Real Techniques 2014 Collection Haul

 Hello Lovelies,

So guess what rocked up in the mail today! Yep, new Real Techniques brushes, and my first thought is not on how absolutely beautiful they are, but that I ordered them on Friday and got them this morning, take into fact that they came from the USA and there was a public holiday over here, I can say that is pretty darn amazing. I bought them off iHerb since they are significantly cheaper there and their postage isn't that expensive ($8 for DHL International tracked).

When I saw that Real Techniques were releasing new brushes I immediately checked them out and fell in love. I hope to get them all but I settled for purchasing my two favourites of the collection, which are the retractable bronzer brush and the silicone liner brush.

I've been in the market recently for a bronzer brush since my current dodgy one is loosing hairs and kinda stabbing me in the face a little. This little baby here is duo-fiber (which I love) and super duper soft. I haven't tried it out yet but I'm super excited to do so.

As some of you know, I kinda horde eyeliners yet I have come to despise the brushes they supply with them. I love that this brush is silicone since that will help with gliding eyeliners on the eye. I actually tried this one out with a gel eyeliner this afternoon and it was so incredibly amazing, I was a little blown away.

Here's where you can get these brushes: http://www.iherb.com/Real-Techniques-by-Samantha-Chapman

What brushes do you love?

xoxo

January Wishlist

Hello Lovelies,

We all have our own little wishlists and I've found that I have collected this small list of items that, well, I would love to add to my collection.

1. Essie Nail Polish in Chinchilly ( I've been in the market for some more nudes/greys)
2. Real Techniques Silicone Liner Brush
3. Sleep I-Divine Palette in Oh So Special (I've been wanting to purchase this for ages!)
4. Real Techniques Retractable Bronzer Brush
5. Sleek Contour Kit in Light

Hopefully in the coming months I actually purchase some of these, but then again I'm starting uni again soon, so that'll take all my money.

What have you been wishing for? 

xoxo 

Favourite Makeup Products 2013

Hello Lovelies,

I know I'm a little behind the gun when it comes to doing favourites, but I think it's a good idea to share my makeup favourites for last year. I've picked one or two for each category so that you're not bombarded with a million favourites, these are just my extremely loved and worn products of 2013. This post is just makeup, I did have a few skincare favourites but not enough to justify making a whole other post, and plus I don't have the bottle anymore for my favourite cleanser of 2013 (which was Philosophy's Purity Cleanser).

 Foundation
This would have to be, hands down, the best foundation I used all last year. Of course it's Revlon's Colorstay, I'm in the shade 200 Nude and this shade suits my skin perfectly. I've never had a better coverage or consistency with any other foundation. It is extremely durable and managed to endure Australia's hot summers and long ass uni days, so it definitely deserves an award.

Concealer 
I tried waaaayyyy too many concealers last year but the winner was actually one I'd bought the year before and had been hiding in my makeup kit, and it is Estee Lauder's Creme Concealer. It is the only concealer I tried that had full coverage. I mainly used this under my eyes but it also worked wonders on blemishes and redness.

Powder
If you know me at all, you'd know that I'm sort of a powder hound, I go through them with lightning speed and can definitely pick a good one from a bad or mediocre one. Last year's winner definitely went to Rimmel's Stay Matte Powder, as you can see, it saw many a day and is need of a repurchase. It's so amazing due to the fact that it does indeed keep my face matte, which is a problem being an oily skin girl who lives in one of the hottest and not to mention humid places.

Blush
This is another product that saw a lot of light in the year of 2013 and it is MaxFactor's Flawless Perfection Blush in 220 Classic Rose. I swear I reach for this blush every day and have to tell myself that it's okay to use another one, I'm seriously attached to it. I've had this one for so long, I'm not even sure you can buy it anymore!

Bronzer
Well this was a no-brainer, I've mentioned this bronzer more times then I can remember. I learnt how to contour and work with bronzers and highlighters in 2013 and the Maybelline Fit Me Bronzer in Light Bronze has been just a treat. Since I'm quite pale it works wonders with my complexion and really helps create a natural glow.

Highlighter
I don't own many highlighters but boy am I glad I own The Balm's Mary Lou-Manizer, it works really well on accentuating my cheekbones and I'm going to be devastated when I run out of this amazing product.

Eyeliner
There may be a slight chance that I hoard eyeliners but by far my favourite and most used eyeliner is my K-Palette one that I got in Singapore. It's a pen/brush eyeliner and the pigmentation is wonderful and it never moves, and I mean that it takes me so long to get it off. I think this product is the sole reason I learnt how to do winged eyeliner.

Mascara
Now this is a little controversial since a lot of people loved the Clump Crusher and a heap hated it, me personally, I loved it. Works perfectly with my lashes and gives them amazing length and volume without clumping and still keeps them relatively natural.

Lips
Although I have loved some lip liners I've narrowed the lips category down to three products and they are Maybelline ColorSensational in 912 Electric Orange, MAC in House Wine and the Nivea Fruity Shine in Strawberry. All three of these are amazing, I'd probably say that house wine is my most worn shade of 2013.

