We all know that winter is horrible to our skin. With heaters, air conditioners and the cold air, our skin gets dehydrated very quickly and what happens to our skin when it dries out? The "cracks" start to appear. By cracks, this could be anything from flaky skin, to those pesky fine lines showing up more and more frequently. So we must hydrate! Today I'm going to show you some of my fave products to get back that beautiful skin.
In winter, you may need a richer moisturiser to really penetrate the skin vs something a bit lighter in summer. HOWEVER, YOU ALSO STILL NEED A SUNSCREEN. Those rays are gonna get ya, trust me. Is it night 24/7 during winter? No, therefore the sun is still out, even if it's raining 24/7.
TOP TIP: Your hands and décolletage are the first places to start showing signs of ageing so slather on that sunscreen on those 2 places.
Sunscreen: Anything SPF30+ is best.
Try:
Eco Tan Natural Coconut Sunscreen
Available: Shelivescrueltyfree.com and most health food shops
RRP: $39.95
The Cancer Council
Available: Priceline
RRP: from $6.99
Moisturiser:
The Body Shop Drops of Youth Bouncy Sleeping Mask
Available: The Body Shop
RRP: $44.95
Eye creams are a must in winter to help combat those fine lines.
Kate Somerville Cytocell: this is a beautiful eye cream that is not super thick but feels like it's doing its job. I've been using this lately and really enjoying it.
Available: Mecca Cosmetica, Maxima and mecca.com.au
RRP: $98
Origins Plantscription anti-anging eye treatment: I really enjoy this eye cream too, and I also enjoy the smell. To me it smells natural but not everyone will like it.
Available: Mecca Maxima and mecca.com.au
RRP: $58
Flaky skin, and lips are also prevalent in winter, so a lip scrub and balm is a must!
Lush lip scrub: I'm still working on my Santa lips from xmas, but the bubblegum is also delicious!
Available: Lush stores and online
RRP: $9.95
Sara Happ lip scrub: try the vanilla bean or creme brûlée, YUM!
Available: beautybay.com
RRP: $31 (free shipping)
The Body Shop lip balm: this comes in an assortment of flavours, my faves being Honey, Watermelon and Shea.
Available: The Body Shop and bodyshop.com.au
RRP: $6.95
Sukin Nourishing lip balm
Available: Priceline
RRP: $7.99
Nivea Lip Butter in Vanilla & Macadamia and Caramel Creme
Available: Priceline
RRP: $5.70
The body also needs attention, so a moisturising body scrub is always a good choice:
Frank Body scrub: because this is loaded with sweet almond and orange oils (it smells like jaffas!), this is the perfect choice for hot showers, and leaves your skin feeling super smooth and super hydrated, because really, who wants to rub moisturiser all over themselves after a hot shower, in the cold.
Available: frankbody.com
RRP: $14.95 (free shipping within Australia, from $6.45 Rest of the World).
Something to soothe the winter blues:
Tea: I'm a massive fan of flavoured teas. It's a delicious, warm way to warm up. My faves would be Governors Estate Peach tea, Qi Green tea, Matcha Maiden Matcha, T2 Toasty Nougat, Toasty Warm, Turkish Apple, and Apple Crumble.
GE Peach: Coles supermarkets
Qi Green: Woolworths supermarkets
Matcha Maiden: matchamaiden.com
T2: online and T2 stores
Friday, June 26, 2015
Winter Skin Saviours
Labels:
2015,
Anti-ageing,
Beauty,
Body Scrub,
Eye Cream,
Kate Somerville,
Lip Balm,
Lip Scrub,
Lush,
Moisturiser,
Origins,
Skin,
Skincare,
Sunscreen,
T2,
The Body Shop,
Winter
Monday, June 22, 2015
Fashion Edit: Gunmetal
Gunmetal! I LOVE it! It's smokey, it's rock, it's perfection!
Why do I love gunmetal? It's the perfect "inbetween" shade. It's not as harsh as black but it's not a "typical" metal like silver or gold. It's this winters "it" metal and it's easy to see why. It's the perfect accompaniment to burgundy, blue, grey and black. It stands out in an edgy way without being over the top, and one of the biggest reasons I love it, it's different. You never really see this shade around too often.
Without further ado, here are my gunmetal must haves for this winter...
