July 2016 Favourites

So, I'm a few days late with getting my July favourites out but I had a few items this month that I really enjoyed using and just had to share (lets just forget that I haven't done a favourites post in around a year or so shall we!)

So this month I had a little mix of things that I kept going back to again and again. These were:

1) Garnier Micellar Cleansing Water - It took me a really long time to get on the Micellar water bandwagon as I was convinced that it was a lot of hype over nothing. But, since I decided to take the plunge and buy some of this at Priceline a few weeks ago I can now see why it is so popular. This product takes off any makeup product it's put up against and does it with very minimal effort. It's non-irritating, even when used for stubborn eye makeup and has no annoying scent or oily residue. My skin feels refreshed and totally clean after use so I will definitely be repurchasing this when it runs out.

2) L'Oreal Infallible Makeup in Creamy Natural - This would have to be hands down my most favourite foundation of all time. I have had this bottle for what seems like forever and I put it aside now and then to use other newer foundations I buy, but then I always go back to it and wonder why I change. It goes on flawlessly using a brush or a beauty blender and stays put all day long. It doesn't sink into my fine lines and gives me great medium to full coverage without looking like I'm wearing a huge amount of makeup. I just love it!

3) Australis AC on Tour Contouring and Highlighting Kit - I was going to do a full review on this product but decided not to as I think it has been reviewed to death. This palette never leaves my makeup table and is my most reached for item at the moment. All of the highlighting powders are the perfect shade for my pale skin and the middle contouring shade is just great. These powders are so easy to blend out and seem to last for the whole work day. They also make good eyeshadows on those days when I'm in a rush and want a quick, neutral look. For the price this has to be one of the most economical palettes out there.

(Australis AC on Tour Contouring and Highlighting Kit)

4) Elizabeth Arden Lipstick in Rose Petal - I have been living in this lipstick this past month as it is the perfect everyday winter shade for me. It is a gorgeous medium, rose-pink shade that is so creamy to apply and it lasts for hours, even through eating and drinking. This formula doesn't sink into lip lines at all and it keeps my lips feeling moisturised and soft all day. I have always been a huge fan of Elizabeth Arden lipsticks and have a few of them in my collection. I don't think they get anywhere near enough attention in the beauty world.

(Elizabeth Arden lipstick in Rose Petal)

5) Sukin Purely Ageless Intensive Firming Serum - I received this is the last Priceline beauty bag and am going to be running back to my nearest store to get more as soon as it is finished. This serum feels just gorgeous on my skin and makes it seem so soft and supple when applied. I absolutely adore the smell as well which is kind of sweet but floral at the same time (I suck at describing scents!) It's not sticky at all and absorbs into my skin straight away so it doesn't feel too heavy when I apply my day or night cream afterwards. I will definitely be repurchasing this.

6) Rimmel Magnif'eyes Eye Shadow Stick and Liner in Back to Blacks and Queens of the Bronzed Age ** - These shadow/liner sticks have been on my eyes almost every day for the past month. They make a subtle daytime smoky eye possible in literally under 2 minutes. My favourite way to apply these is to do a thick swipe of the black shadow along my upper lash line followed by another thick swipe of the bronze shadow on top of the first line. I then quickly grab my eyeshadow brush and then blend, blend, blend upwards until my whole eyelid is covered and I have an unbelievably fast and long-wearing smoky eye. I then like to use the golden liner end to line my lower lashes and highlight the inner corner of my eye. The trick to these is to blend them very quickly as they set fairly fast and then don't budge for the entire day, even on my badly hooded eyes. They are amazing!  

(Rimmel Magnif'eyes Eye Shadow/Liner sticks in Queens of the Bronzed Age and Back to Blacks)

So that's it for my favourites this past month!


Have a great week!

Michelle xx

** Product received for consideration but my thoughts are purely my own.

March 2015 Favourites

March has been a bit of a mixed month for me. My skin has just decided it doesn't agree with pregnancy and has gone absolutely crazy breaking out all over the place and no amount of foundation or strategically placed concealer is making me feel much good right now.

In an effort to take some of the focus off my horrid skin I have been opting for more brighter products on my eyes and lips so here is a quick round up of a few of the products that have been on high rotation during the past month.

1) Australis Conceal & Correct 4-in-1 Concealer Corrector Palette - This little beauty has been a bit of a life saver for me lately as it contains two concealer shades (a light and a darker one), a green shade to combat redness and a lilac shade to brighten up dull areas and dark circles. It's so handy to have all these products in one little pot and until my skin calms down I'll be getting a lot of use out of this.

