April Roundup
4/29/2015

April Roundup



April is the month of somewhat excessive chocolate consumption and new seasons. Shoutout to the Autumn chill in the air. April was a bit quieter over on the blog for various reasons. I ended up being quite busy and we've had work going on at our house so filming videos is a bit trickier at the moment. Hopefully I'll be back into doing those next month. Anyway, here's what you may have missed over on the blog this month.

An introduction to Essence: European cosmetics brand Essence is much more readily available in NZ now and can be found in most Farmers stores. I'd never tried any of their products until quite recently and I found some absolute gems among their range. All their products are very affordable too which is great, especially since a lot of overseas brands, even the cheaper ones are quite pricey here.

Sydney to-do list-I'm off to Sydney next week and I'm quite excited, not gonna lie. I compiled a little to-do list of what I want to do whilst I'm over there. If you have any recommendations of things to do or places that have to be visited, let me know.

Autumn skincare update-It's only recently that my skin seems to have left it's mirror-shine days behind *knock on wood* and so I've found myself reaching for products that are more hydrating than anything else. Most of my skincare routine's stayed the same but these new additions are going down a treat. If you grab one thing from this post, make it this

Products I have used up + new beauty things-This month's video. The title says it all really. I used up things and talked about them. There's also some new bits from The Body Shop in there which'll keep the tea enthusiasts happy and an interesting product from Mac.

All I Know Now-Thanks to Carrie Hope Fletcher. I was lucky enough to be sent this book for review before release date. Spoiler alert: I loved it. Check out my review and keep an eye out for another Carrie-themed post sometime soon!

-What posts did you enjoy reading in April?

*I hope your week's have been rad so far. It's a short working week here in NZ, although I still went to my part-time job on Monday. Then yesterday I was in the city for a meeting and an obligatory Moustache cookie. Today's a bit more chilled and I'm just catching up on things really. Nothing exciting! I'll be back on Friday with another The Week post so I'll see you cool cats then x.
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All I Know Now
4/27/2015

All I Know Now




It seems like every YouTuber is bringing out a book these days which I think is such a big thing for #teaminternet and bloggers/vloggers aplenty. Hitting our shelves tomorrow is All I Know Now* by Carrie Hope Fletcher. Her book is part memoir, part guide to navigating the sometimes treacherous road that is adolescence and life in general. So what did I think of it? Sit back, get your cup of tea and cake ready and maybe put some Disney music on to further set the mood. Can you tell I'm a bit of a Carrie fan? Moving on...

For those not in the know, Carrie is more than just a YouTube sensation. As well as now adding author to her list of talents, she is pretty darn successful on the West End. She is currently playing Eponine in Les Miserables but has also been in a number of other shows during her childhood. She is one talented lady. I'm sure you're probably thinking, how can 22 year-olds know everything? Sure we've lived a little bit but we certainly don't know it all, and neither does Carrie. What we do know though is about being a young person, navigating the sometimes scary and frustrating world that is high school, mean girls, goal setting and everything in between.

All I Know Now is broken down into acts, including an overture and a finale. Being a musical theatre enthusiast, this concept did excite me quite a bit. There's sections on internetiquette, friendships, achieving your dreams, love and more. I won't spoil the whole book for you, don't worry. Each section is broken down into multiple chapters and Carrie shares a lot of her own experiences and stories from growing up. The advice never feels generic and it's just like hearing Carrie's voice from one of her videos, in book form, or as one of her reviewers put it "this is a best friend in book form".

Carrie is often dubbed the 'honorary big sister' of the YouTube world and after reading this and watching her videos it's easy to see why she is so deserving of that title. Her advice is never patronising and the fact she includes anecdotes from her life makes this book that much more relatable. It's not too serious and is often very entertaining. She even has some Harry Potter analogies in there which earns her extra Gryffindor points. Even though I am no longer a teen this book was still incredibly relatable and I feel like everyone, no matter how old they are would be able to take something away from this book. 

