August Favourites

August Favourites

Hourglass - Ambient in Ethereal Light (Cool Translucent)

This powder looks great on the skin - It is such a fine luminous powder that subtly diffuses fine lines/open pores whilst giving your skin a silky natural beautiful glow. If you want coverage, this powder wont give it to you as it acts more like a setting powder. However the benefit of being a light weight powder is that you use it to touch up several times during the day without creating that cakey look or feel. 

Hourglass - Veil Mineral Primer

This primer is great if you have oily skin or an oily T-zone as it is not just an oil free but it also has the ability to absorb up excess oil. Perfect for a long shift as you'll come back home with no oily residue on your skin at all. It also smoothes out open pores and fine lines and makes your skin feel so velvety smooth. If you're like me and have combination skin, you can just use it on your t-zone.

YSL - Glossy Stain in 15 Rose Vinyl

I recently got introduced to this product from my friend Elena at Lulu & Char. This lip stain is amazing! Not only does the colour stay on all day, but the glossiness doesn't seem to wear off either. There are heaps of lip stains around these days and most of them tend to dry out your lips but because YSL's Glossy Stain is like a lip gloss, your lips will feel nice and hydrated throughout the day. Best thing about this is that it doesn't feel sticky like other lip glosses.

LHS: Away from natural light

RHS: Towards natural light

Lancome - Hypnose Doll Eyes Waterproof

This mascara gives volume and length without being clumpy. Because of it's more separating acting, you can achieve a more natural, fluttery and 'doll-eyed' effect. I got the waterproof version as my eyelashes tend to droop very easily if I use non-waterproof mascara's. 

Image Above: Wearing Lancome Hypnose Doll Eyes

By Terry - Touche Veloutee #2 Cream

I have never heard of an eye brightener and blemish cover up in one until I discovered By Terry's Touche Veloutee! For those of you who don't know By Terry, she is the maker of YSL's renowned Touche Eclat. A few years later, she came out with her own line which houses luxurious makeup products that have skincare benefits in them too. This highlighting brush is not only a light reflecting brightener that can be used underneath the eyes to cover dark circles but it is also a smooth and creamy concealer that can cover up any imperfections such as blemishes, dark spots, redness, fine lines and wrinkles. And because this product contains hydra-plumping hyaloronic acid microspeheres which hydrates and smoothes away fine lines, it is less prone to creasing into your lines. Great for dry under eyes or dry skin in general!

Top Lip Treatments

Why is it important to moisturise your lips?

Lip treatment is very important if you want to maintain soft/subtle lips; especially if you're using lipstick all the time (which can often dry out your lips). 

The skin on your lips is very thin and just like your eye area, it doesn't contain any oil glands so the they are very susceptible to become dry, dehydrated and chapped. 

A good lip treatment should provide a protective layer to seal in hydration as well as replace any natural oils that have been lost from all the drying environmental conditions.  

Ive always been a quick spender when it comes to cosmetic products and I find this habit especially so when it comes to lip balms. 

Lip balms are usually the quick to grab add on product, one of the most affordable beauty products in the market, and the one cosmetic product that people often waste their money on. You can even say that buying them is almost like an addiction. You know that feeling when you're just browsing around the shops and wanting buy something but theres no luck of finding anything good? Well in my case, this is where the quick to grab lip balm comes in handy - to ease that retail therapy itch. 

So through many years of my occasional  or rather compulsive lip balm purchases, I have tried many different types and brands of lip treatments; from the primary school Lip Smackers, to the high school Strawberry Chapstick/Lucas Pawpaw Ointment, and to the now luxurious spends on Dior and La Prairie. After years of experimenting, I have finally found my top picks for lip treatments.

I've got to admit.. In the past I have wasted a lot of time and money on buying beauty products purely based on their packaging, but these favourites that I'm going to mention in detail below are majorly based on how they work in terms of hydrating and conditioning the lips (which really should be what lip balms are for anyway). 

TOP LIP TREATMENTS

Clarins Moisture Replenishing Lip Balm

($32 AUD David Jones)

PROS

- extremely nourishing

- lips feel instantly hydrated

- works on super dry and chapped lips

- melts into lips (feels very silky and comfortable on)

- slight rose scent

- my HG lip balm (the one lip balm I have almost finished)

- SPF 15 helps protect the lips from the ageing effects of UV rays

- even when it wears off lips feel nourished and protected

CONS

- none

Shiseido Benefiance Full Correction Lip Treatment

($57 AUD David Jones)

PROS

- plumps up the lips

- improves your lip contour

- not too glossy/shiny when applied (almost looks like you don't have lip balm on giving you a natural moisturised look on your lips)

- not so waxy therefore can use it underneath as a base or on top of lipstick

- long wear/lasts on lips for hours

- doesn't have that thick gooey feeling on your lips

- hydrating without being too oily on the lips

- increases collagen levels (plumps up existing lines/wrinkles and prevents new ones from forming) 

