December's farewelled products and the final 2014 empties tallies by category!

Are you ready for my final 2014 empties post? Seeing as I was in the mood for summing up the year I've included yearly tallies at the end of the post too - I wanted to know what things I got through the most and see if there were any surprises...

 

Skin care

 

132) Renew You Q10 & Hyaluronic Acid Intense Hydration Hydrogel Masque (1 treatment) - This is the most unusual sheet mask I've tried because it's a 2-piece mask, and rather than tissue or cloth it's a slippery, rubbery gel-like mask which I actually found a little claustrophobic on my face.  I could feel the slight tingle of acids working their magic on my skin and my skin definitely felt smoother after one treatment. Truth be told though - because I found the experience more claustrophobic than relaxing I won't be buying this particular sheet mask again.

 

133) Kirkland Daily Facial Cleansing Towelettes (30 towelettes) - Forgive me but I still have two more packs of these to finish.  Not bad but nowhere near the HG of cleansing clothes. I'm actually starting to wean myself off the habit so it's probably going to be a while before I finish them.

 

 

134) Chu Lip Balm (Tokyo Mode Night) - You probably think I ate this because I got through it so quickly! This Japanese lip balm wins on cute packaging alone but the honey, lemon tea and bergamot scent was very appealing to me also.  This balm was not at all waxy and melted onto the lips so it wasn't a surprise I finished it in under two months.  Still, I wish I'd bought more of the six scents/flavours to try and I wouldn't need my arm twisted too hard to order some online from the Japan Trend Shop! (Sorry Liz I forgot to draw on the eyes and nose for this shot :p)

 

135)  Face of Australia Gentle Make-up Remover (125ml/4.23 fl.oz) - I'm onto another backup of this gentle remover which takes off waterproof eye makeup and more recently it's passed the test on long-lasting lip colours too.

 



Hand and body care

 

136) Bath & BodyWorks Warm Vanilla Sugar Shea & Vitamin E Shower Gel (3 fl.oz/88 ml) -  I am literally KICKING myself for not loading up my luggage (or at least buying the full size) of this cosy scented shower gel when I was in Hawaii. This shower gel foams up so well it's like taking a standing up bubble bath and leaves my skin delicately scented and moisturised - Gimme more! Thanks again Liz for introducing me to this delicious scent!

 

137) Natio Wellness Body Scrub (450g/15.8oz) - I enjoy this scrub in a tub. See a more detailed review here.

 

 

138) Natio Meditate Body Butter (Yoga Scent Narcissus Attar 100g/3.5oz) - Scented with Narcissus Jonquilla Flower oil, this body butter smelt heavenly but is unfortunately discontinued.

 

139) Palmer's Cocoa Butter Formula Concentrated Cream (30g/1.1oz) - I'd actually packed this for my overseas trip a few months ago but a little goes a long way so it made its way back home again.  A little squeeze of the tube is all that's needed to get enough of this rich cream to deeply moisturise my elbows or feet and it absorbs in seconds.

 

140) Palmer's Anti-Aging Smoothing Lotion 250ml/8.5 fl.oz)* - This is one of my favourite body lotions because it exfoliates and smooths the keratosis on my skin in addition to moisturising.  I have quite a stash of body moisturisers to get through at the moment but this will be at the top of my repurchase list.

 

 

140) OPI Expert Touch Lacquer Remover (120ml/4 fl.oz) - Surprise! Surprise! NOT! Another empty bottle of OPI remover to add to the tally.

 

Cosmetics

 

141) Models Prefer BB Pressed Powder (Light/Medium) - One of the disappointments for the year.  Despite its claims this BB powder offered very minimal coverage when worn alone and I resorted to using it as a finishing powder although it wasn't great at mattifying either.  Will. Not. Repurchase.

 



Fragrance

 

142) Guerlain La Petite Robe Noire EDT (1 ml/.03 oz. sample) - This sweet fragrance does smell PRETTY and youthful, perfect for the wearer of a cute little black dress like that illustrated on the vial. I did enjoy it though and remain hopeful that it's not too young for me just yet! Top notes are black cherry, bergamot, red berries and almond. Mid notes are Bulgarian and Turkish roses, licorice and smoked black tea. Aniseed, tonka bean, vanilla, iris and patchouli form the base.

