The Week #56
5/31/2013

The Week #56



The Week in Instagrams @nanawintour: *The cult beauty products of May *Coffee on a long day at University=Mandatory *Wet weather and freezing cold temperatures, hello Winter *Fashion Gone Rogue viewing, its been a while *The best mug you ever did see, available here *What's made its way into the Benefit Beauty Bag

Must-Watch of the Week: This video was uploaded by Louise a couple of weeks ago but it's one I've found myself going back to watch again. It is basically Louise's everyday makeup routine or How To Look Average as she puts it. As we all know good makeup takes a lot of time and sometimes you just don't have that. This look simply proves that you can look good and put a simple makeup look together in fifteen-ish minutes or less, which is roughly how long I take if I am rushing. 

Product of the Week: There's been a few new products I've been trying this week but some I'm just not sure about yet so this week's product combination outdoes all the other contenders. Firstly Nars Pro-Prime Smudgeproof Eyeshadow Base is the best primer if you want your eyeshadow to last a lot longer. Eyeshadows usually crease super fast on my lids but when I'm wearing this they either don't crease at all or it'll be a lot longer before they do crease. Mac All That Glitters eyeshadow has been on high rotation this week. Whether it's worn by itself or over other shades it looks gorgeous.

Must-Read of the Week: Fact: Emma Watson is amazing. Tavi Gevinson is also amazing. So when these two get together and have a little chat about acting, keeping journals, inspiration and Joni Mitchell I knew it was going to be good. Have a read here if you're curious.

Added to the Wishlist: Surprisingly there have been no real beauty lustings this week. That will probably change as soon as I've managed to sit down and properly read through Mecca's 2013 Beauty Election Results catalogue. After reading the above interview with Emma I got inspired to take up visual journaling again so I am on the lookout for a blank Moleskine notebook to document everything and start making more visual mood-boards again.
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May Favourites
5/28/2013

May Favourites

The summer makeup has well and truly retired, glittery bronze eyeshadows, I'm looking at you. On the plus side it means the smokey eye and the bold lip colours can come out to play. This month was all about the cult products and some products I would've steered well clear of a year ago. Anyway, experimentation musings aside, here's what made its way into the May Favourites basket.


Real Techniques Blush Brush My powder brush bit the dust last month and after spying the Real Techniques brushes on many a beauty blogger's posts I decided to purchase this one. I use this for powder and find it deposits the perfect amount of product onto the face without creating a chalky effect, not to mention it blends like a dream. These brushes are lightweight and super soft, they remind me of the more luxe Hourglass brushes at a fraction of a price. I loved this brush so much that I went and ordered this one for more precise application. 

Rimmel Scandaleyes Waterproof Eyeliner in #4 Taupe and #12 Bronze I have a confession to make, my black eyeliner has gone into hibernation this month and these beauties have well and truly taken its place. These pencils are super creamy and look amazing at the edge of the lashline for a bit of definition. My favourite way to wear them is like that and then I use the edge of a flat shadow brush to smudge the line out to make it look more natural. These do not budge all day either. I hope they release a gold shade in this formula because they are amazing
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What's in my Benefit Beauty Bag
5/27/2013

What's in my Benefit Beauty Bag

Last week was very Benefit-fied. On Wednesday night I attended a blogger's event to celebrate the brand's launch in New Zealand. It was a great chance to learn more about the brand and have a play with their products. Thursday saw their counter's debut in Smith and Caugheys where a good hour was spent looking at the products with M and of course taking home some essentials in this gorgeous Benefit beauty bag.


High Beam Luminescent Complexion Enhancer This is the secret to achieving a healthy glow. This cream highlighter can be applied onto the brow bone and along the top of the cheekbones to create a radiant finish. Blended out this pale champagne colour looks so beautiful. It isn't too shimmery so it creates a lovely, natural highlight.