Beauty:
* Makeup Store glitter eyeliner in "Showstopper"
* Urban Decay 24/7 eyeliner in "Uzi"
$30 (mecca), $33 (beautybay)
Mecca Maxima, mecca.com.au and beautybay.com
* Stila Smudgestick eyeliner in "Triggerfish"
$26
Mecca Cosmetica, mecca.com.au and beautybay.com
* Australis Metallix cream eyeshadow in "Lana Del Grey"
$8.95
Priceline
* Makeup Geek eyeshadow in "Graphite" and "Stealth"
$5.99USD each
makeupgeek.com
* MAC Extra Dimension eyeshadow in "Legendary Lure" (due for release June/July)
$30 (mecca), $33 (beautybay)
Mecca Maxima, mecca.com.au and beautybay.com
* Stila Smudgestick eyeliner in "Triggerfish"
$26
Mecca Cosmetica, mecca.com.au and beautybay.com
* Australis Metallix cream eyeshadow in "Lana Del Grey"
$8.95
Priceline
* Makeup Geek eyeshadow in "Graphite" and "Stealth"
$5.99USD each
makeupgeek.com
![]() |
Graphite |
![]() |
Stealth |
* MAC Extra Dimension eyeshadow in "Legendary Lure" (due for release June/July)
MAC counters, stores and maccosmetics.com.au
* OPI nail polish in "Lucerne-tainly Look Marvellous" (Swiss collection)
$19.99
$19.99
David Jones, Myer, Price Attack, selected pharmacies and nail salons
* Makeup Store Strass in "Silver Rain"
$28
Makeup Store
* Makeup Store Strass in "Silver Rain"
$28
Makeup Store
What do you think of gunmetal? How do you wear it?
Labels:
2015,
Australis,
Beauty,
Cosmetics,
Eyeliner,
Eyeshadow,
Fashion,
Gunmetal,
Lana Del Grey,
Makeup Store,
Metal,
Metallic,
Metallix,
Showstopper,
Silver Rain,
Stila,
Strass,
Urban Decay,
Uzi,
Winter
Monday, June 1, 2015
Ardency Inn
Ardency Inn. I heard about this French cosmetics brand a long time ago. After seeing swatches on Temptalia's site I really wanted to try this brand out. Alas, here in Australia we miss out on the majority of really cool stuff but Mecca, (the gods that they are) are now stocking it! It's an online exclusive at mecca.com.au and Mecca have it exclusively in Australia. How exciting!!!
Ardency Inn's brand "theme" is about the Modster and Punk look. They boast a full range from foundation to lipsticks but it's apparent that eyeliners are definitely their "thing", which obviously works in with the punk theme they've got going on.
It's very reasonable priced and along the prices of other popular brands like MAC and Urban Decay ($30 an eyeshadow, $28 for eyeliners etc). The only thing that I've seen that I think is WAYYY overpriced is the cute little Punker crystal studs at $57. I really wanted to grab them but definitely not at that price.
Here's what I bought from Mecca:
Modster Manuka Honey enriched pigment eyeshadow in Punch ($30):
Modster Smooth Ride Supercharged eyeliner in Lemon ($28):
Modster Smooth Ride Supercharged eyeliner in Turquoise ($28):
Modster Long Play Lip Vinyl in Original Mix ($34):
![]() |
Swatches: Original Mix, Punch, Lemon and Turquoise |
Available: online exclusively at Mecca.com.au
RRP: from $28 to $57
Friday, May 22, 2015
A random collection of comparison swatches
I'm someone who really seems to struggle with finding comparison swatches, or even swatches in general. I can never find 2 swatches of products in the one swatch when I want, so I thought I'd post a collection here of all the swatches that I've personally struggled to find. I'm sure I'm not the only one!
I hope you find this useful, and I'll keep adding to this as we go along.
All swatched on MAC NW20 skin with lightbox lighting. Click on pics for better resolution.
MAC Toldeo Chlorofill pearl glide vs MAC Sourpuss technakohl vs By Terry Green Fizz Aqua Print eyeshadow:
MAC Lady Danger lipstick vs MAC Neon Orange lipstick vs MAC Morange lipstick vs MAC Good to Go prolongwear lipstick:
I hope you find this useful, and I'll keep adding to this as we go along.
All swatched on MAC NW20 skin with lightbox lighting. Click on pics for better resolution.