 

143) Witchery Fresh Blossom rollerball (12ml/0.4 fl.oz) - Australian fashion brand Witchery describe this as "sensuous and uncomplicated" and l liked the slightly syrupy citrusy scent for everyday wear - don't laugh but it reminds me of orange syrup cake!  Still it's very subtle and soft, and unlikely to offend anyone. I bought this fragrance from a warehouse store and can't find anything online about it so I'm sure it's been discontinued.  

 

 

******************************

 

So THAT comes to a grand total of 143 products emptied for the year comprising of the following sorted by category.  Keep reading if you're into the numbers...

 

 

 

Skin care:

• 10 packs of cleansing wipes (this will not continue on the same scale!)
• 7 full sized (and 1 travel size) makeup removers
• 4 sheet masks
• 3 full sized (and 1 travel size) day creams
• 3 lip treatments/balms
• 2 full sized (and 4 travel sized) facial cleansers
• 2 full sized (and 1 travel size) serums
• 2 peel off mask sachets
• 1 full size (and 2 travel sized) night cream
• 1 facial scrub
• 1 cleansing (micellar) water
• 1 face mask tube
• 1 papaw ointment tube
• 2 sample tubes eye cream  

 

 

Hand and body care:

• 11 nail polish removers
• 9 hand creams
• 6 body butters
• 5 body scrubs
• 4 full sized (and 1 travel sized) body washes
• 3 full sized (and 2 travel sized) body lotions
• 3 hand washes
• 1 foot cream
• 1 nail polish top coat
• 1 body exfoliating towelette

 

 

Cosmetics:

• 6 lipsticks
• 6 tubes of mascara
• 5 lip glosses
• 3 concealers
• 2 BB powders
• 1 full sized (and 2 travel sized) eye primers
• 1 eye shadow palette
• 1 eye shadow single
• 1 eyeliner pencil
• 1 mineral foundation
• 1 powder blush
• 1 pressed powder
• 1 primer

(I also culled 6 additional lipsticks, an eye shadow palette, mascara and tinted sunscreen although these did not count towards the empties tally. I hope for much more culling this year!)

 

 

Haircare: 

• 1 full sized (and 1 travel sized) shampoo
• 1 full sized (and 1 travel sized) conditioner
• 1 volumizing spray

(Haircare was the least accurate category of all as I only counted shampoos and conditioners I reviewed last year. I don't know if you guys are interested in my usual shampooing routine in 2015??)

 

 

Fragrance:

• 5 full sized bottles
• 9 sample vials

 

***************************

 

And OMG that was the FULL story for 2014! 





 

 

 (Products marked * were provided for my consideration.  All comments and opinions are my own.)

September's farewelled products

 

This post includes a lot of travel sized products used up during my recent trip - surprisingly I even managed to finish off a few makeup items while I was away! That takes a little edge off any shopper's guilt I may have from the subsequent indulgence perhaps?...

 

Skin care

 

92) Gaia Skin & Body Foaming Cleanser (50ml travel size) - This is formulated for normal/combination sensitive skin and I found the gel formula a refreshing way to cleanse my face in my morning shower.  It wasn't overly foamy and the citrusy floral scent was perfect for the summery climate!

93) La Clinica White Brilliant Intensive Correction Hydrating Night Cream (50ml/1.76 fl.oz)* - This moisturiser feels richly moisturising, softening without the greasy feel of some other night creams I've tried over the years and it penetrates quickly so it doesn't feel claustrophobic or suffocating on my skin overnight.  I've yet to find the magic bullet that zaps all pigmentation but you know I'll keep on trying! 

94) Yes To Cucumbers Soothing Hypoallergenic Facial Towelettes (10 travel towelettes) - It's pretty obvious I bought this pack for travel!  I've used these wipes before and previously I found them a little tingly and astringent.  My summer humidified skin tolerated them better this time around so I'd now consider them for a summertime travel cleansing option.
 