Eyeshadows
This was a given and I suppose it comes to no surprise that the Urban Decay Naked Palette is my favourite palette and contains my most used eyeshadows of 2013. I'm not going to go into why it's so amazing because you've all probably heard it before.

Brushes
The Model's Prefer Crease Brush and the Revlon Smokey Eye Brush have been my favourite brushes for this year. Using the crease brush has made blending so much easier and I have a full review of the Revlon brush here.

So those are my makeup favourites of 2013, I can't wait to see what products I fall in love with this year. Don't forget to enter my giveaway which is still running and is open internationally. You can find it here.

What were your favourites of 2013? I'd love to know

xoxo 

Weekly Lustables

Hello Lovelies,

This week has been such an amazing one, filled with new years celebrations, drinks and romance. Alex and I took a trip down the coast and stayed at Conrad Jupiters, which was a treat and a half. One of the only bad things about this week has been the massive heat wave that has hit us, yesterday it reached 41 degrees Celsius which is roughly 105 Farenheit!!!!! We were literally melting, thank god my house has air con, but it has definitely made it hard for me to go for runs since my window is either extremely early in the morning or in the small window of evening where I've still got a little energy left. Now onto my favourties, I'm trying to keep them to 4 each week so that they really are the standouts of each week.

1. Conrads Trip -  On Thursday Alex and I drove down the coast and although it was overcast it didn't put a holt in the heat. I rarely get to go down the coast so we were making the most of it and went to putt putt, which i got completely smashed by Alex, it was hilarious how bad i was, I did however get 3 holes in one on the second course. After putt putt the sun really got to us and so did our stomachs. Since I hadn't each much for brekkie and he had we had to find somewhere where I could eat heaps and he could get a little bit of food. Luckily on our travels we stumbled upon a sushi train, and it was just sublime. Further down the road we reached Conrads and took refuge from the heat in the casino before we could check in and for the first time I played Pokies hehe. By check in time we were pooped and dying for a swim. Due to our dorkiness we couldn't figure out the lifts and got stuck on them for 15 mins and when we finally got to our room, we'd been given two doubles instead of a king which was annoying, but we were too tired to change, so off to the pool/spa we went. Later that night we went to dinner and had the best burgers ever, followed by Zircus, which was a circus show that was on. We were 4 rows from the front and it was absolutely spectacular. All in all it was a perfect trip :)

2. Real Techniques Expert Face Brush - I wanted to mention this last week but I'd only used it once and thought I'd give it a few more uses and HOLY MOTHER OF GLOB it's the most heavenly brush. I've never gotten such a flawless finish, it buffs everything flawlessly into the skin and the bristles are super soft and durable. Can't wait to try more Real Techniques brushes throughout this year.

3. LUSH Ponche Shower Gel - When I got this in the Christmas Gift set from Boxing Day sales I didn't think I would like it very much, but I've used it nearly everyday since I've got it and it's absolutely fabulous. The scent is so amazing, the citrus isn't two powerful but still has that kick that I can definitely says wakes you up. It's such a shame this is limited to Christmas, will have to pick up a big bottle next year.

4. University of Washington's Stereotypes - Defying Gravity - One of my friends sent me this the other day and I haven't stopped listening to it, I mean it's still on repeat as I write this post.

What have you been loving this week? I'd love to know

xoxo 

Boxing Day Sales Shopping - Feat LUSH, MAC and Priceline

 Hello Lovelies,

After Christmas comes the infamous Boxing Day Sales and this year I jumped on the bandwagon big time. I went on Boxing Day with Alex and then to the city today with my sister. I'm not showing everything since this is the time of the year that I take advantage of the sales and get my essentials, like socks, underwear, singlets etc, and I didn't think you'd be overly excited to see those items. These are the items that I am particuraly happy and pleased with.

 These are the items I got at Priceline, and well I wish I could've gotten more but I didn't want to break my tiny student bank. I finally caved and got the Real Techniques Expert Face Brush and it does look a little dirty cause I've already used it and OH MAH GLOB this brush must be sent down from heaven, I love it thus far. The two Sinful Colors I got were Cupids Arrow which is the light purple and Glass Pink. Maybelline had a big sale on, pretty sure it was 40% and these lipsticks were staring at me, I got the shade Pink Possibilities.

After a year of me saying that I was get it each week, I finally went ahead and bought MAC's Pro Longwear Concealer in NC20. I can't wait to try it out since it's been raved about by so many people. Very excited indeed.

OH MY GLOB LUSH! I was already going to be heading to LUSH but on Christmas I got a gift card so I actually got a heap of stuff. A lot of their stock was 50% off and I took full advantage of the situation. If you can't quite see, I got the Snowman Bath Ballistic, Snow Fairy Shower Gel and Santa Baby Lip Tint. I also got one of there gift sets, mine is called Woweee, which was half price too! Inside was a Ponche Shower Gel, a Fun (I think that's what it's called), Whoosh Shower Jelly and a Bar of Honey I Washed the Kids Soap. Can't wait to try these all out :D

 I took a quick stop at Typo and got a new water bottle, some pens and a new book, the picture above features mini Daenerys :)

So that pretty much sums up what I got, I also went and saw Frozen and The Hobbit 2 and both were absolutely amazing.

