November favourites!

Ooohhh am I excited to show you guys what I've been loving this month! I've gotten some amazing goodies lately, some of which you've seen in the MEGA HAUL I posted a few weeks back! I have been eagerly awaiting to show you what I've been loving this past month. Let's get into it shall we?..

Too Faced "everything nice" palette
I CANNOT tell you HOW excited I was to get this palette. I got my girl to cp this for me from the states as I wasn't sure that we were going to get it here in Australia. I had heard mixed reviews on this palette, some seemed to love it, others not so much, so I was a bit nervous I wouldn't love it as much as what I thought I would. WRONG! I have used this palette every.single.day since receiving it. I am SO SO in love with this palette. It has *everything* you could want. Eyeshadows, blushes, bronzer, highlighter and mascara. Everything is pigmented and I have not been disappointed in anything from this palette. If you can still get it at your local Mecca, then I highly suggest you do. I love it so much!
*not exactly everything but definitely the majority of face painting essentials.

L'oreal Infalliable foundation in Vanilla
I tested this foundation out in a sample I got a while ago and loved it, so I bought the full size. To me, this is the perfect foundation. It's medium to full coverage and really does last all day. With the right powder to set (I go between Hourglass Ambient powders and Too Faced Sweetheart beads), my face looks FLAWLESS! My only gripe is, I got vanilla which is the lightest shade and it is slightly too dark, so even lighter colours would be awesome. Either way, I recommend if you're after something with a bit more coverage.




Chi Chi eyeshadow palette in Naturals
I had bought this as a gift for someone who didn't end up wanting it, otherwise I probably wouldn't have bought this. I was blown away by the quality of this $22 palette. Chi Chi is a cheaper "drugstore" brand (even though it's stocked in high end department stores), but you definitely shouldn't be fooled into thinking this is any less of a makeup brand for the prices. It is HIGHLY pigmented and very smooth to apply. I will definitely be purchasing more of these palettes and from Chi Chi. This is the PERFECT eyeshadow palette for those just starting out. Plenty of beautiful neutral shades that all work very well together. If you get only one thing from this post of recommendations, this is it! PS. Chi Chi have a great xmas deal at the moment,  get 2 palettes for only $30!


Socialeyes Tease 2.0 lashes
I got these a while back and was actually intimidated by the size of these babies. They're at least twice as long as the lashes I usually use (either Ardell or Manicare ones), but I gave them a go and lemme tell you, they are great! They are so lightweight it's not funny. I expected them to be heavy because they are so huge. These are a half/ 3/4 lash so I do need to give my full strip ones. Try but going off Tease 2.0 alone. You won't be disappointed!

Garnier Micellar makeup remover
This is awesome. I previously has the Bioderma one and for the price, I think I used it pretty stingily, so I wasnt 100% sold. For a fraction of the cost and more than 3 times the amount of product, this is definitely the better option. It works pretty much exactly the same (I didn't see any real different, other than the aforementioned). The bottle is so big you could go swimming in this haha. It's very gentle and doesn't sting my eyes (however, I don't have sensitive eyes/ skin). If you want to try the Micellar makeup removers, definitely give this one a shot.

The Body Shop body wash in Vanilla Brûlée
I love The Body Shop xmas offerings, and this year is no exception. They always do Cranberry and some variation of Vanilla and another random scent. This year it's Glazed Apple. I definitely want to stock up on other goodies for the year, but so far I've bought the Vanilla Brûlée and it is delicious. We all know my battles with Vanilla, and although not my favourite, Vanilla Brulee is a warm, comforting vanilla scent. It's not super sweet, which is also nice and more wearable I think.

What the powder looks like. 