Hand and body care

 

95) Aesop Geranium Leaf Body Cleanser (50ml/1.77 fl.oz travel size) - I was spoilt with Aesop toiletries during our one-night stopover in the Tokyo Park Hyatt so once I'd used this I took the rest of the bottle with me to finish it off - they're not going to leave a half-used bottle for the next guests after all! The scent is a zesty wake me up combination of Geranium Leaf, Mandarin Rind and Bergamot Rind which certainly clears the head so I loved it.  The gel formula is low foaming so easily rinsed off and my skin felt refreshed afterwards.  In-shower indulgences are something I do feel conflicted about though because it does all go down the drain after all so I don't know if I would rush out to spend almost $50 on a half-litre bottle...but you know this one is going to tempt me because of the associated memories of Tokyo. I might drop a hint to the family if they don't know what to buy me for Christmas perhaps???

 

96) L'Occitane Dry Skin Hand Cream (30ml/1.oz) - I've raved about this silky shea butter hand cream many times before and it's still my favourite so it's going to pop up here again!

 

97) Dr Dennis Gross Skincare Alpha Beta Exfoliating Body Towel (1 textured towel) - I'm guessing these towelettes are primarily for pre self-tan exfoliation but I used this as a once-off treatment for my upper arm bumps (keratosis pilaris) and if I could easily buy a box of these I would - even if only for travel - because I felt instant smoothing results! Fingers crossed Sephora Australia stocks this line when they finally open their doors.  Thanks to lovely Larie for sending this out to me in our swap!



 

Hair care

 

98) & 99) Unico Intensive Shampoo & Intensive Conditioner (250ml each)* - This was really interesting because I was recently able to compare these directly to Aesop hair products and I can say Unico definitely hold their own.  I used the intensive shampoo and conditioner daily and I had "happy" hair - by which I mean fresh smelling, volumized, soft hair which you is just what you want from a salon shampoo and conditioner isn't it?  (Read here for my full review.)

100) & 101) Aesop Classic Shampoo & Classic Conditioner (50ml each) - More luxury hotel freebies that I had the pleasure of using! These reminded me a lot of the Unico products as they're also botanical hair care products, this time enriched with herbal oils such as Rosemary Leaf, Cedarwood Bark and Lavender and the scent is similarly green and fresh.  I had the same "happy" hair really - the only differences are the conditioner is slightly thicker, and more like a conditioning crème, and the price point is higher ($29AUD for 200ml full sized bottles). 

 

Cosmetics

 

 I'm on a break from the beauty diet but I did manage to finish a few of the makeup items I took away with me... 



102) Sportsgirl Pout About It crème lipstick (Beauty Queen) - This is a soft baby pink lipstick and not something I'd usually wear at work but it was a subtle holiday choice and a more fun, summery alternative to my usual nude-mauve selections.  These lippies aren't tested on animals and at around $9.95 are a good local budget beauty buy.

103) Models Prefer Anti-Wrinkle Concealer (Light) - Funnily enough, Light wasn't quite light enough for me so I couldn't use it as a brightening or highlighting concealer.  Coverage-wise it offers medium coverage which on the plus side doesn't settle into lines so it was good enough for everyday wear. 

104) Revlon Lash Potion by Grow Luscious Waterproof Mascara (Blackest Black) - A reasonable waterproof mascara that thickened my lashes and held fast through exercise although it didn't do anything to the length of my lashes - I don't need longer lashes anyway! Unfortunately I managed to bend the wand after only a few uses which was annoying, although prestige makeup houses now sell those bendy wand mascaras so...

 

Fragrance

 

 105) Balenciaga Rosabotanica EDP (1.2ml sample) - This fresh and summery spicy floral fragrance is going to be the scent that reminds me of my holiday and I bought a full size bottle at the airport. Top notes: blue hyacinth, fig leaf & petitgrain; middle notes: rose, grapefruit, cardamom & pink pepper;  base notes:  white amber, cedar, vetiver, patchouli & woody accords.

 

106) Shiseido Zen EDP (1ml sample) - Yes, I know it's clichéd but I packed this vial for Japan!   Top notes are grapefruit, sweet bergamot, orange, pineapple,  and blue rose. Middle notes are freesia, gardenia, violet, lily-of-the-valley, Chinese rose, red apple and lotus blossom and the base notes are patchouli, cedar wood, musk and white musk, amber and frankincense.

 

That's it for the latest empties then...Japan drugstore shopping post next!

