Sportsgirl Nail It! polish: Speckled Lilac

After my last rather wordy piece I wanted to lighten it up a bit around here with a pretty little nail polish post!

Now that I'm focusing on Cruelty Free products I've been digging through my nail polish collection on a mission and finding some hidden gems like this one from Australian fashion chain Sportsgirl.  I often go looking through Sportsgirl's bargain baskets for discounted polishes and that's how I ended up buying Speckled Lilac.  This polish melds the prettiest lilac creme with a rainbow mix of glitter which remind me of candy sprinkles, known fondly as "100s & 1000s".  This polish was very easy to apply and looked perfect in two coats.  Sadly, the fact that I found this in the bargain basket means it's discontinued. On the upside, Sportsgirl continue to roll out wonderful affordable Cruelty Free polishes so that will give me an excuse to visit their counter again!

All pictures taken in indirect daylight

And just in case you haven't seen 100s & 1000s...

That's enough eye candy for now!

Cruelty Free: Yes 
Vegan: U/K
Certified Organic: No

Until next time.


(This product was purchased by me.) 

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.)

 



Sportsgirl Nail It! Rose Gold

For lovers of rose gold here's another post for you!

This Sportsgirl nail polish from the Nail It! range makes no bones about what it is.  It's very straightforwardly called Rose Gold and is a mix of different sizes of rose gold glitter in a clear base.  I used two coats over my pearly rose gold base polish and ended up with something looking like a rough foil, or almost sequin effect.  It was one of those weekend manicures I couldn't bear to take off and it stayed 100% intact all week too - a total winner for me as I can't seem to get enough of this precious metal at the moment...

Shade

Sun

 

What do you think of this tone on tone layering?

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.

May's farewelled products (2013 edition)

So what did I finish up this month?  What were my loves, likes, loathes?  Read on...

Skin care

41) Maybelline City Rescue Total Clean! Express Eye & Lip Makeup Remover (70ml) - So this is the new updated remover from Maybelline.  The notable differences are: the dual-phase liquid is now colourless and the bottle is now a teeny 70ml so I'm going to easily go through a bottle a month (I guess 2 for 1 Maybelline purchases will be a no-brainer!) Aside from that the product seems to be basically the same:  A dual-phase formula you shake up then sweep over the lids and lashes to remove makeup - yes, even waterproof makeup - with a sweep of a soaked cotton pad.  Because of the travel-friendly size and drugstore price I'm happy enough to stick with this for now.

42) Avon Anew Reversalist Renewal Serum (30ml) - After being seduced by a sample tube of this stuff over a year ago, I bought a full-sized bottle on sale.  Suitable for 40+ skin this serum claims to reduce the appearance of fine wrinkles and skin discolouration.  I liked how soft and velvety this felt when applying and how my skin immediately felt super-soft to the touch.  I also noticed some minor reduction in my pigmentation over time but I don't know that I noticed any wrinkle reduction.  To tell you the truth I try never to get that close - I don't fancy checking out my fine wrinkles! What I didn't like was the strange pump dispenser which threatened to break my nails and how I had no way of guaging just how much was left in the bottle until it ran out! I think I'll wait for another sale before I buy another one of these.

43) Yes to Carrots C Me Smile Lip Butter (Melon) - I loved this little tube of lip balm! I used it as my nightly lip treatment and it was very moisturising without being overly slick or greasy on my lips.  This little 4.25g tube lasted me months too.  Other pluses?  This is certified 95% organic and is paraben free. 

44) Hydratherapy Q10 Replenishing Cleansing Wipes (25 wipes) - I'd never heard of this brand when I spotted this pack of wipes to try.  They claim to hydrate the skin as they remove makeup.  The wipes were a good size, nicely textured so I could feel them cleansing my skin, and nice and wet with the alcohol and oil free cleanser.  One wipe was easily enough to cleanse my entire face. I really liked the fresh slightly citrus scent too and my skin definitely felt moisturized afterward.  At around $5AUD a pack I would definitely repurchase these.

Hand and body care

45) MOR Marshmallow Body Butter - This strange little pink tub was a discount purchase I think.  Anyway I've been going through a lot of small bottles, tubs and sample sachets of body moisturizers lately and this is one of those.  The body butter is pungently strong with MOR's marshmallow (musk candy) scent so I used it occasionally, and sparingly on my knees and elbows.  It's a very thick formula but very well absorbed and it did a decent job of softening the extra-dry bits.  However...I just can't handle the strength of the scent which seemed to be much stronger than the vial of Marshmallow fragrance oil I have!  I'm relieved to see it go.

