June Lust Have It

So I received the June Lust Have It bag a few days ago and here is what was in it for this month:

As per the previous two months the contents again came in a cute little cosmetic bag which was a Cadbury kind of purple this time. I know these were a unique idea the first couple of times but seriously, how many cosmetic purses does one need??

Anyway, the contents were as follows:

1) LonVitalite 24K Active Golden Yulan Oil Facial Mask (1 x mask, RRP $59.00 for 5 masks)

2) LonVitalite 24K Active Gold Full Eye Mask (1 x mask, RRP $45.00 for 5 masks)

3) Batiste Blush Dry Shampoo (50ml, RRP $9.95 for 150ml)

4) Bloom Shade & Line 3 in 1 Eyeliner (Full size, RRP $19.95)

5) Marc Jacobs Lola (1.2 ml sample, RRP $120.00 for 50ml)

6) Chloe L'Eau de Chloe (1.2ml sample, RRP $80.00 for 30ml)


I have to say that I was a bit underwhelmed by the contents this month. The two main reasons why I loved Lust Have It over the other boxes were that they always had a good consistent range of samples mixed with full size products and that all the boxes were the same so there was no 'box envy'.

Well, both these points were absent this month as there was only one full size item (the Bloom eyeliner) and I noticed in some other boxes that people got a cute glitter eyeliner which I actually would have preferred for something different to try for once. I'm not sure why I got something different, maybe because I'm over 30 it wasn't deemed appropriate for me to get a glitter eyeliner??


What do you think of the Lust Have It box for this month?

Michelle xx

The Findation Project

How good would it be to be able to purchase foundation and know that you are getting the exact colour match for your skin tone without the guess work?

Well, this is what a new website called Findation is going to try and do for us. Findation will help anyone who uses foundation find their perfect match in any brand based on the shades and brands you are currently using.

At the moment Findation is still in beta mode and needs as many people as possible to get on the website and tell them all the foundation shades that you use and find the best match for your skin tone. Once enough data is received it will use an algorithm to calculate what shades are similar across all brands and then you will always know the best shade for you.

Findation is a project developed by Kate Morris (founder of Adorebeauty.com.au) and needs everyone who is interested to do the following:

1) Go to http://www.findation.com/

2) Enter in all the foundation shades that you use that are a good match for you skin. The more matches you enter, the better the system will be able to work.

3) Tell everyone you know to do the above steps as well so they can get as much data as possible and help the site grow stronger.

I have to admit that I'm super excited about this as I always struggle to find the best match for my pale skin tone. I usually just grab the lightest shade in a range but that doesn't always work out sometimes so a system like this where you can go onto the Findation website and get an idea of the best shades for you before you decide to go foundation hunting is just genius!

Please do everyone a favour and check this site out as soon as you can and start entering your foundation shades. The sooner this site obtains enough data to be up and running the better!

Michelle xx

 

Face of Australia Sheer Gloss Lip Crayons - Love At First Swatch!

Recently I had a bit of a lemming moment and decided in a split second moment to buy some of the new Face of Australia Sheer Gloss Lip Crayons. I didn't really need any more lip colours, but I've seen these around so much lately that curiosity just got the better of me.

The crayons come in a three pack with three very wearable colours for pretty much anybody. They are very moisturising and are almost as good as a tinted lip balm with keeping the lips hydrated when applied.

They are so smooth to apply and come in a very handy wind up applicator rather than needing to be sharpened like some other lip crayons. They aren't too soft either so you don't end up crushing the tip if you press too hard which is great.

Macaron - A really pretty bright pink

Sundae - A very sheer nude

Cupcake - A subtle pale pink

Macaron is definitely my favourite shade of all three although I have been using Cupcake like it's going out of style because it's such a great shade to keep in my handbag for subtle touch-ups during the day when I'm out and about. It's so sheer you don't need to be anywhere near a mirror to reapply.

Left to Right: Macaron, Sundae & Cupcake (Without Flash)

(With Flash)

I'd love to see these available as single crayons so you could purchase your favourite one when it runs out rather than having to buy the pack again and more colours, such as a sheer red or coral, would be great too.

