Disappointment of the Month - Revlon PhotoReady Sculpting Blush Palette in Pink Rose

Well it's been quite a while since I have been disappointed enough in a product to write a post about it but I felt like I really needed to give my thoughts on this one.

I purchased this palette in the last Priceline sale as I own a lot of Revlon products and have never really hit on anything bad from them before, until now!

This palette looked great in-store. It contains a contour shade, a blush and a highlighter as well as a mini application brush and a built-in mirror in the lid.

If you're a regular reader of this blog you will know how much I love my all-in-one palettes so it is very hard for me to resist buying ones that catch my eye. Unfortunately I just can't find much that is positive to say about this one no matter how much I try.

The shades are all so very chalky and sheer and barely show up at all on my fair skin tone. They also contain a huge amount of shimmer so rather than seeing any colour on your skin you just see three different amounts of shimmer wherever it has been applied.

Also, one thing I really dislike is the fact that the powders seem to all get a bit of a hard seal on the top that makes it even harder to get any colour payoff unless you drag your brush over the top of them multiple times. 

I tried so hard to get a good photo of this product and it just wasn't happening. I had to swatch each shade no less than around 10 times just to get enough colour to show up in the below photos.

(Left to right - Contour shade, Blush shade, Highlighter shade - no flash)

(Left to right - Contour shade, Blush shade, Highlighter shade - with flash)

As I don't own any other products from this range, I'm guessing that Revlon's definition of PhotoReady means having no colour on your face whatsoever but lots and lots of shimmer!

Such a shame.....

Have you had any products disappoint you this month? I'd love to hear of any!

Have a great day.

Michelle xx

Nails of the Week - A French Manicure with a Difference: Nude Nails with Blue Tips

We had a friend's wedding last weekend and this is the mani that I decided to do for the occasion. I don't know what possessed me to try this as I wasn't wearing anything even remotely blue but sometimes I just like to try something different for a change.

This nail look was done using one coat of Sally Hansen Insta-Dry Nail Colour in Petal Pusher as a base and then two coats of Revlon Perfumed Nail Enamel in Mint Fizz.

I really like this combination and the fun look of the blue tips. Now I'm inspired to try this again with all manner of colour combinations!

What do you think? Is this a look you would try yourself?

Have a great weekend.

Michelle xx

Nails of the Week - Revlon Top Speed Nail Enamel in Wind Fall

I realised the other day that I haven't done a nail post in such a long time so I thought I'd share a shade that I have been wearing an awful lot this summer due to it just being what I think is a 'happy' sort of shade. It's also obviously a green shade which means I was just destined to love it because I have a tendency to be a little bit obsessed with anything I can get my hands on that is green.

This shade is one of the Top Speed range from Revlon and is called Wind Fall. It's a hard green to describe (something I'm normally pretty shocking with anyway) but it's kind of a cross between a green and an aqua to me.

I've always been a big fan of Revlon polishes and have quite a few of them now because they seem to always be a consistent formula that applies well, have a nice shine and last for days. I never seem to have much trouble with Revlon polishes bubbling or streaking either and usually only need to apply two coats to get great coverage.

I personally just love this shade because it's a bit quirky and makes me smile when I look at it. I know it's not a shade that would appeal to everyone but where would the fun be if we were all the same, right?

What polish shades have you been loving lately? 

Michelle xx 

Red Lipstick Love

A couple of weeks ago I attempted to participate in the Fox In Flats Red Lipstick Dare (#redlipstickdarefoxinflats) where you were challenged to wear red lipstick for 7 days straight. I admit that I only made it for 5 days out of the 7 days but it was still so much fun and really made me want to step up my appearance all week just to carry off red lips all day.

Here are some photos from my attempt at the Red Lipstick Dare:

Day 1: - This day I was just getting over the flu from hell and was doing my best to stay standing and get ready for work let alone wear a bright red lipstick! Here I decided to wear my Elizabeth Arden Ceramide Plump Perfect Lipstick in Perfect Scarlett as it stays on forever and doesn't need much touching up. Perfect for a day where I was going to be blowing my nose and all together feeling sorry for myself at work all day long.

Day 2: This day was my working from home day and I was starting to feel a little better so I went for my Revlon Lip Butter in Cherry Tart as it's great for dry, flu-ravaged lips.

Day 3: Back to work today and feeling much better. I decided to wear my new Savoir Faire Lipgloss in Fierce this day as it's super bright and an all together lovely gloss.