46) Sportsgirl Hands Down Moisturising Hand Creme (60ml/2.02 fl.oz) - Another disappointing discount purchase.  I bought this reduced from $7.95 to $1.95 and the reason it was discounted became apparent to me very quickly!  For a hand cream this had the potential to make a good body lotion - it was soooo watery to the point of running out of the tube.  I had to tilt the tube upwards to avoid pouring this milky lotion everywhere. That drove me crazy!  On the plus side I did like the soft vanilla fragrance.  Also it did a reasonable job of moisturising my hands, although it did wash away very easily so I had to reapply constantly.

47) OPI Original Nail Envy (15ml/0.5 fl.oz) - My go-to nail strengthener and base coat.  My father also swears by the matte version for his crumbly, splitting nails.

48) Kiehl's Creme de Corps (5ml/0.17 fl.oz sample) - I'm sure I'm preaching to the converted out there but this is the first time I've tried Kiehl's famed body moisturizer and I loved it! It was thick but instantly absorbed, left my skin feeling soft and not at all greasy and there's no perfume to fight with whatever fragrance you feel like wearing.  I'll definitely treat myself to some of this when I clear my current backlog!

Hair care

49) John Frieda Luxurious Volume Lavish Lift Root Booster (29ml/ 1 fl.oz travel size) - Another old sample I found lurking and I wish I'd saved this for my upcoming trip. It gave my hair soft volume and I liked the expensive salon product scent.  After returning to my usual L'Oreal thickening spray I can say I prefer John Frieda so I'll be purchasing the full size product in future.

Cosmetics

50) Christian Dior Diorshow Mascara - After too many months of use it was simply time to go for this mascara.  It remains one of my favourites as it beautifully separates and coats the individual lashes.  No clumping with this one right up to the end!

51) Essence Shimmer Effect Eyeshadow (Cappucino, Please!) - I absolutely adored this pretty shimmery beige eyeshadow and I used it as my MAC Shroom backup because it was such a close dupe.  See my original comparison post here.

Until next month!

Spring lips in Autumn...

What the heck is going on here?  We're officially in Autumn down here in Melbourne and now I'm wearing spring blossom colours.  Perhaps it was being under the influence while wearing the Japanese pastel polishes but I just couldn't get enough of soft pink and mauve lip colours last week.

Now I think I understand why it's taking me forever to finish 5 lipsticks.  I'm such a lip colour whore!  I've been trying to concentrate on only wearing the 5 colours I nominated to complete my lipstick ban (here)  but I got bored and veered way off track, delving into my stash for something completely different and out of kilter with the season to boot.  It's nothing shocking in the context of the greater universe but I still feel as if I've been rebellious.

Sportsgirl - Pout About It! lip colour

(Beauty Queen)

I bought this lipstick (my first) from Sportsgirl last year and it sat in its wrapper until last week.  Beauty Queen is a creme finish lipstick and feels buttery on my lips. This slightly plasticky scented lipstick goes on with a bit of sheen but this wears away after a while to a semi-matte finish. The soft baby pink shade is probably as light as I'd dare to go on my lips without washing me out.  I loved wearing it with a greyed-out purple smokey eye.  Beauty Queen is still in Sportgirl's lipstick line - I think?!

Revlon Super Lustrous Lipstick

(453 Pinkerbelle)

I've always loved blue-toned pinks and mauves on my lips so Pinkerbelle is a 'me' lipstick shade.  It's a mid-toned pink with a slight blue undertone - you know, one of those shades that makes your teeth look whiter.  I bought it a few years from a chemist discount bin.  I'm pretty sure it's been discontinued which is disappointing because it's a really flattering shade worn alone on my lips and also looks fabulous topped with a mauve gloss like...

Kit Lip Gloss

(Fully Loving It)

Just look at how thick that lip gloss is oozing from the tube!  It successfully balances the level of thickness, wetness and pigmentation.  It feels substantial on the lips but not at all sticky.  I wore this mauve shade on its own and over the top of Pinkerbelle.  It's the only Kit lip gloss I have but now I've rediscovered it I've added it to my handbag as my 'go to' MLBB lip gloss.

The swatches:

L - R:

Beauty Queen, Pinkerbelle, Fully Loving It

Have you ever rebelled against the season with your makeup?

Until next time.

Vita :)

Nail It: Wow!

Happy Wednesday!

