I've Gotten on the Popbasic Train!

So you may or may not have heard about the style subscription service called Popbasic.

Popbasic claims you can 'Create your style one micro collection at a time'. They design limited edition, high quality basics and trend pieces that you can order as soon as they are released. It's based around collections that you can sign up to be notified of when the next release is coming and what it will consist of and the majority of them seem to be under US$100.

I originally got sucked into checking out Popbasic after reading a post on Tine's website Beautyholics Anonymous here. I am totally hopeless when it comes to buying clothes and matching outfits (but have enough shoes to fill a room!) so this greatly appealed to me as a way to try and build up my pathetic wardrobe with pieces that I could get a lot of use out of and match to my shoes :-)

What I also loved about Popbasic is that you aren't locked into purchasing anything. You have to sign up for each collection as they are released to receive it so if there is one that you don't really like, you don't have to purchase it. 

The first collection I purchased was the latest one which is their Ashbury collection. It consisted of a basic black tank top, a black vegan leather skirt and a sparkly necklace. I didn't think I could go wrong with basic black items and could see a number of ways to mix and match these pieces with others I already own.

In all my excitement to get to my items when they arrived I totally forgot to photograph the unboxing (and have since worn all of the items) but the ones I received are those below (taken from the Popbasic website):

Basic Black Tank

Ashbury Vegan Leather Skirt

Gwyn Collar Necklace

Also, I did my best to estimate my size by getting out the tape measure and matching my measurements as accurately I could with those listed on the website. The black tank ended up being a little bit larger than I would have liked but it's still easily wearable and the skirt fit perfectly. I definitely recommend taking the time to match your measurements before buying any clothing online as every item is sized differently and it saves a lot of heartace in the end!

I also received a little added bonus of a Demeter fragrance in the scent Clean Skin which got me so excited you would not believe it! I've lusted after buying one of their fragrances for such a long time but was always a little freaked out at whether they were just too weird but the Clean Skin one I received it so subtle and pretty. It's one I will wear on casual days when i don't want a strong scent but still need a little pick-me-up.


It pays to note that their website also contains a few style guides to give you some inspiration on how to wear your new pieces which I love.

I can't wait to see what the next collection will bring! I'm so disappointed that I missed out on the Green Maxi skirt in the Sherwood collection though. That item is something I would have loved to have in my wardrobe!

As a little bonus to anyone who is thinking of trying out Popbasic, you can get $15 credit off your next purchase by clicking here.


I hope everyone has a lovely weekend.

Michelle xx
  

March 2014 Empties

Yep, so it's almost halfway through the month again and I'm only just getting to posting my empties for the previous month. I cannot believe how quickly time seems to fly these days!

Anyway, here's what I managed to use up during March as well as my thoughts:

1) KMS California Curl Up Conditioner - I was using this in conjunction with the Curl Up Shampoo but I always seem to finish conditioners before I finish a shampoo. Truthfully I didn't really notice any benefit to my curly hair after using this. If anything it made my hair seem less able to hold it's curl than normal so I don't think I will be repurchasing.

2) Jurlique Balancing Foaming Cleanser - This cleanser lasted for months and months and I really enjoyed the smooth, clean feeling I got after each use. My one main gripe and the reason why I probably wouldn't repurchase has to be the smell. It's got a very, very strong herbal smell that is just too overpowering for me and being that I suffer from migraines I had to steer clear of using this a lot because the smell could make me feel quite nauseous sometimes.

3) Jurlique Purely Age Defying Ultra Firm and Lift Cream - This was a very thick cream that I ended up using at night due to it being way too thick for my skin for day time use. It's one of those creams that you can literally feel sitting on the top of your skin so putting it on at night before bed suited me so I could go to sleep and not notice it so much. It did make my skin feel nice and soft in the morning but again it had a very strong herbal scent that was a bit too much for me on a daily basis.

4) Nivea Stress Protect Anti-Perspirant - I really love this deodorant and have already repurchased. Enough said.

5) Rubifresh Hydrating Body Gel - I didn't find this gel to be very hydrating at all but I have very dry skin that is prone to eczema so usually need quite a thick moisturiser to make my skin feel hydrated. It did have an interesting smell that was almost minty but unfortunately it's not something I would repurchase.

6)  Palmolive Ayurituel Joyous Shower Gel - This really seems to be the month of the bad smells for me! I thoroughly disliked the smell of this as it was way too intense for me. It reminded me of a shampoo type of scent and is not something I would repurchase.