Matcha Maiden tea
If you haven't heard of matcha tea, it is a higher antixoidant form of green tea in a powder. It has many health benefits, same as green tea but intensified (or richer), if that makes sense. I first tried it at T2 with cold vanilla soy milk as a "summer" drink. Or you can have it simply with hot water for a winter tea. Very delicious, and I'm definitely all for antioxidants and getting as much as I can out of anything healthy. If you like green tea, you'll love this. It is quite pricy though, so if you're near a T2, have a sample before you go dropping them $$.
I got mine from matchamaiden.com. 70g costs $25 (including free shipping).
T2 also stock it at 30g for $24.

What have you been loving this past month? Is there anything you recommend I try?

Mega haul

Ok! I've been doing a crazy amount of shopping lately. It's all those amazing xmas goodies I tell you. They've sucked me in good. This is the stuff I've gathered over the past 2 months.

Lush:
Star Light, Star bright bath melt
So White bath bomb x2
Butter Bear bath bomb x2
Magic Wand bubble bar x2
Luxury Lush Pud bath bomb
Northern Lights bath bomb
Tisty Tosty bath bomb
Santas lip scrub
How my "shopping trip" on the Lush website went:
Ooh look!! Christmas stuff!!! Oohh Halloweeeeen stuff!! Damn, all sold out. OOHH XMAS STUFF!!! How pretty is that silver star. Wonder what it smells like? I'll try it out. Ohh So White again, gotta get 2 of those. Ohh better get another Magic Wand. Done. Awww that bear is cute! Smells like vanilla? I'll take 2!! That pud one looks nice. Very festive. I need a lip scrub so I'll chuck that in too. I like cola flavour.... maybe i'll give something to my mum. Probs not though..."
Then I was in the city for a meeting and thought I'd check out Lush in person. I wanted to get Northern Lights but was sold out online, but they had restocked in store, so I got that and Tisty Tosty. I really wish I had gotten the So White shower gel though.



Hourglass:
Radiant Light ambient powder
Another one on my wishlist.

BareMinerals:
Moxie lipgloss in Hypnotist
Hello. My name is Unicorn Holographic Meow. I love unicorns, cats, cake and ANYTHING holographic. It's just who I am.

Stila:
Kitten eyeshadow
Magnificent metals eyeliner in Gunmetal
I LOVE Kitten and needed a new one. Story On why I bought the eyeliner on the review.

MAC:

Rebel and Violetta lipsticks.

Wanted both of these shades since forever, and could not pass up the xmas glittery packaging for Rebel.

Too Faced:
"Everything nice" palette
Mini melted lipsticks (hasn't yet arrived)
This palette is actually everything!! I also really wanted to try the mini melted lippies.

NARS:
Virtual Domination blush palette
A must have for me, as I don't have enough blushes right?

GIVEAWAY: Chi Chi cosmetics eyeshadow palette

To help me celebrate reaching over 17,000 views on this blog, I've decided to pay it back by giving away 1 Chi Chi palette to a reader, to say thankyou.

Prize:
* 1 Chi Chi cosmetics eyeshadow palette in "naturals".

How to enter:
* Follow my blog on bloglovin' (follow the link on the main page).
* Follow me on Instagram (follow the link on the main page).
* Repost the Chi Chi palette on my page and comment what your fave thing to read about is; eg, reviews, hauls etc.
* Hashtag #melzmanor so I can see your entry.

Rules:
* No giveaway accounts.
* Open internationally.
* I pay postage.
* Enter as many times as you like.
* Ends 30th November.

Good luck!

Feel free to ask me any questions if you have any.

October Favourites

Well well well, wasn't October just ridiculously fast in passing. In other events passing, it was also my little baby kittens' birthday on Saturday. She is a delightful 11 now! Wow! I actually cannot believe I've had her for so long haha (and yes I am aware she is no longer a kitten, but I have got severe *cough mother syndrome cough* and she will never age beyond a kitten to me. Ever.).

Anyhow, other than my precious fur baby, this is also what I've been loving...

