Face of the Day - Using some old favourites

I only realised the other day how long it has actually been since I did a face of the day and put my big mug on the blog for all to see. I always want to show my face of the day but by the time I've put my makeup on in between stopping no less than 20 times to make sure my toddler isn't burning our house down in another room, then trying to remember to get some photos before we rush out the door, then trying to remember what products I actually used when I come to write it all down is a bit of a mission and a half these days.

This look is one that I wear quite often as I am a huge fan of a purple toned eye. I feel that purple seems to suit me more than most other shades and paired with a white or cream shadow it also makes me look a bit more awake than I really am too! I was also on a mission to use some of my older products that had been forgotten about on this day as well.

Here is what I used for this look:

* Mirenesse Absolutely Firm Treatment Primer
* Bourjois  Healthy Mix Serum Foundation in Vanilla mixed with a little bit of the Models Prefer Illuminizor in Illuminate to brighten my skin
* Napoleon Perdis The One Concealer under my eyes and over any blemishes
* Physicians Formula Mineral Wear Matte Finishing Veil in Translucent
* Australis Bronzing Powder in Golden to contour and Prestige Mineral Bronzing Powder in Pure Shimmer to highlight

* Clinique Quick Blush in In-A Rush Blush
* Avon Glimmersticks Brow Definer in Tawny
* Clinique High Impact Eye Shadow in Sugar Sugar all over the lid with CK Intense Eyeshadow in Merlot blended into the outer half of the lid and into the crease
* Camouflage Colour Skin Crayon as a liner - This doesn't have a shade name but is a browny/purple colour
* Almay Intense I-Colour Volumising Mascara in Midnight
* ASAP Pure Mineral Lip Pencil in Two as a liner with MAC Cremesheen Lipstick in How Darling

This is a nice subtle workday look for me that doesn't take much thinking and is pretty quick to do.

What looks have you been loving lately?

I hope everyone is having a lovely weekend!

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..

Models Prefer Brow Highlighter

I recently received this Models Prefer Brow Highlighter as part of a beauty bag Priceline was giving away with a purchase up to a certain amount and was instantly intrigued into trying it.

This highlighter comes in the current jumbo crayon form that seems to be everywhere at the moment and is a very soft and blendable formula.

It is supposed to be applied to the arch of the brow to give the appearance of more open eyes and a more defined and lifted look to the eyebrows.

I find it a little too thick and frosty to be applied directly to the arches of my eyebrows but I've found that it makes a great general face highlighter when applied to the tip of a finger and blended onto the skin. It's also great to use on the inner corner of the eye to brighten up the eye itself.

 

(Without flash)

 

(With flash)

The crayon itself it very soft so you only need a light hand to get a lot of the product from it. It really it super shimmery so a little goes a very long way.

This will become part of my everyday travel makeup bag kit as it is a convenient size to carry around without worrying about powder going everywhere and spreading through your handbag for when you want a little extra bit of highlighting to brighten the face during the day.

Has anyone else tried this brow highlighter before?

Michelle xx

A Little 'Thank You' Giveaway!! (Closed)

To celebrate the fun I've had running this blog for almost two years now I decided to hold a little giveaway.

The majority of the products here are ones that I personally love and use often so I hope the winner enjoys them too :-)

Here is everything that one lucky reader will win:

1) Australis Paparazzi Perfect High Definition Concealer in Medium/Dark

2) I nuovi Cosmetics Glitteratti Cosmetic Glitter in Blonde Fever

3) Mirenesse Pearl Crush Creaseless Shadow Trio in Bora Pearls

4) Eylure Naturalites Intense Lashes

5) Yagun Eyelashes

6) Mirenesse Inside Out 27Hr Eye Kohl in Isis

7) Models Prefer Kohl Pencil in Matte Black (my personal favourite black pencil liner!)