Has anyone else tried these yet? If so, what did you think?

Michelle xx

June Bellabox - Winter Escape

Well I've been a bit slack on the posting front for the beauty sample boxes I have received over the past couple of months as I just kept forgetting about them and when I did finally remember it was too late in the month and seemed a bit silly to write about them.

I did actually receive the June Bellabox early last week and yet again left it sitting on my dining table completely forgotten about, but, I finally remembered about it today and decided it's still reasonable to post about it now.

Here is what the contents of the June Bellabox looked like this month:

Here's a list of what was included:

1) Benefit Porefessional Pro Balm (7.5ml sample, RRP $58.00 for 22ml) - I've heard so much about this product and have found that people either love it or hate it so I'm quite intrigued and can't wait to try it.

2) Pure Fiji Body Butter in Coconut (sample pot, RRP $29.95 for 235ml) - The consistency of this body butter seems to be gorgeous but I'm not a huge fan of the fake coconut scent. I might be tempted enough to by this in another scent though.

3) Sally Hansen Colour Quick Chrome Fast Dry Nail Colour Pen in Turquoise Chrome (Full size, RRP $16.95) - I love the concept of this and can't wait to try it out. The colour I received is a really pretty peacock kind of blue.

4) Be In Awe Vimala Cleanser & Shaanta Night Balm (Cleanser - 2 x 3ml sachets, RRP $39 for 150ml, Night Balm - 5ml sample, RRP $120 for 50ml) - I've never heard of this brand before so am interested in seeing what it's like.

5) Benefit Total Moisture Facial Cream (3.5gm sample, RRP $59 for 48.3gms) - I haven't tried this before so am interested to see if it's a good moisturiser for my thirsty skin.

6) Fan Di Fendi Fragrance (sample sachet, RRP $95 for 30ml) - This fragrance sample is in a sachet which I think is really odd instead of in a glass or plastic tube like they normally are. This means you'll only get one use out of it which I think is a little bit annoying. I've never seen a fragrance come in a sachet before.

7) Olea Olive Leaf Drops (4 drops, RRP $6 for 12 drops) - These look kind of interesting and I will definitely be trying them next time I feel a cold coming on. I used to take Olive Leaf extract years ago and was surprised at how it really does help the immune system.

So there you go. The main things I am excited to try this month are definitely the Sally Hansen nail polish pen and the Benefit Porefessional balm. Overall I think it was a good box and will get use out of everything in it.

What do you think of the contents of the June Bellabox?

Michelle xx

30 Days of Lippy - Week 2

So, I have just gotten through the second week of the Instagram challenge called 30 Days of Lippy (#30daysoflippy) which was created by Rosemary at Lashes and Lattes and Kimberley at Pop Couture.

Here is the list that we have been following every day:

So, last week in my Week 1 post I got up to Day 10 (I missed the first couple of days of the challenge). So, here is what I wore from Day 11 onwards:

Day 11 - Shimmery

                                           Calvin Klein Delicious Pout Gloss in Breathless

Day 12 - Close to Your Natural Lip Colour

                                                   Savoir Faire Lipstick in Miss You

Day 13 - Lilac or Mauve

                                     Avon Ultra Colour Rich Lipstick in Looking Glass Lilac

Day 14 - Wear Blush on Your Lips

         LimeLily Cosmetics Cream Blush in Gorgeous with Elizabeth Arden Crystal Clear Gloss on top

Day 15 - Brown

                                                Innoxa Lovely Lips Lipstick in Marigold

Day 16 - Two-Tone Lip

I was going out to dinner this night so I wasn't confident to wear a two-tone lip out. Instead I played catch-up from Day 1 - Your Favourite Lip Colour and wore my Calvin Klein Creme Lipstick in First Kiss. 

Day 17 - The Darkest Lipstick You Own

  

                                              Mirenesse 3D Forever Gloss in Hot Kiss 

So that was my past week in lipstick. I've had so much fun doing this challenge as it's made me appreciate some lipsticks and glosses that I haven't used in a while and now I have developed a love for them all over again.