* Anastasia Brow Pomade in Chocolate *

Well I dyed my hair a chocolate brown, so got match my eyebrows right? Actually I got the pomade before I dyed my hair but what does that matter (well quite a lot I guess, but point is, my hair and brows actually MATCH now haha). Honestly, how DID I live without this product?! It is actually LIFE CHANGING. Those of you that have gone from whatever you were using to this, will more than likely agree. This product will put you in the brow game for life. Don't hesitate, go and buy it NOW! It's super easy to use but don't rush and go gently with small, light strokes. You can thank me later.

* YSL Rouge Volupte #1 Nude Beige *
Re-visiting something old from my collection, I've re-fallen in love again with this lipstick. It's the perfect nude pink shade. I like its consistency, how it feels on my lips and who doesn't love the packaging?

* Shanghai Suzy Miss Christina Neon Guava *
UGH! This is the PERFECT spring/ summer colour and I die! It is beyond amazing! This is definitely my fave and I cannot get enough of this shade! I do believe this little baby just might have pushed Candy Yum Yum out of its spot of best bright matte... Just saying...
Ps. Check out my review of Shanghai Suzy lipsticks below.

* Hourglass Mineral Veil primer *
I got a sample of this with my last Mecca order, and I LOVE it. The last primer I used was MAC Prep and Prime, but this one just feels smoother. I can honestly see why this seems to be the most "popular" primer out there. I'll definitely be buying the full sized product.

* Stila Magnificent Metals eyeliner in Gunmetal *
Almost didn't make the cut for October but I'm gonna chuck it in. IT IS STUNNING!! Holy crap! I actually had low expectations but it was so much better than I thought it would be! The colour, the glitter, how delicious, OH MY!! Definitely want ALL the shades now. (Review on this coming shortlyyyy).

* Revenge *
Oh, am I slow with this one. My partner recently downloaded this for me, thinking I would enjoy it, and I LOVE IT. I can't just watch one episode at a time, more like 5 haha. my partner described it as Gossip Girl meets Dawson's Creek (LOL) and I guess it sorta is (definitely more Gossip Girl though but with more plots and twists. This is definitely wayyyy above Blairs' scheming!).


I'm pretty sure next months favourites are going to be VERY exciting if I get a certain package soon! Ooh WHAT could it be???? (All the intrigue and mystery... Follow me on Instagram for clues as I WILL be posting this package on there!!!! You have NO idea how excited I am about these 2 particular items jkhaskjfhkjrhgkjddkneskjghkkrjglkjfkjrslgms kind of sums it up haha).

Have a great week guys and I'll see you shortly!

Ps. Tell me what you loved in October and recommend me trying out?

Lip Product Addict tag

Just to mix it up a little, I thought I'd do one of these. I can tell you all about my favourite (and not so favourite) lip stuff!

Favourite lip balm:
I'm not a massive lip balm kinda girl, however, I have been gifted a couple. I'm currently using The Body Shop "Honeymania".

Favourite lip scrub:
I recently got Lush's Santa one and it's so good. I love the smell, it also does taste good, however, I get grossed out licking it off my lips as I'm sure there's dead skin going on, I mean it is a lip SCRUB after all haha.

Best eye catching red:
I going to say MAC Russian Red or Chanel Dragon. My fave reds! (Both are blue based).

Favourite low end lipstick:
Shanghai Suzy hands down! I absolutely love everything about them! The colours, smell, texture, longevity, price.... I can't say anything bad about them.

Favourite high end lipstick:
My fave brand is MAC. I love them like no other. I don't really have many high end lipsticks. 1 NARS, 1 Chanel, 1 Estée Lauder, 1 YSL.... a bajillion MAC...

Favourite MAC lipstick:
Really? I have over 100 MAC lipsticks and you're asking me to choose 1. I feel like I'm always changing my mind so as of right now, I'm gonna go with Morange. Oh but then there's Creme Cup, and Creme D'nude.... Oh and Candy Yum Yum. Ahhhhhhhh I.CANT. CHOOSE.

Favourite lipstick formula:
I chucked in this sneaky question, as there are so many formulas out there, I felt it was kinda important. I love matte, amplified and cremesheen.

