one. Lip products are my favourite makeup products so it's no surprise that I own about ten billion of them. 2013 was the year of the lip crayon, and I wore this red beauty non stop.

Overall makeup brand: Face of Australia
Face of Australia is affordable, Australian (obviously) and comes out with some incredible products. Their lip crayons, nail polishes and face products were all favourites of mine throughout the year and it was an obvious choice to nominate Face of Australia as my overall brand winner for 2013!

Phew...that is a lot of products for one year! I'd be amazed if you actually made it to the end of this post! My makeup collection certainly expanded significantly throughout 2013 but I had a lovely time, and it was all in the name of blog reviews...right?!

What was your overall favourite makeup brand for 2013?

Monthly Favourites - December

Apologies for getting my favourites for this month up so late - I blame it on my lack of organisation when planning for my 10 or so days without internet. Oh well, better late than never.

December is usually a month of fun makeup because I'm on holidays and therefore able to go crazy with whatever I wish to wear (free of school based restrictions), I purchase more makeup in sales or receive it as gifts and December also calls for quite festive looks (think red lips and gold shadow). This December has been no different and I have enjoyed having the time in the mornings to actually apply my makeup with care as opposed to slapping it on in a rush to get to the bus stop in time!

First up for lips, it's a no brainer that a bright red has been my go-to. Though I have a reasonable collection of reds to choose from, I gravitated towards Revlon's Colourstay Ultimate Suede lipstick in Finale most often. A beautiful tomato red shade that is so comfortable to wear, I think I wore this about fifteen times in December. My only issue with it is that it wears off a little strangely, but nothing that can't be fixed with a quick reapplication.

For eyes it was a little more challenging to pick a favourite, primarily because I've just been using a huge variety of products, but in the end I decided on the Australis paparazzi perfect palette in Snap Attack as it just contains such a lovely combination of wearable shadows.

Next is my favourite face product, which was without a doubt the NYX Cream Blush in Natural. Despite having purchased this a while ago, I am yet to complete a review on it, but let me tell you, it is incredibly beautiful and is like magic on the skin. I can see that this will be a favourite of mine for a very long time.

In the nails department can be found the Sally Hansen Xtreme wear polish in White on. I never would have thought that a plain white polish could capture my heart quite like this one has, but I wore this for the vast majority of December.

Last but not least is the 'other' category in which I cheated a little this month and included two things. The first is a candle (I've been burning candles - safely, don't worry! - non stop despite that it is summer) and my bedroom smells of Pumpkin Latte, a candle from the Kringle Candle Company. I'm not going to lie, I actually don't love this scent, much preferring lighter, more fresh and citrus based scents, but a candle is a candle and I love the atmosphere they bring.

My other random favourite is a giant mug. Yep, who knew you could purchase coffee mugs literally the size of your head from plain old Officeworks for $4! I did try to drink Hot Chocolate out of it, but it holds litres of the stuff and in terms of practicality, really wasn't a great idea, so I cleaned it out and now store lip products in it. For such a strange purchase I've really enjoyed it!

And now here we are in 2014, December has flown by and I'm planning my big year in my final year of school! As always, I am in denial regarding how quickly time flies!