- even when it wears off lips feel nourished and protected

CONS

- a bit pricey

Lip treatments with a bit of colour and tint

Clarins Instant Light Natural Lip Perfector 02

($26 AUD David Jones)

PROS

- mixture between gloss and lip balm

- slight sheer tint of peachy pink (very nice neutral colour)

- softly textured lip gel

- deliciously sweet scent (smells like vanilla cake)

- gives a sheer and soft colour on lips

- leaves lips feeling smoothed, silky, and moisturised

CONS

- doesn't work that well for extremely chapped lips

- not much colour pay off

- not as moisturising as the original Clarins moisture replenishing lip balm

Dior Lip Glow

 ($48 AUD David Jones)

PROS

- cute packaging

- applicator makes it easy to apply on lips 

- can use it just like a lipstick

- enhances your natural lip colour with a beautiful berry pink glow

- can use it by itself without a lipstick for a more natural youthful look 

- SPF 15 to prevent any aging/discolouration on lips

- pleasant minty vanilla scent

- nourishing and moisturising

- can use it as a base before lipstick as it isn't very waxy/slippery

CONS

- doesn't last on the lips for a long time 

Lip conditioner and exfoliator

La Prairie Cellular Lip Renewal Concentrate

($140 AUD David Jones)

PROS

- continuously hydrates without that thick rich layer on top of lips

- lightweight formula

- feels watery but soaks into the skin after a couple minutes and leaves a nice matte appearance

- rebuilds lips natural moisture barrier

- lips feel firmed and smoother after using it 

- smoothes out any fine lines and cracked skin on lips

- AHA based formula (fruit acids that deeply exfoliate away dry skin on lips)

- lips appear more plump and pink after using it

- pleasant citrusy scent

- quite a large bottle

- a little bit of the product goes a long way

CONS

- the pump bottle can disperse too much product sometimes

- quite pricey 

Makeup Bag

Paul & Joe makeup bag purchased from ASOS

What's in my makeup bag:

Chanel Vitalumiere Eclat SPF10 compact powder B10 Beige

 medium coverage, handy mirror inside, gives radiance and natural/non cakey look given that you use the compact brush provided rather than the sponge.

Shiseido Advanced Essential Energy mini hand cream

very nourishing hand cream, leaves hands feeling soft, compact.

Clarins Instant Light Natural Lip Perfector 02

moisturises the lips while giving it a nice peachy pink tint, can use it by itself for a more natural look or you can use it as a base and put lipstick over it for more colour.

Revlon Lip Butter 080 Strawberry Shortcake

my favourite revlon lip butter colour, glossy baby pink, moisturises the lips while giving it enough colour.

Shiseido Sweat and Oil Blotting Paper

good for hot days, removes sweat and oil, prevents shine, good for those with oily skin/oily t-zone.

Bandaids

always have bandaids with me incase I get blisters from new shoes.

Klorane mini dry shampoo 

on the go shampoo, prevents/fixes oily hair, good for the fringe area, good for summer when theres more oil and sweat build up, compact. 

Chanel Coco Mademoiselle twist and spray perfume

favourite perfume scent, twist and spray makes it very easy to bring around rather than a typical glass perfume bottle which can break easily. 

Nars concealer in Vanilla/Honey

handy to have especially when you need to cover up dark circles or an upcoming pimple.

Contact lens case (with contact lens liquid inside)

so important to bring this around if you're a contact lens wearer. Sometimes contact lens's can irritate your eyes and you need to take them out temporarily to soak and let your eyes breathe. 

YvesSaintLaurent Touche Eclat brightener in colour 2

can brighten up your eyes instantly and make you look more awake, good for long days.

Majolica Majorca Perfect Automatic eyeliner in BK999

unlike other liquid eyeliners (which have pots and can leak easily), this one is a twisty so you won't have to worry whether your eyeliner will leak as it will only suspend liquid when you need to use it. 

Napoleon white eyeliner

must have, can make you look like a different person -  make you look more awake instantly if you put it in the inner corner of your eyes/bottom waterline. 

YvesSaintLaurent waterproof black eyeliner

really good compact eyeliner, love that its waterproof, won't smudge easily, good for putting on top/bottom waterline.

Tweezerman mini tweezer

good to fix up your eyebrow shape/any rogue hairs when you're on the run.

Ann xx

November Favourites

Kiehl's Aromatic Blends Orange Flower & Lychee body cleanser and body lotion, Shiseido Natural Cream Concealer, Urban Decay 24/7 Waterproof Liquid Liner, Ben Nye Luxury Powder, H2O Face Oasis Hydrating Treatment, Dior Lip Glow

Kiehl's Aromatic Blends - Orange Flower & Lychee:

Skin Softening Body Cleanser ($30 AUD from David Jones): Lathers really well, cleans the skin while conditioning at the same time, leaves the skin smelling refreshed, summery, florally and fruity every time I get out of the shower.

