Laura Mercier - Christmas Collection

As Christmas fast approaches, many brands are bringing out really awesome Christmas gift packs that are better value for your money! Recently, David Jones has introduced the new Christmas gift packs by Laura Mercier. One of my favourites from the packs would have to be the Mini Lip Glace Collection (RRP $45.00) that includes 5 shades to choose from. It's a perfect stocking filler for the women you have to buy for, whether you decide to give the whole pack, or put 1 of each mini lip glace in their stocking! I'm especially loving the colour Pout*, a bright nude pink gloss that complements my tan skin tone perfectly. It glides on easily and has great coverage, as well as maintaining the super glossy look! It does settle slightly in the lip lines so make sure you prime the lips before using this (otherwise a lipstick will help avoid this problem). Stay tuned for an extensive Christmas gift guide post coming soon!

Artsy Wednesday - Polka Dots

Hi guys!! Today's AW theme is Polka dots! I went for a very simple monochrome polka dot look using 2 coats of OPI - Alpine Snow and 2 coats of Orly - Black Onyx. I like these simple nails and love them on my short nubbins!

Check out the other girls nails for this week's theme!

Michelle - Lab Muffin
Maria - Marias Nail Polish Blog
Jessica - Beauty Gnome 
Emily - An Accent Nail
Catrine - Unnakednails
Ameerah - Valiantly Varnished 

Wendy - M.A.S.P.O.O.A.S.E.

Haylee & Anna - Makeup and Masala  

Rose -  Every Little Polish  

Anna - Makeup n' More

Daiso Haul + New Store Opening in Melbourne!

If you are lucky enough to live near a Daiso then you'll know that coming out empty handed is impossible - especially when everything is only $2.80! Daiso stocks over 70,000 products from cosmetics, kitchenware (my favourite), food, homewares, stationary (close favourite too!), lifestyle products and toys too! There is actually a new flagship store opening on Thursday the 28th of November in Melbourne so if you're from Melbourne go check it out! You won't be able to miss the purple place!!

If you don't know, I absolutely LOVE cooking, baking and creating wonderful food. Whenever I go to Daiso I always visit the homewares and kitchenware section and here are a few of my favourite things I received:

Daiso Dust Bin* - with a super cute Cath Kidston inspired design

Love heart Icecube Tray* - I want to start putting juice into my ice trays and make a nice refreshing snack!
Bookend* - One issue i've found with this product is that the word "Book" is backwards when you put it on one side of all the books! Bummer! But this also works well as a recipe book holder - when you are reading through a book you can lean it against this with the page open. It also works well at holding iPad's to view recipes too!
Tea Cup* - I love the bright pink silicon band so I can hold the cup without burning my fingers!
Plastic Cutting Board* - This is really useful to use when camping or wanting to transport food from the bench to the fry/saucepan! I love how easy it is to clean this as well!

Ego SunSense Face SPF50+ Range

With the Australian Summer approaching us, we need to ensure we are reaching for our SPF50+ sunscreens for daily use. Did you know that 80% of UV radiation can penetrate through light cloud cover? It is astonishing how many studies are showing that UV rays are greatly affecting our skin, which can lead to premature aging. I for one want to have glowing, wrinkle-free skin like my mum at the age of 56! (Might also have something to do with her European background). Nonetheless, I admittedly have found it difficult to wear sunscreen consistently. As I have tan skin, and hardly burn when out in the sun, I used to use that excuse to not wear sunscreen - which is such a big NO! I just hadn't found a sunscreen product that didn't make my skin look oily, and make it feel greasy and sticky at the same time..

Since trying the new SunSense Face SPF50+ Range I am officially converted. Their Sunscreen are all fragrance, PABA, lanolin free, non-comodogenic and leaves a matte-like finish.  The sunscreen range also contain added Nicotinamide (not related to nicotine, is actually part of the Vitamin B group) and Vitamin E. I have really enjoyed using the Invisible Tint Finish Sunscreen* (RRP $14.99 - $25.95 for 75g and 200mL respectively). It has a slight pink/flesh tone colour but easily blends. It is quite sheer so is not for full coverage but helps to brighten the skin for a fresher look. I've been wearing this everyday for over a week and have loved the way it keeps my skin feeling soft all day. A great gift idea for Christmas would be the SunSense Moisturising Face* (RRP $13.95 for 100mL) or the SunSense Anti-Ageing Face* (RRP $20.95 for 100mL) which are also great stocking fillers, or hamper gifts for the adventure junkie! It is slightly thicker then the tint sunscreen and leaves skin looking slightly oily looking but is actually oil-free and ideal for all skin types. I also love that they come in smaller sizes, which are PERFECT for travel, or chucking in your beach bag for a day out! One other product I am obsessed with at the moment is the SunSense Lip Balm* (RRP $5.95 for 15mL). It is a rich, unscented, creamy white lip balm that absorbs very easily and leaves the lips feeling super soft and hydrated. I love the added cocoa butter! I can't wait for Summer to be here (8 days!!) so I can go to the beach a lot and have lots of fun, with the protection of SunSense, of course!