Day 4: Housework day! My husband also works from home on Thursdays and thought I was insane for vacumming and doing the washing with bright red lips. This day I was wearing my Revlon Colorburst Lipstick in True Red which is my favourite red lipstick of all time.

Day 5: Hubby and I went to Cirque Du Soliel and I felt all fancy wearing my Revlon Super Lustrous Matte Lipstick in Really Red. The show was absolutely awesome by the way and I highly recommend anyone to see it if you ever get the chance!

From Left to Right: Elizabeth Arden Ceramide Plump Perfect Lipstick in Perfect Scarlett, Revlon Lip Butter in Cherry Tart, Savoir Faire Lipgloss in Fierce, Revlon Colorburst Lipstick in True Red, Revlon Super Lustrous Matte Lipstick in Really Red, Innoxa Lip Liner in Ruby Red.

From Left to Right: Innoxa Lip Liner in Ruby Red, Elizabeth Arden Ceramide Plump Perfect Lipstick in Perfect Scarlett, Revlon Lip Butter in Cherry Tart, Savoir Faire Lipgloss in Fierce, Revlon Colorburst Lipstick in True Red, Revlon Super Lustrous Matte Lipstick in Really Red.

One discovery I made was that a good red lip liner under your red lipstick is the key to less touch-ups and a good consistent colour. I have a lot of fine lines around my lips so a lip liner is critical for me otherwise a lot of lipsticks will bleed on my lips. 

So that was my Red Lipstick Dare journey. It was definitely a load if fun and took me out of my comfort zone a few times (especially when answering the door to our regular delivery guy with super red lips!) I've now discovered a new found love for this lip colour that I used to only save for very special occasions and dinners out and will definitely be trying to incorporate it into my makeup routine on a more regular basis from now on.

Did anyone else participate in the Red Lipstick Dare?

Michelle xx

Simple Shopping Trip FOTD

So the other day we were going out for a bit of retail therapy (gotta love end of financial year bonus time at hubby's work!) and I decided to do a very simple look that would last the day without any fuss.

For some reason I seem to always gavitate to purple eyes as it's the one shade I can work with quickly without looking like a clown. Since buying my 120 colour pro palette a few weeks ago I vowed I'd try to get more creative with my eye looks but I haven't even broken the plastic off of it yet, eeek! To tell you the truth, I love colour on other people but I'm scared to death of trying it for myself. I will eventually though, I promise!

Anyway, here is the simple look I went for:

                     

Face:
Maybelline Fit Me Foundation in 115
Australis Paparazzi Perfect Blush in Poser

Eyes:
Clinique Colour Surge Eyeshadows in Plum and Lilac (the two purple shades on the right of the palette
B Collection by Bloom Shade & Line Eyeliner in St Mark's Square on the top and bottom lash line
Elizabeth Arden Ceramide Lash Extending Treatment Mascara in Black

Lips:
Revlon Colourburst Lip Gloss in Hot Pink

And that's it! I've been trying to minimise using powders and concealers too much lately due to my skin being a bit sensitive after I was sick with the flu for so long so a light foundation is all I've been putting on lately.

Do you have a certain shade or combo that is your 'safe' look like I do?

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

Revlon Colorburst Lipstick - True Red

So, for some reason while we were our grocery shopping the other day I decided that I just had to have another red lipstick. Don't ask me why, but I did. Red is probably the lip colour that I wear the least because with my pale skin and red/brown hair I feel that it just doesn't suit me for some reason. I always aboslutely adore the colour when someone else wears it and get a bit of 'red lip envy' and today I decided I wanted to have a reason to be more brave with this colour.

Enter Revlon Colorburst Lipstick in True Red. After swatching about 30 (this is NOT an exaggeration) red lipsticks in Priceline today while the wonderful hubby thought he was in heaven with a free pass to go an explore JB Hi Fi on his own, I finally settled on True Red.

To me it's exactly what the name suggest, a definite true red. It's certainly not a red that won't get noticed and it doesn't border on any plum, maroon or coral shades either. It's a bright, blue based red which also has the added bonus of making my teeth look super duper white. Gotta love that!

The formula is so surprisingly creamy too. I don't even realise I have this lipstick on as it tends to just blend onto the lips magically and doesn't go dry at all as it wears away. It's got great pigment and can be built up from a subtle red tint to being a full-on raving red pout. It tends to leave a slight red tint on the lips too as it wears away which I don't mind.

