MAC Workshop + Review

Recently I have been to a technique workshop at MAC which cost $120 but you get it all back in products and as I had my eye on more than a couple of things from the store I decided to book myself in! When i arrived I was surprised to find out that everyone but me had cancelled and so I was able to have a one-on-one lesson with one of the teachers Linda. I was so lucky for this chance and I would recommend spending money on something like this to any beauty junkie. I was able to pick my perfect foundation shade, what skincare regime works best for my type of skin and just general techniques like how to put on fake lashes - which I could never master until now!

This is a very late post as it was done over the easter weekend but at least I have had some time to use some of the products so I can now do a mini review! OK let's start so i can start so you can stop reading my useless rambling...

What I purchased:
Studio Fix Powder Plus in C3
Mineralize Concealer in NW20
Blot Powder in Medium

When we were discussing my skin type, i was asked if i had ever used a powder foundation and I think she was slightly shocked when I said no. This is because for someone with combo/oil skin, liquids often can't absorb excess oils on the skin's surface like powders do. Pretty sure most beauty bloggers would already know this but I was always scared to try out powder foundations cause I was worried they wouldn't give the same coverage and last as long as my good ole liquids.

Well i will just say one thing - THIS is the greatest product i have ever spent my money on. Even after full day/nights out there is no gross shine in photos and make-up never EVER slips down my face - win.

My verdict: 5/5 

Although during the workshop I used the Pro Longwear Concealer (which was love at first sight) when it came to buying my concealer, there were none left in my shade *cry* 

I loved the way the Pro Longwear was great at both concealing undereyes AND blemishes.. and these days I find it hard to find a product that kicks arse at both.

However, she did suggest the Select Moisturecover particularly for under my eyes which is my main issue - damn you hereditary dark circles

What i love about this is the moisturising aspect of it (hence the name) and it never creases. However, it doesn't give as much coverage as the Pro Longwear and slides off during the day. 

My verdict: 3/5 - don't think I would repurchase again

I haven't heard a great too much about this product but I've come across it in a number of blogs so recognise it so I didn't to give it a go. I didn't use it during the workshop but asked about it after and she recommended it for on the go touch-ups and that is what I've been using it for since!
It's not too heavy when applied and it comes with a mirror and small powder puff in a compact which is perfect size to fit in small makeup bags. For the price I don't think its amazing, and i've recently discovered the New Revlon Colorstay Pressed Powder which is half the price and just as great.

My verdict: 4/5 

Wednesday FOTD

Nothing too glam as it was just a day at uni, but here is my first FOTD - hope you like...

Rimmel Wake Me Up Foundation in 103 True Ivory

MAC Moisurecover Concealer in NW20

Sleek Brow Kit in Light

Rimmel Glam Eyes Professional Liquid Liner

L'Oreal Telescopic Mascara

Coral Colours Baked Bronzer

MAC Blotpowder

Revlon Lip Butter - Candy Apple - only applied a slightly with a lip brush 

And before I go, just a sneak preview of what i received from Feel Unique last week (YAY!!) so keep an eye out for the review coming soon...

Sleek MakeUP Lip 4 palette

After purchasing some products off the Sleek MakeUP website which I reviewed here, I then found out that I was one off the lucky 100 that were given their BRAND NEW Lip4 Palette (which has not been released yet) and a mini lip shine.

Quoted by the DIARY daily blog

Colour cosmetics brand Sleek MakeUP is launching Lip⁴ next month, a collection of six lip palette compacts, titled Ballet, Havana, Mardi Gras (limited edition), Show Girl, Siren and Tease, which each contain four pigment-intense lip shades. Shades are available in three finishes, matte, gloss and satin, with colours including red carpet reds, bright fuchsias, zesty oranges, and nude hues. Each palette includes a mini applicator brush and mirror. 

The Mardi Gras Lipstick Palette that I received contains 4 very bold, very pigmented shades that can be applied by the mini lip brush - that is included - or even by your finger they are that pigmented! The compact size and the mirror is also very handy for on the go application.. so thumbs up from me. They're also rumoured to cost £8.99 from Superdrug and their website. The mini lipgloss is not so great in comparison, its really sticky and thick but it was nice of them to include it!