Skin Softening Body Lotion ($38 AUD from David Jones): Lightweight yet very moisturising, leaves the skin feeling extra soft and smooth, the tropical fresh fruity and sweet fragrance is much more distinct when using the body lotion compared to the body cleanser. Love the scent, especially for summer.

Ben Nye Luxury Powder in Cameo ($8.15 AUD from camerareadycosmetics.com):

A matte finish loose translucent powder with a hint of colour that provides good coverage throughout the whole day. You probably know this powder best in creating Kim Kardashian's signature flawless make up look. This powder definitely creates this flawless look and does not disappoint. The texture is so fine and silky smooth, it is so easy to apply, and lasts the whole day. If you're not fond of the matte look like me, you can always just apply it on certain areas such as the forehead to stop shine, over blemishes or under the eyes to brighten, set, and prevent concealer from smudging, the side of the nose to hide redness, or you can even do what Kim Kardashian's makeup artist does when using the Ben Nye powder and use it to brighten and contour the face. 

Kim Kardashian's make up artist applies Ben Nye Banana colour powder (as she is quite tanned) below the eyes, just on top of the cheek bones, side of the noes, a line on top of the nose and a little bit on the forehead and chin to create her famous structured, highlighted and flawless look.  
And just to add, the price of this powder is very reasonable.. definitely a really good buy!

H2O Face Oasis Hydrating treatment ($35.70 AUD from sasa.com):

A light weight gel moisturiser that hydrates without being too oily or rich on the skin. I have combination skin (oily T-zone and dry cheeks) and this moisturiser is perfect for me, especially during the spring/summer time however maybe not enough for winter/autumn as my skin gets quite dry during these times. What I love about this moisturiser is that it is so lightweight but hydrates at the same time, helps balance out my combination skin (doesn't leave my T-zone oily and doesn't leave my cheeks dry), leaves the skin feeling soft and subtle, and a little bit of the moisturiser goes a long way. I even think this moisturiser would be really good for sensitive and acne prone skin as it is such a light formula and gives a nice cooling sensation when applying it to the skin. 

Shiseido Natural Finish Cream Concealer in Light Medium 2 ($50 AUD from David Jones):

A creamy concealer that provides good coverage without looking too cakey or dry. Unlike other good coverage concealers that tend to be thick and hard to apply, Shiseido's concealer is so smooth, creamy, and thin in consistency which makes it very easy to apply and blend through. Ive tried a lot of good coverage concealers in the past and they always tend to look too thick and dry especially under the eye area however this concealer doesn't crease or dry out and looks so natural as it doesn't have that matte finish. At first I thought the colour was a little bit too yellow for me but in fact I find that the yellowish tone helps cover my pinkness, especially around the sides of my nose, on acne scars and even under the eye area. This concealer stays on for relatively long provided you apply a powder over it to set it (otherwise it can smudge easily). 

Dior Lip Glow ($48 AUD from David Jones): 

A lip conditioner with a hint of pink. Not only does this lip balm leave my lips feeling smooth and conditioned, but it also helps bring out a tinge of colour to my lips, making my lips look naturally plump and berry pink. I also love that it has SPF 15 to prevent any discolouration on the lips. Cute packaging and has a nice minty vanilla scent too. Although the colour is not as intense as the Revlon Lip Butters, Dior Lip Glow focuses more on the moisturising factor and gives a rather natural glowing look. The only thing is that it is a quite pricey :/

Urban Decay 24/7 Waterproof Liquid Eyeliner in Black ($21.47 AUD from beautybay.com):

This liquid eyeliner is really the best when it comes to staying power as it stays on all day. Urban decays liquid liner is quite pigmented and sets to a glossy black. The thin brush tip is also something to brag about as it allows you to create precise winged lines and makes it hard for you to make a mistake. Because I don't have very big eyelids, I don't mind the thinness of the brush but if you had large eyelids then maybe this brush would be considered too thin for you. Although this eyeliner is waterproof, it comes comes off quite easily when using eye makeup remover. When using liquid liner, I usually like to use gel liner first so that the colour and staying power is enhanced. 