As you can see I suffer from annoying fine lines around my mouth ( I must pout too much in my sleep or something) and I'm always scared to wear ultra bright lip colours due to the bleeding I can get around my lips if it's not a top-notch formula. I must say that I don't notice any bleeding into the lip lines at all with this lipstick which makes me want to go and buy every colour made.

Now, I just have to convince hubby to take me out to dinner a bit more so I can get some use out of this baby. I'm certainly not brave enough to just wear it out and about (although I really wish I was!)

So, what's your favourite red lipstick?

Michelle xx

Nails of the Week - Revlon Scented Nail Enamel in 'Mint Fizz'

This nail polish is such a gorgeous, bright blue with silver glitter. It's a polish that I would proudly label my 'Deserted Island' polish, meaning that if I was stranded on a deserted island and only had one polish to use forever, I'd be happy if it was this one.

The above pictures show this polish after three coats have been applied. I found that two just wasn't enough and still left the polish a bit streaky and see-through in some spots but three coats seems to be perfect.

As for the scented part, it seems to have a very strong peppermint scent when applied but I can't say that it's all that pleasant because of the way it combines with the chemical smell of the polish. Even after showering and doing a load of dishes (ahh, I still dream of owning a dishwasher.....) I can smell a faint hint of mint which surprises me.

I'm interested in trying some of the other scented polishes in this range now to see if any of them smell much better.

Has anyone else ever tried a scented polish?

Revlon ColorStay Soft & Smooth in Plush Pink

My favourite pink lipcolour at the moment has to be my Revlon ColorStay Soft & Smooth lipcolour in Plush Pink.

When I first purchased this lipcolour I was a bit sceptical as I've tried other items in the ColorStay range and have found them to be quite drying. The Soft & Smooth range is supposed to contain an exclusive SoftFlex Comfort Technology which is meant to provide hours of luscious colour and comfortable wear and to stay creamy rather than drying out.

I have to say it has surprised me by being a really comfortable long lasting lipcolour. It's really nice and creamy to apply and covers the lips nice and evenly without any streaking. I tend to get about 6 hours of wear after first applying it and this is normally after having morning tea and lunch as well. I've found that when it does start to fade it does so nice and evenly without leaving awful dry or clumpy patches on the lips as some other long wearing lipcolours can do. It also leaves a slight stain on the lips as it fades that I tend to just enhance by adding some gloss over the top if I don't feel like applying full lipcolour again.

I must admit that I'm a lip smacker from hell (a bad habit that I just can't seem to stop constantly doing, especially when I'm in deep thought) and constantly rub my lips together during the day and even though this lipcolour does kind of 'set' on the lips it's still comfortable enough to keep rubbing my lips together and not feel like I'm wearing sandpaper on them.

Here is a swatch to attempt to show you how pretty the shade Plush Pink is:

I wasn't game enough to show photos of it on my lips today as my skin is having a moment and I just wasn't up for having it posted on the internet in the condition it is in.

You'll just have to believe me that this is a lovely soft pink with a small hint of shimmer without making your lips blind anyone. This colour pretty much goes with anything.

What do you guys think? Has anyone used any other shade in this range that they liked?

Mini Revlon Haul

Yet again I got sucked in by Ozsale the other week when they had a sale on all Revlon cosmetics. I just couldn't resist. They had nail polishes going for $3.00 and lipsticks for $3.50 as well as lots of other products majorly discounted.

Here is what I ended up getting:

* Foundation brush - I think this was about $7.00

* Scented Nail enamel in Mint Fizz (a pretty glittery royal blue) - This is supposed to smell minty but I can't seem to get that scent over the normal nail polish smell.

* Top Speed Nail Enamel in Wind Fall (a pretty green bordering on almost being a pale aqua); and

* Colourstay Soft and Smooth Lipstick in Plush Pink - I haven't tried one of the colourstay lip colours before as I've kind of stayed away from this range after having a bad experience with the foundation but for $3.50 I couldn't resist giving this a go. This colour is a soft pink with a little bit of shimmer but not so much that it's overpowering. If this formula ends up being good I think this will be a colour I'll reach for regularly as it will go with a lot of different looks. I'll review it later on once I've been able to get a good feel for it. See a swatch of this lipstick below:

Oh well, that's my latest mini haul. I can't wait to try these polishes as I just love the colours and I hope they look as nice on the nail as they do in the bottle. I'm also a bit of a novice when it comes to using a foundation brush and have been a sponge or finger application girl for most of my life when it comes to my foundation so I'm looking forward to trying out this brush and seeing if I can get a nicer coverage with it.

Has anyone tried any of these products before?