They're Real! Mascara* I've already confessed my love for this mascara here and it is a bestseller in both Myer stores throughout Australia and Sephora in the States, which says something. The formula is great, it doesn't flake or clump on the lashes and is also easy to remove. This mascara looks fabulous worn naturally or layered up with several coats.
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The Week #55
5/24/2013

The Week #55


The Week in Instagrams @nanawintour: *Behind the scenes on this post *My colourful feature wall *Shoe lusting on the streets of Auckland. I do love shoes with a bit of glitter *Delicious berry-spiked brownie from the Donna Hay Chocolate cookbook *Wednesday night's makeup offerings *The fantastic slumber four *Divine dessert offerings at Milse *Having a play with all things Benefit at their Benebabe blogger event. More on that next week *Audrey Hepburn & Cats *A viewing of The September Issue featuring this dynamic duo took place.

Must-Watch of the Week: After a scroll through many a beauty blog I stumbled upon Essie Button, a Canadian blogger+vlogger living in London. Her Drugstore Makeup Starter Kit is fantastic if you're wanting to update your makeup bag with some affordable beauty bits. Even if you're just streamlining your makeup collection or wanting to start a collection this is worth a watch. She mentions a few of my drugstore favourites like the Real Techniques brushes and some other cult classics.

Product of the Week: This week I used a sample of Dermalogica Skin Refining Masque and in the thirty or so minutes it was on my face it definitely worked some magic. The clay mask deep-cleanses and it is great for problematic skin. I had some rather angry spots on my chin and they definitely weren't as red or sore after I took this off. Two days later and they are virtually gone. This mask also helps with shine-control as well but you'd need to use this a few times to see results with that. The down side with this though is that it'll require some penny saving, or canned meals for a month maybe..

Must-Read of the Week: Lauren's outfit post and musings on what she sees on her face. This post is pretty self explanatory so just click the link to read it. It is really cleverly written not to mention I love this outfit accompanying this post. Lauren, you are one talented girl x.

Added to the Wishlist: The last few days have been very Benefit-centred given their launch in New Zealand yesterday. On Wednesday night I got to have a play with a lot of their products and their now well-thumbed catalogue has a few pages marked with wishlist annotations. One product I am eager to get my hands on though is Posietint, a pink-tinted lip and cheek stain. This has been on my hand a good six hours since I swatched it and it has barely faded. It is long lasting, beautiful stuff. Get. In. My. Life.
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To Bed #2
5/22/2013

To Bed #2

If you read Part 1 of this post you'll know already that I love the luxury that is sleep. Spending the last few moments before bed relaxing can make such a difference. Thanks to this powerful quad of bedtime essentials, the highly important pre-slumber relaxation is all taken care of..


This Works Deep Sleep Stress Less is a rollerball oil that can be used to de-stress and aid peaceful sleep. It contains Eucalyptus and Frankincense essential oil which do make this oil quite a potently scented one, but in the best possible way. The scent certainly won't be for everyone but if you can overlook it then you will really benefit from this product. I apply this to my pulse points, under my nose and sometimes on my sheets if I'm particularly tired. Whatever's in this bottle certainly works, I am instantly relaxed once this is applied and find drifting off to sleep that much easier. This'll definitely be repurchased in the 10ml size but if you want to try it out, you can purchase the set I did here.

Kiehl's Midnight Recovery Eye has been on my wishlist for a while having made my way through several of the testers Kiehl's so generously give you. The texture is halfway between a cream and a gel, so if you don't like overly heavy eye creams then this is for you. There are definite notes of lavender in its scent, given it contains Lavender and Evening Primrose oils but it isn't at all overpowering. This eye cream is designed to reduce the appearance of fine lines, puffiness and dark under eye circles which it successfully does. This product leaves the under eye area smooth as well and it also seems to reduce dullness. If you're after an eye product geared towards more younger skin then definitely head to the Kiehl's counter and pick up a sample.