8) Savvy by DB Luxury Liner in Glitzy Gold

9) Mirenesse 24Hr Brow Lift & Shape Mascara

10) Designer Brands Australia Lip Pencil in Nude

11) Mirenesse Velvet Lip Lift Moisture Shine Mini in No. 17 (a pretty rosey pink that is one of my favourite shades in this range)

12) Australis Lash TLC Conditioning Mascara in Blackest Black

13) Press & Go Nail Covers (I live in these when having bad nail weeks)



All of the products are brand new, never been used. To be in the running to win these goodies all you have to do is complete the Rafflecopter form below and cross your fingers.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Good luck to everyone who enters and a big Thank You for reading my little blog :-)

I hope everyone has a lovely weekend!

Michelle xx

Models Prefer Intense Moisture Deep Comfort Moisturiser

Being a long-time fan of Models Prefer makeup products I was super excited when I found out that they have now released a new skincare line.

I was lucky enough to receive the Intense Moisture Deep Comforting Moisturiser to try and have been using it for quite a while now and I can truthfully say that I really like it.

Intense Moisture is a rich emulsion suitable as a night cream for every skin type, or as an all day moisturiser for dry skin.

It contains the innovative MP aquaFLEX system which restores the skin's natural aquaporins that regulate hydration levels and promote collagen synthesis, for maximum skin moisture and a youthful complexion.

The formula is also enriched with MP Comfort, a mix of active ingredients that help improve long term moisture levels and soothe sensitive skin.

It comes in a sturdy, thick, square plastic jar with a screw top lid and is a really nice looking product to have sitting in the bathroom.

It's a very thick and rich white cream with a floral scent that is so subtle it's almost practically undetectable.

I've been using this cream at night every second day in between using my Skin Doctors No More Pores Night Treatment and find that it absorbs nice and quickly without leaving my face feeling greasy. It's a bit too thick for me to use as a day cream this time of year (summer in Australia) but would most likely be a great skin saviour in winter when dry patches seem to always rear their head.

I don't get any breakouts from using this cream and definitely feel no irritation after use. My skin feels extremely moisturised and lovely and soft after application and keeps this softness until morning.

I'm really interested in trying more from this new skincare range now.

Have you tried anything from the new Models Prefer skincare range yet?

Michelle xx

 

*** This product was provided for consideration but my opinions are always my own*** 

Models Prefer Liquid Foundation

I have become a little obsessed with Models Prefer lately as it is such an affordable brand with really well performing products.

My latest love is their Liquid Foundation which I purchased in the shade Ivory a little while ago.

This foundation comes in a glass bottle which is nice and solid to hold with a pump dispenser. I have a bit of a love/hate relationship with pump dispensers as I find they always do either one of two things: 1) They never dispense enough of the product, or 2) They dispense way too much in one pump. The latter is the case with this dispenser if you press it all the way. I've since learned the knack of pressing it only half-way down and this seems to be the perfect amount for me.

The below picture shows how much comes out if the pump is pushed all the way down:

Overall I quite like this foundation and it gives me light to medium coverage with a lovely matte finish. If I apply it with a foundation brush it tends to cover a bit thicker than if I use it with a sponge (which is my preferred method). I'm not a person who likes to apply foundation with my fingers as I feel all messy and gross afterwards so I can't comment on how it applies using this method.

It has no overpowering scent when applied (it's marketed as fragrance free) and it lasts over 8 hours on my combination skin with or without a primer. It doesn't sink into any of my fine lines or make me feel like a greasepot by the end of the day either which I really like as it's oil free.

The shade Ivory is a perfect match for my skintone and this foundation blends into the skin really well and doesn't set too quickly or become streaky at all.   

(Left: applied to skin, Right: blended into the skin)

I definitely recommend this foundation to anyone who is after one that certainly won't break the budget and performs well without being anything fancy. I find it great to wear on the weekends for a more natural look when I don't want to be too made up.

Has anyone else tried this foundation or another one from the Models Prefer range?

Michelle xx

EOTD - Silver and Grey

I decided to go out of my comfort zone the other night when hubby and I went out to dinner and did an EOTD that is a lot darker than I am usually used to. I am so glad I did though because I absolutely loved it!