MAC Toldeo Chlorofill pearl glide vs MAC Sourpuss technakohl vs By Terry Green Fizz Aqua Print eyeshadow:
MAC Lady Danger lipstick vs MAC Neon Orange lipstick vs MAC Morange lipstick vs MAC Good to Go prolongwear lipstick:
Too Faced Melted Sugar vs Too Faced Melted Nude lipstick:
Tuesday, May 19, 2015
Review: Glamourflage skincare
I had never heard of the skincare brand Glamourflage until recently when I got the opportunity to review a few products from their line. Funnily enough, once I received the products, I went shopping and discovered it's readily available at David Jones.
Glamourflage has an expansive range of skincare, body care, makeup and accessories which is very reasonably priced. I think someone from every age would find something they love, and would make great gifts (or even stocking fillers for xmas time, if you're planning well ahead haha).
Each Glamourflage product is encased with really cute 1940/50's pin-up "housewives" (the characters are anything but, think Mad Men styles) packaging which comes with it's own character, personality and narrative. Each of which is sassy and well thought out. I immediately thought that if a company thinks about each product with this much detail, then they clearly are very invested into each product they're creating and customer focused.
This is my review on 3 of their skincare products:
~ Ravishing Ruby Facial Cleanser (olive) 70ml
~ Tiara Tracey Facial Toner (cucumber) 120ml
~ Lucious Lucy Face Cream (freesia) 120ml
I used all 3 products I received (a cleanser, toner and face cream) as a "new" skincare regime and added my daily serum faves, as below, each for day and night so I didn't miss out on my essential anti-aging care. I started the regime on 23/04/15.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
First impressions:
The Ravishing Ruby foaming cleanser made my skin feel uber soft and was non tightening.
The Tiara Tracey toner smelt amazing and really took off what was left on my skin, again another product that didn't make my skin feel tight and my skin still felt uber soft after application and drying.
The Luscious Lucy face cream: least favourite smelling out of the 3 (freesia). Didn't feel super thick, more like a medium thickness, left a slight "sticky" residue.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
After a month: (daily use)
Ravishing Ruby foaming cleanser:
I am still really enjoying using this and because it's a foaming product I expected it to run out before now, so I've been pleasantly suprised about how much product I'm getting (I use 1 and a half pumps per wash). I've used about half of the bottle at this point so the bottle would last for a good 2 months before needing to replenish. I also really like the application (it's the small things for me) and I find myself wanting to wash my face. It doesn't strip your skin of natural oils or moisture, and it makes my skin feel really, really soft. The scent is inoffensive and not really "olivey" (I was expecting a much more "foody olivey" smell haha). I only had 1 pimple the whole time while I was reviewing this, and it went away without forming a white head on it, so I think it does prevent acne and really cleanse the skin. I also had no hormonal acne at all, which I always get at least 1 on my chin. Without a doubt, this is my definitely my favourite product out of the 3.
Tiara Tracey toner:
I am in LOVE with this scent! It's so refreshing and just so ahhhh! I also really like the fact that it didn't dry out my skin and after it's been absorbed, my skin still felt smooth and soft. I don't have acne, but I think this would be perfect for those who do as one of its main ingredients is witch hazel (which I love for pimples). It was about time that I introduced a toner into my skin care regime and I'm glad I received this one as it is now a staple.
Luscious Lucy face cream:
I'm not keen on the smell. The scent definitely fits the packaging and the brand, but it's just not me. I much prefer "fresh" scents in my skincare, like the olive and cucumber. I found after using the cream that it never really sunk into my skin and it made my face feel "oily." Even hours after having it on and ample time to sink in, so it's a rather rich cream, even though it's not heavy in texture. I actually stopped using this as a face cream after 2 weeks and started using it for my neck and décolletage as they're areas which do need something a little heavier and admittedly, more attention from me. Me being me, I do like if I can find a use for it, even if it isn't its intended purpose. Less wasted products that way. I definitely think it's better suited to someone with very dry or mature skin, or even as a night time, winter moisturiser. This was my least favourite product of the 3.
Would I repurchase?:
Yes, most definitely with Ravishingly Ruby and Tiara Tracey (which has become a staple in my skincare routine now). I still love The Body Shop Seaweed cleanser so I think I'll end up rotating between the 2 depending on what mood I'm in.