This Works Deep Sleep Pillow Spray is infused with Lavender, Vetivert and Wild Chamomile essential oils which all work to relieve tension, soothe and settle the nerves. Pretty powerful promises and after spritzing this onto my pillowcase and sheets I again find myself much more relaxed when I sleep. Out of all the This Works Sleep products I've used I'd probably recommend the oil the most but when combined with this pillow spray you have the dream team in one lavender scented cloud *bad slumber related puns intentional.

Rounding out this powerful quad we have the Nivea Lip Butter* in Caramel Cream. This is just a little bit heavy for daytime use so I tend to apply this at night right before bed and wake up with softer, nourished lips. The formula is creamy without being too thick and the scent is delicious, like Salted Caramel Macarons. Delectable!

So that concludes my pre-snooze lineup. As always, recommendations are welcome. I promise I'll read them pre-Lavender spritz!

*PR Sample
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7 Beauty Sins
5/20/2013

7 Beauty Sins

The 7 Beauty Sins tag is one that has been floating around YouTube for a while now and I thought it'd be a fun one to answer, mainly because it got me thinking about beauty products a little differently to how I usually do. I always find these videos/posts interesting because everyone has such different answers, depending on what part of the world you're in. 

So without further ado, here are my 7 Beauty Sins..



Greed

What is your most expensive/inexpensive beauty product? My most expensive product is probably the Nars bronzer in Laguna. The price you pay for the amount of product you get is worthwhile, this barely has a dent in it and I use it more or less every day. This colour is also a fantastic, natural bronze. It's very hard to go overboard with this bronzer! My most inexpensive product would be the Maybelline Baby Lips lip balms. I think they're under $5 and are great to have around when your lips are feeling a bit dry.
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The Week #54
5/17/2013

The Week #54


The Week in Instagrams @nanawintour: *Cookie time with Hannah *Feeling poorly= Prime time to watch YouTube videos in bed *An ode to the one and only Bioderma, have a read here *Tuesday's neutral face of the day pickings with a dash of pink lipstick for good measure *L.I.LY. by Stella McCartney, added to the perfume wishlist *Unwinding with Frankie after a long afternoon.

Must-Watch of the Week: Lily of What I Heart Today posted a video that excited my inner organisational nerd last week. I know lots of people post their makeup collection videos on YouTube and they can get boring but this one is fantastic. Rather than going through everything she owns Lily shows you how she stores everything and some good decorating ideas for beauty products, like Diptique candle holders. Have a watch here

Product of the Week: I've been rotating mascaras this week and I keep coming back to one, Benefit They're Real!. This mascara lengthens, separates and adds volume to the lashes like no other mascara I've tried. It also doesn't clump easily as well which is a huge bonus. Even when you're not wearing much eye makeup this still adds a little something to the eyes. 

Must-Read of the Week: For some reason there hasn't been too much blog reading taking place this week but I did spend a good while browsing through Kirsten's blog High Tea with Dragons. Kristen posts such fantastic recipes and they're all accompanied by gorgeous photos. If you have a sweet tooth then you will love this blog! I'm going to give this recipe for Strawberry Creams a go this weekend, they look delicious.

Added to the Wishlist: Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk Foundation is a favourite of the beauty set, read Amelia's review here. Sadly you can't get this foundation in New Zealand but with fantastic lasting power & not too much sheen to its formula it sounds like one to keep an eye out for overseas.
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Brilliant Blogs, Edition 11
5/15/2013

Brilliant Blogs, Edition 11

Morning everyone! It feels like ages since I've done one of these posts & I think I'll get back in the habit of doing them more often. There's plenty of fantastic blogs out there that deserve to be shared. You'd have to have been hiding behind a well constructed rock though to have not heard of this month's brilliant blog Someone Like You. Lauren pens a fashion blog with diary-like entries about her everyday life. It is without a doubt the most refreshing, honest blog that I have ever read. It's very inspiring to read and Lauren's pictures are always beautiful to look at as well.


The lovely Lauren was kind enough to answer some questions about her blog and a few of her favourite things today. Read on for her answers;

What made you decide to start Someone Like You? What do you love most about blogging?