(Please forgive the stray brow hairs, I'm in desperate need for someone to mind my little man for a few hours one day soon for me so I can get them tidied up!)

This look was done by using the last three shades in my Chi Chi Eye Palette in Fashion Victim (see below). I have had this palette for such a long time and am only starting to appreciate the shades in it again.

I used the lighter silver shade all over the lid to just above the crease, then I shaded my crease on the outer corners with the darker gunmetal shade and then used the shimmery white shade to highlight the inner corner and blend the other two shades together. I also used the lighter silver shade to line underneath my eyes as well and my Models Prefer Kohl Pencil in Matte Black to line my upper lids. I then finished it off with a coat of Elizabeth Arden Ceramide mascara in Black.

I never bother lining my waterline as I have ridiculously watery eyes due to being a perpetual hayfever sufferer and I have never been able to find an eyeliner that manages to stay put there. If anyone knows of a liner that could possibly compete against my watery eyes I'd love to know about it!

Unfortunately, I have to wear glasses all the time so unless I decide to put my contacts in, which is something I usually only reserve for special occasions, whatever eye makeup I wear has a tendency to get lost behind my frames. This look was definitely dark enough though that it stood out even with my glasses on.

I decided to go all out with a darker lip too. Usually if my eyes were this done up I'd opt for a more subtle lip colour but I thought that while I was jumping in the deep end I may as well go all the way!

Here is what I used for the rest of my face:

Base: Garnier B.B. Cream in Light, Natio Pressed Powder in Medium Tan

Blush, Contouring and Highlighting: Napoleon Perdis Ultimate Contour Palette

Lips: Mirenesse 3D Forever Gloss in Hot Kiss

How do you like to go out of your comfort zone now and then?

Michelle xx

Models Prefer Professional Illuminizor in Illuminate

Lately I have developed a new love in the brand Models Prefer. Everything I've tried from this brand so far has impressed me and their awesome low prices are too good to be true sometimes.

One of the latest products that's been on constant rotation lately is their Illuminizor in the shade Illuminate. I purchased a few products a little while back when Priceline had a buy 2 get 1 free sale and this was one of them.

What the product claims:
'Luminizing cream to highlight the face or body for a natural glow. Enriched with cactus extract and Vitamin E.'

Illuminate gives a really pretty but subtle pink glow and is so easy to blend on the skin.

I love to mix some of this illuminizor in with my foundation as it just wakes my face up and makes my skin look alive, fresh and glowy. It's also lovely as a highlighter on the cheekbones.

I only have one little gripe with this product and that is the pump mechanism on the bottle. I swear mine is bipola. Some days it plays really nice and allows me to dispense just the right amount of product, but then on other days it either spews out a ridiculous amount that would cover my entire body or it spits out in a way that coats me and the rest of my bathroom. See the above picture, this is one pump worth on the left and a small amount blended out on the right.

I think if it came in a tube or other type of packaging that allowed easier dispensing it would almost be faultless.

Has anyone else used this illuminizor before? Are you a fan of Models Prefer products as well?

Michelle xx

Lipstick Love - Models Prefer Lipstick in After Party

I have to admit that I have had a bit of an obsession with this lipstick ever since I purchased it. I just can't get enough of the gorgeous bright colour which has the tendency to make me happy no matter how I'm feeling or what the occasion.



This is the Models Prefer lipstick in After Party. After being so impressed with some of the other Models Prefer products I've tried out lately I decided to give one of their lipsticks a go and I have not been disappointed.

After Party is a gorgeous bright coral shade that can be worn sheer if you only want a hint of colour or built upon to get a nice opaque coverage. This is a colour that I normally would have run screaming from but I've been trying to make an effort to move out of my comfort zone with makeup colours lately and decided to bite the bullet and try this shade. They didn't even have a tester in store so I was flying completely (and nervously!) blind when I plucked this shade off the shelf and walked to the register to pay.