Luscious Lucy, I honestly don't think I'll get through the whole tub this year (it's huge!), and I'm glad I could find a new purpose for it. In regards to using it for its actual purpose as a FACE cream, then no.
After using these particular Glamourflage products, I'm definitely keen to check out and purchase some of the other products in the range. Their cherry lip balm is at the top of my list! (We all know how much I love cherry scented products!).
Glamourflage Ravishing Ruby Foaming Cleanser
Glamourflage Tiara Tracey Toner
Mario Badesco Vitamin C serum
Olay spf30 moisuriser
Kate Somerville Cytocell eye cream
Glamourflage Ravishing Ruby Foaming Cleanser
Glamourflage Tiara Tracey Toner
Mario Badesco Seaweed night cream
Kate Somerville Cytocell eye cream
Glamourflage Luscious Lucy face cream for neck and décolletage
Available: Glamourflage.com.au, David Jones, Luxola, selected boutiques nation and worldwide (please check Glamourflage.com.au for your state or country).
RRP: from $7.95AUD to $36AUD for products, from $4.95AUD for accessories.
Glamourflage do not test on animals.
All 3 Glamourflage products used for 1 full month before publishing this post. Products were sent to me for consideration of review. As always, thoughts are 100% my own. Pictures courtesy of Glamourflage.
Labels:
2015,
Accesessories,
Anti-ageing,
Beauty,
Body,
Cleanser,
Cucumber,
Face Cream,
Freesia,
Glamourflage,
Luscious Lucy,
Makeup,
Olive,
Pin-Up,
Ravishing Ruby,
Review,
Skincare,
Tiara Tracey,
Toner
Friday, May 1, 2015
(Not so) Basic Essentials: Brushes (part 2)
Face brushes:
* A powder brush:
This is a necessity for those who either do a lot of powdering or bronzing. You want something quite large so blending (especially for bronzing) is seamless. You don't want harsh lines, just the jealousy of those who think you've just gone on holiday!
* A fan brush:
For those who highlight, everyone needs one. It is perfect for all places. Cheekbones, down the nose, the cupids bow, above the eyebrow. You especially need this brush if you own The Balm's Mary Lou-Manizer. Any other brush is too much for Mary-Lou, that baby is INTENSE!!
* A contour brush:
This is really for those who are really into their contouring (obviously). There are many choices and preferences out there so I think this is a trial for yourself thing. I've heard mixed reviews on the NARS Ita brush. Some like a fluffy, large angled brush. I have the MAC 109, however, I'm not much of a contourer unless I've got the time or a special occasion.
TOP TIP: Highlight first as this will naturally shadow you so you know the right place to apply your contour.
* A concealer brush:
This is just perfect for those who LOVE their bold lips. This is the perfect tool for cleaning up those lip mistakes that sometimes happen, or to clean up the edges on your brows. I personally don't actually use a concealer brush for under eyes as I find they don't blend out under eye concealer nicely.
Eye brushes:
* A larger shader brush:
I like to have a back up shader brush that is larger for any additional work I might wanna do involving packing on colour.
* A small, synthetic shader brush:
This is perfect for creamy products like paint pots, or any stickier bases for priming the eyelids, and still keeping it all compact on the lid. My fave is the MAC 242.
* A smudger brush:
This is a great brush for detail work and highlighting the inner corner and brow bone.
BONUS JUST FOR FUN BRUSH:
* A mascara fan brush:
Save money on coloured mascaras by investing in one of these. You can use these with gel eyeliners to create a fun mascara (which are notorious for drying up quickly).
Brush lines I Recommend:
MAC
Available: MAC stores, counters and online
RRP: from $37AUD
Zoeva
Available: beautybay.com
RRP: from $11.30AUD
Zoeva also do really affordable sets of brushes too, if you're looking to get a few at once.
Bdellium Tools
Available: bdelliumtools.com
RRP: from $9USD
Bdellium also do affordable sets of brushes. They also come in cool colours like pink, purple, yellow and green.
Disclaimer: To be clear, all of these are "nice to haves", of course no one actually NEEDS anything more than the basics. Take from this what you will, but they are still very handy brushes to have, and brushes I reach for daily/ semi-daily.
