My Lazy 'No Makeup' Makeup Routine | Cruelty-Free

Now that I'm on a break from working life my attitude to makeup has changed.  I have the freedom to experiment more without worrying about looking work appropriate - Great! - but I also have freedom to wear very little, or no makeup if I want to.  

Who am I kidding? No makeup?!  I've been a makeup junkie since my teens so no makeup isn't going to be a thing I choose very often but 'no makeup' makeup on the other hand is something that I do like.  My skin isn't perfect, as I do have some uneven pigmentation, hereditary under eye circles, visible pores and fine lines, but considering my age it isn't horrible so there are days I just want to look like a fresher version of me.  

Everyone has their own interpretation of low-key makeup and mine has changed over the years so I'm sharing what I've fallen into doing recently.  I was in one of those moods where I was completely over wearing a full face of foundation and was inspired to use minimal products to perfect while still allowing my own skin to show through.  If you're interested in my routine then read on...

After moisturizing I use a teensy squeeze of Om SHE Aromatherapy Pure Magic Primer (at just under 15AUD this is a much more affordable Cruelty Free dupe for Benefit's Porefessional) and rub it into my T-zone to blur my pores on and around my nose.  Then in place of foundation I let a good concealer like NARS Creamy Concealer in Vanilla go to work, just applying it to where it's really needed:  under the eyes, a little down my red nose and spot concealing any other redness or blotches and then I blend, blend, blend it in so I can't tell where the concealed bits end and my natural skin begins. To further even out my skin and take down the shine I lightly brush a tinted pressed powder all over my face and under the eyes to set the concealer (lately I've been using Australis Fresh & Flawless Pressed Powder in Natural).  Finally, I don't want to use blush but I do want to bring some subtle dimension back to my face so lately I've been using Hourglass Dim Light Ambient Lighting Powder as a subtle glowy contour (unfortunately I'm really that pale at the moment) and also apply just a touch on the tip of my nose for a subtle glow, to take away that freshly powdered look.

Eyes and lips are even more simple. I just apply a wash of beige shadow over the lids and up to the brow bone to brighten up the eye to look fresher and more awake.  The shade I've been using, Essence The Velvets (03 Smooth Caramel) appears to have been recently discontinued - why do this to me when I was about to shout out that this creamy matte shadow is a favourite? - but any good matte beige shadow should do and I finish off my eyes with a natural looking non-clumping mascara.  I've finally tried Physician's Formula Organic Wear Jumbo Lash Mascara (Ultra Black) which is a good one if you hate clumpy lashes. Now I have heard some say this mascara can be prone to smudging - I've got oily lids and normal/combo skin and have had no issues personally -  so I'm putting it out there just to be fair.

I am obsessed with lip products so I'll always wear something because I like the feel of hydrated lips and I need a little hint of youthful colour somewhere on my face. On low-key lazy days I'll either swipe on a tinted balm or sheer lippy like Essence Sheer & Shine.  The shades Glamour Queen (as pictured) or BFF are current picks.

The whole routine takes around 5 minutes so it's as lazy as I like it to be.  What's your lazy day makeup routine?  Do you go for the 'no makeup' look or do you prefer to go with a punch of colour like a bright lip?


(All products purchased by me)

Essence Happy Girls Are Pretty Collection: 06 On The Choco Side of Life

This is a rather nice polish with a rather weird name.

I apologize for taking so long to getting around to wearing On The Choco Side of Life because I know the shelves have been cleared of the Happy Girls Are Pretty Collection.  Oh well, in the off chance you see it somewhere or wanted to track it down - here it is.  Chocolate is a theme that's being embraced this season, with some brands even launching full lip collections and this polish sort of taps into that without being too full on chocolate per se.  I think it's more of a bronze and it leans into neutral territory but that's what I like about it.  I applied two coats here and sealed with top coat.

All pictures taken in indirect daylight:

Cruelty Free: Yes 

Vegan: To be confirmed

Certified Organic: No

Until next time!

(This product was purchased by me.) 

Summer lippy selections! [Cruelty Free]

Quick - before the season's over here's my summer lip post!

Now, I haven't been following the S/S 2016 trends all that closely but for me personally this summer has been all about the extremes when it comes to lip colours.  I'm either choosing soft and sheer washes of colour or crazy bright lips - oh, okay there has been the occasional nude lip thrown in but not enough to warrant more than a passing mention! It's all about colour for me, so I've been favouring pinks, mauves and corals.

I'm really enjoying the bright lip, defined brow combination for an easy pulled together look whether it's been for work or an occasion, whereas a sheer lip with just a hint of colour has been the perfect pick-me-up for a 'rush out the door' situation  - you know, when the weather's just too hot or humid for me to bother with much more yet I don't want to be completely barefaced. 

So here's my little lippy wardrobe sharing my recent favourites. They're all unabashedly pretty, optimistic 'summer fun in the sun', and not too be taken too seriously shades - and all bunny friendly too of course!