2) Maybelline Master Glaze Blush Stick in Just-Pinched Pink - I picked this up on sale at Coles a few weeks ago and just love it. It's such a pretty light pink shade that suits my skin tone perfectly and makes me look a lot fresher and more awake than I feel most days. I do plan on doing a review on this in the near future so stay tuned.

3)  Clinique Face Compact - This was in the last Clinique gift with purchase I fell for which I wrote about here and the lazy girl in me has been using it almost every day since. The two eyeshadow shades are just so easy to throw on without any thought and the blush is also a great everyday shade.

4) Mirenesse Inside Out 27hr Eye Kohl in Isis - I have been loving this pretty shade of blue as a pop of colour underneath my eyes when I am wearing nothing but a nude or cream shade of eyeshadow. It just seems to brighten up my eyes without much effort required at all.

5) Clinique Chubby Stick Baby Tint in Poppin' Poppy - This was another product I got in the last Clinique gift with purchase and although I wasn't very impressed with it initially, I have really grown to love it. It's a great little balm to swipe quickly over the lips when I want a teeny hint of colour and it is surprisingly moisturising too.

6) Face of Australia Sheer Gloss Lip Crayon in Macaron - After being so disappointed in the last FOA lip crayon I purchased in Peach Parfait which I recently reviewed here, I ended up rekindling my love for this pretty pink one instead. It's a great shade to wear for a little bit of a pick-me-up when I'm not wanting a full-on opaque lip.

7) Cherry Brown Lipstick in Hot Pink - I recently reviewed this lipstick here and have been wearing it quite a lot when I don't want to do much with the rest of my face but still want to look awake. It's a shade that just automatically makes you feel better when you're wearing it.

So, that's it for the products that I have reached for the most during the last month.

What products have you been reaching for the most lately?

Michelle xx 

February 2015 Favourites

So, I've only really gotten back into caring about what products I was using in the past month because prior to that when I was in the worst of my morning sickness and exhaustion period I really didn't care about anything!

During February I found that I was gravitating the most towards all of the following products:

* The Body Shop Shea Body Butter - Now I have an ever growing belly I've been slathering this stuff on every day to make sure I don't get any stretch marks again throughout this pregnancy. I managed to be lucky enough to not get any last time so fingers crossed!
* Cowshed Lazy Cow Soothing Bath & Shower Gel - Hubby was kind enough to buy this for me one day from Sephora on one of his lunchtime walks (he works just around the corner so lucky me!) and when he saw that it contained essential oils of jasmine, chamomile and sandalwood he thought it would be a good thing to try and calm me down at night when I wasn't feeling so good. The scent is very strong and took a little getting used to but I am totally in love with it now.
* Maybelline Dream Pure BB Cream - This has been hands down my most favourite BB Cream of all time so far. It goes on nice and smooth and the coverage is great. It's also quite matte too which I really like and it makes a great base for those days when I just can't be bothered wearing foundation but want my skin to look more even.
* Kosmea Australia Replenishing Moisture Cream - I have been using this of a morning as I find the Rose scent soothing. It's a lovely, light cream that makes my skin feel nice and moisturised for the day. 

 

* Sephora Contour Eye Pencil in Black Lace - Hubby scored again by taking another trip to Sephora and buying me one of their 'Best of' gift sets which contained around 8 of their best selling products. This eye pencil was in it and I have used it exclusively ever since, mainly because it is waterproof and therefore does not budge for at least 8 hours on me which is a pretty big event considering I have the worst hooded eyes in history and am usually lucky if an eye pencil stays put for up to two hours.
* Sephora Nail Lacquer in Pole Dance - This was another product in the 'Best of' set and I have worn it exclusively on my toes for over six weeks now and am a bit obsessed with it. It's such a gorgeous, deep, burgundy red that looks really elegant in my opinion. It wears pretty well too and takes quite a long time before it starts to chip.
* Sephora Hydrating Powder Blush in Romantic Rose - Yep, another goody from the 'Best of' set that I have developed a deep love for. It's such a flattering, natural pink shade that is so easy to apply and blend out and it has helped me on many days to not look like the zombie that I really felt like.
* Beesline Beeswax Jelly - I have been using this on my lips at night before going to bed and love how soft they feel in the morning when I wake up. It's got no scent that I can identify which has been great on my worst sick days and I've also found it great for any dry eczema patches that pop up now and then.
* Benefit Lolli Tint - I have been using this stain on my lips prior to applying any lipstick or gloss as it means I am left with a nice pink stained lip at the end of the day. I'm not really a huge fan of using it as a cheek stain as I find it a bit too fiddly to blend out before it sets but it's definitely a winner for the lips.
* Bourjois Volume Glamour Max Mascara in Noir Max - This is a great mascara for lengthening and thickening the lashes and I have been using it every day lately.
* Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Concealer - I don't think I really need to say very much about this concealer as every man and his dog probably knows about it already. All I'll say is that it has been my saviour on many mornings when my poor under eyes were not looking so fresh and is a product that I would hate to live without.
* Ulta3 Colour Me Pretty Lipstick Crayon in Pretty Nude - So here is yet another lipstick crayon product on the market and one that I've really grown fond of. It doesn't have any taste or scent at all and is nice and smooth to apply. It gives quite a good colour payoff and leaves a lovely glossy shine on the lips. Nude lips have been my favourite lately as they make me feel put together without having to make too much of an effort with the rest of my makeup.

