Maybelline Master Precise Liquid Eyeliner

Eyeliner can be a tricky makeup tool to use, with many girls I know shying away from it because they can never seem to get it even in both eyes or presentable. Over the years though I have found that new products come out that make it just that little bit easier, with Maybelline's new eyeliner being quite a goodie.
I have tried it a few times since I bought it the other day and if ladies out there want to dip their toe into the lined sixties looks that are hot right now I'd recommend this product as a great start. Because you apply it in an almost identical way as you would a pencil, it is surprisingly easy to use. The tip is ultra fine, and gentle, applying an opaque black line with little effort. You can have as dramatic a look as you want, but I do think it would be hard to do the design the American model has, Maybelline have also created an interactive Facebook page where you can doodle design ideas and submit them for a competition here. not a bad place to check out for inspiration!
I am fearful that this product would have a limited shelf life though, as other marker type eyeliners I have used in the past have worked great for a few months before the 'ink' started to apply thinly and required a few layers to achieve the same opacity it did when it was fresh. However for the price I don't think I would have a problem with replacing it a little more frequently. I also have a fondness for pencil shaped products as they're easy to use and easy to store, taking up very little space.
Also a bonus, it lasted like no eye product I have ever used! There was next to no bleeding which is quite an effort with my oily skin. Though at the end of the day when I took it off, it did take a bit of extra effort.

Have you tired this product? tell me what you thought about it in the comments!

Product review: Veet Wax Strips with Easygrips

I have no problems admitting that I am one of the unlucky ones that includes hair removal as a major part of my beauty routine. It's just part and parcel with being a pale-skin-with-dark-features beauty. Shaving just doesn't do the trick but will work as a stop gap in Summer when I want to wear that skirt today, but ultimately, waxing and my epilator are my true year round fail-safes.
Wax strips are too damn easy to say no to just because they're much less messy then ye olde wax pots. Veet strips are the most commonly available ones and used to be pretty awesome to use, before they created the stupid 'easygrip's.
You see, you used to be able to use them over and over with little worry. The wax would gradually warm and spread about the strip without going too close to the edges. Hell, at my most thrifty I think I managed to use one pair of strips to do half a leg. But now because of the extra tab on one side, the chance of creating a mess on the other end is too high and I find myself going through strips much quicker. The direction you rub the strip in drags it a little each time, bringing the wax to the edge and before you could flip the strips around easily. Not anymore.

Despite this, the formulas are still great and effective with a nice range for dry, sensitive and other skin types, and they all come with finishing oil wipes to help remove excess wax once you're done. That hasn't changed, and that's still great.
I'm really hoping they bring back the old style soon, because I'm just not impressed. I feel that they've ruined a product that was great to start with, with a gimmick that makes them more profitable.

Veet EasyGrip Wax Strips Sensitive formula.

Product Review: Garnier BB Cream - Miracle skin perfecter

It's sort of hard to miss the bombardment of advertising for Garnier's latest skin saviour, the BB cream, but if you're anything like me, all you thought was "The heck is a BB cream and why do I want one?"

Well for starters BB creams (or blemish balm creams) were originally used in the treatment of laser surgery patients. The skin is ultra sensitive after the treatment and a special product was created to both protect and soothe.

Flash forward some time and you'd find that BB cream have slowly infiltrated the beauty market as a new must have item that 'does it all', particularly in Asian countries.

Garnier's BB Cream is the first to be marketed to the masses in Australia and comes with five main beauty concern fixes. Garnier claims it takes care of the following:

1. Hydrates for 24hrs.
2. Evens tone.
3. Corrects blemishes.
4. Boosts healthy glow.
5. UV Protection SPF 15.

I have been trying the cream for a little while now, and while it's not all bad news, I didn't find anything truly exciting about it. The look is a simple tube package while the formula is like a thick tinted moisturiser, a fresh smell greets you on application but the fragrance may not agree with those who have sensitive skin issues (part of the target market). I did find it does hydrate nicely, but with my oily skin I need very little help. I found it to have next to no coverage (I'd say about 5%) and would still need to use a foundation to provide any evening of my skin-tone. There was no difference to  my skins glowing, asides from the usual "I have moisturised" sheen, and to be honest SPF 15+ is next to nothing. In our climate you really need an SPF of at least 30+.