 

 

 (Products marked * were provided for my consideration.  All comments and opinions are my own.)

 



April's farewelled products (and beauty diet update)

Here we are again with another load of empties.  Let's see if I can talk about these without getting too wordy...

 

Skin care

 

34) Kirkland Daily Facial Cleansing Towelettes (15 towelettes) - Something happens to me whenever I go to Costco.  I always get caught up in the multi-pack mentality so without ever trying them before I bought a massive box of these!  They're not the best wipes I've tried but they're not the worst either.  They actually smell quite refreshing and one wipe is usually enough to take off the day's makeup base.  They seem to be quite heavily laden with moisturiser which my skin will probably appreciate more as the weather gets colder. Expect many more of these empty packs to pop over the months because as I said, I bought an entire box!

 

35) Montagne Jeunesse Cucumber Peel-Off Masque - I bought this on a whim to treat my slightly oilier than usual skin and it worked! My post-vacation skin was a little oily and congested so I spread this on, and (very easily) peeled it off 20 minutes later. My skin immediately felt cleaner and the next morning I noticed my forehead bumps were visibly diminished.  I've bought some more of these to keep on hand for those times I need a more clarifying mask - and when I just feel like a little bit of fun!

 

 

 

36) La Clinica Gly C Refine Gentle Facial Cream Cleanser (10ml/0.35 fl.oz sample size) - One of my travel bag products.  This cream cleanser is a great balance of rich creaminess with skin smoothing Glycolic Acid and Vitamin C.  First impressions of this product is it felt gentle enough on my skin and rinsed off easily. 

 

37) Lancôme Bi-Facil Non Oily - Sensitive Eyes Instant Cleanser (30ml/1 fl.oz travel size) - Another travel bag item.  It's been a long time since I've used this Lancôme version and now I grudgingly have to admit I think this might be the best dual-phase remover out there because it removes the most stubborn mascara (Benefit's They're Real! anyone??) formulas like nothing else. What a shame I'm a cheapskate when it comes to removers but $60AUD is a bit too much for me even for 125ml.

 

38) Face of Australia Gentle Make-Up Remover (125ml/4.23 fl.oz) - Another dual-phase remover and much more affordable than Lancôme as it only costs $8.95 for 125ml.  Okay, so this will take a little more elbow grease to remove the most stubborn eye products but at the price it doesn't matter if I need to use more product.  This is a repurchase and I will continue to repurchase because it's great value for money and is oil and paraben-free.  

 

39) Bioderma Crealine H2O (250ml) - So don't shoot me but after all the hype I just couldn't 100% love this product.  Sure part of me wanted to bathe in it because it felt so soothing and refreshing when removing makeup from my face - however...  It just didn't cut it with waterproof eye makeup removal.  I even tried leaving Bioderma-soaked cotton pads on my eyes for 60 seconds as I'd heard somewhere but it was still to no avail. I can't tell you how many times I woke up with residual mascara smudges! My verdict is obvious:  a great alternative to makeup wipes for cleansing my skin but not tough enough for waterproof mascara.  I won't be rushing to buy another bottle.

 

Hand and body care

 

40) OPI Expert Touch Lacquer Remover (120ml/4 fl.oz) - My fourth bottle for the year and counting. 

 

41) MOR Passionfruit Body Butter - I threw this into the travel bag too because the little tub (around 50ml) was just the right size for a week away.  These are now discontinued.

 

42) La Roche-Posay Lipikar Baume AP (400ml/13.5 fl.oz) - This massive bottle of anti-irritation body balm lasted me months!  I used it as a soothing lotion for my dry sensitive skin and loved how easily it absorbed and how well it soothed any itchy or flaky skin - a must have for winter skin and I can see I'll repurchase this in future.

 

43) Ecoya Body Exfoliator (200 ml) - I won this gorgeous jar in a giveaway.  I loved the rich scent of white lotus flower, vanilla and patchouli and this really felt like a luxe body product with its creamy texture. My criticism is that it was a little too gentle an exfoliator for me - I like to feel instant results - and the exotic floral scent faded away very quickly.  I guess it's just an excuse to layer really because Ecoya do have the matching body cream!

 

Cosmetics

 

Here are this month's additions to my beauty diet empties.  Don't forget you can also check in with Anissa and Norlin to see how they're progressing too!

