TEST TIME: Australis Velourlips

 Australis Velour lips (DOO BAI)

$9.95 rrp. Priceline

I fell in love with this colour the moment I swatched it in store (Priceline), unfortunately these babies are a hot commodity and this was the only colour I could get my hands on... not to worry I assure you I'll find a way to get more!

These liquid lipsticks claim to be long lasting and in a matte finish and I can confirm that both these statements are true! I am obsessed with the formula as it is extremely matte and that's ma style (sass click). 

The Velourlips smell kind of like bubblegum... but not quite, it actually reminds me of the smell of a bubblegum toothpaste i used to use when I was younger. I'm not entirely sure how I feel about it but none the less it is not unpleasant. 

The applicator is standard of liquid lipsticks (eg. Limecrime Velvetines) making it really easy to apply, especially if you aren't one to line your lips before application. 

The formula is very opaque with one coat but I found I could darken up the colour with another layer; bare in mind that the more you layer this product the more cracked and flaky it may become later on. I found this to be slightly drying on my lips which was expected but as long as you pop on some lip balm before application and you'll be good to go!

This is an unedited image of the product once I had first applied it.

 Application was smooth and easy, just try not to get it all over your teeth like I did haha. 

This is an unedited image of the product over two hours after application. 

It did go slightly patchy and flaky at this point.

If you were looking to wear this long term I would suggest only applying one coat (I had 2 on here)

I hadn't eaten any greasy food in this time so bare in mind this may have affected the appearance,

 as oils are usually the weak point for most liquid lipsticks. 

Overall I'm really impressed with this! The colour is amazing and the formula in my opinion was definitely long lasting. For the price I think it is well worth the investment. Yet another great little dupe from Australis! I will most definitely be picking up more of these in different colours, so expect swatches soon! 

IS IT WORTH THE HYPE: HOURGLASS Ambient Powder Wardrobe

Hourglass Ambient Powder Wardrobe

$76rrp. Mecca Maxima

This little highlighting pallet has been in my sights for some time. I just knew I had to have it because I had heard so many great things about it; however the price tag on it scared me (much like most Hourglass products). It wasn't until I had a whole bunch of birthday money burning a hole in my pocket that I decided it was time to take the leap! You want to know something? I am so glad I did!

The packaging of this product is sooo luxurious and perfect for travelling. It comes with three different powders:

Dim Light- This powder (left) once applied leaves the most subtle glow ever, no glittery pieces to to seen what so ever! I believe the purpose of this powder is to be dusted over the entire face for a natural glow/dewy look and also to blur large pores or imperfections. I don't usually put this over my entire face as I like to use it sparingly, however; I do use it to set my under eye concealer on the odd occasion just to camouflage my tired eyes and bring back a youthful glow. 

Incandescent Light- This powder is the limited edition one in the mix (middle shade). This colour is the most beautiful pearlescent/champagne colour to use for highlighting. It looks amazing on the cheeks bones and adds the most natural glow to the skin. I use this one in a "C" motion coming up from my cheek bones and curling into my brow bone. On days where I want extra dewy skin I will also apply some on the bridge of my nose and cupids bow. I guess what sets this highlighter apart from most others on the market is how finely milled the powder is, this is the most natural highlighter I have yet to come across.

Radiant Light- I loooove this highlight shade (right) as it warms up my complexion and gives me an amazing sun kissed glow. If a bronzer and a highlighter were to have a baby, this would be it! It gives off the most natural warm glow making it so easy to look like a bronzed beach babe. 

These swatches are in the same order of the palette.

 I have built them up so the camera could capture their colour. 

The one thing the camera didn't pick up was the gorgeous glow that these highlights have, 

so you may have to take my word on that one. 

These highlighters would be perfect for the more natural looks such as every day wear, bridal makeup or for people who don't really like looking too dewy. They can be worn natural but certainly can be built up. Personally I adore my little Ambient Powder Wardrobe but if you are someone who loves to rock a dramatic highlight then this one may not be for you. 