I don't have terribly sensitive skin, and could possibly suggest the product those who have and can't use much else. I would recommend it as a product to use on the weekends lounging about at home when a full face of make up isn't required in the least, perhaps if you start with already fantastic skin tone the product would be more favourable. One thing is that it doesn't aggravate existing skin blemishes, I found that it was quite soothing on an inflamed patch of dry skin. I also think that it is certainly more recommendable to drier skin types, and would like the product more if it had better coverage in a wider range of shades (only two shades does no one justice). 'Miracle skin perfecter' really is too far fetched a title for this product too, perhaps just skin perfecter.

Bottom Lash Mascara

I never thought about using mascara on my bottom lashes. I did it once, didn't like the effect it gave me then (shadows, and hard to do without getting it everywhere!) so I didn't bother with it again until recently when I was given a tube of Clinique Bottom Lash Mascara as a freebie, and since I've taught myself more then a few tricks since I started playing with make-up, here is how to use it effectively! ( I do apologise for my sub-par photography skills, every time I think I haven't wobbled a little, indeed, I have.)

Step one: Depending on whether you prefer to do your mascara early or later on in your routine, do your face up until that point, I prefer last of all, so I'd already have my eyeliner and any shadow on.

This is my bare eye, no make-up besides foundation and concealer. it's much easier to explain what's going on without my eyes lined!

Step two: Use your regular mascara on your top lashes, as many coast as your prefer. (I leave about 30 seconds and blink as much as I can to dry it a little before going for a second coat.)

I still use the combination of mascaras I outlined in this post, I'm hunting for a new lengthening formula though!

Step three: Bring out the bottom lash mascara! Note the itsy little brush? Not only is it good for using on your lower lashes, but it is epic for getting to lashes in the corners of your top lashes!

Woo! All done! Now flutter my pretties.

Product Review: Max Factor Colour Elixir Lipstick in Ruby Tuesday

I'm not afraid to admit that advertising helps me decide, a few years ago I even wore that statement on a t-shirt! I love the colour of this lipstick in the advertisements, to the point where I had to pick myself up a tube and give it a whirl. I'm not regretful at all!
I have to admit that I was expecting a different formula though, Max Factor describes the lipstick and I quote: "The Elixir formula contains a 60% blend of skin emollients, conditioners and antioxidants including vitamin E, for a visible transformation in the look and feel of your lips in just 7-days. As you apply the Colour Elixir Lipstick, it actively moisturises and smoothes lips."
I found that despite that claim, it was really matte. Perhaps I wasn't loading the colour on as much as they'd like, but I don't like smearing it everywhere. I also didn't really find it especially moisturising. Don't get me wrong, it didn't feel dry, and it was quite comfortable, but it didn't feel like it was conditioning my lips as much as the claims made me expect it to.

One thing I did really like was the staying power, I ate, I drank, I barely needed a touch up! Even when I went to gym at the end of the day and took it off with my make up remover, it took some real work to get it all off.

The colour is a nice pink shade of red that matches my NC20/NW20 skin tone. I also found it brings out the Balayage in my hair.

Swatch on forearm in cloudy, natural light

Poor lighting, I know.