-I was really bad at writing in my journal every night, but I still wanted a way to document my life. I thought that writing it on a blog might be easier and more convenient! Around that same time my English teacher told me I should start documenting my every day outfits to see how my style evolved so my blog turned into a personal writing+fashion blog! What I love most about blogging is hearing from people who read my blog. Incredible stories, testimonies, thoughts from real girls and guys all over the world. I cherish everyone who reads my blog so very much and they're all like my friends.
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An Ode to Bioderma
5/13/2013

An Ode to Bioderma

The pink lidded cult classic that is Bioderma *insert rays of celestial light*. If you've watched a YouTube beauty video in the last twelve months then you are bound to have spotted a bottle of the product that has quickly made its way to holy grail status, that being the Bioderma Crealine H20 Cleansing Solution or Sensibio as it is sometimes known, designed for sensitive skin.

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The Week #53
5/10/2013

The Week #53



The Week in Instagrams @nanawintour: *Tasty Macarons from Milse for C's birthday *What I'm currently reading *An awesome cheat if you want a non-lipstick day; Max Factor Colour Elixir Giant Pen Sticks *Getting nailed with butter London polish Fiver *I baked delicious Chocolate Muffins, recipe here *Forgive me, for I have hauled *Winter beauty loves: Pastel nails and a Bold lip colour *Forever inspired by Audrey Hepburn *Nude lips, stars and a statement necklace, what I wore on Tuesday *Reading Cupcakes and Cashmere in book form. I love this book so much, a purchase may be happening.

Must-Watch of the Week: Anna's DIY Manicure tutorial breaks down how to create the perfect manicure and take care of your nails at the same time. There's quite a few steps involved but it really is pretty simple. Your healthy nails will thank you for it.

Product of the Week: In truth, I haven't been wearing a lot of makeup this week, being a bit under the weather and all. One thing I have been reaching for though is my Mac lipstick in Patisserie. The shade is pretty much identical to my natural lip colour but slightly browner and glossier. It's not an overly drying lipstick either being a Lustre finish so you can easily reapply this during the day without ruining your lips.

Must-Read of the Week: There's just something about Audrey Hepburn. In an age where celebrity was nowhere near the phenomenon it is now, she was always graceful, always stylish and the true picture of a lady. Later this year a book is being published of images taken while she lived in Rome and  her son Luca recalls for Vanity Fair his mother's love affair with the Italian city. While Audrey was often photographed in and around Rome for magazines there were photographers she had respect for, and this book acknowledges that relationship. Check out the slideshow of photos too. There are some stunning ones.

Added to the Wishlist: Everything! I jest, I jest. Whilst Hannah and I did our hauling trip last Saturday there was a lot of swatching going on. Nars Satin Lip and Velvet Matte lip pencil collections caught my attention. Satin finishes, creamy formulas and an array of gorgeous colours. It's love.

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The Extras: Max Factor Colour Elixir Giant Pen Sticks
5/08/2013

The Extras: Max Factor Colour Elixir Giant Pen Sticks



You might've realised by now that I love lip products. It wouldn't surprise me if every one of my monthly favourites posts featured at least one lip related product. So when Max Factor's new Colour Elixir Giant Pen Sticks* arrived I dropped everything to go swatch and apply these shades. 

These pen sticks are designed for easy application and with the lipstick-bullet tip you can literaly just colour within the lines of your lips. No streaking, no bleeding, it's as easy as that. The texture of these pencils is trickier to pinpoint. While these have the pigmentation of a sheer lipstick like the YSL Rouge Volupte Shines they don't feel like a lipstick on the lips. These are more halfway between a gloss and a tinted lip balm to me. The formula reminds me of Mac's Lustre lipsticks actually. They aren't matte so your lips won't dry out. This sheer pop of colour certainly does stick around!