Remington - Smooth & Silky Face and Body Epilator

Hey guys!! Today I have the newest epilator to show you by Remington. Have you all heard of an epilator? If not, it is a small machine that pulls hairs out from the roots and has been my hair removal method for many years now! I was excited to give this new one a go because it can be used on the face which intrigued me! I'll be honest, epilators do hurt at first, but after using it for almost 5 years now I have definitely gotten used to the feeling and I can do both underarms in less than 5 minutes! Not to mention it has made my course, thick, greek hair much thinner and sparse ...yay!!

The Face & Body Epilator* comes complete with 2 washable heads - a shaver head with dual trimmers and an epilator head. The epilator head can remove hair as short as 0.5mm and there is also a precision light so you won't miss a single hair! It also comes with an angle cap to ensure optimal tweezing for the selected area, a detailed cap which is perfect for the face if you want a smaller area being epilated and a massage cap that is infused with aloe vera to help reduce discomfort. This epilator retails for $79.95 and is available online at www.remington-products.com.au. All Remington products come with either a 2, 3 or 5 year warranty. I love this product - it works so well at removing hairs precisely and leaves my skin feeling smooth. I can definitely tell the difference between this one and my 5 year old one - it just picks up the hairs so much better, less noise, and a more convenient size for storage and travel. I used this effortlessly on my underarms and decided to try it on my top lip. I was a bit scared and flinched a fair few times when doing it - as the top lip is super sensitive but I managed to use it quite easily on that area too! I am in love with this product and perfect timing for the bikini weather months ahead!

Will you be using an epilater to get summer ready??

Gatineau - Aquamemory Moisture Replenish Mask

Hey guys! Today I have Gatineau - Replenish Mask* (RRP $65 for 75ml) to share with you. This product is targeted for people with dehydrated skin and helps to instantly quench skin's thirst. It soothes and restores moisture and reduce fine lines. It contains Osmaporine that helps to increase water reserves within the epidermis, Pheohydrane to help rebuild the hydro-lipid film, Vitamin E, Glycerin and Allantoin (soothing). It is a clear gel mask and should be applied generously to the face and neck area. I left it on for 10 minutes and did notice a slight burning feeling around my chin area, but I am quite sensitive on my chin. I rinsed it off with warm water and pat dry my face with a towel. In conjunction with my hydraluron I have noticed my skin feeling SO hydrated that after cleansing my skin doesn't feel tight or start to flake off any dry skin! It is a great combo for my skin and I will continue using it - until I run out!

Kevin Murphy - Hydrate-Me Shampoo & Conditioner

Hey everyone! Today I have a review of the KEVIN.MURPHY - Hydrate-Me Shampoo* and Conditioner*. The Kakadu plum infused shampoo and conditioner helps moisturise hair by giving it a silky feel and a sensual touch. It is suitable for normal to dry hair and is sulphate and paraben free! It is so obvious this product is luxurious - even when I poured some into my hand before applying it to my hair I noticed how silky it felt. It makes my hair feel wonderfully soft and I adore the scent. To me it doesn't smell like a plum (although, i've never smelled a kakadu plum) but rather it smells of a subtle musk and I love it! If you want a really good shampoo and conditioner that leaves your hair noticeably softer and shinier after one use, this is the one for you! The shampoo retails for $32.95 and conditioner retails for $33.95 and can be found at selected salons nationally. 

What's your favourite KEVIN.MURPHY product?

Justice Professional - Protein Spray & Detangler

Hey guys! Hope you are having a great day! Today I have the Justice Professional Protein Spray* to show you! This protein spray helps protect hair from damaging heat styling, UV rays and Chlorine. It helps to detangle and de-frizz without boring flatness. It also gives a soft shine and flexible hold. Plus, this product smells ah-mazing! It smells like floral-ly clean hair.. I wish my hair smelled that good all the time! This has been my saviour after a shower and even coming home from work for a pick me up and revitalizing scent! You can buy this product from here, as well as Just Cuts salons in Australia and it retails for $18.95 for 250ml.

Artsy Wednesday - White Nails

Hi guys!! A real quick one again tonight sorry as I've been busy working at my new job and tomorrow is my birthdayyyyyyyyy! Today's AW theme is white nails so I opted for a simple look - an Indie polish called Party On My Yacht (relevant for my bday tomorrow - but not on a yacht!) by Pretty & Polished (reviewed here). I used 2 coats of it and I used Sportsgirl - Bubblegum for the french tips - a super bright pink creme! I finished it off by using 1 coat of SV. Thanks for reading!