The best mattifying product I have found

Phew, Heatwave! It's nice to finally see the sun up here in Brisbane but the heat has truly taken over our southern states, sticky, moist, and no chance of your make up staying in place. Or is there?
I found this product a year ago and it is amazing, I have never had nothing work as well on mopping up the oil on my face so my carefully applied make up doesn't end up a smeared mess when I try to use blotting papers. De-Slick in a tube by Urban Decay isn't available for an easy purchase in Australia (Boo!) but you can purchase it easily enough from sources on eBay, just make sure you go for someone who has minimal negative feedback. (Some negative feedback is just people bitching that the postage took a few extra days and meow meow meow, totally the biggest issue on the planet!)
The way I use it is as a layer underneath my foundation but above primer. Urban Decay tell us that it can also be used throughout the day on top of make up, but I haven't figured out how to apply it on top without messing up my make up.
The feel on your skin can be a little tight but for the mattifying power it has that's a small price to pay!

Book review: Meals in Heels by Jennifer Joyce

Meals in Heels by Jennifer Joyce

I have had this book since before I even started this Blog, and to me it deserves being put up on here. It is one of the books I pull down time and time again whenever I'm in the mood for something lovely to eat, or even just to get inspired to cook something new and interesting. My personal favourite is the 'Make ahead risotto with sausage, spinach and cherry tomatoes.
Jennifer is a food stylist and recipe writer based in London, so she is exposed to stacks of different dishes, ingredients and cooking styles that have worked their way into this book. The basis of the book are dishes that you would make for a dinner party, but it helps you prepare as much of the food as possible in advance so you actually get to enjoy your dinner party. It gives you prompts in the recipe instructions telling you how long in advance you should ideally be doing each step, but of course you can still make it all in one go to put on the table for a household dinner.
What sets this recipe book out from the rest of them to me is the styling. Along with each recipe there are tips on how to present it and a few other dishes in the book it would go well with. This helps immeasurably when you haven't had the chance to cook any of it before. What sort of platter should I go for? Will it fit in this bowl? Will these two dishes complement each other? They're all taken care of.
Also at the front of the book is the 'getting started' section, of course it's a great place to start with general tips and tricks to ensure your dinner party will run smoothly, with help on how much to serve per person, what will help fill them up, menu plans, and other good advice.
I'd highly recommend this book to anyone looking to break out of a cooking rut and looking to start entertaining guests. Even seasoned dinner party fans are bound to pick up some help on how to make more of their meals ahead of time by adapting some of the tricks to suit their own recipes.

Product review: Garnier Intensive 7 days Body Lotion

I picked this up in a two pack the other day to give it a go and see what I thought about it, I just can't go past a bargain without looking twice. Even though I already own several moisturisers!
I'm quite pleased with it too. I bought the Extra Dry Skin formulation with Shea Butter (a godsend for dry skin) and kept up the applications every day for a fortnight. The claim is that you can still feel the effects of the moisturiser up to 7 days after you stop using it, while I think honestly this is a bit far fetched, it is still a good moisturiser to use every day. It absorbs quickly, doesn't feel greasy, and has a light scent that won't clash with your perfume. It's a good choice for applying in the morning before you put your clothes on.

Other varieties it comes in include:
Aloe Vera for Normal Skin
Mango Oil for Dry Skin (smells just like summer!)
Honey for Dry Skin
Cocoa Butter for Dry Skin

At Priceline you can pick it up in a two pack for less then $10, Try it for yourself.

Product review: Hissyfit Flawless Face

Got this for free when I bought Hissyfit's Saving Face the other day at David Jones. But unfortunately I'm finding it kinda gives you a ghost face, I was asked by someone who didn't think I usually wore make-up if I was wearing make-up when I first wore this. Though the product was effective as keeping shine at bay I just couldn't get past the very pale colour. I have tried it a little more sparsely since that first day but have found it doesn't have a desirable level of shine stopping power without a heavier cover.
There is another darker colour, but I find this is too dark for my tone, it could be used as a bronzer though
I think ultimately I'll just have to put it aside and bring it back for winter when I am actually that pale and it won't wash me out quite so much.
So Birdette's ultimate thoughts? So long as you have a very light skin tone, or a tone that matches the darker shade its a great product, but if not I'd keep looking.