In my last post I wrote how impressed I've been with Sportsgirl nail polish so far.  Wow! from Sportsgirl's Nail It! polish range is an example of the perfect polish - high impact colour and buttery smooth application.  Wow! is a bright purple creme which reminds me of grape bubblegum.  It actually dries down to a semi-matte vinyl finish which is interesting, but I added some Sally Hansen Megashine and the colour went Kapow!  This is the sort of polish that gets compliments from strangers and I mean that in the nicest possible way...

Full sun

Shade

This shade is currently selling for the reduced price of $2.45AUD on Sportsgirl's mobile shop here.

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 :)

REVIEW: Vacation beauty favourites

I always inevitably overpack beauty products when I travel.  It's my compulsion to be prepared for any beauty situation - the daytime look, the evening look, the 'no makeup' look, the... Well, if you're a beauty buff you'll know what I mean.  Yes, I do venture out into the world with my own natural face on show but I prefer to use a bit of subtle colour when I can, sometimes because I feel like I need a pick me up (tired anyone?) but mostly just for the fun of it!

Out of the 1 kg or so of beauty products I packed here's a mini review of the ones I used the most:

Face

Invisible Zinc Tinted Daywear (50g) - I wore this facial moisturising sunscreen every day to protect my skin from the intense North Queensland sun.  I found I only needed a light application of this as a base because it made my skin really dewy (read 'greasy') if I was too generous! I overcame the shine problem by using this in place of  my regular moisturiser (I'd been inadvertantly moisturising twice by using the tint over my usual moisturiser - oops!) and lightly dusting my MAC powder over my T-zone.

Sportsgirl Get Cheeky Cheek & Eye Shimmer (Summer Blush) - A big shout out to Jerry from Silhouette Screams who'd commented on my blog about this blush/highlighter and got me curious -  and now hooked on it!  I loved using this multi-tasker as a blush, highlighter and an eyeshadow.  Quite honestly, I probably didn't need to pack my MAC Shroom eyeshadow because the highlight in this pan is almost a dupe!  For a swatch and a full review check out Jerry's recent post here.

MAC Select Sheer Pressed Powder (NC20) - I used this fine pressed powder to control shine without masking my face.  It's one of my beauty staples.

Eyes

L'Oreal Extra-Volume Waterproof Mascara (Black) - I love wearing mascara every day and I needed something waterproof to hold up to all the swimming.  This mascara has a gigantic brush and gave me very fat, very waterproof lashes.  The formula is so budge-proof it takes a bit of effort to remove even with waterproof eyemakeup remover as I found out after I'd applied two coats to go out to dinner!

MAC eyeshadow (Shroom) - I brushed this cream satin shade alone over my lids most days for my 'natural' bright-eyed look. Fab formula, super smooth, no creasing as with all MAC shadows so it stood up to the heat with no problem. 

Maybelline Stylish Smokes palette (Charcoal Smokes) - I decided to pack this silvery grey palette instead of an expensive palette so I wouldn't be heartbroken over any breakages or crumbling shadows.  I used all the shades in the palette to create perfectly fine smoky eyes for dinner dates.  For a drugstore product this performed quite well, blending smoothly and giving enough oomph for an evening eye.

Swatched Left-Right:  
MAC Shroom,
  Maybelline Charcoal Smokes - Brow bone, lid, crease, outer corner

Lips

MAC Lipstick - Three MAC Lipsticks covered all my lipstick needs from dawn to dusk (pictured bottom left to top right): 

Cosmo - warm nude creme for a natural daytime lip

Crosswires - cremesheen formula coral for a hit of colour and shine

Impassioned - Vivid, almost neon coral-pink for a summery statement lip

  

Essence glossy lipbalm (berry sorbet) - sugary scented, raspberry pink shimmer gloss worn alone just for fun.

Australis Mint Condition Lip Gloss (Mrs Mellonwellons Melons & Meow With Your Mind) - I wore these SPF30 glosses most days to protect and shine up my lips.  They were rich and provided medium wear without being too sticky.  Mrs Mellonwellons Melons is a richly pigmented coral, good for a flush of colour on the lips and Meow With Your Mind is a very soft shimmery peach I wore when I just wanted to be completely low-key and natural.

Lip colours swatched Left to Right:
Top Row:  MAC Cosmo, Crosswires, Impassioned
Bottom Row:  Essence Berry Sorbet,
Australis Mrs Mellonwellons Melons & Meow With Your Mind

What are your must-have vacation cosmetics?  

Do you overpack when it comes to beauty too?

  I'd love to hear from you.

Until my next post.

Vita :)