I had high expectations for All I Know Now, being a Carrie Hope Fletcher fan and all, and it really didn't disappoint. This book is fantastic and such a valuable resource for teens and young adults who are still figuring life out. Carrie's writing is brilliant and you can really tell she's put a lot of herself into this book.  The fact she's taken the time to include a selection of valuable resources for people who may be facing trying times in her book just shows how much she cares about her fans and their wellbeing. I'll definitely be re-reading All I Know now again very soon.

-If you're in the UK, All I Know Now is available for purchase now. Australia and New Zealand, All I Know Now is out tomorrow, April 28th and I suggest you get your hands on it asap. 


*I was sent an advanced copy of this book for review but I am such a Carrie fangirl that I would have been lining up at the shops tomorrow to buy myself a copy. Scouts honour.  In fact, I may have even squealed with excitement when I opened this up in the mail. Make of that what you will...
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The Week #152
4/24/2015

The Week #152




I get by with a little help from my Friends-Quick nostalgic moment, my cousin used to have this poster on her bedroom wall and I'm not gonna lie, I was jealous of that poster. It was massive! Anyway, this week good ol' Buzzfeed posted a list of Friends quotes guaranteed to brighten your day and as expected, it is brilliant. Be prepared to laugh out loud at your desk/phone screen and not even care about who's watching. 

An Hourglass dupe?-Say it isn't so! Max Factor bought us their Facefinity primer which is said to be a reasonable dupe for the Hourglass Veil Primer, according to Alix. Well now they've released some blushers to rival the Hourglass Ambient Lighting ones. The Creme Puff blushers are very similar in design, with an almost marbled effect and from what I've seen online, they don't come up short in the pigment stakes either. They're not out in NZ yet but a little bird told me they're not too far away. 

A Nail Polish Heaven-If you're a longtime reader you'll know I used to get my nails done by the lovely Leah Light. I've known Leah for over five years now (scary!) and she's done so well for herself in that time. Well now she's opened up a second nail salon in Parnell and it is fancy. I went along to the opening night this week with Tara and it's such an awesome space. It's so spacious and there's lots of separate rooms to get your finger and toenails did. Don't quote me on this but I think they do tanning there too. Definitely check their salons out if you're in Auckland and want fabulous nails. 

Good Reading-After perusing the library's magazine selection and not find the latest Vogues *sad face* I stumbled upon this magazine about books. It's Australian so there is a bit of a focus on Australian literature but there's also a focus on popular reads of the moment with great reviews. If you're a bit book-obsessed and you live in NZ or Aus, try to track this down. It's great.

A Spring Edit-Yes, I'm well aware it's not even the slightest bit springlike in the Southern Hemisphere right now. Makeup rules are made to be broken so if you like softer Spring makeup then go for it. I loved this makeup look that Anna created this week. How gorgeous is that Tarte palette too? *insert heart eyed cat emojis here*

*Have an awesome weekend everybody! It's another long weekend here in NZ, to honour ANZAC Day in its centennial year. I've actually had a busy ish week and I feel like I've not been home very much. This weekend I hope to sleep all day sleep in and I'm doing a spot of shopping on Sunday and no doubt watching the anticipated Bruce Jenner interview too. Have a good one x
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April Favourites
4/22/2015

April Favourites



April feels surprisingly short. Whether that's down to daylight savings, or the longer weekends we've had this month I'm not sure. As you may know, I've been on a bit of a spending blitz as I'm off to Sydney next month so I haven't really been shopping or trying anything new. As a result there's a lot less beauty+makeup in here this month but never fear, that will be amended next month. Here's what I've loved throughout April.

Antipodes Worship Serum*-You're probably sick of hearing me rave on about this serum, which should speak volumes about how awesome it is. Not only is it deliciously fruity, it does wonders for restoring a dull, lacklustre complexion. It also seems to inject that little bit of extra moisture into the skin which is never a bad thing. I love how lightweight and non-oily this is too. Please don't discontinue this serum Antipodes. 