Most disappointing lip product:
OoOhhh... I would actually have to say the retractable (wind up) NYX lip liner. I bought one and it just didn't work for me. I definitely prefer my pencil pencils.

Lip liners ~ yay or nay:
Yes, although I'm lazy and use them *rarely* (even though I have quite a few).

Favourite lipgloss:
Another toughie! I love my MAC Dazzleglasses. I also like Chanel glosses. I think my ultimate fave would maybe be MAC Sugar Trance.

Anything else?
This tag was actually a lot harder than I thought it would be. I'm also dying to get my hands of a new NARS Audacious lipstick as I've heard they're amazing!!

I tag everyone! What's your favourite lipstick???


*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Brand recommendations:
I thought I'd also share what I think are the stand out products (from the following brands), that maybe you've thought about trying but want some recommendations, as a positive introduction to said brand...

Bobbi Brown:
Shimmerbricks and gel eyeliner.

Chanel:
Scantilles lip glosses and Ombre D'Illusion eyeshadows.

Chi Chi:
Lipglosses and pencil eyeliners.

Hourglass:
Veil primer, Ambient Powders and Blushes.

Lancôme:
Hypnose Mascara

MAC:
Lipsticks, Eyeshadows, Mineralize Sinfinishes.

NARS:
Blushes and Radiant Creamy concealer.

Stila:
Eyeshadows.

Too Faced:
Melted lipsticks and Sweethearts Radiant powder.

YSL:
Rouge Volupte lipsticks.

First Impressions

I've been buying quite a few goodies online lately, and along with my goodies, I've received a few samples. Today I'm going to give you my first thoughts and impressions of these products and whether or not I'm going to buy the full sized version.

* Lonvitalite 24k Gold eye mask *
This is actually the first facial mask I've tried that hasn't been a paste like product that you wait to dry and rinse off, and to be honest, I really don't think it's for me. This one came in an individual wrapper in its own liquid, which you then place around your eyes. This had so much product on it that it was dripping down my face. So much of the liquid product that after I used the mask, I still had heaps left that I got another use out of it (just without using the paper/cloth mask thingy). I can't stand things that drip or don't dry (yes, I was that kid who never walked around with sticky fingers. I hate goo, mess or anything else like that). I left it on for the recommended 20 minutes but didn't really notice any difference to my fine lines. The eye area felt smoother though. Maybe you do need to buy the packs of them (it comes with 5 in a pack) to notice a real difference after continuous use. 
Re-purchase: No, these masks aren't for me. I'm a paste girl.
Available: Adorebeauty.com.au
RRP: $36 (for 5)

* L'oreal Infallible foundation *
I'm in the Priceline club so occasionally they'll send me a few samples in the mail. I was using Revlon Colourstay foundation and I wasn't happy with the shade (Ivory), it's horrible (I don't know why, I had a different colour last bottle by accident and I really liked it). I'm definitely looking to replace it with something new, so even though the sample was in the completely wrong colour, I still tested it out. It's amazing. It has amazing coverage (medium to full) and lasts all day. Once I get the right colour, I'll be doing a review on it so keep an eye out.
Re-purchase: Yes! I'm just waiting for my quarterly voucher LOL (hey, being honest here!)
Available: Priceline
RRP: $31.95

* Hourglass Mineral Veil primer *
I don't use a primer. I dont know why. I used to use MAC Prep and Prime, but after it ran out I just didn't repurchase it or anything else. I'm not adverse to them. The Hourglass primer is very nice. It applies smoothly and feels nice and silky on the face. I can honestly see why people seem to go crazy about it and why it's hugely popular. It definitely made my foundation sit better and last for longer (currently using Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk).
Re-purchase: Yes.
Available: Mecca
RRP: $25-69