Going in order from left to right (or gloss to matte) these are:

• The Body Shop Flavoured Lip Gloss (Watermelon) - The flavour/scent reminds me more of honeydew melon actually but that's beside the point.  I like wearing this alone for that hint of watermelon pink colour with a lot of juicy shine.  Summer's just got to be the best time to wear a juicy gloss!  The handy tube makes it one of those pop in the pocket and go lip options, and this gloss is also a great moisturising formula. 

• Essence Sheer & Shine Lipstick (11 All About Cupcake) - I look at the new Sheer & Shine range more as tinted balms than lipsticks and they're perfect for a low key lip. I've been enjoying two shades as they've got just the right depth of tone to add a bit of flush to my lips rather than washing them out. Don't be fooled by the vibrant looking lipstick bullet above because All About Cupcake is a very sheer and natural coral pink on the lips. 

• Essence Sheer & Shine Lipstick (07 Sparkling Miracle) - The bullet looks like a deep blue toned mauve but again it swipes over the lips with a sheer wash of flattering pinky mauve and I like having the cooler alternative to All About Cupcake.  

• Bite Beauty Luminous Creme Lipstick (Rosé) - This warm pink lipstick is a longtime favourite for spring/summer and I reach for it whenever I want a bright but warm pink lip.  It's just the right balance of playful yet grownup enough for me to get away with at the office too. 

• Too Faced Melted Lipstick (Melted Fuchsia) - Melted Fuchsia is a knockout punch, vibrant blue toned pink but I love it.  It instantly brightens up my face and I really don't need to do much else to look like I've made an effort.  It's more of a playful weekend choice for sure - the slight candy scent adds to the fun - and deserves to be seen during the day!

• Hourglass Opaque Rouge Liquid Lipstick (Muse) - This is a bright coral but the most sophisticated choice of the bunch because of its matte finish.  I feel slightly retro in this lipstick and it's great paired with a groomed brow for a polished summer face.

Here are all the lippies swatched in the summer sun (of course!) in reverse order from above:

Muse, Melted Fuchsia, Rosé, Sparkling Miracle, All About Cupcake, Watermelon

I obviously like my corals and pinks!

What lip colours or finishes do you favour in summer?



(All products purchased by me.)

Essence Happy Girls Are Pretty Collection: 05 Pretty You

I'm rushing to get this Essence nail swatch post up because the Happy Girls Are Pretty Collection has been out for a few weeks already and you know what that means.  As with most LE collections it's the quick or the dead...

Pretty You is a simply chic neutral beige and though I favour shades like these on my skin in the summer months, if you're a little less pale than me you can get away with this all year round.  I found the formula quite opaque and I'd recommend a single coat as the second coat actually went on a little too thick and uneven for me.  Honestly, I should have just quit while I was ahead because one coat was just fine!  Wear time was around 4 days without chips and I was suitably happy with that.  

I haven't worn Essence polish for a while but I still think they're a great quality product for their bargain price.  Now onto some pictures because it's the colour that you want to see rather than me putting you to sleep with my rambling again!

All pictures taken in indirect daylight:

Have you bought anything from the Happy Girls Are Pretty collection?

Cruelty Free: Yes 

Vegan: To be confirmed

Certified Organic: No

Until next time!

(This product was purchased by me.) 

November - December's farewelled products

So here I am doing my blog housekeeping, clearing the backlog starting with my beauty empties from late last year.  Even though I hadn't fully jumped onto the cruelty free commitment at that stage it's interesting to see just how many of these items are cruelty free especially when it came to skin care. For reference I've marked all cruelty free items as CF.

Skin care

130) bareMinerals Instant Waterproof Eye Makeup Remover (47ml/1.5 fl.oz) CF - This is the typical dual-phase remover that I favour although this formula seemed more oily than some I've tried.  I've got a backup because of the handy travel size but other than that I don't think I'd rush to repurchase.

131) Natio Cucumber & Aloe Micellar Cleansing Water (200ml/6.7 fl.oz) CF - I really enjoyed this cleansing water.  No weird smell, no astringent tightness, just clean comfortable skin after using it.  

132) Natio Restore Delicate Foam Cleanser For Normal to Dry Skin (100ml/3.4 fl.oz) CF - The consistency of this cleanser made it incredibly hard to squeeze out of the tube.  The product itself was nice (it lathered to a creamy foam that felt rich on the skin) but not enough to make me want to go through the daily struggle of trying to get it out in the first place!

133) Sukin Super Greens Detoxifying Facial Scrub (125ml/4.23 fl.oz)* CF - This creamy scrub was gentle enough to be used every day if I wanted and I really loved the natural cranberry scent.

134) La Clinica Anti Ageing Stem Cell Complex 3 Night Cream (50ml/1.76fl.oz)* CF - This is one heavy-duty night cream that gets to work and leaves me with soft skin the next morning.  It feels very rich on the skin at first yet it penetrates quickly and is not greasy in the slightest. Another plus is there's no distracting scent or perfume which can - surprisingly - be an issue with some night creams out there on the market.  

135) L'Oreal Youth Code Luminosity Extraordinary Serum (30ml) - I bought this some time ago because it claims to correct dark spots and illuminate the skin. No dark spot miracles here I'm afraid.  It did illuminate the skin but honestly a good illuminating primer will do the same.  This serum had a lovely texture and delicately luxe scent but I won't be repurchasing because I didn't really notice any lasting benefits and L'Oreal is not a CF brand.