When I came home was the fun part. It was like opening a lucky dip when I got to swatch it for the first time and then proudly pranced around the house with my new lip hue (while hubby watched on like I was the silliest thing he'd ever laid eyes on, but who cares what he thinks!)

Anyhoo, bright, prettiness aside, this is actually a really lovely lipstick to wear as well which is a nice bonus. It goes on super creamy and seems to have a wear time of at least 3 hours or so (a little less with food in between) and fades away to leave a nice hint of colour on the lips. It does have an odd taste though which I wouldn't say is unpleasant, but it definitely borders on the strong side and can hang around a bit after application.

I'm so super happy with this new lippy that I have been wearing it almost everywhere as it's surprisingly a very versatile colour. I'm definitely going to check out some more of these next time I come across them in store. For around $10 who can resist?

Has anyone tried any other shades of these lipsticks that you would recommend?

Michelle xx 

Review - Models Prefer Ultra Lipgloss Pencils

I love, love, love these Lipgloss Pencils. I have two in the colours Kiss and Make Up and Pefectly Polished and they have become my most reached for lip colour lately, especially when I'm in a hurry.

They have the benefits of applying like a gloss which is nice and smooth and not too opaque but they have the staying power of a lipstick. To me, these are a cheaper and pretty much identical duplicate for the Clinique Chubby Sticks. I was so happy when I came across these in Priceline one day and discovered how nice they were.

They don't dry my lips out at all and wear off nice and evenly so you don't have any funny looking lip lines or coloured patches after a few hours. I have found that I can get around 3 hours of wear from one of these (without eating) before I need to reapply.

They also have a lovely shine to them which does make it look like you've applied a lip gloss.

From the above picture you can see that Kiss and Make Up is a really pretty bright pink and Pefectly Polished is a more darker nude beige with a hint of red.

These are also so convenient to keep in the handbag as they can't leak and are almost foolproof to apply but you just have to be careful that the lid is always on tight as the pencil itself is very soft and would cover everything if the lid came off.

They don't seem to stray into the lip lines either which is a great bonus.

I'm thinking of trying out another colour or two the next time I'm out and about because for the price (around $9.95 I think) these are just too good to pass up!

Has anyone else tried out these Lipgloss Pencils yet?

Michelle xx

My latest 'Yay I've finished my exams for the year!' haul!

Hello everyone. Remember me?

Yeah, I'm the one who hasn't really been around much lately due to being stressed out of my eyeballs with studying for two CPA exams this semester that are now officially done and dusted. I will hopefully now be able to be around a lot more these days as I have all the time in the world to kill now when I'm not at work.

To celebrate this wonderful time of the year where I now get to experience 'free' time again (I've almost forgotten what that is) I decided to go and spoil myself with a little haul from Priceline due to them enticing me in with their 20% off all Cosmetics and Skincare sale.

Here is what I got:

1) Simple Soothing Facial Toner - I love this brand and don't think you can go wrong with anything in the whole range. This is a lovely toner that doesn't have that awfully strong alcohol feel to it that some other toners have.

2) Prestige Skin Loving Mineral Sunbaked Mineral Bronzing Powder in Pure Shimmer - I have never ever used a highlighter before (I can hear all the gasps of shock!) and thought this product looked so pretty so couldn't resist buying it. There will be many fun filled adventures to be had while I try to teach myself how to use this product now.

3) Artiste Professional Small Eyeshadow Brush - I finally retired all of my old brushes not that long ago and this was a nice cheap little brush which will be good for the makeup bag.

4) Nail Polishes (left to right) - Australis Nail Colour in Knickers in a Knot, Sally Hansen Hard as Nails Xtreme Wear Nail Colour in Sun Kissed and Green With Envy and Face of Australia Molten Metallics Nail Enamel in Verdigris.

5) Models Prefer Small Cosmetic Case - I needed a new one for my handbag as my old one had seen better days. I just couldn't resist the snake skin print.

Anyway, that was my little splurge today. I can't wait to try out my new goodies.

Hope everyone is well :-)