Chanel Perfection Lumiere Velvet-Flawless skin in a bottle, especially if your skin sits more on the combination side of things. It's long wearing and not too matte, so a little bit of sheen still shines through. I'm actually very close to finishing this now  and I'm still undecided about whether I want to buy it again. It's good but I'm not sure if I want something as matte anymore. Hmm..

Pixi Glow Tonic-The hype is real. I'm so glad I found this on ASOS when I did because it seems to have vanished from their site. Again, like the serum it just leaves your skin looking so much better and it's one of the gentler exfoliating toners on the market. I know it's a bit tricky to get ahold of but if you can, get it. It's so worth it. 

Boyhood-I loved watching this last month so it had to join my DVD collection. Filmed with the same cast over twelve years this is brilliant. Both the kids in it are around the ages I was as it was filming so I geeked out a bit at all the era-appropriate pop culture references. There's even a Vampire Weekend tune in there. This is such a good film and if you've not watched it yet, get onto it!

All I Know Now by Carrie Hope Fletcher*-This shouldn't even be in here, as I'm not supposed to review it yet but it was by far my favourite book I read this month. Make of that what you will, and keep an eye out for a review next week. 

-What have you been loving during April?

*PR Sample
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All About That Base
4/20/2015

All About That Base




'Bout that base...Okay I'll stop with the Meghan Trainor references. Foundation, BB creams, and tinted moisturisers are all staples in many a girl's beauty arsenal. Whether they make your skin look flawless, conceal a multitude of sins or just leave things looking a bit more glowy, we'd be lost without them. I currently have three base options-this one from Rimmel which I'm a bit 'meh' about. I liked it at first but to be honest, I don't think it's that amazing. Then there's the Clear Difference* BB cream. I do like it but it's reserved for good skin/lazy makeup occasions. Lastly we have my ultimate go-to, Chanel Perfection Lumiere Velvet or PLV as I like to call it. Satin finish, buildable coverage and longevity. It's amazing. There's just one problem, I'm running out of it.

Where am I going with this? Well, I'm due to replace my foundation and I'm torn. While I love PLV, I kinda want to try something else. I'm tossing up between this new version of Laura Mercier's silk creme foundation and Nars Luminous Weightless. So what should I do? Stick to tried and tested or try something new? Let me know your input in the comments below. If you've tried either of these foundations let me know what you thought of them.

*PR Sample

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The Week #151
4/17/2015

The Week #151



Colour Pop: If you've watched YouTube or checked out a beauty blog recently, you're bound to have spied Colour Pop cosmetics. Their affordable products are stunning and they offer such a diverse range of colours. Whether it's lipstick you're after, or some eyeshadow, they have you sorted. I've been very tempted by Colour Pop products for a while but the shipping's kinda costly, so I'm gonna do a joint order with a friend. What's top of my list? The Where The Light Is palette. 

This Star Won't Go Out: Many of you will have read The Fault In Our Stars, well this book is about Esther Earl. Now she's not Hazel Grace but John Green had met her and spent time with her, so maybe she was the inspiration for Hazel in a way. Anyway, Esther Earl is a teen who was diagnosed with thyroid cancer and this book contains her journal entries, thoughts and countless blog posts. There's also writing from her friends, parents and siblings throughout the book. It's such an inspiring read and Esther truly lived her life to the fullest. She was so caring and always put other people first. I really enjoyed reading this last weekend and yes, it did make me cry. We need more people like Esther in the world.

My New Love Technological Sidekick: So my brick iPhone 4 bit the dust over Easter weekend. I knew it was going to happen sooner or later but when it decided it had had enough, I did freak out. Thankfully, I now have an iPhone 6 in my life. My goodness it is amazing. It's so fast, not to mention the camera on it is considerably better. It has pretty decent battery life too compared to its predecessor. I probably shouldn't love a piece of technology this much but I do. It's brilliant. End of story.

Nars x Christopher Kane: Nars is one of the few brands who doesn't release limited edition collections all the time, but when they do they tend to not disappoint. Their latest collection is in partnership with designer Christopher Kane and it looks stunning. My pick is this rose gold eyeshadow, Outer Limits. I'm not sure when the collection drops in New Zealand but I imagine it'd be within the next couple of months so keep an eye out for it in Mecca.