Hand and body care

136) Shore Soap Company Mermaid Kisses Liquid Soap (235ml/8 fl.oz) CF - This can be used as a body wash but I used it as a luxury hand wash in our powder room - to impress the visitors you know!  It has the most delicate yet not overly feminine scent, is really gentle and non-drying on the skin with its aloe-rich formula, yet as my son perfectly puts it: "It really cuts through the grease!"

137) Love Soap Handwash With Organic Lavender & Meadowfoam (200ml) CF -  This is gentle on my eczema-prone hands was a repurchase and I'm likely to buy it again.

138) Miller & Moore Moisturising Shea Butter Hand Cream (65g) - This was gifted to me as part of an older Christmas set.  I was surprised by how well this shea hand cream performed so I used it as my bedside hand pamperer. The Miller & Moore brand is one of those discount supermarket releases and seems to be discontinued so I can't find out much about it and I've got no idea of its CF status -although my guess is it's probably not.

139) Nivea Refreshingly Soft Moisturising Cream (75ml) - I'm sad that Nivea isn't cruelty free because this was a great multi-tasking moisturiser and very handy for throwing into my bag.  I still have several Nivea products so I will continue to use them but won't repurchase unless their CF status changes.

140) Vaseline Intensive Care Spray Moisturiser Dry Skin Repair (190g)* - See my full review here. I really enjoyed the convenience of this moisturiser but unfortunately I won't be repurchasing as Vaseline is not cruelty free.

141) Natio Mineral Body Wash & Polish (210ml/7.1 fl.oz) CF - This is really great soap-free exfoliating body cleanser, scented with orange, peppermint and rosemary so it was a great early morning pick me up.  Unfortunately it's been discontinued!!!

142) Miller & Moore Moisturising Shea Butter Body Scrub (100ml) - This was utterly useless with no scrubbiness at all so I promptly poured it down the drain.  

143) SODA & Co Sugar Scrub (Mint Burst 225g)* CF - I loved this concept of a body scrub and moisturiser in one.  If I have one criticism it's that I could easily get through a tub in a single week if I used it every day! Read my original review here.

144) Nivea Stress Protect Clinical Strength Deodorant (40ml)* -  I didn't like the way the dry solid stick dragged across my skin on application and I didn't think this controlled perspiration exceptionally better than my regular choice.

Hair care

145) Original Mineral Conquer Blonde Silver Shampoo (250ml/8.4 fl.oz) CF - I use this salon quality shampoo every other day to tone done brassiness in my hair and I've since repurchased (again). 

146) Original Mineral Fine Intellect Conditioner (350ml/11.8fl.oz) CF - Another repurchased hair product because I like a conditioner to "condition" without weighing down my hair. 

147) Organix Moisture + Vitamin B5 Shampoo (385ml/13 fl.oz)* - Damn I wish this brand was still cruelty free because this shampoo cleansed my hair without stripping it and it smelt pretty good too.

.

148) John Frieda 7 Day Volume In-Shower Treatment (118ml/4 fl.oz)* -  This treatment is applied after conditioning the hair, left on for a few minutes then rinsed out.  It's supposed to give added volume for up to 7 days but with my daily hair washing it only lasted 2 to 3 washes at best for me and then I had to go back to using my usual thickening sprays.

Cosmetics

149 & 150) Benefit The Porefessional - Yep this really does minimize the appearance of pores and worked well as a smoothing primer but I won't be buying it again because you know...

151) Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion (6ml/.20 fl.oz) CF - This worked really well to control shadows from sliding off my oily eyelids although I'm wondering if I'd prefer a more smoothing formula? 

152) Maybelline Dream Lumi Touch Highlighting Concealer (02 Nude) -  This is a long-time favourite that I've repurchased several times - and I still have one more backup - but, alas, it will be the last as Maybelline is not cruelty free.

153) Essence Shimmer Effect Eyeshadow (Cappuccino, Please!) CF - This was a repurchase as this satiny beige was a great dupe for MAC Shroom but unfortunately it's been discontinued.

154) Nude By Nature Pressed Mineral Cover (Medium)* CF - I have mixed feelings about this pressed mineral foundation - I love it for natural looking coverage but I was having issues with hard pan. I have a review in the works so I'll tell you all about it soon.

155) Revlon Colorburst Lip Butter (Berry Smoothie) - This was probably my favourite shade from Revlon's now discontinued Lip Butter line.

156) Chanel Glossimer (119) - This was quite an opaque, lightly shimmery gloss in a MLBB mauve and traveled everywhere with me as a result.

157) MAC Lip Glass (C-Thru) - Milky beige and great worn over a nude lipstick.

158) bareMinerals Marvellous Moxie Lip Gloss (Show Off) CF - I'm having a bit of a love affair with bareMinerals lipsticks at the moment and I didn't mind this lip gloss either! It has a subtle mint scent and has a long-lasting, bleed-proof formula. This particular shade worked perfectly as a topper for my bareMinerals lipstick in the warm pink shade Speak Your Mind so I might consider a repurchase.