I am currently saving my dollars to give the Hourglass Mineral Veil Primer a go, I have heard some AMAZING things about it! Will keep you posted on that one. 

All About NARS: My Collection

Oh NARS... I'm sure many of you have heard of this brand or love it yourselves! I have noticed lately that my little collection of NARS products has been growing by the day so I thought I'd do a mini haul/review of what I have so far! Collectively as a brand I think NARS has amazing quality products and I have no doubt that my collection will continue to grow (rip savings account).

NARS Radient Creamy Concealer

$35 rrp. Mecca Maxima

The NARS Creamy Radient concealer was the first product I had ever tried from this brand and wow... there is no wonder why keep coming back! As soon as I discovered this little guy my Mac Prolongwear soon became an item lost among others at the back of my drawers. 

The product stays true to the claim "creamy" and is super pigmented. I couldn't believe the coverage and the blend ability of this concealer! The product moves around the skin effortlessly and doesn't dry instantly like most, making it so easy to blend out. 

Unfortunately my genetics didn't do a fantastic job with the skin under my eyes and I was given VERY delicate skin (even wrinkly...weh), so I found it so hard to find a concealer that didn't crease or cake up my under eyes, so NARS...THANK YOU.  

I apply this concealer around the eye area roughly with my fingers first just to warm up the product and evenly distribute it around my eyes or blemished areas. After that I go in with my beauty blender to smooth everything out and make it all look flawless! I personally prefer to set my under eyes with a translucent powder afterwards (this is to prevent my eyes from looking cake and blugh), once I do that My concealer lasts all days with no creases at all! I have the shades Custard and Vanilla, one for my face and one for high lighting (high maintenance I know). 

NARS Light Reflecting Loose Setting Powder

$46 rrp. Mecca Maxima

I just looove this stuff. This is what you will catch me wearing everyday to set my makeup and keep my face looking naturally flawless all day. While it can be messy having a loose powder I find it so beneficial with this powder as I use it everyday to set my under eyes, I use it on a damp beauty blender (strange I know but it works!) to set my under eyes beautifully for the day. This powder is finely milled and not chalky like a lot of translucent powders are. BIG thumbs up!

NARS Laguna Algorithm 

$79 rrp. Mecca Maxima

In case it wasn't obvious by the picture this product is an old friend of mine! I use this bronzer everyday for a natural bronzed glow. NARS Laguna has a gorgeous golden sheen to it, almost like the slightest highlight/glow. 

You might have noticed that this isn't the traditional price or packaging of a NARS bronzer, you are correct. This one was a limited edition that came with a mini ITA brush, so naturally I just has to have it! This brush is sooo great for contouring but blends amazingly if you use the flat edge to do so. This packing is so deluxe and amazing for travelling. 

Even though this one was limited edition I will not be hesitating to invest in the classic style once I have finished this one off, this bronzer is a must have!

NARS Blush (Orgasm)

$39 rrp. Mecca Maxima

Of course my collection wouldn't be complete without a blush and this one was a great pick! This is the cutest pink shade that compliments my completion perfectly. Just like the Laguna bronzer this blush contains a golden sheen to it. I love the healthy glow this product brings to my face, making me look naturally flushed. The powder is compact and easy to travel with, finely milled and lasts on my skin all day. This shade is build-able and I find it suits most makeup looks that I create (value for money yeyuh!). Will definitely be adding more shades to my collection!

NARS Sheer Glow (Punjab)

$59 rrp. Mecca Maxima

Its breaks my heart to say that this foundation isn't as amazing as everything else I own. When I first received this in the mail I was so excited. Regrettably I hadn't tried it first because I had heard sooo many good things about it but this gamble did not pay off. I'm not sure why I am the only person in this world who doesn't like this foundation but I will share my thoughts anyway.

At first it glides on my skin like a dream but that's the only thing I was fond of. I found it just didn't stick to my skin like most foundations do, it almost felt chalky once it had set. Then I attempted to use a setting spray to see if it helped, but no... instead you could see where the foundation had melted away under it. 