A Literary Dilemma: As I'm sure you'll know, I have a bit of a book problem. By that I mean I seem to have a bunch to read and no idea where to begin. So, I need your help. At the moment I'm choosing between The Goldfinch, How To Build A Girl and The Children Act. Thoughts? Should I read something completely different?

-Have the best weekend everyone! I'll be catching up on blog things, I'm rather behind in that department. One of my friends is having a birthday dinner so that's happening and I might head out to go low-key shopping at some stage. That's about it really!
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Sydney To-Do List
4/15/2015

Sydney To-Do List




So in case you've not heard, and it's not like I've made it incredibly obvious over the last couple of months *ahem*, I'm going to Sydney at the beginning of May. It's honestly come around so quickly and I am very excited. I've only been to Sydney a couple of times before, and only for a couple of days each time so I feel like I've not really seen a lot of it. This time I'm going for five days and I plan to make the most of it. Here's what's on my list of things I want to do but if you have any suggestions or recommendations of places to visit, bookstores I need to frequent, food I need to eat and the like, let me know!

Visit the Mothership, more commonly known as Sephora-Does this even need explaining? Y'all know I am probably going to be here right when it opens the day we arrive. I'm not even kidding. I have been to Sephoras in America and Europe before, but that was far too long ago and back in my not so makeup-enthusiastic days. Pray for my wallet and know that I very possibly might go a bit wild in here. 

Take a trip out to Bondi Beach-and that "amazing natural pool thing" as I've written in my notes. So technical. Yep, I've never been to Bondi Beach which is quite criminal of me. The photos I have seen always make it look stunning. Hopefully it's a nice day when I visit so I can get all artsy with my camera and take a lil' stroll down the waterfront. 

Devour amazing macarons from Laduree and maybe the best Italian ever from Jamie's Italian-Now I have had Laduree macarons before but that was ages ago. I remember thinking they were the best macarons on earth so a revisit needs to happen. Obviously. As for the Italian, I always see bloggers/vloggers raving about Jamie's Italian. I've already looked at the menu and that alone has me hopeful it'll go down a treat. 

Visit some art museums-This is something I always like to do whenever I'm in a city I've not been to before. Not only are they a great place to seek out some inspiration, they're also often not as noisy as the busy streets. A tranquil oasis, if you will.

Feel all the feels and visit the barricade at Les Miserables-This is definitely happening, given I bought my ticket a couple of months ago. I have wanted to see a professional production of Les Miserables for the longest time and I've heard the current Australian one does not disappoint. Note to self: pack tissues and don't wear mascara.

Visit the secondary motherships, more commonly known as Priceline and Mecca Maxima-Again, these ones don't really need explaining. I'm sure Priceline must find us tourists who get excited by a very well stocked pharmacy weird but whatevs. Priceline have such a diverse range of beauty brands, including European favourites like Bourjois and La Roche Posay. They often have great deals on too. Mecca Maxima is like a beefed up version of Mecca Cosmetica and they have their very own aisle of doom (miniatures) to rival Sephora's. They also are home to Soap and Glory, a brand that I love and more recently, Urban Decay. I'm looking forward to seeing some of their much hyped products in the flesh.

Get far too interior design inspired at H&M-Sydney's H&M is a little way out of the cbd but it's inside a rather well-stocked shopping mall so that makes up for it. As well as their awesome homewares I'll definitely be taking the time to check out their womenswear section and hopefully coming home with some new threads. See also Topshop and Zara.

Take all the photos-That doesn't really require an explanation. I always feel like I don't take as many pictures as I thought I would on holidays so I am going to try to document a lot this time. Not only for blog posts but also the memories to look back on. Cheesy but true.

*Have you been to Sydney before? Let me know your recommendations.
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The Autumn Skincare Update
4/13/2015

The Autumn Skincare Update





The other day I found myself looking back through some old blog posts and I noticed just how much my skincare routine's changed. In the past I would've said I had combination-oily skin and while it's definitely still combination, it's more on the drier side of things. That means I'm more about the hydrating products and anything that gives the skin a bit of a glow. Here's what I'm using and loving in my skincare routine at the moment...