Fragrance

159) YSL Black Opium EDP (30ml/1 fl.oz) - I received this bottle as a gift from my husband for Christmas 2014 and as I'd finished this warm gourmand fragrance in record time - and my husband loved me wearing it - I received a backup bottle this Christmas.   The fragrance notes are coffee, pink pepper, orange blossom, jasmine, vanilla, patchouli and cedar. I will be savouring the bottle much longer this time around.

160) Terry de Gunzburg Fruit Defendu EDP (1.5ml/0.05 fl.oz sample) CF - This sweet fruity cocktail smelt like summer to me and is now on my wishlist for a future fragrance splurge. Top notes are bergamot, mango and pineapple; middle notes are turkish rose and pink pepper; base note is white musk.

161) L'Occitane The Vert & Bigarade EDT (7.5ml/0.25 fl.oz) - This was another summer choice as it's a refreshingly green scent.  The opening notes are sparkling citrus in an accord of sweet and bitter orange, while the base includes notes of green tea.

That's 2015 all stitched up! I'm a bit exhausted after going through that lineup so I'm off to have an afternoon lounge out in the yard...

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

Autumn's beauty empties...

For various reasons (travel, family illness, life etc) my blogging schedule has been out of whack over recent months and it obviously saw me lagging in posting my monthly empties too - to the point where I was half-way through May and still hadn't done the March and April posts so figured I'd might as well carry on accumulating empties for the entire Autumn season and get them all out of the way in one rather LARGE post!  

For the sake of your sanity (and mine) I'll keep the reviews light and to the point - having said that, if you want to know more about any individual product just ask away in the comments and I'll let you know what you need to know.  Okay - here we go!  The fear is real...

Skin care

23) Kirkland Daily Facial Cleansing Towelettes (30 towelettes) - The second last pack in a bulk box from Costco.  More greasy than refreshing. Will not repurchase.

24) NIVEA Daily Essentials Refreshing Facial Cleansing Wipes (7 Wipes) - An impulse buy at the Target checkout one day and I took the pack away on our Queensland holiday.  Nice average quality wipes, with a hint of the NIVEA scent that I enjoy.

25) Swisspers Naturals Cucumber wipes (5 wipes) - I bought this on holiday after I ran out of the NIVEA.  There was nothing remarkable about these so I won't repurchase.

26) Garnier Clean Sensitive 2 in 1 Gentle Make-up Remover (200ml) - I bought this on sale at Priceline.  Not as effective as other waterproof makeup removers I've tried and for whatever reason I was always squeezing out far too much and flooding my cotton pads.  Will not repurchase.

27) Maybelline Makeup Remover Eye & Lip (70ml/2.4 fl. oz.) - Now this is one of my favourite drugstore makeup removers and it's a repeat purchase after the finishing the Garnier.

28) Shiseido White Lucent Brightening Cleansing Foam (30ml travel size) - Another miniature product in my holiday luggage.  I'd forgotten (and was happy to be reminded) how luxurious and velvety this foam cleanser feels. 

29) La Clinica Gly C Refine Facial Cleansing Wash Gel (200ml/7.4 fl.oz)* - Despite containing glycolic acid and Vitamin C this gel cleanser was gentle enough for everyday use and lasted for months. 

30) La Clinica Perfect Complexion Sunscreen Lotion SPF50 (75ml/2.63 fl.oz)* - Very high SPF without being greasy and can be used on the face and body. I have the backup ready!

31) La Clinica Gly C Refine Vitamin C Ultra Serum (30ml/1.05 fl.oz)* - This serum provides a very immediate "tightening" effect on the skin and demands an application of moisturiser afterwards.

32) Essano Rosehip Treat Your Skin Pack*  - I took this pack away on my holiday and really enjoyed using all the products.  I've since purchased full size versions of the body lotion and cleanser.  See here for my full review.

Hand and body care

33) Miller & Moore Moisturising Shea Butter Body Wash (150ml) - This was part of a gift pack I received from a friend. It smelt faintly like NIVEA and did a suitably gentle job of cleansing in the shower.

34) Mario Badescu A.H.A. Botanical Body Soap (236ml/8 oz.) - An exfoliating body wash gentle enough to use every day.  I will repurchase to keep my goosebumpy skin under control.

35) Aesop Geranium Leaf Body Cleanser (50ml/1.7 fl.oz) - One of my leftover souvenirs from the Tokyo Park Hyatt last year which came in handy for another trip! It's a very refreshingly green and mandarin scented gel body wash although I don't know if I'd actually fork out the big $$$ for a full sized bottle.

36) Palmer's Cocoa Butter Skin Therapy Oil Rosehip Fragrance (150ml/5.1 fl.oz)* - A quickly absorbed moisturizing oil with an almost dry oil feel. My only issue was the supposedly no mess bottle still ended up oily so I kept it in its box between uses.  See my full review here.

37) NAT.Body Hand Cream (100ml)* - My bedside hand cream.  A milky formula but surprisingly moisturising and kept the eczema under control on my hands. See my full review for this and the NAT.Body Cuticle Treatment Serum here.