7) Neutrogena Deep Clean Gentle Scrub - I really like this scrub and have used it many times over the years in either a full size or sample tube. It scrubs thoroughly without feeling too scratchy or irritating my skin and is definitely something I would purchase again.

8) Avene Rich Hydrating Cream and Soothing Moisture Mask - I didn't have any issues with either of these products but also can't really rave about them either as the samples are a bit too small to really get much of an opinion from them.

9) Gaia Skincare Lavender & Frankincense Facial Moisturiser - I really liked this moisturiser for the handful of uses I got out of this small sample. The smell is lovely and it was light enough to use in the morning without making my skin feel too greasy. I would most likely consider purchasing this if the opportunity ever came up. 

So that's it for another month. Until I wrote out this post I didn't realise how many products were bothering me with their scent over the past couple of months. Maybe my nose is just a bit too sensitive or something??

Oh well, I hope everyone is having a lovely weekend.

Michelle xx

Bourjois Blush in Rose Pompon

Last time I was at Priceline and felt like treating myself I spent a lot of time at the Bourjois stand as it is always so colourful and eye catching. All of those cute little pots of goodness really scream out to me.

So, it was no surprise when I couldn't pass up getting myself one of their cute little blush pots on this occasion in the shade No. 37: Rose Pompon.

This is such a lovely little blush and it blends so nicely on my skin. This shade is a peachy/pink kind of shade that is so versatile and wearable with almost anything. I've been veering towards more versatile shades lately as time has not been on my side for the past month and I've been loving any makeup items I can almost use without thinking.

These blushes contain a very small amount of shimmer that gives the cheeks a lovely little glow. It also means you can skip a cheek highlighter too which is another great time saving bonus. It's quite pigmented too so you only need one small swirl of the pot with your blush brush to get a nice amount onto the cheeks.

(Bourjois Blush in Rose Pompon)

This is the first time I have tried one of their blushes surprisingly. I've used many other products from this brand before that I've been happy with and this blush is no exception.

Has anyone tried one of these in another shade?

I hope everyone has a great week!

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

L'Oreal Shine Caresse Lip Colour in 501: Bonnie

So I know that these have been out for a while now but I only recently decided to bite the bullet and get myself one. I have seen so many different reviews about these that are both positive and negative but last time I was out I couldn't help but have a bit of a swatch-fest and just buy one.

I ended up getting shade No. 501 Bonnie as it's a shade that I normally don't lean towards. I have so many pink shades at home that for once I went a bit out of my comfort zone and tried something different in this peachy shade.

Surprisingly I have found this shade very versatile and it goes so well with a very minimum makeup look on days when I don't have time to do much or am just not feeling like putting too much colour on my face. It gives off such a lovely shine when applied and this is one thing that I really do love.

Here is a little bit about the Shine Caresse lip colours from the L'Oreal website:

'The next generation lip colour, that combines the texture & shine of a gloss with the long wear of a stain. Delivering a lasting colour with a subtle glossy shine. 

The unique formula comprised of 30% water and 60% oil provides an exceptionally high level of moisture, allowing for 6hr hydration.
Concentrated soluble colour pigments create a subtle wet look with a weightless feeling on lips.'

I find this gloss is very sticky to start with when it's first applied but it does dry fairly fast and not leave too much of a sticky residue once that happens. It feels quite comfortable on the lips which really surprises me as my poor lips and stain products normally don't get along very well as I always find them too drying. I don't seem to have this problem with the Shine Caresse gloss which is great.

It has a very fruity scent that reminds me a bit like boiled lollies but it doesn't seem to have much of a taste that I can detect. The doe-foot applicator is a very convenient shape to apply the gloss but I usually wipe off quite a bit of product before applying or it can get a bit messy and difficult to spread around evenly before it starts to set.

L'Oreal Shine Caresse in No. 501: Bonnie - with flash

L'Oreal Shine Caresse in No. 501: Bonnie - without flash

The only problem I sometimes have with this lip product is that it tends to wear off the centre of my lips in a short amount of time and I find I can get a bit of a ring around my lips because of the stain component. I am a bit of a lip licker though when I am thinking alot so this might not be an issue for most people.

Overall I am really happy that I decided to try one of these for myself and will most likely pick up one in another shade next time I am out and about.
 
Has anyone else tried one of these yet? I'd love to know what other shade I should try next.

I hope everyone had a great weekend.

Michelle xx