Did you go sale shopping? I'd love to hear your thoughts :)

xoxo

Luxury Wishlist - #Blogmas

 Hello Lovelies,

I know I'm not the only person who dreams of getting the exy items, things that will ultimately stay in dreams until one day you've become a master saver or won the lottery and then you can justify the purchase. I love luxury items and on the whole I can justify spending the extra moola so that I have a higher quality product that will be better for me, my fashion sense and will last longer than the inexpensive items. As a typical uni student it's not often that I get to splurge, unless it's on textbooks so my ultimate dreaming wishlist expands over the years. Here's a small collection (I say small because, come on, there's definitely more than four) of some of the luxury items I would love to own one day.  

1. Amazon Kindle - I love reading but I never get to it because i find it hard to read on buses and the books I tend to gravitate too are quite large, so I think this might be a wise investment and it's definitely one of the items on this list that I'm more likely to purchase in the next year.
2. Christian Louboutin Black 140mm Pumps - Pretty sure every girl and her mum wants a pair of these, they are just so unbelievably classy and timeless, too bad that they rack up a few hundred dollars a pair.
3. Michael Kors Rose Gold Watch - Now I didn't pick this one in particular but I love the style of all the Michael Kors' watches and rose gold is my favourite shade.
4. Sigma Make Me Blush Essential Kit - These brushes look amazing and I would love to have a complete set, it's a total bonus if I could get them all in pink!

 

What luxury items do you wish for? I'd love to hear your thoughts :)

xoxo - Happy Holidays 

Haul Time

So firstly I need to apologize for not keeping up with a routine blogging schedule, it's just that I have created a few tutorials and FOTD's but my currently shitty camera doesn't do the job and every color, even black will turn up orange. Hence I am in the process of saving up to get a very decent indeed camera will i will be able to post better quality pictures to generate a better quality blog. (and hopefully some video tutorials)

Today my sister decided to go shopping and dragged me along, I wasn't going to buy anything but then I got a not-so-pleasant phone call and decided on some retail therapy. Although it's not much.

I'll start with what I got at Priceline (which if you're not from Australia is the 'drugstore' products)

Maybelline Dream Lumitouch Highlighting Concealer -  $17.95AU

So I have been in desperate need for a new concealer since I completely used up my MAC one (and by used up i mean the entire jar was bare, I was still trying to scrap around the edges with my concealer brush) and instead of repurchasing I wanted to try some drugstore concealer, since I haven't done that before. I've heard a lot of good things about this and there is a big comparison between this and the Yves Saint Laurent Touch eclat concealer, which I think is around $60 Australian dollars and for a concealer that's just too pricey. So I'm hoping that the maybelline one will live up to the high comparison.

Revlon Slant Tip Tweezers - $8.00 (sale price) AU

This purchase was mainly because of the 25% off Revlon tools sale on at Priceline and I saw these and since I was on the hunt for a new pair of tweezers I thought these were a good purchase, can't wait to try them out!

TRESemme Heat Tamer Protective Spray - $8.00 (sale price) AU

There is so much hype surrounding this heat protector and I thought I'd put it to the test since i tend to use heated hair tools on the daily.

L'Oreal Elnett Satin (Natural Touch) Hairspray - $5.00 AU


What's to say I needed a new hairspray since I am heading to an 18th this weekend and need to get all dolled up. I've heard a lot about this product and am really hoping it does indeed provide a 'natural touch' and not become crunchy.

Revlon Smokey Eye Brush - $8.00 (sale price) AU


Been on the lookout for a new angled eyeliner brush and took total advantage of the sale with Revlon tools and it was just a bonus that it is double-ended; giving me the option to create the smoked eyeliner effect (which I lurve). It's also VEEERRRYY soft :D

Nivea Fruity Shine Lip Balm in Strawberry  - $3.00 AU

This is a repurchase, I loved it so much before I accidentally dropped it on the ground and well, it got very dirty and completely unhygienic. It took me awhile to repurchase this because I switched over to the Baby Lips lip balms, which are great, I just missed the very subtle red tint it gives my lips, plus it is very moisturizing, looks great and taste pretty cool too.

I then walked past Dusk which is the home to all candles and gorgeous decor here in Australia and since it's still cold and I still lack a heap of lighting in my room I'm always on the lookout for new candles so I picked out one of the 30hr Destination Jar Candles in Bondi for $15.00 AU. Can't wait to light it up tonight.

The last purchase is the vivid copy of this month's Cosmo, I'm not the biggest magazine reader but it's the Beauty Issue and Miranda Kerr is on the front, How could I say no?