 

44) L'Oreal True Match Blush (Nude Pink) - I've posted about this blush before (here) as it's an everyday staple which adds glow as well as natural colour to the cheeks. It's a great choice for fairer skinned women and I'd buy it again if I didn't have so many other options! 

 

45) Models Prefer Lip Gloss Pencil (Perfectly Polished) - These pencils provide the optimal mix of shine and colour.  Perfectly Polished was my first MP Lip Gloss Pencil purchase but I've added a few more since then because I love these!

 

46) MAC Lip Glass (Viva Glam VI) - I remember loving this so much that when I lost my original tube a few years ago I was so distressed I had to replace it then and there! I've gone off and back onto it a few times but recently I was really loving it layered over MAC Modesty Cremesheen lipstick.

 

 Culled...

 

 BYS Lash Fibre Pre-Coat - My one fail for the month.  Now that I have a much safer lash primer option (thank you again blinc!) I can toss this scary dry fibre product out.  I was always paranoid of those loose fibres falling into my eyes so out it goes!

 

 

That's it for another month...



A bright pink lipstick swatch fest!



 You'll probably all know by now that I'm participating in and promoting Bright Pink Lipstick Day this Friday the 20th of September.  For colour obsessed me, half the fun was selecting (and swatching with Ling on YouTube) the perfect bright pink lipstick to wear and being typically indecisive I couldn't narrow it down to one so opted for five - allowing me to participate not just on Friday but for the entire week!  Well why not?  They're all so pretty to wear this time of year and somehow wearing bright pink puts me in a more fun state of mind.  After hedging for a while I think I may have just formed a new beauty addiction!

Just look at all of these lovely, BRIGHT pink lip colours all in a row.  Cheerful, yes? Definitely, I feel happy just looking at them! Statement colours? Absolutely! Far too pretty to ignore that's for sure...

The rundown from left to right:

• Revlon (Pink Hope) - The official lipstick shade for the Bright Pink Lipstick Day campaign and a really great universal choice at that.  It's a bright but grown up shade of watermelon so you don't have to forsake sophistication to wear bright pink. I think it would also work well with most skin tones. This formula is the traditionally well pigmented Super Lustrous and feels very comfortable on my lips.  I've worn it a few times already and it will definitely go on high rotation as it's work and play appropriate.

• Napoleon Perdis (Calypso) - This lipstick has been around in my collection for a little while now but I've only worn it a few times - the reason why is the crazy number of lipsticks in my collection and I guess also the recent neutral lip rut I was stuck in for a good few months.  This pink lipstick is more of a deep raspberry which sits somewhere between red and pink and yes it is vibrant but also a sophisticated shade.  The formula is velvety matte which also adds to the sophistication. 

• Maybelline (Vivid Rose) - Yesss!!! One of the Maybelline Vivid lipsticks was an obvious choice for a bright pink lip as that range is not for the colour shy!  Vivid Rose is another wonderfully traffic stopping pink which leans slightly to red.  This lipstick literally glides on weightlessly yet packs on the pigment.  I have to say you can apply and almost forget you're wearing this because it feels so light and comfortable.

• Models Prefer (Crowd Pleaser) - I've said before these ultra lip gloss pencils should be called gloss lipstick pencils because they're so pigmented and my newest addition is no different.  Crowd Pleaser is a blue toned, youthful shade of electric pink with a glossy sheen finish, something I tend to be a little wary of but I'm busting out of my comfort zone here! I still feel uncomfortable wearing this glossy pink to the office as I view it as much more a fun weekend shade.  All for a good cause right?

• Rimmel By Kate (20) -  Ooh yeah!  Another bright blue-based pink! Another shade which I found to be confronting but I've worn this a few times recently and it's happily surprisingly flattering.  The Lasting Finish formula is another favourite of mine too - ultra creamy, semi-matte, colour true.  

Swatched in the same order as above:
(If you're interested in lip swatches check this week's posts on my IG account)

What's your ideal bright pink lipstick?

Until next time

Revelling in rose gold...

Hello again!