Im so excited to try out the other Palettes from Sleek and my stand out from these shades has definitely got to be Firework and Masquerade. Although they are probably the most boring ones out of the four, I've used them the most. Because lets face it.. unless you're a clown your not going to wear purple lipstick on a daily basis? Don't get me wrong I love the fact that it's included and it's now my mission to wear it to the next "dress up" i'm invited to! 

I know its only a very small post and I haven't included any lip swatches but I haven't posted in so long and just wanted to reassure you all - I'm still here!
Would you be interested in Sleek MakeUP's new Lip Palette? Let me know in the comment box below!

Priceline Mini Haul

So as i had a pretty exhausting week of being on uni break (hehe) i decided to do a mini splurge on some of the products i have been wanting to purchase for awhile...

Maybelline Dream Fresh 8 in 1 BB Cream 30 ml - $15.95 - Just wanted to try out a BB Cream as an alternative to foundation on days where my skin needs a bit of a break.

Ecotools Blush Brush - $16.99 - I've been waiting to purchase the Real Techniques brushes but unfortunately they cost $45 in store! So i'm going to buy them online and in the meantime try ecotools blush brush out :)

Maybelline EyeStudio Lasting Drama Gel Pot 3g - $16.95 - I've heard alot about this product and its comparison to the MAC Fluidline gel eye liner. So i decided to try it out in the shade Charcoal - which is alot softer than my current black liquid liner and a nice alternative on my casual days.

Neutrogena Combination Skin Moisturiser 118ml - $13.99 - Just ran out of my regular Simple moisturiser for sensitive skin so thought i might try this out as a change to hopefully control my shiny T-Zone!

Revlon ColorBurst Lip Butter 2.55 g - $21.95 - As ive heard so many great reviews on these lip butters i decided i couldnt resist! So i bought them in Candy Apple which is a bright red coral and Raspberry Pie which is a dark raspberry pink.

Rimmel Exaggerate Lip Liner - $10 on sale- I actually don't own a red lip liners only nude/pink ones so i decided to try this out to try with my Candy Apple Lip Butter as it was pretty affordable. It's more of a crayon than a pencil and it feels really smooth to apply - well on my hand anyway!

aaaand on a less exciting note i also bought Dove GOFresh Deodorant and Colour Care Shampoo/Conditioner.. they were on special who could resist? :)

The Procrastinating Beauty Blogger TAG

Hi everyone! So i saw this tag on www.sweetaholic-beauty.com and i thought i would give it a whirl seeing as i have never done one before and thought it looked like a bit of fun! 

Rules:

1. You must copy and paste these 'rules' onto your post when you write it, it doesn't take long!.

2. You must state that this tag was created by 'The Beau Bow' and link www.thebeaubow.blogspot.com

3. You must thank the person who tagged you at the start of your post (link their blog as well) -follow them if you're feeling nice!, and then at the end of your post state who you tag, and then comment on their blog on their latest post to let them know you tagged them, and link your post so they can see what to do.

4. Title this post 'The Procrastinating Beauty Blogger TAG' so everyone knows what it is about.

5. Have fun! :)

1. Name a beauty regime that you rarely do?

Moisturise my body - i never have enough time in the morning to apply and then wait for it to dry. At the moment its not so much a problem, but once winter kicks in i guess i'll have to change that..

2. Is washing your makeup brushes something you do regularly?

I actually just cleaned all mine over the long weekend, but before that not really apart from the odd wash of my foundation or blush brush. These two are pretty important as i find these are the most used out of all my brushes

3. How long will you last with chipped nail polish?

Not too long but maybe a day or so if im really limited with time. If i see anyone with chipped nails where the nail polish is only on about 1/4 of the nail i will judge that person just take it all off.. eek

4. How long do you put off buying/replacing a beauty or nail polish product even if you need it? (i.e purchasing a new topcoat, or a new foundation etc.)

This has never been a problem with me! Usually my holy grail makeup ill repurchase before it even runs out but anything else ill usually fall in love with something else before its even half used.

5. What is your worst beauty habit?
Definitely would have to be touching my face throughout the day. I am so terrible i rub my eyes all the time and end up looking like a panda eyed freak. Not. Good.

6. Name something non-beauty related that you put off doing all the time?
Sleep. I know this is strange because everybody loves sleep and dont get me wrong so do i, and i'm a sucker for a lie in. But for some reason 10-11 at night seems to be the hour where im most active - whether it be uni work, watching towie or writing blog posts i always find things to do (its currently 10.20 now..) 