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The Weekend Haul
5/06/2013

The Weekend Haul



When two beauty and fashion lovers go shopping together it's always going to be dangerous, more so if they are bloggers! Hannah and I didn't let the rain dampen our spirits, there was enabling aplenty and after much pavement pounding of Queen Street and Newmarket we returned home with somewhat lighter wallets. Yes, we certainly did some hauling..

Let's start with the fact that there are not one, but two nail polishes that made their way home with me. A trip to Smith & Caughey's took place to pick up Essie's Merino Cool polish, a shade I'd been eyeing up for Winter. At the checkout I noticed the butter London stand had grown considerably and a shade I've been searching for a rather long time was miraculously there. So Fiver too was added to the bag. Another mint green offering with a touch more blue than Absolutely Shore, it applies well and is as smooth as any gel polish I've worn. Sold. One item that was on my pre-prepared list was a Mac Lustre lipstick in Patisserie, a shade which drew instant "your lips but better" remarks from Hannah and myself upon application. The other was a Stila Convertible Color in Gerbera, featured in Friday's post which has both cream blush and lip colour sorted for fuss free makeup days.

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The Week #52
5/03/2013

The Week #52


The Week in Instagrams @nanawintour: *A nail update with my colour of the moment-Essie's Absolutely Shore *A face of the day featuring the usual suspects *What made its way into the April Favourites category *Tasting the rainbow with Pebbles, our local version of Smarties *The trusty iPad which served me well for blog reading whilst my MacBook was getting some TLC  *International Beauty offerings from far and wide.

Must-Watch of the Week: Jamie Oliver's transformation into Madonna by the Pixiwoo sisters is something that needs to be seen to be believed. If you want a laugh then give that a watch. On a more serious note, this video on Into The Gloss showing how to clean the face properly is a must-see. Treating the face carefully is constantly in the back of my mind now.

Product of the Week: Benefit's Most Easiest Nudes Ever eyeshadow kit. This is everything you need to create a simple, shimmery, neutral eye. The creaseless shadows last an incredibly long time, even without primer and all the hassle of rummaging through the makeup bag for multiple eyeshadows is taken away. 

Must-Read of the Week: I'm a bit of an eyeliner-phobe. I can apply it alright but anything technical like winged liner or liquid liner is a no go zone for me. Vivianna's post on Eyeliner Tips for Eyeliner Noobs may just have my problems solved. A felt tip liner and gel have been added to the wishlist, Bioderma on standby to fix any shaky handiwork. 

Added to the Wishlist: Believe it or not I only own one blush, Nars Orgasm and while I love it, it does get a bit boring to use every day. Stila Convertible Colour in Gerbera is something that's been on my beauty radar for a little while now. It's a cream product that can be used as both a blush or lip colour, one less thing to throw in the makeup bag. It looks great on a range of skintones too. Hannah and I have a shopping day on the cards this weekend and I'll be surprised if I can manage to walk away from Mecca without this..
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April Favourites
5/02/2013

April Favourites

So in all honesty I thought my April Favourites selection was going to be extra product heavy but surprisingly it wasn't. A few new products did make their way into the stash but some still need to be put through their paces a bit more before earning favourite status. There were definitely some clear winners this month though, particularly in the skincare department, perhaps even some holy grail contenders. Time will tell..



Origins Drink Up Intensive Overnight Mask Firstly I love the fruity, somewhat tropical smell of this mask. It instantly feels like you're applying a luxury mask to your face. Despite this being a cream mask it isn't a heavy formula and your skin isn't left feeling tight or tingly, perfect for sensitive skin. If your skin's feeling a bit dry or needs a bit of a moisture boost then this is for you. I talk about this more in depth in part #1 of my bedtime beauty posts which you can read here

Essie Polish in Absolutely Shore A dusky, duck-egg blue grey offering which is so beautiful as a standalone colour on the nails. While it can be a bit of a nuisance to apply, once on the nails, provided you use top and base coat it will last really well without chipping. Essie's formula just seems to mesh really well with my nails and I'm looking forward to adding more of their colours to my polish collection. 
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