Red powder/ makeup brush photo created and taken by Love Lanner - lovelanner.com
Labels:
2015,
Application,
Basic Essentials,
Bdellium,
Beauty,
Brushes,
Contour,
Cosmetics,
Crease,
Eyes,
Face,
Favourites,
Highly Recommend,
MAC,
Mascara,
Shader,
Synthetic,
The Balm,
Zoeva
Thursday, April 30, 2015
Basic Essentials: Brushes (part 1)
Some people may think that brushes are an unnecessary expense when it comes to building your stash up, but to me they are a necessity. There are many reasons why you should invest in some decent brushes. Here are the top ones:
1: Better application.
You can achieve and do so much more with a few brushes. Have you ever tried to blend out eyeshadow with only your fingers, was it seamless? I'm guessing not. Would you build anything with no tools? Probably not; so therefore you can guess that your makeup is only going to look MUCH better with tools that fit the job. Especially if you want to go above your basic 1 eyeshadow and eyeliner look (or whatever your simple eye look involves).
2: Sanitation.
Like it or not, your fingers are a breeding ground for bacteria. Every time you put your fingers into your products (especially cream/ liquid), you're contaminating your products which will end up resulting in a much shorter life span for your product.
3: Product.
When you use brushes you actually use less product, especially with products like foundation, which fingers do absorb a lot more product. Think of how much you will actually save by using a brush, especially something like a duo fibre brush.
4. Longevity.
If you look after your brushes and clean them regularly, they should last you many, many years. They really are an investment and worth getting some decent ones that you can get longevity out of.
These are a few of the essentials you'll need to get started:
Face brushes:
* A foundation brush:
I think this comes down to personal preference. I use a flat "paint brush" style, but duo fibre brushes are also good for seamless application and use the least amount of product. You could also try a beauty blender. They're also pretty good.
* A blush brush:
This is going to create a glow that you can build up (depending on the blush of course), and helps create a blended application, which is what you want. You can also use the tip edge to apply your cheek highlight too.
Eye brushes:
* A good dense shader brush:
This is a basic packing brush to pack on your eyeshadow. Mostly used for lid colour, you can use the edge to smoke out eyeshadow on your bottom lashline. There are many sizes to a shader brush, but for bare minimum I like the MAC 239 as it's the perfect size to get started and suitable for pretty much all jobs.
* A fluffy crease brush:
Again, these come in all shapes and sizes. You want something that's not super dense, long bristled or flimsy. A good crease brush makes blending out your crease eyeshadow so much easier and looks much more effortless. I LOVE MACs 217 brush. I have 2 of these and use them Every. Single. Day without fail. If I had to pick only one brush to use for the rest of my life, this would be the one. Some people also like to use these to buff out their concealer too. It's probably the most versatile brush.
* A pencil brush:
This is a handy brush to have for more detailed work, like under eye lining, a smokey eye, a cut crease, inner corner highlighting etc. Its pointed on the tip, so it gives you a lot more control than the other 2 previous eye brushes.
* An angled brush:
This is going to be your best friend if you love eyeliner and using gel eye liners. It's also a great eyebrow brush too. It's easy to work with and you retain control which is what you want when working with eyeliners.
Lip brushes:
I actually don't use a lip brush for anything. I own one but couldn't tell you the last time I used it. I do not think they're necessary. Just take your time with application, good lighting and a mirror and you'll be fine. Or use a lip liner.
Brush Cleaner:
You don't need anything fancy to clean your brushes, just a regular routine so you don't spread bacteria and to help extend their life span. I just use shampoo for a deep clean and for a quick "spot"clean, you can just use isopropyl alcohol which you can buy from most supermarkets. Just make sure you don't get water inside the ferrule (the metal bit of the brushes).
Top tip:
* Something to also think about is the different type of hair you want in a brush. Most brushes are either natural (usually animal like pony, goat etc) or synthetic (fake) hair. Synthetic brushes are typically better for creamier products like gel liners, cream blushes etc. Natural hair is better for powder products.
Brush lines I Recommend:
MAC
Available: MAC stores, counters and online
RRP: from $37AUD
Zoeva
Available: beautybay.com
RRP: from $11.30AUD
Zoeva also do really affordable sets of brushes too, if you're looking to get a few at once.
Bdellium Tools
Available: bdelliumtools.com
RRP: from $9USD
Bdellium also do affordable sets of brushes. They also come in cool colours like pink, purple, yellow and green.
Blue powder/ makeup brush photo created and taken by Love Lanner - lovelanner.com
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