I keep this foundation in my draw in the hopes that one day my skin will agree, but until then I'll just stick to my old faithfuls. 

NARS Pressed Powder (Dessert)

$46 rrp. Mecca Maxima

This pressed powder is my newest investment and my new love! I wanted a powder light enough to go over the top of my foundation, it had to be fine enough to still look natural but enough pigment to add that little extra coverage. My wish was NARS' command. This is everything I was looking for! It is so fine that it doesn't make you look like you are even wearing powder. Its the perfect finish to any makeup as it blurs/airbrushes your skin (well appears to anyway) and adds the perfect amount of coverage, still leaving my skin feeling silky smooth.. ahhh yes! 

Overall I would have to say NARS is an amazing high end brand! I can't wait to expand my collection and try out their amazing lipsticks (I'll keep you posted on that one!). I think I will steer clear of the foundations but their powders are to die for, you will be seeing more of those building up in my makeup draws for sure!

REVIEW: Chocolate Bar Palette

Too Faced Chocolate Bar Palette

Price: $65 au

Purchased from: Mecca Maxima

I am sure you all have all heard about this palette as it has been raved about (constantly) for some time. I’m a bit behind the times but I finally got my hands on one! Apparently this product (along side the famous “Better Than Sex” mascara) were in such high demand that they were sold out Australia wide for ages, so you could understand my excitement when I could finally call one my own!

First things first… this packaging is so adorable! I love this whole chocolate bar theme they have going on and yes the eye shadows actually do smell like chocolate as they have been mixed with 100% natural cocoa powder. This has definitely helped this palette gain a high score from me (who wouldn’t love this smell while getting ready every day?!).

The Too Faced Chocolate Bar palette has a great range of colours to choose from, making it easy to create any look! I am usually someone who tends to stick to the earthy toned matte shades but I have to say that I love every colour in this palette as it has the perfect range of matte and shimmer shades (9 shimmer shades, 7 matte shades). 

(Swatches are taken from the palette from the top left going right)

For the most part these eye shadows are very pigmented and easy to blend, however; I have found that the two lighter shades (Strawberry Bon Bon, White Chocolate) aren’t up to the standard of the rest. These ones are less pigmented and a little chalky, which doesn’t bother me too much as there is nothing Mac Fix + can’t fix! My favourite shade from the Chocolate Bar Palette is “Salted Caramel”. I pop this in my crease everyday just to warm up my face and add dimension to my eye when I am in a hurry to get out the door. 

The diverse colours in this palette make it a must have to bring with me when I travel around as I can use it to create so many looks! The packing is not only cute but has a sturdy case that is easy to slip into any makeup bag. It also comes with a mirror which comes in handy when you and your girls are fighting for mirror space (we’ve all been there haha).

Overview

Does this product work? Yes, good product and adorable packaging!

Is it worth the price? Yes, you get 16 shades for $65 (this works out at $4ish each colour… bargain!)

Would I repurchase? I have a feeling this will take me a while to use up, but I'm considering buying the Semi Sweet Palette by Too Faced as well.

REVIEW: Loving Tan

LOVING TAN

Dark tanning mousse

Price $30 rrp.

lovingtan.com

Fake tanning- it seems to be an expanding craze at the moment and with many competitors out on the tanning market it becomes difficult for us to know what tans are worth their price tag!

I'll start off with a little background on Loving tan. This is an Australian made brand which I love because it’s nice to support a fellow Aussies business! These tans come in a whole range of colours from light to dark, 8 hour tans and even an express 2 hours range. It contains no parabens or alcohol and is deprived from natural ingredients. The packaging is really cute and each pump bottle contains 120ml which seriously lasts me for months!

I’m sure you’ve seen the top beauty youtubers such as Shaaanxo and Lauren Curtis rave about this brand and I have got to say I agree; now let me tell you why.