I've long been a lover of yellow and white gold but in recent times (and under the influence of current trends of course) I've been gravitating to rose gold, not just for jewellery but also in nail polish and makeup. This means I became a bit obsessed and went on a little rose gold binge - particularly when it came to nail polish with all the recent rose gold releases! As it happens I already had a few rose gold makeup items in my collection so I've expanded on my original idea of a rose gold themed nail polish post to share the lot here...

Cheeks & Eyes...

theBalm Hot Mama! shadow/blush - I've had this multi-task product hidden away for months and only just started using it.  I haven't tried it on my eyes (I really should try that now that I've woken up to what the packaging was telling me!!) but I have done the blush thing.  This warm and rosy, almost peach shade is shot with golden shimmer which did scare me a little in the pan but it effectively translates to a warm luminous glow on my cheeks - love!

Maybelline Eyestudio quad (70 Copper Chic) - This quad offers a rose gold shimmer shadow as a lid shade (second from left in the palette above).  Depending on your colouring this application will either work for you or make you look a bit red-eyed and tired.  With my pale translucent eyelids and light coloured eyes I'm in that latter category BUT I've still been able to make this colour work by using it as a transition shade in crease. I'm heaving a sigh of relief here because I really wanted this shade to work for me somehow!

...& Lips...

Mirenesse Velvet Lip Lift (44) - More rose with a gold shimmer than actual rose gold.  I received this opaque gloss as a free gift with a local weekly magazine.  As you see in the swatch below this lip colour is super glossy but pigmented enough to wear alone.

Models Prefer Lip Gloss Pencil (Perfectly Polished) - I've worn this pencil a lot as you can see from the stubby looking thing above.  It's a warmer, more coppery than my Velvet Lip Lift tube and the closest to a rose gold lip colour in my collection.  I have a few of these MP pencils and love them for their easy application, as they glide onto my lips for opaque shiny colour.



Swatched Left to Right:
Hot Mama!, Copper Chic, Velvet Lip Lift 44, Perfectly Polished

Nail colours

The Face Shop (17 - Pearl Brown) - Up until a few months ago this was the only true rose gold polish in my collection.  I've had it for quite a while too!

 Sportsgirl Nail It! (Rose Gold) & Face of Australia (Studio 54) - These two Australian glitter polishes released over the past few months happen to be dupes and I don't know how I didn't figure that out until I swatched them. If you have one of these then you definitely don't need the other.

OPI (Sprung) - Deep rose gold, coppery foil released in Mariah Carey's collection.  My favourite. The end.

Swatched Left to Right:
Rose Gold layered over Pearl Brown, Pearl Brown alone, Rose Gold, Studio 54, Sprung

Do you prefer rose gold, yellow gold,  white gold or do you love all three?

Until next time.

My jumbo lipstick pencil collection (NARS, Missha, Models Prefer, Australis)

I have a bit of a 'thing' for jumbo lip pencils.  To some degree I'm sure it's the inner child in me coming out because they remind me of the giant blue pencils I used in the classroom when I was learning to write! But seriously, I love them because they're the perfect two-in-one product for those of us (like me!) who sometimes have trouble colouring within the lines when slicking on the lippy.  I line and colour in with my jumbo pencils and I'm good to go! I have all bases covered with my small collection as I have semi-mattes through to glossies.

Let's have a little look at my collection, plus I've included some swatches of course!

Left to Right:

Models Prefer Lip Gloss Pencil (Drama Queen) - I've raved about the Models Prefer line of jumbo lip gloss pencils before (see my original review here) and I still love them because of their creamy, glide on but incredibly pigmented formula.   Drama Queen is a sparkling raspberry red, and my pick for my Christmas Eve lip.

Missha Soft Crayon Lip Rouge (BE01) - I actually think these pencils are also worthy of a full review because they are also a fantastic product.   The formula is a super soft, creamy velvet which imparts loads of colour.  The result is a sophisticated semi-matte lip look.  These babies also come with their own sharpener included. BE01 is a rich caramel and great for everyday wear, and is an office-appropriate choice. 

NARS Velvet Gloss Lip Pencil (New Lover) - My one luxe jumbo pencil.  I do love this but honestly, I believe the formula is not noticeably better than my lovely drugstore pencils from Models Prefer.  I'm still curious to try NARS' Velvet Matte Lip Pencils based on all their rave reviews but I think I would have to absolutely looooove the shade to justify another Velvet Gloss pencil purchase.  That said, New Lover is indeed a very pretty shade for the summer season as it's a flattering mid-tone pink with a warm shimmer - I'll probably throw this in my bag for my upcoming beach holiday.