* By Terry Cellularose Brightening CC Lumi-Serum *
I've never tried anything from this brand before. I guess as it's pretty expensive stuff and not too many reviews around I didn't want to risk it. But this is one nice product. The sample came with 4 shades but I used #1 Immaculate Light which is said to "enhance porcelain complexions, controls redness and tackles dark spots". To me this is a dupe, or very similar, to MACs Strobe Creme. The one thing I really don't like about it, is its smells like rose, which we all know, I do not like at all.
Re-purchase: I would but it looks like MAC Strobe cream, which doesn't smell like rose.
Available: Mecca
RRP: $126

* L'oreal Age Perfect facial oil *
A beauty oil not dissimilar to the likes of Rosehip, Jojoba and those type of anti-anging oils. I used this for about a week and decided to not bother. I use Rosehip oil which has many anti-oxidant properties and is much more natural and not synthetic, which I'm all for as much as I can. I'm not likely to be changing from my beloved Rosehip oil anytime soon. I would recommend something more natural over something not-so-natural.
Re-purchase: No
Available: Priceline
RRP: $39.99

* Aesop Voluming Shampoo *
Another product that I've never tried anything from the brand. This in an Australian brand that uses mostly natural ingredients. This shampoo is designed for fine hair (as per packet description), however, I get very flat hair on top so I wanted to give it a go anyway. I definitely noticed volume from using it the one time. It smells like peppermint too which isn't unplesant, although, not a scent I would associate with shampoo haha. I do really like it, but find it to be on the pricier side. If you love pampering your hair, then I'd give it a go.
Re-purchase: Not for the price. If it was cheaper, more than likely.
Available: Adorebeauty.com.au
RRP: $29 (200ml)


Have you tried any of these? What did you think?

Review: Shanghai Suzy lipsticks

 I saw Chloe Morello wear army pants and flip flops a Shanghai Suzy lipstick so I bought army pants and flip flops a Shanghai Suzy lipstick... Lol. 

I had never heard of the brand Shanghai Suzy until recently. I was watching a tutorial of Chloe Morello's and absolutely LOVED the lip colour she used. After a little digging/ watching/ reading, I discovered it to be this Shanghai Suzy. The shade and intrigue of never hearing about this brand definitely made me go 'oohhh, what IS this and why have I never heard of it before? I LOVE makeup so how could this be?'
Naturally, I googled it and landed onto the website to discover a small range of lipsticks. Only lipsticks. It seemed like a relatively new company, and as many new and small companies do, start out with a small range and make it perfect before launching into other products. I had a look around at the colours on offer and they definitely all seemed like nice "me" colours but I definitely wanted to play it safe and just get the pink lipstick Chloe used (which was Miss Amy Baby Pink).
I was pleasantly surprised at how cheap it was for a lipstick ($12.95). However, I guess that means it could go either way, bad quality or good quality at a really good price. ALL the intrigue!

It arrived 2 days later. Express shipping, so nice and fast. I ripped into that baby like a kid at Xmas and applied it. It was packaged in a cute little purple and clear cellophane type wrapper with a faux flower which was a nice touch. It felt more personal and sent out with thought, which I like.
The lipsticks come in a rectangular black case which have the shade of the lipstick on the top, the name and formula on the bottom and Shanghai Suzy written along the side in silver writing. The packaging feels hardwearing and secure.

What about the lipstick? Nice and smooth to apply. Good texture and the smell!? When you're used to most lipsticks having a subtle or vanillary smell, this definitely surprises you. So what does it smell like you ask? GRAPE BUBBLEGUM!!!! Not.even.kidding. It is the craziest, bizzare and most awesome thing to be in a lipstick. It still trips me out every time I use the lipsticks (which is a lot!).  It might be off putting to those who don't like grape bubblegum or that kind of candy smell. It's not super strongly scented but you can definitely smell it and know immediately what it is.