All except the Brown day where I wore the Innoxa lipstick in Marigold. I don't think this is a colour I will ever wear out of the house again even though I used to live in lipsticks of this colour years ago! Haha!

Hope everyone had a lovely weekend!

Michelle xx

Revlon Colorburst Lipgloss in Hot Pink

Ok, so after deciding to participate in the 30 Days of Lippy challenge it became very apparent to me that I was lacking in one area as far as lipsticks go and that is the area of the colour Hot Pink.

I have a zillion pink lipsticks of all shades but nothing that could be classed as hot pink. Therefore, when I was out the other day and came across this Revlon Colorburst Lipgloss which was called none other than 'Hot Pink' I couldn't resist buying it.


I've never used a Revlon lip gloss before and I soon discovered that they are a really lovely gloss. It comes with the usual doe foot applicator and goes on with a nice and smooth consistency without being too sticky or runny. It seems to give really good coverage as well which I love in a gloss and it also tends to stay on for a good couple of hours without needing to be reapplied.

Now, I know that I could have gone a lot further as far as the Hot Pink scale goes, but I didn't want to go too crazy when it's a colour I'm not really familiar with and wasn't sure whether I would get much use out of. This gloss is a nice way for me to dip my toe gently into brighter pink shades without being too scary to start off with.

Also, considering I am no longer in my 20's anymore, I feel that a colour that is any brighter than this might look a bit ridiculous on me (the whole mutton dressed up as lamb saying keeps coming to my mind.....)

Has anyone tried any other colours in these lip glosses that I should check out?

Michelle xx

30 Days of Lippy - Week 1

So, I decided to join in on the Instagram challenge called 30 Days of Lippy (#30daysoflippy) which was created by the lovely Rosemary at Lashes and Lattes and Kimberley at Pop Couture.

Here is the list:

I have to say that I've had so much fun participating in this challenge so far and it's really made me get creative and sift through all my lip products to come up with the look for the day. It's certainly gotten me out of my makeup rut at least!

So, here is what I've posted so far. I started on Day 4 as I came across it a bit late so I missed the first three days.

Day 4 - Red Lips:

Revlon Colourburst in True Red



Day 5 - Coral:

Models Prefer Lipstick in After Party

Day 6 - Wear a Stain:

OCC Lip Tar in Strumpet blotted off to a stain

Day 7 - Favourite Revlon Lip Butter

I don't own a Revlon Lip Butter yet so I just used another moisturising lip product I love instead - Clinique Superbalm in Current

Day 8 - A Matte Finish

Revlon Super Lustrous Matte in Really Red

Day 9 - Hot Pink

I realised that I seriously lack anything in the Hot Pink category (this needs to be rectified soon!) - Instead I used one of my favourite pinks which is Models Prefer Ultra Lipgloss Pencil in Kiss & Make Up

Day 10 - Most Recent Lip Purchase

Mirenesse Velvet Lip Lift Moisture Shine in No. 20

So that's my first week in the challenge. There's been some amazing photos shared so if you haven't checked it out yet then you definitely should!

I hope everybody had a great long weekend (besides the atrocious weather!)

Michelle xx

Review - Palmer's Cocoa Butter Formula Gentle Exfoliating Facial Scrub

I have using this scrub for a few weeks now and absolutely love it. I've always been a big fan of the Palmer's range and this scrub is no exception.

This is quite a grainy scrub which I like. I try to be open minded with exfoliators but I must say that deep down I don't really believe an exfoliator can truly work without scrubby bits!

One thing that can be a bit of a problem is that because this scrub is so thick it is quite hard to squeeze out of the tube. You really have to put some effort into getting this product out which can be a good thing I guess because you will never squeeze out more than you need.

After using this in the shower my skin feels so super soft and my moisturiser just sinks straight in. This is a very heavy scrub so due to my sensitive skin I have found that using it every 3rd or 4th day is ideal for me. Any more than that and my skin can feel a little dry. I haven't noticed any irritation at all from using it and the smell is just divine! It's not the usual cocoa butter smell but a little bit more floral. The pack calls it a White Lily fragrance.

I've even been using this as a lip scrub occasionally and love how soft and supple it makes my lips feel after use.

