Sportsgirl Makeup - Lips & Nails

Sportsgirl makeup is something I've never ever looked into. I'm going to take a wild guess and say that it's due to the fact that I never enter the store because I can't afford the clothing. The other day, however, I was compelled to enter when I saw a heap of makeup significantly reduced and figured it would be a good time to give their beauty products a try.

I'm going to be honest here and acknowledge that I have no idea how it happened, but I ended up paying $1 each for the lipsticks and $2.50 for the nail polish. Bargain! There were very few options in terms of colour selection because only a couple of shades were part of the sale but I think I did a darn good job with my choices!

First up are the lipsticks, and let me tell you, I am a huge fan. They are both matte shades, although I feel that the pink shade 'Doll Face' is slightly less matte than Starlet. Despite this they are both so creamy, easy to apply and so comfortable to wear. I love that they are both so pigmented and have a really good lasting power. The red shade 'Starlet' stains the slightest bit however staining isn't really a property of either of the lipsticks. I believe these retail at full price for $10 and I can tell you they are so worth it! Sportsgirl also has a really great shade range of their 'Pout about it lipsticks' so you really must get your hands on them if you live in Australia.

L-R: Doll Face, Starlet

We then have their nail polishes, and I can't speak on behalf of the entire range since 'Head Start' is the only one I've ever tried, but like the lipsticks it is of a magnificent quality. This will sound really strange (it's a weird beauty blogger logic) but I don't actually particularly like the actual shade, I was more interested in trying out the 'jelly formula' it claims to have. I really love the formulation of this polish and found that it was completely opaque in two coats with high shine. It also lasts really well - the photos in this post were taken three days after application, and as you can see there was minimal wear visible.

So, as you can see, Sportsgirl makeup is bloody great! I have seen a couple of Aussie girls praising the products in the past on their blogs but still didn't take the plunge and actually check them out. I recommend that you do, especially as they seem to be having lots of sales at the moment. It is totally worth your money!

OOTD - Boots & A Trench

It is with great sorrow that I come to acknowledge that the cooler weather is upon us and Winter is lurking just around the corner. I am a summer girl through and through so this realisation seriously is heartbreaking, so to ease the pain a little I thought I'd post an OOTD in an outfit that makes me feel like I've stepped out of a commercial. By the way, you have to find your commercial-esque outfit - you know, the one that makes you feel absolutely freaking gorgeous - because it will change your life.

Perhaps the only good thing about the cooler weather is the fashion that it brings...I for one am a huge fan of scarves, boots and coats. A good trench coat is, in my opinion, an absolute staple in everyone's wardrobe and paired with some heeled boots you're set to go. 

Unfortunately for you guys, this entire outfit (excluding only my earrings) is from the Op-shop (what can I say, 90% of my wardrobe is) but it's the staples themselves that you want to invest in, not the exact pieces.

A gorgeous coat is something that everyone needs in their wardrobe and I am in love with this one I got from a dodgy little Op-shop that I rarely visit. I seriously had to search through so much junk to come across this gem as well as doing a little bit of repair with the buttons, but for $9 this was such a good investment. 

The boots are another one of my winter favourites. These are just simple, black, lace-up boots with a little heel. They're really quite comfortable all things considered although one downfall is they've quickly become scratched and scuffed. Luckily, because they're black it's not too obvious.

We then have everyone's staple all year round, the comfy jeans. These probably aren't my most comfortable jeans but I like the dark blue denim so they'll do the job.

Add a black and white shirt, some silver jewellery and you have a complete outfit that (hopefully) makes you feel a million bucks!