So those were my favourite products over February.

I'd love to know what products you've been enjoying over the past month or so?

Have a great week.

Michelle xx

My Favourite Online Shopping Websites

We all love a bit of online retail therapy right? Well, ever since having my first son and realising that going shopping just isn't as easy (or enjoyable) as it used to be with a small baby/toddler in tow, I've become a huge fan of online shopping.

It's so much easier these days to just sit at home at any time of the day or night and browse my favourite sites without having to constantly watch my son to make sure he's not touching/pulling/damaging everything in store or trying to run off and hide behind clothes racks or in a different aisle or annoying other shoppers (I think you get the gist?)

So, I have developed a list of my favourite websites that I often browse and buy from and I thought I would share this list with you all today.

1) Ebay - Ok, who doesn't love Ebay? It's is seriously the site I spend the biggest amount of time on for anything from office furniture, beauty items, gardening products, homewares, stationery, you name it, Ebay has it.

2) Etsy - I'm a relatively newcomer to this site and am still learning the best way to navigate around but once I am on there I can kiss at least an hour or so goodbye as there is just so much to look at from every corner of the world. Like Ebay you can buy practically anything and my favourite things so far have been some cute stationery/scrapbooking items and unique homewares.

3) Adore Beauty - I love this online beauty store and the fact that they have free shipping on all Australian orders. They do a lot of promotions and goodie bags as gifts with purchase that I am always a bit of a sucker for.

4) Kikki K - I am a major stationery addict and Kikki K just has some of the most delicious stuff around. I love to browse their online store whenever I am in the need for a new pretty for my desk and the fact that they offer free shipping for all orders over $50 is a winner too.

5) Fresh Fragrances & Cosmetics - Again this is another online beauty store that I regularly peruse whenever I am in need of a little fix. They also have a great loyalty program and offer free shipping on all orders.

6) Ozsale - This site is the reason that I have way too many shoes. The constant daily sales on practically anything are always so enticing and can range from clothing, footwear, stationery, pet products, homewares to kids products. Delivery is usually capped at $10 regardless of what you purchase.

7) Styletread -  What else can I say except shoes, shoes and more shoes!

8) Strawberrynet - This is a great website to get a lot of beauty products that aren't always stocked at my local shopping centre. Their prices are usually well discounted too and they also have a loyalty program that's a good bonus.

What are some of your favourite online stores? I'd love to know of any other gems that I may not have discovered yet.

Michelle xx

November 2013 Favourites

So, I usually don't worry about posting about the products I used the most during a month because a lot of the time I mix things up so much that I tend to forget what I have loved more than others.

But, the month of November was just so hectic that I don't even really remember much of it and I found myself really using the above products practically every day because it meant that there was less for me to try and think about when I was getting ready.

Anyway, here is a break down of the products that kept me sane during the month of November.

Face
* Bourjois Healthy Mix Serum Gel Foundation in Vanilla - I have had this foundation tucked up in the back of my makeup cabinet for ages and finally cracked it open last month and instantly fell in love. I can't believe how gorgeous and lovely the texture is of this foundation and the coverage is perfect for my skin.
* Nude by Nature Soft Focus Illuminator - I found this to be the perfect partner for the Bourjois foundation when I wanted a bit more of a glow to my skin.
* Savoir Faire Cconcealer in Light - I've been really needing a bit more coverage under the eyes lately as sleep has been eluding me and for some reason I've had a lot of breakouts around my chin area since the weather has warmed up. This concealer blends perfectly with my skin tone and gives just the right amount of coverage.
* MAC Blush in Formal - This was a recent acquisition during November- in the Stroke of Midnight Lip & Cheek bag I reviewed a few days ago and I've just loved how versatile this pink is and how well it blends onto my cheeks to give a nice healthy glow.