Flawless Face Finishing powder by Hissyfit

Product review: Hissyfit Saving Face

Since I finished off my tube of Invisible Zinc I thought I'd also give a similar product by Hissyfit a go.
In short, very impressed.
Saving Face by Hissyfit is a sheer and powerful physical sunscreen that you can layer with your regular make up or wear on its own. American ratings give  it an SPF of 50+, (the reason why it's 30+ in Aus is a whole 'nother post!)
What I really adore about it is the fact that it comes in a lot more wearable shade, even for pale skin! I bought it in sand and it works well on my beyond pallid skin.I use it between my regular moisturiser and my foundation to top up my sun blocking. The texture is also quite a lot more runny, and it's easy to blend and work with, it also contains Pomegranate, Green Tea, and Australian Daisy extracts for their good for your skin benefits. I'll be more then happy to wear this by itself over the weekend too. Just enough coverage to look natural and great sun protection to boot!
Also, since I bought this at David Jones last week, the counter girls gave me a bonus full size 'flawless face' as a gift with purchase! Perfect timing, I needed a dusting powder.

Saving Face tinted moisturiser by Hissyfit

Leg Make Up, Flawless Legs by Le Tan

I picked this up the other day admittedly because it was the cheaper option. But who has never used that justification before? The good news is it doesn't disappoint.
Flawless Legs by Le Tan has been a great buy for me, it as lasted all day and hasn't transferred onto my black skirt, and given my pale as snow legs a great colour with subtle shimmer. In fact I had to get up close to see any sparkle at all, making it perfect for everyone who isn't a teenager!
It comes in two colours, and I was a little apprehensive about giving even the paler shade a try as it just seemed too dark, but it has been quite a lovely colour all day without being orange at all.
The best technique to use to apply the product is to give the can a good shake, the spray onto your palms before rubbing your hands together and then rubbing onto your legs (or other exposed body parts, don't let the word legs in the name fool you!)
Would I buy it again? You betcha!

Le Tan Flawless Legs in Deep Bronze and Bronze

Eyebrow Threading at Winkbar

Have been reading about this technique for a while now and thought I'd give it a try, a bar opened up at Carindale recently, Perfect opportunity!
I've been a little lazy with my eyebrows lately so I had a really good base for my beautician to work from. I just haven't had the time lately.
My eyebrows are nicely shaped after a ten minute session but I have to warn you, the pain factor is quite high, eye watering in fact. That would would probably be the only real negative though, I found my girl's work to be very accurate. They also have a frequent customer reward program with every sixth session free.
All in all, it's a good option over waxing because it doesn't strip the skin the way that wax does (as the only thing the threads grab hold of is the hair, not the skin as well.) After years of waxing your skin can get weak and crêpey, not the look we should be going for at all.
Just make sure you bring your sunnies to cover up the redness!

Book Review: Minxy Vintage by Kelly Doust

Yesterday I had the pleasure of meeting Kelly Doust, and she is every bit as lovely as you'd hope she'd be in real life. She has been doing the rounds lately signing copies of her latest book Minxy Vintage and yesterday I bought and had my copy signed. <3
The book itself is awesome, brimming with ideas on how to restore and transform items you would see in a thrift or vintage shop. Items that a less discerning eye would pass up she takes and applies a few tricks and ideas to make them into something totally wearable and completely unique.
It was also quite a long read, not something you could pick up and chew through in an afternoon, this is a great thing to me, as not only is it a very pretty book, it's full of care tips for all of the items in your wardrobe.
Kelly takes your hand and walks you through various items she has transformed in her wardrobe, using different techniques such as dying, and embellishing to create new items. One of my personal favourites featured being the union jack denim jacket, I would steal it if I could.
Now if only the thrift stores were open on a Sunday, I want to go shopping!

So Balayage?