Original sources of the clothing pieces:
Jacket: Regatta (Myer)

Shirt: Sportsgirl

Jeans: Cotton On

Boots: Target

Earrings: Lovisa

Necklace: Unknown

Watch: Unknown

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Monthly Favourites - March

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

NOTD: OPI Nail Lacquer in Dutch Tulips

OPI is just one of those brands that I've always stared at longingly before moving on to the cheaper nail polishes. Though they have an incredible colour range and amazing reputation, I just couldn't justify spending $20 on them! Priceline started selling them for $10 and even then I was still a bit funny about paying that much for a nail polish, but when I got my first ever job on Monday I decided to buy myself a celebratory polish in the most gorgeous colour, Dutch Tulips.

I actually wasn't going to post this because I am so unhappy with the way that the photos turned out (it makes a cool toned polish seemed orange based!) but I was just so excited about the fact that I owned an OPI polish I couldn't resist! So here are some photos - if you consider buying the polish then check out other photos on google first!

So far I've been super impressed with the quality of this beauty, but it is still early days.

What do you guys think about OPI polishes? Worth the money?

Seeing Red - My pick of the Red Lipstick

Valentines Day is coming up, which means absolutely nothing to me, however all the red hearts and merchandise around the place means that I start to pull out my red lipsticks. I actually love wearing red lipstick (something I would never have said a couple of years ago!) so I thought I'd share my favourites with you!

When it comes to red lipsticks, I own all different kinds. Orange toned, deep oxblood, opaque, sheer, glossy, matte...you name it, I have it. Unlike my nude lipsticks, I don't have that one red that I always turn to, in fact, all of the ones in this post get their fair share of love!

First up are the orange toned lipsticks, the ones typically described as having 'warm undertones' that unfortunately, at times, can make your teeth look a little yellow.

The Essence lipstick in Red Carpet was my first ever red lipstick and I still think it is such a bargain. It costs around $4 and it is such good quality. It's got good pigmentation and is really moisturising with a glossy finish. I cannot recommend this lipstick enough!

Then we have one of my more recent purchases, an Australis lipstick (that I managed to snap up for $3!) in the shade Make a Wish. This is my most orange toned red, so much so that it could probably slip into the orange lipstick category it's so in the middle! I really love this one and have found the quality of the product to be excellent so far.

Last is a Revlon Lip Butter in Wild Watermelon, the most sheer lipstick of the lot. I love this one for a swipe of colour that is super glossy and feels so good on the lips. 

Then we have the true reds, those that can neither be described as warm nor cool toned. The first of these that I have is an Arbonne lipstick in Strawberry, undoubtedly my favourite red shade shown in this post. This is the most pigmented, intense colour lipstick that I own, it seriously steals the show. I actually haven't worn this terribly often because it is so opaque but I should because it's just stunning.

Then I have one of the Revlon Colour Stay Ultimate Suede lipsticks in the number 095. I was surprised that this lipstick is on the more sheer side, as evident in the swatches on my arm, but it still has great colour and looks beautiful. This is more on the matte side but is by no means completely matte. 

Last but definitely not least are the cool toned reds, or in my case, those a lot deeper in shade. I never used to appreciate darker reds because I found them to be quite intimidating but I really got into them last year and can't imagine life without them,

My absolutely favourite is Rimmel London's stunning lipstick in number 107. This is not a lipstick that is a secret in the beauty world, it's very, very well known and for good reason, it's incredible. A deep red with purple undertones, it's absolutely gorgeous.

Then we have one of the Revlon Kissable Balm Stains which I love, in the shade Adore. This is a deeper red with hints of brown, however it is still really beautiful and flattering. This is a very minty smelling lipstick which makes it stand out from all of the rest!

It is clear that red lipsticks are a favourite in my books, and I hope they are in yours too. I used to be so frightened of them but there are so many out there to play around with it's quite easy to find one that you're comfortable with.

Have you been wearing any red lipsticks lately? 

L-R: Essence Red Carpet, Revlon Wild Watermelon, Australis Make a Wish,
Rimmel 107, Revlon 095, Arbonne Strawberry, Revlon Adore

Bourjois Colour Burst Glossy Finish Lipstick in Peach on the Beach

Once again I am upholding my tradition of purchasing a product months (even years) after it's taken over the world. I don't care, I get there eventually.