Michelle - Lab Muffin
Maria - Marias Nail Polish Blog
Jessica - Beauty Gnome 
Emily - An Accent Nail
Catrine - Unnakednails
Ameerah - Valiantly Varnished 

Wendy - M.A.S.P.O.O.A.S.E.

Haylee & Anna - Makeup and Masala  

Rose -  Every Little Polish  

Anna - Makeup n' More

 

OPI - Pure 18k White Gold & Silver Top Coat

Hey guys! A quick one for you all today. I couldn't wait to use this gorgeous white gold and silver top coat over a black base (2 coats of Orly - Onyx*). Pure* is super easy to apply and looks so great over dark colours.

Amazing bottle - which I'm sure will be a collector's item in a few years!

Colour Theory - Nail Polish & Lipsticks

Nail polish and lipsticks. . . two of my favourite beauty items! Today I have some Colour Theory nail polishes and lipsticks to show you. Colour Theory is a very affordable cosmetic brand available from selected pharmacies and they have a four simple price points for their products, either being; $4, $6, $8 and $10. All nail polishes are $4 ...yes! And all lipsticks are $6! I can't believe how cheap it is and I actually really enjoyed using these products! All I can say about these products is that the nail polish brush is too short with a big stumpy lid which makes it kind of awkward to paint with and the lipsticks transfer way too easily. I kissed my boyfriend once and he had a full on pink lip going! Sorry Cam =).

Pineapple Express* - A yellow creme polish that leans slightly more to an orange toned yellow then pure yellow. I applied 2 coats.

Minted* - A light pastel mint seafoam blue. Applied in 2 coats.

Flamingo* - My favourite from the bunch, a lovely coral pink creme. So gorgeous and dries slightly lighter than in the bottle. 2 coats.

Summer Lovin' Pink* - A gorgeous berry pink creme. I applied 2 coats.

Then I did some random geometric nail art using all the colours together. I liked them all but wish I had done the Summer lovin' pink stripe thinner on the ring finger.

Fuschia Frenzy Lipstick* - This colour looks exactly the same as Summer lovin' pink but in a lipstick form and is a gorgeous bright pink creme that applies easily and leaves lips feeling creamy and soft.

Razzle Dazzle* - This lipstick is a slightly darker pink with a red tone to it. It is gorgeous. Same formula as the fuschia one.

Will you be picking up any Colour Theory products? Let me know what you get!! Have a great day.

Halloween Outfit/Makeup & Cupcakes

Hey guys! Super quick post for this one just to let you see what I did for Halloween this year! It is hardly celebrated in Australia (which is a shame because it is so much fun) but nonetheless my boy and I still dressed up and we went as zombies! I really planned our make up by buying fake blood, black tooth enamel, zombie flesh and you-tubed videos on how to do cool wound looks! We went to a party and then we went out clubbing and we scared a few people :-D

I also made halloween themed cupcakes too! I love baking and loved decorating these so much! I hope you had a great halloween :)

Freaky right?!

Calvin Klein One Cosmetics

Enter my giveaway to win a Benefit Makeup Kit & Yankee Candle!

Hey guys! Today I have a few CK One cosmetics to show you today! I'm so excited to share this with you as these products left a great first impression with me! Ck One Color is the latest release of makeup by Calvin Klein and features their signature black and white packaging. I have the Mascara, Double-Ended Eyeliner and Pure Color Lipstick to show you. All of these can be found at Myer.

CK One Color Mascara in 800 Show* (RRP $30.00) - This true black mascara is encased in a stunning white and matte black barrel with a silicon brush. The coolest thing about this mascara is that you can lengthen the wand tip by twisting the very top of the lid, so if you're looking to lengthen and separate your lashes you can use the longer brush, and if you are after thick and voluminous lashes you can use the smaller brush. I also find the smaller brush is great for the lower lashes too. It applies perfectly but I found it quite hard to remove excess mascara from the brush therefore making my eyelashes look a bit clumpy. It removes very easily with make up wipes though.

Small brush

Large brush

Before & After Mascara Applied

CK One Double- Ended Eyeliner in Fiasco/Fortune* (RRP $28.00) - This double ended eyeliner has a dark midnight blue eyeliner (Fortune) on one end and a gorgeous highlighting gold eyeliner (Fiasco) on the other end. The pencils are creamy and give great opacity. I used Fiasco along my lower waterline and inner corner and used Fortune along my upper eyelid, smudged it all over the lid, then went over the line again to add depth. It looked gorgeous and the colours helped to open my eye up and look sultry. I will definitely be using this eye combination when I go out to dinner on Friday night. 

 

CK One Color Pure Lipstick in Wow* (RRP $ 35.00) - This lipstick is a super gorgeous hot flamenco pink creme colour that is slightly matte for a long lasting effect. It is fully opaque in 2 coats. I love this colour and can see my self reaching for this colour a lot. The packaging is effortless and so compact, great for small handbags. 

This is a great collection of make up by Calvin Klein and I can't wait to try their brow product too! Have a great day!