Overall, if you're a fan of grainy scrubs then you should definitely try this one. As with all Palmer's products it's reasonably priced and I'm expecting my tube to last for at least another couple of months at the rate I've been using it.

Are you a Palmer's fan like me?

Michelle xx

May Addiction - 'Yes To' Brand

I realise I haven't done a monthly addiction post in a while but truthfully it's because nothing I used had really grabbed my attention to that degree until this month. I don't know if it was the stress of studying for my exam which was at the beginning of May or whether I just lost my mojo for a little while but I seemed to be a bit all over the shop beauty product wise the past couple of months.

That was until I started acquiring some 'Yes To' products and grew a soft spot for this brand again.

I used to use this brand quite a lot in the past because it was gentle on my sensitive skin but then moved on I guess to other more exciting brands. Lately I have been into 'Yes To' products again and my current go-to items from this brand at the moment are as follows:

1) Yes To Cucumbers Hypoallergenic Facial Towelettes - One word sums up these wipes, 'Bliss'. I can't get enough of the scent of these wipes. They have such a clean, fresh scent that instantly makes stress disappear once they are wiped over the face. They remove all traces of makeup and leave my skin feeling fresh and completely clean and soothed which is awesome after a big night out when I'm tired and want nothing more than to get my makeup off quickly and get into bed. I sometimes even forget to put my moisturiser on after using these because they make my skin feel moisturised enough.

2) Yes To Cucumbers Soothing Daily Gel Cleanser - I've been using this cleanser for a while now and love how sqeaky clean my skin feels after use. Again, it's got the nice, fresh cucumber scent that I just love. This gel can be a bit drying though but as long as I put on a moisturiser straight after using I don't notice any problems. The best thing to me is that I feel no stinging and get no eczema flare ups from using this cleanser. Win!

3) Yes To Carrots Conditioning Lip Butter with SPF 15 - This is such a thick lip balm that is great for those days when your lips feel like old sandpaper after a big day out in the sun and/or wind. It makes the lips feel extremely moisturised and stays on for at least a couple of hours. The only thing I must mention to be aware about with this Lip Butter is that if you apply it too thick you get a nice cream looking coating on your lips so apply it sparingly as that's not the best look to go for.

4) Yes To Carrots C Me Blush Lip Tint in Ready Red - I can't say enough about how good this Lip Tint is. I like to use this during the day to get a small tint of colour on my lips when full-on red lipstick would be too much. It stays on for ages and leaves the lips feeling so soft and moisturised. You can build the colour of this tint up too by applying a few layers if you want it to be a bit darker. It's got a very strong peppermint flavour to it though which leaves a cooling sensation on the lips so if you're not a fan of peppermint then this may not be for you.

What brands have you been loving lately?

Michelle xx

Review - Model Co Shine Ultra Lipgloss in Showgirl Red

Don't you hate it when something really excites you and then doesn't come anywhere near meeting your expectations?

Well, that's how I felt about this Model Co Ultra Shine Lipgloss in Showgirl Red.


I received this gloss in a monthly sample box last month and got very excited. I'd heard such good things about this brand before and the gloss colour looked so pretty. I also loved the little touch of the mirror on the side as that is such a handy addition that every gloss or lipstick company should look into adopting.

But, that was where my excitement took a big nosedive. When I opened it up to test it out I found out that even though it looks so bright in the tube, the colour is almost non-existent when you try to apply it. There is only the slightest pink tinge to this gloss which really doesn't do it for me. I like my glosses to actually have a decent amount of colour, if I don't want colour I'll use a lip balm.

The above swatch is after about 10 layers of the gloss is applied VERY thickly. I've tried to show the actual colour of it by doing this but if you apply only one layer it's barely visible on the lips.

Don't even get me started on the fact that this gloss is called Showgirl Red when it is quite clearly pink. There is no way this colour even borders on being red.

Of course if you're a fan of a 'barely there' gloss look then this product would be perfect for you. But, if you're like me and like your glosses with a bit more oomph then you may be disappointed as with this one as I was.

Has anyone else tried any other shades in this range? Did I just get a dud tube?

Michelle xx