7. When going out somewhere, do you leave getting ready until the last minute or not?
 It really depends on where and who im going out with. Like jasmine from sweetaholic-beaut  i do hate waiting around after im done so i usually leave it to the last minute.. eek

8. Can you commit to spending bans?

I probably could if i tried, but lucky i still live at home and am not currently saving up for anything in particular, so spending bans are not a problem (at the moment anyway)

9. How organised is your makeup and nail polish collection?

I actually live in a pretty small apartment so considering the space restrictions im not doing too bad. I just rediscovered an old ikea wooden box that i used to use as a kid, and it has all these difference sized drawers with is perfect for categorising all my products 

10. What is the longest amount of time you have gone without writing a blog post?

Well im pretty new to the blogsphere soo i think its about a weekend? But that was because i was away camping with no phone reception/internet/make-up so who can blame me!

March Lush Have It Box

Just a quick post to show your my newly arrived Lust Have It Box. This is my first ever beauty box subscription and its looking good so far. So heres a brief intro to what i received in my box this month..

BioElexia BodyShaper Cellulite Contour Creme RTP $59 150ml - i'm so excited to try this and still can't believe the full size was given in a sample box that only costs $20! The box also came with a 25% off voucher for anyone wanting to re-purchase the product.

Skindinavia Makeup Finishing Spray RTP $29 59ml - As a person that suffers with oily skin, when i go out my makeup often slides off my face (even when i wear primer). The skindivania spray uses the same formula as the Urban Decay Finishing Spray which i've heard amazing things about, so this is probably the product i'm most excited about!

The Natural Source Camoflage Colour Crayons - No.015 (Khaki Green) and No.022 (Electric Blue) RTP $9.99 - I've never even heard of this brand but when i swatched them (below) they were really smooth and soft on my skin. They claim to be perfect for eyes, lips AND body so i'm looking forward to trying no.022 on my eyes.

DeLorenzo Essential Treatments Equilibrium RTP $31 250gm- As my hair is extremely thick and long i'm sure this masque wont last too long, but we'll see if it can fix my colour-treated hair anyway

Ocean Essence 24K Gold Eye Patches RTP $32.95 5pk - These strange looking patches aim to nourish and plumb dark circles and are the latest crave to reduce the signs of ageing. Very excited to try these due to my current sleepless nights, and i'll keep you guys posted! 

Aaaand here i am looking very sleep-deprived but excited about my new beauty addition..

Review: Sleek MakeUP i Divine Pallete + Blush by 3

So a couple of weeks ago my Sleek MakeUP delivery finally arrived and i was so excited to try out this brand as i had heard so many wonderful things. The shipping was about $3 per product and for delivery to Australia, it's not too much compared to what some websites and companies ask.

My purchases 

• Blush by 3 (Sugar)
• i Divine Palette (Storm)
• Brow Kit (Light)
• Eau la la liner (White)

i Divine Pallete (Storm) - 

What i liked
     ✓ Very affordable - around $10 
     ✓ Super pigmented so a little goes a long way
     ✓ My favourite shades were very pretty rose/gold shades which blend really well
       together
     ✓ The black matte shade - it was perfect for lining my lid when i didn't wanted a   
       more blended line

What i didn't like

     ✗ The amount of shimmer in most of the shades - only 3 matte shades so for 
      everyday use it isn't so practical

     ✗ The eyeshadow brush included - it was very stiff and didn't pick up alot of 

      product, but who uses those anyway?

My verdict: 4/5 - definitely would purchase other shades

Blush by 3 (Sugar)

(Turbinado, Muscovado, Demerara)

What i liked
     ✓ Very pigmented 
     ✓ Long-lasting - no need to re-apply during the day
     ✓  Demerara (Right) was definitely a surprising favourite of mine it was 
      easier to apply and blend then the other two 

What i didn't like

     ✗ Muscovado (Middle shade) - i thought it would come out as a shimmery bronze,
      but as the swatch shows its more like a dark red?? Anyway.. i find it really hard 
      to blend and in the end it looks pretty patchy 

My verdict: 5/5 - apart from the one unlucky shade i LOVED everything else 

Wearing:
Sleek Brow kit (Light)
Blush by 3 (Turbinado)

Bargain Finds

On Saturday i went to a factory outlet not too far from where i live and i came across a small bargain cosmetic/fragrance store. Therefore most of my time and money spent was on beauty products. And here are some of my bargain purchases..