Pixi Glow Tonic-For some bizarre reason this isn't showing up on ASOS anymore, but it was definitely there a week ago. Strange! Anyway, this toner's a beauty blogger staple in the UK so when I saw it on ASOS, with the temptation of free shipping, this naturally had to happen. As I write this, I've only used it once so I don't have much to report back on but it seems extremely promising so fingers crossed it's a good'un. 

Neutrogena Hydro Boost Water Gel*-If your skin's feeling a bit dry or is just in need of some TLC c/o something moisturising, this is the one for you. It's a moisturiser that contains hyaluronic acid, an ingredient which brings it in the hydration department. This moisturiser's not too heavy on the skin which I love. I'm a bit obsessed with this, not gonna lie so expect to see it a lot around these parts.

Oskia Renaissance Cleansing Gel-I feel like this gets mentioned a lot around here so I won't go into massive detail but this cleanser is amazing. Just using this alone leaves my skin feeling so clean and refreshed. I love it.

La Roche Posay Effaclar Duo+-It's been a while since I mentioned this magic cream. It's still going strong in my stash though. This helps to minimise blemish scarring and blemish marks. It also helps reduce shine. It's probably not an essential product but it does seem to make a difference. If your skin's prone to oiliness or blemishes then you should check this out.

Philosophy Peppermint Stick Handcream, limited edition-Now I know this isn't strictly skincare related but handcream is a must, especially if you use hand sanitiser which tends to dry out your hands. This hand cream smells like candy canes and after dinner mints. Delicious! I've got another of these hand creams in my bag, that's how much I like it.

Clinique Acne Solutions Clinical Clearing Gel, trial size from Sephora-This is only a teeny tiny sized spot treatment from Sephora but as you can see I've barely made a dent in it. I'm not too sure what's in this gel, but it's probably not the greatest for my skin so I apply it on a cotton bud. It shrinks the blemishes and it's definitely one of the better spot treatments I've tried recently. I may have to pick up the full size.

Neutrogena Hydro Boost Eye Roll-On*-Oh man, where has this product been my entire life? It has a metal ball under the lid which disperses the eye gel. It is so cooling and feels amazing under the eyes. Puffiness begone! If you don't want to spend a fortune on an eye cream or something similar then you should give this one a go. 

Antipodes Worship Serum*-Magic, fruity, lightweight goodness. I like to imagine someone tinkering away in an apothecary making this absolute gem. Seriously, it makes such a difference to my skin. I'm not sure what it is, perhaps the fact it's loaded with skin nourishing ingredients but it's darn good. I'll forever repurchase this.

Nuxe Reve De Miel-Like the cleansing gel, this is another product that gets mentioned a fair bit around here. This lip balm is so nourishing and conditioning on the lips. I always wake up with super soft lips the next morning after using this. It's great for this time of year too when the cold weather starts to send your skin into a bit of a moisture deprived freakout. Plus it smells like honey and comes in this cute little jar. Sold.

-What products are currently in your skincare routine?

*PR Sample

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The Week #150
4/10/2015

The Week #150





Weekend Reads: This weekend looks set to be rainy and miserable here in Auckland which means reading and movie-watching are entirely justifiable activities, right? I've actually not done too much reading lately as I'm waiting for a book I'm reviewing to turn up but I'm almost done with Richard Ayoade's book. It's brilliant and if you're a fan of his, you need to read it. Deliciously Ella sparked my interest after seeing a few bloggers raving about the sweet potato brownies, which sound delish. Maybe it'll inspire me to get creative+healthy in the kitchen..

Un-Powder: Thanks to a Tanya Burr tutorial a few years back, a compact of setting powder has never been far from my beauty collection. The finely milled, translucent powders help to keep your makeup in place, stop shine showing through and even add a touch of radiance to the complexion. They're staples basically. Anna's rounded up four of the best and there's some absolute winners in there. I can vouch that the Hourglass Ambient Lighting powders are amazing but from what I've heard the Bourjois powder is pretty fab too.