38) NAT.Body Cuticle Treatment Serum (15ml)* - Very effective at moisturising my cuticles and the smallest pump dispensed enough oil to do the cuticles on both hands.

39) Love Soap Handwash With Organic Lavender & Meadowfoam (200ml) - This is formulated for children but I used it to wash my own sensitive skinned hands.  Very gentle and scented with lavender oil.  Will repurchase.

40) OPI Expert Touch Lacquer Remover (120ml/4 fl.oz) - A regular appearance in my beauty empties.

41) L'Occitane Arlesienne Velvet Hand Cream (30ml/1 oz) - This really did feel velvety textured on application and the rose, sweet violet and saffron scent is delightfully floral.

42) Crabtree & Evelyn Nantucket Briar Hand Therapy (25g/0.9 oz) - I'm yet to come across a scent I haven't enjoyed yet from Crabtree & Evelyn's hand therapy range.  

Hair care

43) Nak Blonde Plus Shampoo (1 litre/33.8 fl. oz) - I use purple toned shampoo to keep my hair from looking too warm or brassy.  This gigantic bottle lasted me many months and I quite frankly got bored with it!

44) RPR De-clorinate My Hair Shampoo (200ml/7.04 fl.oz) - I used this once a week to remove product buildup and refresh my hair.  It was effective but I'm loving the Moroccanoil version I'm using now a lot more so I won't repurchase.

45) John Frieda Sheer Blonde Highlight Activating Enhancing Conditioner (250ml/8.45 fl.oz) - A good drugstore conditioner although I honestly don't know if it enhanced the blonde in any way.

46) Original Mineral Maintain The Mane Shampoo (50ml/1.7 fl.oz travel size) - This is the same stuff my hairdresser uses so I bought the smaller sized bottles to take away on holiday and try before committing to the full size.  Yes it's good salon shampoo.

47) Original Mineral Maintain The Mane Conditioner (50ml/1.7 fl.oz travel size) - As above.

48) Original Mineral O & M Original Detox Shampoo (50ml/1.7 fl. oz travel size) - I used this deep cleansing shampoo to wash my hair after swimming pool sessions during our holiday.

49) & 50) Aesop Classic Shampoo & Conditioner (50ml/1.7 fl.oz) - Yet more travel souvenirs that came in handy.  Very nice and luxurious but I'd still think hard before buying the full size products because of the price.

51) Schwarzkopf Essence Ultime Crystal Shine Conditioner (50ml/1.7 fl.oz) - I bought this conditioner on holiday when I ran out of those I'd packed.  It was just okay and not particularly moisturising so I won't repurchase.

Cosmetics

52) Blinc Eye Shadow Primer (Light Tone)* - An excellent eye shadow primer which smooths and brightens the lids, and securely anchors eye shadow through anything.  See my original review here.

53) Hourglass Veil Mineral Primer (30ml) - I grew to really love this primer as the perfect everyday base which performed well under any foundation I applied.

54) Maybelline Dream Lumi Touch Highlighting Concealer (01) - My favourite drugstore concealer.

55) Silkygirl Magic BB Powder Foundation (01 Ivory) - I bought this from a drugstore in Singapore a couple of years ago and it gives fantastic, long lasting coverage for a powder product. 

56) INIKA Mineral Mascara (Black)* - This was okay but not great.  It took multiple coats to get any reasonable volume and didn't dry down 100% so was prone to smudging.

57) The Body Shop Super Volume Mascara (Black) - Another okay mascara.  I didn't bond with the brush so I probably won't repurchase this either.

58) Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Liner (Perversion) - I usually love these liners but this one was a huge disappointment.  The pencil core disintegrated, became crumbly and fell out so I sharpened it down to nothing.

59) Essence Matte Effect Eye Shadow (Blockbuster) - I generally love Essence eye shadows but their mattes are their weaker performers. I persisted with this as a browbone shade for quite a while but finally decided enough was enough with this chalky shadow. 

60) Revlon Lip Gloss (Nude Lustre) - Sadly this formula has been discontinued.

61) Chanel Glossimer (83) - I love the pigmentation of these glosses. I'm pretty sure this particular shade has been discontinued though.

62) Tom Ford Lip Color (True Coral) - This was my first TF lipstick so it will hold a special little place in this makeup addict's heart.

63) Burt's Bees Lip Shimmer (Rhubarb) - A great drugstore lip balm that provides a good hit of shiny colour.

Fragrance

62) Jimmy Choo Blossom EDP (2ml/0.06 fl. oz sample)* - Very fizzy, fruity and fun!  Top notes:  citrus and red fruits, including raspberry;  mid notes:  sweet peas and roses;   base notes:  sandalwood and white musk.

63) Prada L'Eau Ambree EDP (10ml miniature) - The last little bottle of one of my favourite scents and I fell in love with it all over again.  The top notes are Cedrat Lemon, Mandarin and Neroli;  middle notes are Benzoin, May Rose and Gardenia; base notes are Amber blended with Patchouli, Vanilla and Opoponax.