I've gone back 3 times to purchase these, as with each shade I fall more and more in love with the lipsticks, and there's definitely quite a few to "collect". From comments I have seen around the place (mostly Instagram), I believe each shade is a limited edition so once they're sold out, they don't get re-stocked and they are released each season with the new seasons predicted hottest colours. The great thing about the brand too, if you really do love them, you can buy them in packs. They currently have the offer of buy 3 get 1 free or buy the whole wardrobe of shades (8 in total) at $65 which makes them discounted to $8.13 each; or of course, you can buy them individually.
Each time I've purchased, they've always arrived 2 days later using express shipping (from Melbourne to Adelaide), and shipping is $6.95 regardless of how many are purchased.

Shanghai Suzy lipsticks come in 2 formulas: matte and nourishing

* Miss Amy Baby Pink (matte) *
This shade is THE perfect baby pink. It is a matte but it doesn't feel dry in the slightest and probably the most "moisturising" matte lipstick I have ever worn. It is quite thick (good thick, not bad thick), and with only 2 swipes, is completely opaque and covers my lips nicely. Miss Amy stays put throughout the day, wears evenly and doesn't get cakey at any stage. I only have to reapply after eating.

* Miss Ally Amethyst (matte) *
Miss Ally is definitely not for the faint of heart. This is a very bright, mid toned purple with a blue base and very bold. I used this shade with a lip liner the first time using it, which did affect the application as it didn't feel as opaque as Miss Amy did and felt not right (almost chalky and gritty). I haven't tried using lip liners with any other shade, but even at this point, I'd suggest you go without. After a second, separate application (without lipliner), it applied much better, however, it's definitely not as opaque as the others. It still wears well but not as long as Miss Amy or Miss Christina.
Please note: I use a lip liner all over my lips vs just lining. Maybe that was my problem. You can always experiment with what works for you?

* Miss Leah Baby Cocoa (nourishing) *
To be honest, of all the Shanghai Suzy lipsticks I have, this is probably the most personally disappointing, not for the product itself, but purely because I actually thought this was a much slightly lighter shade. However, this is the perfect shade if you're wanting to dabble with the currently trending 90's "Kylie Jenner" lips without a really red "brick" shade (which I'm actually not for. The 90's need to stay in the 90's lol). This is the only shade I own that is the nourishing formula (its enriched with jojoba oil which makes it nourishing), and is very nice to wear (not that any of them aren't). This formula would definitely help if you do have dry, cracked lips without making the situation worse. Miss Leah does need more regular applications as the formula does wear more quickly due to it not being a matte and more hydrating. I get about 2-3 hours wear before reapplying.
Ps. After wearing this shade more and more, I am definitely really loving this shade, it's almost a "my lips but better" kind of shade.

* Miss Christina Neon Guava (matte) *
I LOVE this shade! Probably my fave out of the 5. It is the most summery and bright without being scary or obnoxious. It's the perfect blend of pink and coral. Long wearing, the only time I have to reapply is after eating and it was opaque with only 2 swipes. Because it is a neon/ super bright shade, it's definitely a shade to apply with attention, as it can stain very easily and can leave those tell tale red signs of tried removal that you get after "colouring outside the lines", or a wild pash session haha.

* Miss Sally Watermelon (matte) *
I feel like I had to work a little bit harder to get this to look "perfect" on my lips. I feel like Miss Sally also needed a good 3 swipes to be nice and opaque. It is also one of those shades that can stain very easily and can be hard to erase those tell-tale signs you can get after either not applying properly and outside of the lip line and trying to wipe it off,  I find it to be more on the red side of "watermelon", but it is absolutely gorgeous and anothing amazing summer shade.

None of the lipsticks bled or feathered on me.

L-R: Miss Amy, Miss Leah, Miss Ally, Miss Sally and Miss Christina. 

I wholeheartedly recommend these lipsticks. They are great value for money and are such amazing quality. There is definitely a shade for everyone, no matter what their style or preference of shades. I'll definitely be repurchasing more from the current seasons selection, and in future. I think the coral one will be next on my list! They're also not tested on animals and vegan!

My picks:
Miss Amy Baby Pink
Miss Christina Neon Guava


Available: shanghaisuzy.com (there's also a stockists page on the website)
RRP: $12.95 (+ $6.95 for shipping)