And once again, I have found myself smitten with a product you've all let fall to the back of your makeup drawers because this was cool years ago. I am here to remind you to get this magical little product back out again!

Bourjois is a brand that I've not given a real chance in the past because it is so much more expensive than its other counterparts (like Maybelline and Face of Australia). I do have two of their blushes which, admittedly, are pretty darn great, but I just can't justify forking out twenty bucks for a blush. You may as well go the whole hog and get one from MAC or NARS if you're going to do that.

Anyway, when their Colour Burst Glossy balms arrived in stores, people went crazy for them, and in particular the somewhat strangely named shade, Peach on the beach.

I was, at that stage, already convinced that it was the greatest shade in the world and that my makeup collection would forever be incomplete until the day I placed this little beauty upon my dresser. I wasn't wrong, my god this shade is beautiful.

I won't bore you with another recount of the packaging because I've gone on and on about how wonderful it is in the million other reviews I've done on lip crayons. I will say though that these are identical to the Revlon kissable balm stains.

The product itself is actually quite different to any other lip crayon I've tried. It is so creamy and smooth, almost too much in fact because at room temperature you are at risk of breaking the whole tip off completely, it is just that soft. Because of this, it also means that the application is quite thick and it can look like a thick layer of paint on your lips. In saying that, if you're careful to limit your application, it is juicy, glossy perfection.

The peachy pink shade is just ideal for everyday wear because it looks relatively natural whilst still pretty and flattering. Though there really never was a gap beforehand, I feel like this balm filled a 'natural lip kind of day' gap in my life!

One problem that I do have with this is that it accentuates any dry patches on the lips unlike anything I've ever seen! I have to be extra sure to exfoliate my lips before application because otherwise it just looks like hell. It does mean that to wear this well it requires a little bit of fiddling around, but seriously, it's so worth it.

If you are in need of want a stunning everyday kind of shade then you can't go past this beauty. I would highly recommend it!

Natio Wellness Body Scrub

Back in the day when 'My shower routine" videos were popular on youtube (by the way, does anyone else find them a bit weird?) I always laughed seeing girls talk about the fifty step process they went through in the shower. I myself love a good lush product like everyone else, but the reality is my showers are more race in, race out because I'm late to get to school. I simply don't have the time or the energy to spend half an hour mucking about, and I also don't like wasting all that water.

One product that has been a consistent feature in my routine, however, is the Natio Wellness Body scrub. This was gifted to my Mum who was not at all interested in it, and she passed in on to me after I took one sniff of it and declared that it was mine!

This sugar scrub is apricot and pomegranate and every time I open it I just want to eat it! I love that this leaves the slightest hint of scent on your skin, so that if you want to wear perfume it is no problem but if you want to go without, you smell fresh and fruity. I love going to bed after having given my skin a good scrub because I just smell all clean and fresh. 

I use this scrub about once a week, usually on a weekend when I feel like giving myself a bit of pampering because it does take a fair while to scrub your body down! It's relatively gentle and not too abrasive so you probably could use it multiple times per week, I'm just lazy! Because the sugar granules are large, it really allows you to scrub fairly hard and get rid of all the dead skin cells that desperately need to be rid of! It also contains an oil that soaks into your skin completely and makes it feel smooth and moisturised.

You don't actually have to use much for this to be effective. The sugar granules are so large that they don't dissolve quickly and you can work at scrubbing the skin, massaging it in really well. I really love the jelly/jam like texture and it feels so good working it into your skin. It lathers up slightly so it's soapy and easy to work into your skin. If you only use this once a week like I do, I think it would last you quite a long time, and for around $15-20 it's worth every cent!

I've never felt the need for a body scrub before, but after this I am an absolute convert and I'm actually quite excited about exploring what else is out there! If you have tried any scrubs that you love, please let me know because I want to try it out!

Monthly Favourites - January

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

But alas, now for the favourites!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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