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If you made it all the way to the end I applaud you for your tenacity!  

Until my next, considerably shorter post...

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

November's farewelled products

 

Ahhh...the second last empties for the year and I don't know how it happened but settle in because it's going to be a big one!! The thing that really pleases me is I even managed to finish some more makeup AFTER all of that overseas hauling a couple of months ago...

 

Skin care

 

120) La Clinica Anti Ageing Gentle Milk Facial Cleanser (10ml/0.35 fl.oz travel size)* - To change it up between other cleansers I gave this little tube a run and I enjoyed the soothing feeling of a milky cleanser.  I'll definitely be using my full sized version when the cooler months roll around again and my skin craves something a little more on the rich side.

 

121) La Clinica Firming Lift Helixer Facial Serum (30ml/1.05 fl.oz)* - This contains snail secretion filtrate which made me a little squeamish at first - I wasn't accustomed to snail slime on my face - but I got over that and found that this serum absorbed quickly and did feel firming on my skin. 

 

122) La Clinica White Brilliant Intensive Correcting Foaming Cleanser (200ml/7.04 fl.oz)* - This unscented foaming cleanser lasted several months in my shower caddy so I almost got bored with it! The foamy formula is very light and gentle, almost dissolving into the skin and rinsed off in a flash.

 

 

123) eos Lip Balm Sphere (Medicated Tangerine) - I'm biased towards these little balm balls so it won't surprise you when I say I enjoyed this medicated version. Tangerine with a slight hint of menthol, this balm went on with a slightly heavier feel than the regular version but worked well as an affordable overnight lip treatment.  My husband appreciated the flavour too!

 

124) Face of Australia Gentle Make-up Remover (125ml/4.23 fl.oz) - This isn't the first time and won't be the last time I use this colourless makeup remover.  It gently removes all eye makeup without any stinging or oily residue and doesn't cost a bomb either.  

 

Hand and body care

 

124) OPI Original Polish Remover (120ml/4 fl.oz) - I prefer OPI's Expert Touch because it removes my polish faster and with less effort but I bought this as my next best option when I couldn't get my favourite.

 

125) Dermaveen Everyday Intensive Hand Cream (100ml) - I turned to this old faithful in the colder weather when my hands were at their worst because it's formulated for sensitive skin and moisturises without aggravating my seasonal eczema.  I'm sure I'll repurchase it when I need to again.

 

126) Crabtree & Evelyn Summer Hill Hand Therapy (25g/0.9 oz) - Another mini tube of hand cream I carried around in my purse.  The rich but easily absorbed formula is as I've come to expect and the fruity floral Summer Hill fragrance balances perfectly on the edge of being potent without becoming overpowering.  I've got to say the C & E Iris scented hand cream I'm using right now is absolutely amazing and I'm tempted to rub it onto my pulse points!

 

Cosmetics

127) Essence lipstick (Fairytale) - I bought this lippy when I first started blogging over 3 years ago so I suppose it's a little bit of a sentimental empty - I don't even think Essence sells this lipstick formula anymore (in Australia at least).  Fairytale was a sheer but buildable mauve for a low key lip colour so it was well loved and even well travelled, coming along with me on my last overseas trip!

 

128) Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion Eyeshadow Base - This tiny genie bottle tube came with the original UD Naked palette I bought last year.  A reliable choice if you're after a colourless base to hold eyeshadow in place, and my oily lids are thankful for that so I've finally bought a full size tube.

 

129) BYS Lash Extend Mascara (Black)* - This mascara came as part of a two-step lash pack with a scary dry fibre lash primer which I threw out months ago because of the fear of loose fibres getting into my eyes.  On its own BYS Lash Extend wears more like a black lash tint so I ended up hardly ever using it. 

 

Culled...

Maybelline Color Sensational Pop Stick (Raspberry Ice) - Surely this won the award for the lip product which did NOTHING.  No colour, no gloss, no moisturising properties. Nothing. I held onto it for so long because of the novelty of having a lip thingy which looked like a jello sculpture and THAT'S IT. It's time to go...

 

Invisible Zinc Tinted Daywear SPF 30+ (Light) - I bought this as a multi-tasking facial sunscreen for a tropical holiday a few years ago, wore it a few times then put it away and 'forgot' about it. Not really forgot - the problem was the overly greasy, heavy formula which I couldn't handle. Now the tube's past its expiry date so it's well and truly too late to figure out how to make it work. 

 

Fragrance

 

130) Chanel Allure Sensuelle EDP (50ml) - Damn I loved this fragrance! If I owned a vat of it I would wear it every day, but Chanel is one of those more expensive fragrance options so I'll just dream on.  This comes across as a crisp fresh citrusy scent at first but then enriches with a seductive patchouli undertone which envelops me - I could inhale it for hours.  So what are the notes?  Top notes contain bergamot, mandarin and pink pepper. Mid notes are composed of jasmine, rose, iris, candied fruits and vetiver followed by the base notes of French vanilla, amber, patchouli and frankincense.

