Favourites | Beauty Bits

Clockwise from top left: Charles Worthington Salon at Home Texturising Spray, Stile Stay All Day Liquid Eyeliner, Savvy Matte Lip Colour in Lights...Camera, Maybelline The Rocket Mascara, Face of Australia Contour Kit, NYX Eyebrow Brush, Urban Decay Naked Palette

Hi lovelies! So I thought I'd do a quick post about the beauty bits I have been loving using lately. Whilst there aren't many new bits, they are all things I've been doing everyday recently. 

Monthly Round-Up | August

Eat and Drink

Plum Tucker, Red Hill

Its been a while since Jess and I have shared a day off together and this August (much like last August) we took advantage of our state's show holiday. We stumbled across Plum Tucker in Red Hill after finding our desired destination in Paddington over booked. This cafe was pleasantly surprising for both of us. I had a delicious interpretation of Báhn mì with their outstanding home made chicken pâté. Jess also enjoyed a delicious lunch of avocado, pumpkin smash and haloumi on sourdough. 

If either of us are in the Red Hill area again and are looking for a delicious meal I doubt we'd hesitate at where to go. Great service combined with high quality, yet affordable meals, is always a winner. 

Nails | Maybelline Forever Strong Gel Nail Colour

It is no secret that when Priceline puts on a good sale, I rock up with bells on and my wallet at the ready. The last week or so has seen all Maybelline New York products at half-price and I picked up quite a few goodies. Included in my haul were these three shades from the new (to Australia) Forever Strong range. With the discount applied these babies came down to less than $4 (normally $8) which my impulse-buying self thought (and still think) is a great bargain. 

About Face | Wicked Games

Hi lovelies! This look has been all I've been rocking lately. Annoyingly my skin has been really sensitive lately, so I've been sticking just a little concealer wear I need it. 

Monthly Round-Up | May

Eat and Drink

Mount Zero Olives

I didn't make it to many new venues this month but I did discover a new stockist of my favourite brand of olives. As a child my father dubbed me The Olive Queen and I have maintained that status ever since. Mount Zero is a Victorian estate that grows and produces a plethora of different gourmet ingredients, including olives, olive oil, condiments, grains etc. My favourite of their line is the olives, of course. In the past it has been hard to find their product in Brisbane but I have been hearing and finding more and more places that stock it; and now, one that I can actually get to with ease in Paddington. 

If you see these babies out and about, treat yourself because they are totally worth it. 

Review | Illamasqua VS. Maybelline Colour Sensational Bold Matte

When Priceline does a 40% off all cosmetics sale I can do very little to restrain myself from purchasing unnecessary items. This time was no different and whilst shopping solo I managed to whimsically purchase a lip colour I am known to be drawn towards. Bright coral colours always manage to draw me in. However, since purchase Illamasqua's lipstick in the shade Over I have been contented on the bright coral front. Maybelline New York's latest offering in Peach from the Colour Sensational Bold Matte collection was enough to draw me back in. 

I love a matte lip, no matter how drying and exposing of dry lips they may be. I also love a bright lip; again no matter how exposing they are. In a comparison of these colours I will say that the Illamasqua formula is more drying than the Maybelline New York Colour Sensational but wouldn't say that either offer an abundance of moisture. 

When I purchased the Illamasqua colour I also purchased a lip liner from them in the colour Spell which conveniently works slightly better with the Maybelline New York colour than the Illamasqua one. 

The Maybelline New York shade offers a more pink toned shade whereas Illasmasqua offers one more grounded in orange shades (if either of these are preferential for you skin tone). 

I love both of these colours and will continue to wear the Over by Illamasqua even though I have found a dupe for it. Have you tried either of these colours or have an obsession with bright coral? Let me know in the comments.

Erin xx

Review | Maybelline Colour Sensational Lip Colour and Lip Gloss

 Maybelline ColourSensational Lipcolour in Coffee Craze, Maybelline ColourSensational Gloss in Iced Chocolate

Hi lovelies! I think I need to preface this post by saying that I am in no way a lover of nude lips. I also as a general rule don't enjoy wearing lipgloss. To be honest I am not even a fan of sheeny lip balms. Which is why finding these two products from Maybelline was such a pleasant surprise. 

When I first heard Anna mention the ColourSensational glosses I have to admit I tuned it out a little bit. Bizarrely I have always been more comfortable in a strong matte lip colour than a nude gloss. When Priceline were having a 40% off cosmetics sale her words I decided to take her advice and pick one of the glosses. 

I was safe and opted for a creamy nude in the shade Iced Chocolate. And you know want I absolutely love it. The level of pigmentation is great and the shimmer in the tube doesn't make itself known on the lips. I tend to apply a layer and then pat it into my lips for a subtle sheen. 

To go with the gloss I also chose one of the ColourSensational Lipcolours. My one is in Coffee Craze and it makes the perfect companion to the gloss. I have also been wearing it by itself and find that it mutes out my natural lip colour just enough to make it a nude, but not so much that I look like a corpse. These lipsticks are really comfortable to wear and the balm like texture makes me think I will be getting a lot of use out of this in the upcoming cooler weather. 