Eyes/Brows
* Elizabeth Arden Colour Palette - I think I have shown this before a very long time ago. I always seem to break this old faithful out when I'm in a hurry because the two Graphite and Platinum eyeshadow shades gives a great quick and easy eye look that goes with practically everything. The blush in Sunblush makes a great bronzer too when I really want to get out the door quickly.  
* Calvin Klein Intense Eyeshadow in Aqua Shimmer - I seem to gravitate towards green eye makeup when the weather warms up and I just love this shade blended into the crease lightly to brighten up the eye area when I really feel like just going back to bed.
* Bobbi Brown Lash Glamour Extreme Lengthening Mascara in Black - This is one of my favourtie all-time mascaras and I always break it out when I want one that I can rely on without wondering whether it will be halfway down my face by the end of the day.
* Mirenesse Inside Out 27Hr Eye Kohl in Osiris - I love the shade of this eyeliner as it's a dark gunmetal grey and therefore not as intense as black. These eyeliners are great and I have every shade but I don't recommend using them on a very hot day as they can get extremely soft which makes them a bit harder to apply accurately.
* Ardell Brow Defining Kit - If you saw my recent review of this product it won't be any surprise as to why this has become a daily necessity for me. I just love it.
* Models Prefer Brow Highlighter - I've been using this mostly as a highlighter for the inner corners of the eyes to wake me up a bit more and it's definitely grown more on me for use as a brow highlighter too when I'm in a hurry. It also makes a great cheekbone highlighter in a pinch too.

Lips
* Models Prefer Ultra Lipgloss Pencil in Perfectly Polished - These pencils are so easy to apply when in a hurry and give a really great amount of colour on the lips.
* MAC Cremesheen Lipstick in How Darling! - You would have seen that this was only a recent aquisition for me during November and I have been obsessed with the milky pinkness ever since.

Hair/Body
* Evodia Coconut & Lime Fragrance Roll-On - I thought I would hate this when I got it as I'm normally not the biggest fan of fake coconut scents but when we flew to Tasmania for our holiday I took it due to it being nice and small to fit into my makeup bag and I kind of became a bit obsessed with it.
* Schwarzkopf Dry Shampoo - I received this to trial from Beautyheaven and can't get enough of it. I just love the fresh scent and it makes my hair feel really nice and clean in between shampoos.  

So those are the products I loved and lived with during the month of November.

What were some of your favourites during the month?

Michelle..

Nude by Nature Soft Focus Illuminator

I have to admit that I love using illuminating and highlighting products this time of year as they make the skin glow and seem to brighten up any look.

The latest favourite of mine has to be my Nude by Nature Soft Focus Illuminator. It is a liquid mineral illuminator that is so easy to blend onto the skin and gives my face a flawless and glowy look all day. It also adds a little bit of warmth to my skin which I love.

I think I received this in one of the monthly beauty subscription boxes a while ago and promptly put it in my beauty collection box and forgot about it. I finally discovered it again a few weeks ago and have been hooked ever since.

As you can see in the below picture, this illuminator is a subtle golden shade with a hint of shimmer that you can just see when it is blended out.

(Left: Straight out of the tube, Right: Blended)

My favourite way of using it is to mix a small amount with some liquid foundation and then apply the blend all over my face. It's also great for a subtle cheek highlighter but you have to be very careful not to squeeze too much out as a little goes a very long way.

This product definitely isn't your disco-ball type of illuminator so is perfect for daytime use and for practically any look when you want a bit more of a glow to the skin.

Surprisingly, this is actually the first product I have ever tried from the Nude By Nature range and I am quite impressed. I'm very keen to check out some more of their products now.

Has anyone else tried this illuminator before? If so, what did you think of it?

I hope everyone has a lovely day!

Michelle xx

My Favourite Lip Products This Summer

Over the past couple of months I've definitely been all about simple, easy makeup looks due to the hot weather we have been having here in Australia. Also, my skin has been in the best condition it's been in for years and I haven't wanted to hide it by wearing heavy makeup for once.

Due to this I've been favouring fresh and pretty lip colours that are easy to wear with almost any look during the day or night and are also moisturising on the lips as well.