Essie - e-nuff is e-nuff - $6

Sally Hansen Xtreme - 480 The Real Teal - $2

NYC Skin Matching Foundation in 687 (Light to Medium) - $2

Coral Colours Baked Bronzer - $2

Roc Make-up Remover Milk - 3 in 1 Cleanser, Toner, Moisturiser - $8

Roc Perfecting Toner - $8

April Wants

As March is coming to an end i thought it would be an appropriate time to show you some of my autumn-inspired wants that i plan to purchase in the next 4 weeks or so...

1.  Sportsgirl Future Knit Scarf - I've seen this colourful scarf in Sportsgirl so many times now and i think it will be perfect in brighting up a black outfit in the middle of a cold winter.
2. Dotti Khaki Hooded Anorak Jacket - I'm so excited to add this to my Autumn/Winter wardrobe and i can look past the $90 price tag if i wear it everyday from the day i purchase it haha
3. Clarins Beauty Flash Balm - It's described as an instant radiance booster as well as a perfect base for make-up and for all these uni assignments i have coming up, my stressed skin is going to need some of this!
4. Rimmel Apocalips Lip Lacquer  - Although im not a lipgloss kind of girl, i've read so many good reviews on this so  i can't wait until they hit the Australian shelves. 
5. Essie nailpolish - Polishes in limited addition (dark red) and beyond cosy (gold glitter) - just purchased my first essie nail polish and now im hooked!
6. Real Techniques core collection - For those who don't know i have an extreme love for make-up brushes. I've recently used the MAC 224 Tapered Blending Brush which is perfect for buffing around problem areas so I'm interested in trying out the realtechniques more affordable version. 

What's on your April Wantlist? 

Lush Heaven

At the end of last month i purchased a couple of lush goodies as a small token of my self-appreciation, its one of my favorite stores for all things fresh, organic and amazing smelling products. So here we have...

120g ($20.95) or 250g ($35.95)

• Ocean Salt Facial Scrub - described by Lush as a mix of fresh avocado and coconut to hydrate thirsty skin, while the antibacterial effects of lime and vodka is ideal for blocked pores, blackheads or blemishes.
  
  
  WOW WOW WOW as soon as the shop assistant tried this out on my skin i was blown away. Never before had i felt my arm soo soft. I love using this 1-2 times a week and i find it 100% helps when my skins lacking in glow or i've got some spots/blackheads. The 250g tub is quite pricey as its only going to last about 6-8 weeks after you buy it and i'm about 1/3 the way through my 120g after 3 weeks. You can definitely use it on your body if you're not too scared to wasting it (unlike me)

Fresh Face Masks - $15.95

•   Cosmetic Warrior Fresh Face Mask - described as a fresh face mask to combat spots, cleanse dirt, calm and soothe all troubled skins. Containing antiseptic fresh garlic and tea tree essential oil, reinforced with deeply cleansing kaolin and fresh grapes, are aided by softening honey and free-range eggs.
  
  Retailing at $16, Lush's Fresh Face Masks are a must-try for any Lush Virgin - usually i would go for the Love Lettuce as it's been perfect in the past for my combination skin, however, the assistant in the shop said this mask was best for hormonal skin so i decided why not? What first intrigued me to this face mask was the ingredients - garlic, honey and eggs - whaaat? The smell kind of put me off but the way it made my skin looked made by look after the first use made me forget all about that. The other problem i had with this mask - like much of the fresh products - was the use-by-date! I'm not even half way through it (as you can see below) therefore throwing it in the bin 3 weeks is a bit of a shame.

 

First Impressions

Hello cyberworld!

Who knew that finding a layout could be so difficult? But now the hard graft is over i'm left with the fun part, the first blogpost..eek.

I'm going to keep it simple this time with some introductions..

My names is Jess and i'm a law student currently studying in Sydney. I have lived here for 6 years but am originally from England. Recently being introduced to beauty blogs and vlogs (i love that word) i have decided to be brave and jump onboard! 

As i live in Australia and i often struggle finding some of the products i would like to so i am OBSESSED with online shopping and international shippings (especially when its free!). I'm currently waiting on a sleek make-up order and a lust have it beauty-box subscription to arrive which i can't wait to get my paws on and start blogging about!

P.s i will upload a photo of myself soon i just haven't figured out how to yet.. watch this space 

Ciao!