No disturbing tan smell- For a good amount of time I’d either fry myself in the sun (terrible I know) or accept I just wasn’t a bronzed beauty because I strongly disliked that fake tan smell, it was horrible! This tan has its own scent which is not as potent as most and surprisingly enough I enjoyed it. I don’t feel smelly and fake tanned when I apply this, which is a huge thumbs up for me.

You wont look like a fictional character from Willy Wonka. I’m sure all my fellow tanners out there (myself included) have had our Oompa experiences where tans turn us a nice shade of orange (not ideal). Then there are also other tans which contain too much of a green base and I will tell you now being green is not much of an improvement! This tan has the most natural colour I have come across and I mean that. I’m very conscious of my tans and go to great efforts for them to look as natural as they can and never once has someone known my tan was fake while using loving tan (winning!).

The colour guard makes application fool proof as it shows you where you have applied the tan as you go, resulting in a streak and patch free tan. I find the Loving Tan application glove (or any other brand im sure works the same) makes applying the tan that much easier and eliminates those nasty orange hands we are destined to get if we apply it with just our poor little hands.

 Before Loving Tan Application

 After Loving Tan Application

(This is while it is still developing)

Once you get the hang of applying tan yourself you’ll never go back to a salon for a tan again. Gone are the days where I leave the quality of my tan in someone else hands (dramatic I know), I can apply Loving tan with in 10 minutes now, in the comfort of my own home; no more awkward and sticky car rides home… Hooray!

Overall I just have to say that I love this tan, I’ve committed and I don’t think I’ll ever leave my old faithful Loving Tan. It’s the most natural tan I have found on the market today and for the price you can’t go wrong! Just so easy to apply and the formula lasts on my skin all week. BIG thumbs up!

Overview

Does this product work? Yes!

Is it worth the price? Definitely
Would I repurchase? Already have.

IS IT WORTH THE HYPE: Chanel Vita Lumiere Aqua

Price $77 au.

Chanel counter in Myer Australia but also available online.

I have been on a quest for a very long time to find a natural looking foundation that still covered what it needed to. Eventually I decided to give this one a whirl so I jumped in the car and made my very first Chanel purchase!

Pros:

Looks like a skin finish

Lightweight

Build-able

Semi Dewy in appearance

Contains SPF 15 (enough to wear out every day, not enough to make you flashback in photos)

Glides on the skin effortlessly and makes your skin feel and look amazing all day!

Cons:

The price doesn’t agree with my bank account

This foundation is just soo beautiful on my skin (really, I wish I didn’t like this so much). I was surprised how quickly I fell in love with this product because I am usually so picky when it comes to foundation, but wow!

Chanel Vita Lumiere Aqua is such a beautiful foundation for when I’m wanting to look naturally flawless. I usually apply this one with a flat top kabuki brush with in 5 minutes. The formula is quite thin meaning a little can go along way. During the day time I’ll apply one coat on my face then head on over to my nasty little blemishes that require some maintenance with some concealer then set everything down with a translucent powder. I find this is the best way to achieve the most natural look out of this foundation (or any other for that matter).

This foundation is completely fine to build up on the skin, I find for night time all I need is two coats to achieve the coverage I am after; however you are able to build it up even more! Why build up a natural foundation such as this to wear at night time instead of just wearing a full coverage foundation? Well I am just in love with how this applies and how it looks and feels on my skin! Not to mention it has great staying power to leave my skin looking fresh and flawless all night long.  

The packaging is nice and sleek making it a handy little travel item and contains your typical volume of foundation (30ml). Although sadly it doesn’t come with a pump it is a squeeze top container, which in my opinion works better due to the runny formula and for hygienic purposes.

This is my new go to foundation for every day natural looking skin. If you are chasing something similar then look no further! Chanel do give out samples so if you don’t want to commit to that price tag straight away then don’t be shy to give it a go first!

Overview

Does this product work? Yes it is stunning

Is it worth the price? I wish it wasn’t but it is 

Would I repurchase? Most definitely