Florence Returns: One of my favourite artists of all time, Florence Welch is releasing a new album this year. It's been a long time coming and I'm really quite excited by the prospect of new music and hopeful that she'll come back to Auckland on her potential world tour. Her album's not out for another month or so yet but she's dropped a couple of tracks off the album to keep us entertained in the meantime. Ship To Wreck is my favourite track so far. I'm so excited for the new album guys. *gets starry eyed*

Miss Independent: Too often in the media, whether it be films or novels, women are depicted as aspiring to love. You're supposed to want 'the one', not the career or whatever other ambitions you have. I realise I'm generalising but if you look at a lot of films, more so rom coms, you'll realise how accurate it is. I've been reading the latest issue of Miss Vogue Australia and there's a really brilliant article quashing those ideals and supporting an approach to life that puts you in charge. I found it really resonated with me and it was brilliantly written. If you can track down Issue 3 still, do it.

A Hydro-Boost: My skin's really done a bit of a 180 recently and errs much more on the dry side of things at the moment. It's probably down to the fact I've been ill but my skin's felt so zapped of moisture. Thankfully Neutrogena's Hydro Boost range exists! I was sent the eye gel and moisturiser and they've been making the world of difference. They're available at such an affordable price point too. I'll do a review of them sometime soon but in the meantime, you should read Morgan's post about why they're so great.

-As always, have the raddest of weekends everyone! As I write this I'm on the verge of dozing off, and it's only just gone 3pm. Oh dear. My weekend's going to consist of movie watching, because there's genuinely nothing on at the cinema I want to see. I've also got to go birthday present shopping at some point and to work. Speaking of work, I have a job interview on Tuesday so keep your fingers crossed. x

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Products I Have Used Up + New Beauty Things
4/09/2015

Products I Have Used Up + New Beauty Things




That title will give you the gist of this post. I used up a few beauty, body and haircare things and throw in some mini reviews+repurchasing verdicts for your viewing pleasure. There's also a couple of new beauty releases from Mac and The Body Shop at the end too. Enjoy! 

Oh-and if you have any ideas of videos I could film, tags you want to see me answer, whatever let me know! x



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The Parisian Skincare Classic You Need
4/07/2015

The Parisian Skincare Classic You Need




Sponsored post in collaboration with Bloggers Club and Garnier

Paris brings us love, iconic landmarks and luxurious fashion, but that's not all the City of Lights is renowned for. French women swear by their cult skincare brands, some of which invented micellar water. It's become a staple in many a girl's routine, not only for being a saviour after a long night out, but also because it dissolves away your makeup like nothing else.

Micellar waters have a fancy name, but they're really quite a simple product. They're cleansers that contain micelles (microscopic oil spheres) which work to dissolve away product. They usually are designed for sensitive skin and as a result contain no harsh chemicals or ingredients which aggravate the skin. As their name would suggest, they are extremely lightweight and often feel quite refreshing on the skin. Combined with cotton pads or cotton buds, you have a match made in heaven.

Until quite recently, micellar waters have been more difficult to get your hands on here in New Zealand, but those days are now over that the Garnier Micellar Water is available here. It's suitable for all skin types and is not scented so it is gentle enough for the most sensitive of skin. You can apply it on a cotton pad and sweep it over your face to remove all your foundation, concealer and eye makeup too. Flip the pad over if you're doing your eye makeup because if you're like me and love eyeshadow, then a lot of makeup is bound to need removing. You can also use the Garnier Micellar water to fix up any makeup mistakes you might make. Simply pour some on to a cotton bud if your liquid liner gets a bit messy or if you get mascara everywhere. It's a godsend.

If you're yet to try Micellar Water then you should give this one from Garnier a try. At $12.99, it's not going to put too much of a dent in your wallet and you barely need any per application, so it'll last you ages. If you don't have time for a thorough cleanse but don't want to sleep in your makeup then this will be perfect for you. I've been using micellar waters for nearly two years now and would be simply lost without them. Believe the hype because these are a fantastic product. 