Models Prefer Lip Gloss Pencil (Perfectly Polished) - This is the humble pencil that started my love affair with these!  It's no wonder I have more than one and my only wish is that Models Prefer would expand their colour selection.  Perfectly Polished is a golden infused caramel and another easy to wear shade for day or night with its high sheen, non sticky finish.

Australis Show Stopper Gloss Stick (Fairy Floss) - I bought this pencil to add a true pink to my selection but unfortunately this happens to be my least favourite of the lot.  For one, I think the slightly neon candy pink is just a little too pink for me (I keep having visions of neon zinc cream on my lips, which can't be good).  The other issue is the formula is not quite as pigmented as all my other pencils, it applies a little unevenly and also feels sticky.  A bit of a fail for me unfortunately :( 

Top to Bottom (and swatched in the same order):

Drama Queen, BE01, New Lover, Perfectly Polished, Fairy Floss

Have you tried any of these products?

Are you a fan of jumbo pencils?

Until next time.

Vita :)

Haul post: My final 2011 haul...

...was a cheap and cheerful one! :)  In the days after Christmas I did a mini raid on Sportsgirl and Priceline for a few more summery goodies.  After all the shopping for everyone else leading up to Christmas it was nice spending just a few dollars on frivolous things for myself, knowing that I was going to embark on a 'no-buy' in the new year.  None of these items were on sale, they were just pretty, fairly inexpensive and calling to me...

Sportsgirl:

Lighten Up lip gloss (Doll Face)

Nail It! polish (Cherish)

I've never tried these particular Sportsgirl lip glosses before but I was attracted by the colour and texture of Doll Face when I swatched it in the store.  Doll Face is a coral pink with sparkly gold shimmer, and it's shiny without being too wet and slick.  I haven't road-tested it yet but the signs are hopeful that it won't slide off my lips in a hurry. Oh, by the way this has a mirror on the side of the tube and a dinky little light (..."and a whistle for attracting attention"...sorry just had to let that random silliness out.  I've clearly been on too many flights and paid too much attention to the safety demos!) so you can reapply wherever you are.  Obviously good for partying and clubbing. Sadly that's not me anymore...

I've had nothing but good experiences with the Nail It! range of nail polish so I didn't have to think too hard about buying the neon shimmery pink Cherish.  I also love how the polishes are always on trend with what's happening in local seasonal fashion. The range is forever changing so there's always a new find whenever I check it out. Cherish is definitely a summer colour ready to wear with all the hot pink and orange combos out there at the moment.

Models Prefer Ultra Lip Gloss Pencil (Drama Queen)

I bought Drama Queen from Priceline and it's my third Models Prefer Lip Gloss pencil.  To see how much I love these read my full review here.  Drama Queen is a party/evening shade for me with its shimmery, almost foil fuschia/red tone.  See the daylight swatches below. 

L-R:

Drama Queen, Doll Face, Cherish

Australis Face-A-Holic
Jumbo Sized Mirrored Compact

The Face-A-Holic compact was another Priceline buy.  I've photographed this jumbo sized compact next to my MAC Select Sheer pressed powder to give you some idea of the size - it's HUGE!  This is a three-in-one blush, pressed powder and bronzer and I figured it was pretty good value for around $16AUD.  I must admit I bought this for the novelty value though!  Luckily, the blush is a universally flattering peachy pink shade with an almost indetectable shimmer which I could easily wear and the pressed powder is a fair/medium shade which suits my MAC NC20 skin and actually is a close dupe to my MAC powder. The only thing I'm a bit wary of is the shimmery bronzer.   I'm not convinced I can carry that off, but I'll give it a try!

So here's how it looks in the pan...

...and swatched indoors in indirect daylight...

...and with me playing around.  This compact is literally the size of my face! Whoops, sorry about the fingerprints - didn't see those until I'd uploaded the picture.

Only one more haul post and I'm done with make-up hauls for the next three months. 

Until next time.

Vita :)