The need for reapplication every few hours is still something I am getting used to, however the subtle colour means a mirror isn't necessary. Despite the above pictures, I have been veering away from my usual liquid liner and opting for a smokier look day to day. Both products are a great to pair with a smokey eye, for a pared down everyday look. 

Whilst I am still firmly a red lipstick girl at heart I can definitely see myself picking up a few more of these lip glosses in some more nude shades for a bit of variety day to day.

If these lip glosses can convert even the staunchest of matte lip lovers then they must be something special. I bought mine in store at Priceline, but they're available here and here. 

Have you tried any of this range? What colours would you recommend?

Jess x 

About Face | The 5 Product Face

Hi lovelies! I am a big lover of music festivals. Recently this has been my go-to face to last through the long and sweaty days. Personally I can't think of much worse than sitting in a camping chair trying to apply my usual routine with a tiny compact mirror. For festival days (and nights) I opt for a five product face that only uses one brush. 

About Face | Faintly Pink

I don't often do anything too interesting or colourful with colour in my makeup but I thought my outfit for my cousins wedding (see outfit here) needed a touch of pink on my face to brighten everything up. I've not done one of these posts before because my makeup is fairly plain and unexciting but this is an exciting look for me (maybe not anyone else). 

The Mix | Brow Hunting

Prestige Ultimate Brow Definer in 02 Toffee available here/ Maybelline New York Master Shape by Eye Studio in Soft Brown available here (pictured L - R)

You may recall a few weeks ago I posted a review of a random Japanese Brow Pencil that I found in Daiso. That delightful addition to my makeup routine ran out a lot quicker than I thought and when I went back to repurchase it was no longer on the shelf. Ever since I have been on the quest for it's replacement and it has been way more challenging than I thought.

About Face | Pretty in Pink

Hi lovelies! I don't think pink has ever been my favourite colour, yet here I am with a face of make up in entirely pink shades. Recently I have been skipping the smokey eyes and liner in favour of quick and long-lasting. For a girl who loves her eyeliner it's been a nice change, and I'm loving the extra time in bed. 

Erin and I were both slightly obsessed with tracking down the new shades of the 24 hour Colour Tattoo eyeshadows from Maybelline. I ended up in far too many Pricelines that day but the eyeshadow was worth it. It's a frosted pink (swatch far left) that makes for a quick fix in the mornings and pairs perfectly with my Sleek blusher in Pixie Pink (swatch in middle). Above I paired it with a warm brown in the crease for a look that's done in minutes. All it needs it a quick coat of mascara.

May Favourites

The month of May was incredibly productive in terms of discovering new products to adore. I could probably attest the greatness of the month to the fact that I finally had an income and could afford to try new things. Above is a collection of products that have come into my life in a multitude of ways and for many different reasons. Some of them I've already blogged about and won't bore you with the details again - Origins Make A Difference Rejuvenating Hand Treatment, Swisse Hand Cream with Vitamin F and Pomegranate, Lasting Finish by Kate for Rimmel in and 106 and Designer Brands' Twist'n'Go Instant Nail Polish Remover.

Maybelline New York Master Precise Liquid Liner Review

I know this product is no spring chicken and that nearly every man and his dog has had their say on it BUT that's not going to stop me from doing this post. I use black liquid liner almost everyday - the only days I don't are those spent in bed. Having a heavy block fringe I feel naked and washed out when I don't have something to define where my hair stops and my eyes start. With those two things being said I require a liquid liner with impecable wearability, a felt tip for easy and precise application, and a price that won't make me choke every time I need a new one (which is quite often). 

About Face #3

Estee Lauder Double Wear Concealer in 'Light Medium' / Bobbi Brown Corrector in 'Light Peach' / Smashbox Bronze Lights in 'Medium/Dark' / Origins Stay Tuned Foundation in 'Linen'

Mac Eyeshadows in 'Jest' 'Satin Taupe' and 'Shadowy Lady' / Covergirl Clump Crusher Mascara / Maybelline Master Precise Liquid Liner

Rimmel Lipliner in 'Indian Pink' / Revlon JBKBT in 'Smitten'

Hi everyone! I haven't done one of these posts in a very long time. In truth my makeup does tend to be very similar a lot of the time. There's nothing wrong with knowing what works for you. Sometimes when you have ten minutes to slap on a face and dash out the door it pays to have products that you know will always look good.

Makeup #1: Staples

I've been going to a lot of job interviews lately and they require a certain style of makeup: clean, conservative and 'barely there'. It's also very handy that that is the easiest and my most preferred method of doing my face. In this post you will find the products that are my 'makeup staples', a bit of a review and a bit of a comparison with products I wish I had. 

This may not come as a surprise but in case you hadn't noticed already, I am a big, big fan of Clinique makeup and skin products. There is something about the brand that, initially, made me place my trust in their fine products. I've had problem skin since a young age and have always felt wary about straying away from what I know works and doesn't cause any unnecessary issues for me.  I think it was about two years ago that I converted to Clinique and it will take a heck of a lot of persuading for me to try anything different.

Mid-Monthly Loves

I have been intending to do a monthly favourites post for what feels like a year and a day now. However every time the start of the month rolls around I seem to get distracted and I don't remember until the middle of the month. Today I just decided that the fact that it was the middle of March didn't matter I was doing a favourites post.