*Have you tried Micellar Waters before? What did you think of them?
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An Introduction To Essence
4/05/2015

An Introduction To Essence




If you're a bit of a makeup maven, you may have noticed European brand Essence making its way onto a few local Farmers shelves here in NZ. Well now, they've rolled it out onto even more Farmers shelves around the country. Whoop whoop!** Their range is super affordable, way cheaper than a lot of the drugstore brands we already have here. Don't quote me on this but I don't think anything in the range is over ten dollars. I was lucky enough to be sent some bits'n bobs from Essence's plentiful range and have been playing around with these products over the last few months. Here's what I thought..

Essence XXL Shine Lipgloss in Coral Delight*-This gloss is stunning. It's pigmented but still sheer enough to layer over similar lip products, like a peachy nude for instance. It's not sticky in the slightest which I like. This colour would be perfect for Spring or Summer if you can get your hands on it.

Essence Quattro Eyeshadow in To Die For*-I've already written about this quad here so I'll try to keep this short and sweet. I love all the colours in this palette. They're just such 'me' shades, neutral with a hint of shimmer. That satin-finish white left a little to be desired but on the whole I was impressed by this quad, especially when it comes in at under a tenner.

Essence So Glow Highlighter*-This was one of my favourite products that I've tried from Essence. This highlighter applies creamy and then dries down to a powder finish, meaning that it stays in place that little bit longer. It's not too glittery so you're left with a more softer looking sheen on the skin. It doesn't have an Edward Cullen effect on the skin and for that, it gets a lot of love 'round these parts. 

Essence Mattifying Compact Powder in Light Beige*-You can't go wrong with a mattifying face powder and this one was no exception. In this photo it looks really pink but this powder really is quite sheer on the skin. It's almost unnoticeable really. This mightn't be the most long-wearing of setting powders but it's perfect for on the go touchups. 

Essence Mono Eyeshadow in Party All Night-How pretty is this silvery taupe? It was impossible to walk past it when I was swatching the eyeshadows. A lot of Essence's single shadows are in bright, daring colours. They'd be perfect for a special makeup look or a costume party. These metallic-hued eyeshadows have a pressed pigment effect on the lids, adding that subtle hint of shimmer we love over neutral shadows. I love this shade.

Essence Lash Princess Volume Mascara*-I'm incredibly fussy when it comes to mascaras and I was really not expecting to like this one, but I did. It's not the best mascara in the world but when you want something quick that's going to give your lashes a little bit of oomph without the effort then this is for you. I wouldn't say it's really volumising, not on my lashes at least. It's great at lengthening the lash though.

Essence Blush Up in Heat Wave*-Now this blush had me intrigued. The ombre pattern reminded me a lot of Mac's Ripe Peach blush which is much more expensive than this one. I liked this blush, although I felt like mine was a lot more pink than peach, which you can kind of see from the picture. It also was a little tricky to blend. Maybe it was just the brush I was using, I'm not sure. It's a lovely blush, but I wasn't wowed. 

Essence Lipliner in Satin Mauve*-This is the one product I've not actually used but this colour is stunning. It has that whole nineties nude/Kylie Jenner vibe to it. These liners apply creamily so I imagine they're not going to be too drying on the lips. I can see this working well with Nars Audacious Lipstick in Anna

-Have you tried any products from Essence before? What did you think of them?

**Was that really necessary? Probably not, but it's exciting so just go with it.

*PR Sample

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The Week #149
4/03/2015

The Week #149



Testing, Testing-Does anyone else get excited by samples of products, only to find them accumulating in a pile? These sachets (apart from the Elizabeth Arden) were all from a recent Mecca Cosmetica Beauty Loop box. I was quite excited to see the Sunday Riley serum in there because I've heard it's amazing. I've only tried that Kate Somerville cream so far and it was really good. My skin seemed to like it! I'll try to remember to review the others on Twitter or something though. 