 

131) Estee Lauder Beyond Paradise EDT (10ml travel size) - I packed this summery tropical floral for my overseas trip to wear when we got to Hawaii. The top notes are Eden mist, orange blossom, blue hyacinth, and Jaboticaba berry. The floral mid notes are laelia orchid, pink honeysuckle, Japanese mahonia, while base notes are Natal plum blossom, golden melaleuca, zebrano wood, ambrette seed.

 

 

So that's it until I do the final empties roundup for 2014 and then I have to consider if I'm making any beauty resolutions for the new year!  One resolution surely ought to be getting my empties posts out in a more timely fashion...

 

 

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

 

July's farewelled products (and beauty diet update)

Okay, I'm getting straight into it this time.  Ready, set, go!

 

Skin care

 

69) La Clinica White Brilliant Intensive Correction Serum Stage 1 (10ml/0.35 fl.oz. sample size)* - I'm currently using the entire White Brilliant range so when I ran out of the full sized bottle last month I found this sample tube to keep up the routine.  Read my thoughts from last month's empties here.

 

70) Palmer's Cocoa Butter Formula Gentle Facial Cleansing Wipes (25 wipes)* - I received these in an Autumn/Winter care pack from Palmer's Australia and being the wipes fiend that I am, I got into them pretty much straight away.  They're alcohol free, enriched with cocoa butter and chamomile so they don't leave the skin feeling tight after cleansing but gently moisturised and are softly scented with white lily.

 

Hand and body care

 

71) Crabtree & Evelyn Pomegranate Argan & Grapeseed Hand Therapy (100g/3.5 oz.) - C & E hand creams are strongly scented yet they don't irritate my sensitive skin and they're super rich and moisturising so I enjoy using them.  The pomegranate scent actually smells like candy so my son loved it every time I put it on! I have several of the smaller tubes of C & E hand creams to get through so expect to see quite a few more over the coming months.

 

72) OPI Expert Touch Lacquer Remover (120ml/4 fl.oz) - And this appears for the sixth time in my empties posts this year.

 

73) Natio Natural Antibacterial Hand Wash (300ml/10.1 fl.oz) - This clear gel hand wash was freshly scented and gently effective without drying out my hands.  I bought it at a Natio warehouse sale last year and unfortunately haven't seen any since otherwise I would definitely repurchase it.

 

Cosmetics

 

 Now for this month's beauty diet update. I've had a very restrained month as I haven't bought anything to reward myself for the latest 4 empties although I am teetering very close to the edge of treating myself to an Hourglass lipstick! Sophie, Anissa, Norlin  are still in on it too.

 

74) Maybelline Dream Matte Powder (Medium) - Maybe I expected too much of this widely loved drugstore powder?  It wasn't the dreamy matte finish I'd imagined and it seemed like I was constantly re-powdering my shiny t-zone.

 

75) Rimmel Sexy Curves Mascara (black) - I'm pretty sure this has been discontinued.  I didn't particularly love or hate this one. 

 

76) Za Perfect Fit Concealer (01) - One of the best concealers I've tried. The coverage is amazing and a little bit goes a very long way! This rich and creamy concealer is brightening and very opaque without creasing.  I will definitely be hunting this baby down when I go back to Japan next month.

 

77) Essence Glossy Lip Balm (Strawberry) - This gloss was strongly scented like strawberry candy and made my lips look super shiny with a slight pearly tint.  Honestly I only wore it around the house when my lips felt dry so I wouldn't repurchase it.

 

Fragrance

 

78) Victoria's Secret Amber Romance EDT (30ml) - A very cozy and warming creamy amber.  Had I known that I'd enjoy this scent so much I would have bought the range of body products too.  I will definitely repurchase from this range!  The fragrance notes are:  black cherry, crème anglaise, vanilla and sandalwood.

 

79) Tom Ford Champaca Absolute EDP (4ml sample) - Me and my Tom Ford samples, eh?  It's because the perfumes are so expensive that I indulge vicariously via the samples! This one's another heady unisex fragrance although it leans more toward the feminine end of the spectrum for me with its floral undertones - it reminds me a little of the one full sized bottle of Tom Ford I do own:  Black Orchid. Top notes are cognac, bergamot and dyer’s greenweed; middle notes are champaca, orchid, violet and jasmine; base notes are vanilla, amber, sandalwood and marron glace.

 

80) Plum Japonais EDP (.05 fl.oz/1.5ml) - I wish I owned a bottle of this slightly fruity, spicy stuff! It's certainly more uplifting than a lot of TF samples I've tried and the spicy plum scent evokes memories of childhood when my mother used to boil down autumn ripe plums into a rich spicy syrup. The notes are:  japanese plum, saffron, cinnamon, immortelle, plum blossom, camellia, agarwood (oud), amber, benzoin, fir and vanilla.

 

That's it for another month...

 

 

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

 



Colour theme: Radiant Orchid

OMG I'm so late to the party with this colour themed post - we are now halfway through 2014! -  but I had to do it because Pantone's colour of the year Radiant Orchid is one of my favourites.  Do I love "...an enchanting harmony of fuchsia, purple and pink undertones"? Yes I do! It turns out I have quite a lot of it too so I'm opening up my makeup wardrobe.  I'm doing this post purely for fun as playing with colour always cheers me up and if you're a lover of purple-fuchsia-pinks hopefully you'll enjoy this little colour post as well.