I haven't had the time to talk to guys through my new hair. This is ecxiting for me because as I previously mentioned I have never done something like this to my hair before. when I was growing up, we were quite poor, and even a yearly trip to just cuts was a treat because it meant mum wasn't cutting our hair herself! Because of this mentality in my family I did grow up rather frugally, it wasn't until I was in my twenties that I got my first professional wax jobs. Even nowdays most of the time you will still find me in some sort of pretzal position in the bathroom doing the backs of my legs! You know, spending $60 on your own wax pot that you can use for ages just makes ten times more sense to me.
Either way, ranting.
So the procedure my hairdresser did to me was a halo of foils, followed by a dark blond toner. She and I had a chat beforehand and since I was a bit nervous she suggested we didn't go as extreme as the picture I brought in.
Probably about half my hair was bleached, as the toner fades it will lighten and I can have a lighter tone next time.
All in all, I spent 3.5 hours in the chair, but that also included an hour or so of styling, Lisa was keen to get some curl in my hair for my date that night and the blow wave just didn't do the trick.
Would I do it again? Oh my yes. But next time, I think I will get more hair bleached.

Product Review: Rimmel Vinyl Max Lipgloss

Bought a bit of a beauty haul today, so I'll tell you all what I think!
I have to say that I think Georgia looks utterly adorable in the ads for this gloss, I didn't even recognise her without her trademark teeth on show! So cute but - I envy her cheekbones.
So I bought this gloss today in the colour Outrageous, a nice pinky nude that will suit a lot of girls out there. It's in the arsenal of the girls doing the Priceline 30 days of Fashion and Beauty workshops so it's getting a massive amount of use right now, and rightfully so.
This colour is a great option when you are wearing a stronger eye, it won't compete with smokes, brights or liner. it lasts for quite a few hours, isn't too sticky and the colour is strong enough to let the world know it's there. There must be a little of lip plumper in it too, as it tingles for a while on application, but not as strongly as other plumping glosses I've used.
The only negative I can think of with this product is that the brush is obscenely large and you will get too much product to work with if you just pull it out. I suggest wiping the foot of the brush on the rim of the tube to return some of the product before applying.

Rimmel Vinyl Max Lip Gloss in Outrageous

Neutrogena Fresh Foaming Cleanser

We all have our basics that we come back to time and time again, This is the one for me, fail proof, doesn't stir up my skin, does exactly what it says and has a great price tag on it.
Most of the time, my skin is pretty good, oily but not too many blemishes, and it's not too often that I get blemishes that are noticeable. Back before I started using this product I used to use harsh cleansers that irritated the hell out of my skin with the belief that 'the tingle means it's working!' (Get stuffed adverts! What the tingle really means your skin is crying out loud in pain.)
Red patches around my nose were a common feature, and I had no idea that they were because I was using harsh cleansers, so if this is a problem for you I'd recommend picking up a bottle of this, they also have a great mechanical scrub that is quite gentle that I use a few times a week.
The way I use it is once in the morning, and twice any time I have to take off make up, it's gentle enough to use on your eyes, (but I still couldn't recommend pouring it in them!) While it still takes off waterproof products with ease. Love it.

 Neutrogena Fresh Foaming Cleanser

Product Reveiw: Invisible Zinc tinted daywear SPF 30+

Invisible Zinc touts this product as a great all in one product, Moisturiser, sunscreen and foundation, I Picked up a tube of this the other week to give it a go and see how I could work it into my daily routine. As it is a physical sunscreen (as opposed to chemical) it can sit at any level on your face and doesn't have to be applied directly onto clean skin to be effective. Useful.
My first impression is that it is incredibly thick, I'm used to sunscreens that are runny and messy but this just sits on my finger in the same shape I squeezed it out in. Just on its own even the light shade is far too dark for my skin so I mix it with my current foundation. The next is that it is quite sticky.
Two major and unexpected pluses about this product are that it does not budge, (and mixed with my founadtion, makes my foundation stay on too!) I go to wash my face for training after work, and water alone does not wash it off, you can feel it still on. You need a facewash/cleanser.
The other plus is that it doesn't let oil through, in fact I could go so far to say that it is the best anti-oil product I've used. My makeup doesn't budge and slide down my face as it normally would.
Certainly going to keep using this product, but I just wish it was lighter! Only two colours available? You can do better then that!

