Winter Essentials | Purple Lipstick

 Top to Bottom: Revlon Matte Balm in 'Shameless' MUA Luxe Velvet Lips in 'Kooky' Sleek Matte Me in 'Fandango Purple'

Hi lovelies! So whilst referring to a shade of lipstick as essential is a little extreme, I am really loving a purple lip in the cooler weather. It makes for a nice alternative to deep reds. I also like the range of variety you can get. 

Travel | Make Up

Hi lovelies! Just a quick one from me today. I am off to Melbourne this morning a weekend escape. I thought I'd give you all a nosey into my travel makeup bag. 

I recently bought this bag in the David Jones sale for a bargainous price. I love the travel print around the bag and the fact that it's water resistant. My last makeup bag was a very battered Clinique freebie which definitely had been worn out. 

Sick of rummaging through a bag for that one pesky product I chose a bag with separate compartments to keep everything organised. I will say thought that this is also the bag's detriment as larger containers are a bit of a hassle to pack. If you're a girl who can't survive without her whole vanity then this is not the bag for you.

I only have a few bits and bobs to take with me, including some bronzer and blush, an pair of eyeshadows and some mascara. And yes there are four lipsticks ...for three days ...I have a problem. Most of it is stuff you'll have seen on the blog before, apart from the new Hourglass concealer I am testing out. 

My favourite part about this bag is that is has a section for brushes. No longer will they get bent out of shape. I'm taking my usual bronzer and blush brushes as well as this super handy EcoTools travel set, which has everything I could ever need for my eyes. 

My tip for packing makeup, always try and do your makeup before you leave with what you've packed, that way you'll know if you've forgotten something. I very nearly forgot my eyebrow pencil. Whoops!

Jess xx

Beauty Buys

I'm headed off to the beach today, but before I left I thought I'd share my recent beauty purchases with you all. 

Head and Shoulders Sensitive Scalp Care Shampoo and Conditioner
I don't suffer from dandruff, however my skin is liable to react to anything and everything. I thought I'd share this hair combo with you because this is the first shampoo and conditioner my scalp is able to tolerate. For any sensitive skinned girls out there I'd really recommend giving this one a go, and it won't break the bank either. Besides being very gentle the conditioner is very thick and works a treat at moisturising my blonde hair. 

Illamasqua Precision Ink in Abyss
Although 'precision ink' is really just a fancy term for liquid eyeliner, this is a fantastic product. I am no stranger to liquid eyeliner, wearing it on a very nearly everyday basis. I've always been a big advocate of the L'Oreal Super Liner, but was always annoyed that it tended to get a bit flaky at the end of a long day. This liner checks all the boxes: it's easy to apply when half-asleep in the morning, super black, and doesn't budge. Also with Illamasqua reducing their prices in Australia there isn't a big price gap in between the L'Oreal and this anymore. 

Sleek Lipstick in Amped
This is a properly nice lipstick. I never thought I would be a huge fan of such a cool pink on my skintone, but I love how this looks and have worn it regularly since its arrival. That's why I purchased a cheaper alternative to give the colour a test. The quality of the product surprised me though. Sleek's matte formula is up there with the likes of Illamasqua and MAC, pigmented and very long wearing. Although Sleek can be a bit difficult to get your hands on in Australia, their website ships internationally and their shipping rates are really reasonable. 

Australis Double Decker Eyeshadow in Supernova Casanova
I picked this last one up on a whim when it was on offer in Priceline. I love copper eyeshadows and thought this would be great for a sparkly bronze-y eye. The concept of this product is that they give you a cream eyeshadow to use as a base and then a pigment to press over the top. My advice? Just forget about using the cream eyeshadow, it creased on me within 5 minutes. The pigment however is fab. Super sparkly and pretty. As with any loose eyeshadow it's a bit of a fiddle to apply and some glitter will end up on your cheeks. But once that's cleared away you're left with a sparkly eye that wears really well. Loverly. 

What have you been buying beauty wise?

Jess xx

About Face #1

I thought I would try my hand at a beauty-themed post today. I'm off to work today so I needed to be somewhat presentable and I'm meeting friends for Friday drinks later. So I needed my look to last well and transform from day to night.

I started by buffing my Origins Stay Tuned Balancing Face Makeup into my skin, followed by a healthy dose of the Bobbi Brown Corrector and Clinique Airbrush concealer. I am fortunate enough to have pretty good skin so I find this combination is my fail safe and I don't tend to experiment with it anymore. 

For eyes I went for my staple Mac Woodwinked eyeshadow. This is my favourite eyeshadow of all time and also the only eyeshadow I've ever finished. I layered this over Painterly Paint Pot to ensure it stayed on and then blended a bit of Mac's Embark into the lash line. After a good few coats of Georgio Armani Eyes to Kill Mascara that was the eyes done. 

The cheeks I kept simple with a quick splash of bronzer and blush from the Sleek Face Form Kit in Light. 

I chucked Mac So Chaud Lipstick in my bag to throw on after work and ran out the door. I like my makeup to be easy to maintain and simple especially at work so a lipstick is the perfect thing to brighten up the end of a long day. 

Wishing everyone an early Australia Day. Have a good long weekend lovelies 

Jess xx