A Rifle Through The Makeup Bag-Is like entering the wardrobe to Narnia. You never know what you're going to find, or in my case forget you've been hiding. In this case, it was this lil' powder from Laura Mercier. Now this is either the translucent powder, or the brightening one. Whichever it is, it is fantastic. So lightweight and virtually unnoticeable on the skin. I may have to add this to my Sydney wishlist...

Easter Treats-'Tis the season for chocolate and indulgence. Although according to the supermarket shelves, it's been that time since January. What is that all about? Well this week Gabby shared this video of three super easy, extremely delicious Easter treats to make. How cute do those Easter nests look? Nom! My friend Hannah also shared some Easter Chocolate Bark over on her blog which looks equally delicious. 

Decor Inspo-Kate of gh0stparties is the queen when it comes to interior decorating and all-round aesthetically pleasing blog content. It was no surprise then that her room tour video was going to be a visual feast. Let's just say if I get to style my future room/house half as good as she does I will be one content lady. Check it out here

Charlotte Tilbury x Norman Parkinson-I've got a bit of a confession to make, I am obsessed with Charlotte Tilbury's makeup, despite only owning one lip pencil from her range. Well if Alix's photos are anything to go by, her upcoming collection looks stunning! Not only is the packaging adorned with some of Norman Parkinson's fashion photography, there's also some fabulous new products to look out for. Top of my list are the cream eyeshadows and her matte revolution lipstick in Miss Kensington. Get in my life. Side note: Those products aren't part of the Norman Parkinson collection but they're possibly out around the same time. If you're a fan of the Tilbs, get amongst it.

-Have an awesome weekend everybody! For Australia and New Zealand it's a long weekend, which I'm sure many of us are excited about. Oh and before I forget, my giveaway is going up early next week now. My blogging schedule got a little jumbled this week so I moved it back. Keep an eye out for it on Tuesday though! What else..this weekend's probably going to be relatively laid back as I'm kinda tired+a little ill. Here's looking at you, throat that feels like sandpaper. There'll definitely be some mandatory chocolate eating happening though and hopefully some time in the sun. Have a good one, and I'll see y'all on Monday with a bit of a brand spotlight. x
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April Reading List
4/01/2015

April Reading List



How is it April already?! What is this sorcery? It's time to share another round of books with you all though. If I do say so myself, this is a rather good lineup. From the heavyweight novel to the humorous memoir, there's something for everyone...

Ayoade on Ayoade, by Richard Ayoade-Aka the one that Maurice Moss wrote. Well, his creator did. Richard Ayoade is fast becoming one of the UK's greatest creative talents. Whether he's writing, directing, or starring in film or television projects. His first book consists of a series of interviews, with himself. I feel like if you're not already an Ayoade fan, this book might baffle you a little. I'm really looking forward to reading this though. The introduction yesterday had me in hysterics.

The Goldfinch, by Donna Tartt-You may remember last year I read The Secret History, Tartt's debut novel. It's safe to say it blew my mind. It was brilliant, and I recommended it to a few other people as well and they all seemed to love it. The Goldfinch is her latest novel and I'm probably the last to read it but oh well. I can't tell you much about it yet as I have only just started but apparently it is brilliant. I mightn't finish this book during April as it is a good 700 ish pages, but we shall see.

The Glam Guide, by Fleur De Force, not pictured-It seems like all the YouTubers seem to be writing all of the books nowadays. I'm beginning to get a little skeptical about this too but given Fleur was the first beauty guru I watched on YouTube, and she wrote this book by herself I felt like it deserved a chance. This book is a combination of all the things Fleur loves; travel, beauty, fashion and lifestyle. There's some really great tips in there and the book is gorgeously presented with beautiful illustrations throughout. I really liked this one.

Mr Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore, by Robin Sloan-This was one of the books Jess sent me as part of our blogger's book swap last year. I spied it on Emily's blog last week and was reminded that I owned it so onto the reading list it goes. A book about bookstores sounds like my cup of tea so I'm looking forward to reading this one.

*Have you read any of these books? What have you been reading lately?
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