When I say I have a lot of Radiant Orchid-esque makeup in my collection it makes perfect sense in the context of my tastes because I've loved purple and purple toned pink for a long time and my eye is always drawn to it when I'm out perusing makeup counters. Of course it doesn't hurt that these makeup shades are flattering to my complexion and eye colour so I have something in just about every category...


Lips

From top left of picture and swatched in the same order:

 

Maybelline Color Whisper (Mad For Magenta) - This sheer lip colour veers more to fuchsia but wears very easily for day because of its sheer sheen.  I bought this when the range was initially released and only wore it ONCE or maybe twice?! I have no particular reason why.  I think I'd better swipe some on this weekend!

 

MAC Amplified (Up The Amp) - I love this highly pigmented vibrant cool toned pink-purple.  It looks like it shouldn't work but somehow it just does. I always get compliments whenever I wear it because it's not your typical lipstick shade yet it's a flattering one.  I love MAC's Amplified formula too.

 

Revlon Super Lustrous (Berry Haute) - When I first bought this I thought I'd ended up with a dupe for Up The Amp!  As you can see above it does come reasonably close but it's just a little warmer and rosier in the pink undertones. If you want to try these kinds of lipstick shades but feel that Up The Amp is just a little too cool toned for you, this creamy lipstick from Revlon is a good (and more affordable) alternative to go for.

 

Maybelline Color Sensational Vivids (Hot Plum) - This striking fuchsia-purple is a killer lipstick! The formula is super-pigmented but lightweight and the colour is just impossible to ignore - if you want to make a big lipstick statement this is how you do it!  I save this shade for those kinds of days.  Damn I need more of those kinds of days because I honestly think this is one beautiful lipstick... 



Nails

Left to right and swatched in the same order:

 

China Glaze (Fly) - Shimmery blue toned magenta and beautiful coverage in two coats.  Click here for nail swatches.

 

Revlon (Plum Seduction) - The nail wheel swatch makes this look straight up hot pink but let the shade name Plum Seduction guide you as this is definitely a plummy fuchsia cream.  I'm putting this one high on my list of polishes to wear this winter.  Winter blues be gone!

 

Canmake Colorful Nails (41 Candy Berry) -  Pink-purple sprinkled with holographic micro-glitter.  Click here for nail swatches and a full review of this Japanese polish.

 

Ulta3 (Purple Passion) - I've had this polish sitting in my collection a long time and was a bit surprised at how sheer this polish is as it took three coats to get the rather patchy coverage on the nail wheel.  The colour's best described as a high shimmer purple with pink highlights.  

Eyes

A few of these colours are more on the paler, lilac end of the colour wheel but I decided to keep them in because they're still pink-purple hybrids and work well with the other shades!

Clockwise from top left:

 

Essence Shimmer Effect (56 Hyped Up) - As you can tell from the picture above I've not worn this eye shadow!  It got buried in the eye shadow drawer *cough* and only surfaced when I went on my Radiant Orchid hunt.  Of course it just so happens to be the truest Radiant Orchid eye shadow in my collection.  Right. Enough said about that.  Hyped Up is purple with strong pink undertones and reminds me of the colour combinations I used to wear when I was a teenager - still I think this could work well as a transition shade.
 

Inglot Pearl Mono (441) - This soft pearl, almost duochrome pink-purple is definitely in the Radiant Orchid family. I like to wear this buttery eyeshadow as a crease shade paired with...

Inglot Pearl Mono (440) - This is the palest pick of the bunch by far and more of a complimentary shade in the colour family.  You can still see it's not a pink nor a purple per se but sits the fence between them so I've included it as a purple-pink which I like to wear as an inner corner highlight or all over the lid.  As with all Inglot eye shadows in my teeny collection (I have one quad) this is very buttery and smooth - almost too buttery because these shadows are very fragile and prone to crumbling and gouging at the slightest touch.

MAC Satin (Parfait Amour) - I bought this a few years ago when I was looking for a purple with cool undertones because I just had to have it and then it pretty much sat around barely used.  Parfait Amour is very pretty with its slight pink duochrome although - potential deal-breaker - it can look like a bruise if not properly applied.  I'm going to have to get this out and do some serious experimenting to see how to make it work for me.

Essence Shimmer Effect (16 Go Glam) - I've worn this lovely buttery satin eye shadow a few times because it sets off the green in my eyes beautifully.  This pink-purple wears as lilac on the skin so it's a gorgeous pastel option washed over the lids or applied in the inner corners.
 

Swatched left to right on unprimed skin:
Inglot 441, Inglot 440, Essence Hyped Up, Essence Go Glam, MAC Parfait Amour



Cheeks

 

NYX Mosaic Powder (Plummy) - Not strictly Radiant Orchid but the closest I could find in my blush collection!  The five shades in this cheek palette swirl together to give a radiant, glowing flush as swatched below:

So now you can see I do love this colour just a little bit - regardless of whether it was going to be colour of the year or not!

Until next time