Think Pink for October: Lipsticks

As you know October is the month of pink - Breast Cancer Awareness month. In honour of this month, I thought I would do a special post showcasing some of my favourite pink lipsticks. This may be useful for those of you who are wanting to purchase any lipsticks online and can't be bothered going into the shops and trying it on. Or even those of you who are extra hygienic and prefer not to try on the testers before buying. Ive tried my best to give an accurate representation of each of the lipstick colours in my pictures. I was actually going to do this post a bit earlier in the month but never got around to doing it until now. I know it's a bit late.. but at least were still just in the month of October :)


 

Above: swatches of lipsticks
Below: lipstick packaging & lipstick applied on the lips

Revlon Matte - 002 Pink Pout

Missha Creamy Matte Lip Rouge - PK02

Revlon Living Lipstick - 36 Orchid Beach

YSL Rouge Volupté - 29 Opera Rose

Dior Addict - 578 Diorkiss

Chanel Rouge Allure - 91 Séduisante

Chanel Rouge Allure - 66 Confidentielle

Revlon Lip Butter - 080 Strawberry Shortcake

Ann x

October Favourites

Hello everyone. This is my very first favourites post containing my top beauty buys for the month of October. I will be doing one every month from now. Enjoy~

Sohum candle - Seagrass, Grande Vegetale range 

($39.95 AUD purchased at Soak)

I was really drawn to this candle mainly because of the beautiful design. Most candles you see these days have a more simple and typical smooth shaped glass design however the Sohum candle has a unique ridged glass design giving off an elegant look (perfect for putting on your vanity table or decorating your room). Sohum have so many different scents to choose from but I only chose one which was Seagrass as it has a nice fresh kind of smell (I am not a big fan of really floral scents). Because I'm no expert with candles, I cannot really tell you how strongly it burns but it definitely gives a nice subtle scent to my room, making it smell fresh and clean every time I walk in. I purchased this candle in a cute little candle shop called Soak (Shop 4, 372 Mt Dandenong Tourist Road, Sassafras) however I believe you can also find Sohum candles in Queen Victoria Market and Chapel Street. 

Topshop Highlighter - Crescent Moon 

($15 AUD purchased from Topshop.com) 

Topshop Glow - Polished 

($14 AUD purchased from Topshop.com)

I initially purchased these two from the Topshop online store out of impulse to receive free shipping however I am quite pleased with both of them. The Highlighter in crescent moon is a sheer highlighting powder that gives off a subtle peachy highlight to your face. The Glow in Polished is a pigmented creamy textured highlighter that gives a more enhanced and slightly warm luminescence to your face. Perfect for when you are wanting to go out at night and dress up a little bit more. You can use these two separately or together (creamy texture first then powder after) depending on how illuminated you want your cheekbones, nose bridge, etc to look. Brush some in the middle of your legs/bone area for the illusion of more defined legs. 

 

OPI Avoplex - Cuticle Oil To Go 

($17.95 AUD purchased from David Jones)

Although I do have the original larger size of this cuticle oil, I find it very hard to take around with me as it is quite heavy due to being made out of glass. I often don't have time to put cuticle oil on before I leave the house so my cuticles get quite dry throughout the day so this Cuticle Oil To Go is perfect for me! Perfect for taking around with me in my bag as it is lightweight and so easy to use. All you have to do is squeeze a little bit of cuticle oil out, apply it to your cuticles with the in-built brush, and rub in. You can also apply this on any dry areas on your hand if you don't have any hand cream with you too.

OPI Avoplex - Exfoliating Cuticle Treatment 

($19.95 AUD purchased at David Jones)

This exfoliating cuticle treatment was great for taking off any fine, excess, and messy cuticle that is sticking out. I found that it moisturised and maintained the cuticle area so I didn't have to trim it as much. All you have to do is just rub the ointment in, leave on for 3-5 minutes and the AHA's (Alpha Hydroxy Acid's) will do the work for you by exfoliating and smoothing down the cuticle areas.

La Prairie - Cellular Lip Renewal Concentrate

($140 AUD at David Jones)

Although this lip product was sort of a splurge, it was very much worth it for me. Most lip products I have used in the past have a thick, rich, and sticky sensation when applied on the lips and not long after they tend to get dehydrated/cracked again. Unlike other products, La Prairie's Cellular Lip Renewal Concentrate continuously hydrates without having that thick rich layer on top of your lips. This sheer lightweight formula when first applied feels watery in texture but only a couple minutes after soaks into the lips leaving a nice matte appearance however feeling nourished and hydrated at the same time. Not only did I find that it helped rebuild my lips moisture barrier but it also firmed and smoothed out any fine lines & cracked skin on my lips thanks to the AHA based formula (Alpha Hydroxy Acid made out of fruit acids hence the citrusy scent and slight tingling sensation when applied). In addition I found that this product gave my lips have a natural glow and made my lips pinker and plumper. The best thing about this product is that it will last you for ages as it comes in quite a size large container plus a little bit of product goes a long way. Apply some before you go to sleep at night and you'll wake up with smooth and flawless lips!

Also, Please check out my friend Cindy's Youtube Channel. She has tutorials and lots of helpful tips on where to buy clothes & makeup online!

http://www.youtube.com/user/2ccindy?feature=results_main