 Invisible Zinc tinted daywear SPF 30+ available here.

Makeup remover pens

Shit happens.
Stockings tear, nail polish flakes off, those gorgeous shoes you bought for a song last week have heels that snap off while your walking up stairs, mascara runs, and lipstick bleeds.
But at least there is a convenient pocket sized cure for those last two.
On the spot make up removing pens come from a variety of why-didn't-someone-think-of-this-earlier products that are making our lives easier. I apply my mascara last, after my eyeshadow, after my base, absolutely last. If I sneeze it's a disaster. Also a problem is summer, when your makeup starts sliding down your face no matter what primers and defences you try. Sometimes you just need a fix it before you go for after work drinks.
When I bought B Collection  by Bloom Magic Wand there was no longer a problem, Precision makeup removal so you don't need to wash your entire eye off, and with much more accuracy then a Q-tip.

Check out the line online here or at selected Target stores

Another product new to the market is De-coy Panda Pen. Tough on makeup, gentle on skin, does not leave an oily residue and does not use any animal derived products. I haven't had the chance to check it out yet, so if you have please let me know what you think!

 

Panda Pen by De-Coy

Tip of the day: Easy half moon nails

I'm just discovering nailpolish, normally I can't be bothered at all, but with a little daily TLC they can look really groomed and well presented. But I'm not a fan of excessive nail art, there's just something about it that makes me think 'cheap'
One of the looks I've adored lately is the half moon, it's in a similar vein to a french manicure with the two tone effect. but instead of having white tips, you draw on a semi circle of polish at the base of the nail. Like below.

Probably the most classic way to wear this is with the colours above, red and white. But I think it looks stunning in pastels and brights. Most of the time the base colour is white, but use any constrasting colour, with the ligher of the two as the base colour.
It's damn tricky to apply by yourself, and it can be a little hard to explain what you're after to your manicurist without a picture. My tip? Nail art pens.
Sally Hansen makes a great budget friendly nail art pen in 11 different colours. For longevity and flexibility I'd recommend buying it in either silver or white, but the sky is the limit.

A sample of available colours.

Product Review: Revlon Colourburst Lipgloss

I cannot recall a single instance when I've actually used up an entire tube of lip gloss, balm, or stick before I've lost it or something else has gone awry, but that doesn't stop me from acquiring a stack of them. I love the way a different colour, or texture can brighten my mood, and it's something I can change quite easily throughout the day. I use different products for different occasions and days, Balm for the weekends, and when I'm about to go to bed, and lipsticks and glosses for work or catching up with friends.
Recently I received a tube of Revlon Colourburst Lipgloss in a goodie bag and I have fallen with love, it was in a shade called Rose Pearl (which is shown much darker on their website then it comes out on your lips), and though it isn't a shade I would normally go for, I fell in love with the texture and long lasting qualities. Here is a gloss that is as colour filled as a lipstick, with a glossy finish, that you can even drink from a glass without making a complete mess while wearing.  It claims in the ad that 'the shine is 5x that of patent leather' which is bending the truth a little to me, but who wants lips that shiny? All I care is that it lasts for ages and makes my lips feel good too, which it does. It has a strange brush, which is meant to paint your lips easier, I didn't notice any difference between it and the application of a regular doe foot brush.
I love it so much that while browsing at Priceline today I scooped up another in the shade Fire, had to get me a red gloss for summer, Yum.
Good news for Aussie readers too, It's on sale at the moment at Priceline so get in quick before all the good shades are gone.

Revlon Colourburst Lipgloss in Rose Pearl

Revlon Colourburst Lipgloss in Fire