Here are the lip products that have been on high rotation for me this summer:

Listed in Order of Swatches:
1) Avon Simply Pretty Colour Bliss Lipstick in Darling Mauve - Such a pretty bright pink which almost borders on a cool plum. This lipstick has amazing staying power and has rekindled my love for the brand Avon again.
2) Avon Shine Attract Lipstick in Plum Berry - This is an unusual lipstick where the colour is encased inside a clear gloss. It's a colour that is barely there on the lips but it gives such a pretty shine and makes my lips feel lovely and moisturised for hours.
3) Revlon Lip Butter in Cherry Tart - I love this lip butter because it gives just the right amount of colour without being too much of an over-the-top red. These don't stay very long on my lips though and I find I am applying it a lot during the day.
4) Models Prefer Lipstick in After Party - I first mentioned this lipstick here and it is still a favourite that I bring out regularly for a fun night time lip. I am always amazed at how long this lipstick stays on my lips and it never feels dry.
5) Napoleon Perdis Lip Patrol in Private Kiss - This is such a pretty My Lips But Better kind of colour that feels lovely on and is a great lipstick for when you want to have a subtle look but still want a hint of colour.
6) Models Prefer Ultra Lipgloss Pencil in Kiss & Make Up - Probably my favourite lip crayon of all time and my go-to colour when I can't be bothered thinking about what I want to wear. It's a pretty pink that goes with everything and lasts a nice couple of hours on the lips.
7) Face of Australia Sheer Lip Gloss Crayon in Cupcake - I usually wear this pale pink when I don't have much else on my face as it gives a hint of colour without looking like I've really got anything on. These just don't seem to last very long on and need constant re-application which is the only disappointing thing I have found with these crayons.
8) Clinique Long Last Glosswear in Sunset - An old favourite that always comes out this time of year as it's such a pretty gold gloss that gives a lovely shine to the lips and lasts forever.
9) Mirenesse Velvet Lip Lift Moisture Shine in No. 47 - It's no secret I'm a huge fan of these Mirenesse lip glosses and this one is my current favourite as it's a really pretty pale coral shade.
10) Korres Lip Butter in Pomegranate - I love the feel of these butters on my lips but I hate the container and having to use my finger or a cotton tip to get the product out. This is such a pretty colour though and makes my lips feel super moisturised when I'm wearing it.

Do you tend to stick with a few favourites at certain times of the year like me?

Michelle xx

October Addictions

I surprisingly had quite a few products that I reached for often during the month of October. Due to being so stressed and strapped for time I had a tendency to use pratically the same products every day which is unusual for me as I have a tendency to get bored when I do that.

Here is what I loved using during the month of October:

I was mainly sporting a more neutral 'no-fuss' face during October and the above items were all awesome products that didn't require much effort to use.

1) Eyeshadows - B Collection by Bloom in Sahara Desert and Almay Intense i-colour in Trio for Greens. The Bloom eyeshadow is a no brainer soft coppery brown that is excellent as an all over the lid colour on it's own but also looks great with a little green or purple added into the crease from the Almay palette on days when I could be bothered making a little more effort.

2) Mascara - Lancome Hypnose Doll Eyes. I love the way this mascara make my lashes look a mile long but I don't love the black smudges that end up underneath my eyes at the end of the day after using it.

3) Eyeliner - Models Prefer Kohl Pencil in Matte Black. Such a simple eyeliner pencil but it works wonders. It goes on so smooth and easily with no pulling at all and doesn't budge all day or night. Another quality product from this great brand.

4) Primer - Dr Lewinn's Skin Perfect Anti-ageing Primer. I will be posting my review of this soon but needless to say I love it and use it every day. Thank you Beauty Heaven for allowing me to trial such an awesome product!

5) Foundation - Maybelline Fit Me Foundation. The main reason I love this foundation is because it suits my skin tone perfectly which means I can be a bit quicker with my application of it and don't have to be pedantic about blending it in within an inch of its life. It gives me good coverage as well without being too thick and stays in place all day.

6) Face - Napoleon Ultimate Contour Palette. I've reviewed this palette here and it hasn't left my bathroom vanity for over a month now. Totally in love with this product and how quick and easy it makes contouring and highlighting my face.

7) Concealer - Mirenesse Icon Sealer. I have grown to love using this as my undereye concealer as it covers my dark circles excellently and doesn't end up sinking into my fine lines as the day progresses. It's the perfect shade for my skin tone as well so takes minimal effort to blend in. Anything that saves me time in the mornings is a big plus for me!

8) Lips - MOR Lip Nectar in Lychee Flower and ELF Lip Shine in Candlelight. I have been a definite gloss girl during October as it's easier to maintain with minimal effort. The MOR lip nectar is one of the best lip glosses I have ever used and I am in love with the subtle pink flush it gives my lips and the way it seems to stay on for hours. The ELF gloss was a very happy surprise that I got in one of the monthly beauty packs and is such a great nude that goes with anything. It also stays on for a surprisingly long time too.

So that's my list of favourites for the past month. Nothing too exciting but they were products that definitely made the month a lot easier for me.

If you've done a favourites post I'd love to know about it!

Michelle xx