Youtube Inspiration #1: Emma Pickles

I've been a fan of watching beauty videos on YouTube such a long time, and recently I've copied a couple of makeup tutorials so I thought I would put it into kind of a mini series that I will occasionally post so I can share my favourite Beauty Guru's. Hopefully it will create inspiration for those who may be looking for someone new to follow.
This first installment is an Arabic-inspired look by the beautiful & talented Emma Pickles. You should definitely check her out, she has an awesome accent, to-the-point videos & seems so lovely. I will share the video down below!

Colourful Arabic-esque Eyes

 ~Products
Face: Rimmel Wake Me Up + Stay Matte powder
Nars Laguna, Bourjois Delice De Soleil bronzer, MAC Lightscapade
Jordana A Touch Of Pink
Eyes: 1- Sugarpill Goldilux Pigment Center of lid only
2- Bh Cosmetics Day & Night, Lilac Inner & Outer corner of lid & inner lower lashline
3- Bh Cosmetics Day & Night, Blue Over lilac to intensify & blended into crease & outer lower lash line
4- "  " Pink colour blended into crease
5- Skin tone colour from Wet n Wild Vanity palette to blend out crease & a subtle highlight
6- White shimmery eyeshadow also from Day & Night palette to highlight inner corner
Sleek Gel Liner Lash Line & waterline (wish mine turned out as dramatic as hers, oh well)

Lips: MAC Candy Yum Yum (she wore lighter pink lips but I felt like going bright =))

The link to her video is here, be sure to check out her channel you wont regret it!

I hope you like this makeup look, let me know what you think!
I will try to semi-regularly continue on with this series whenever I get inspiration from my fave gurus!
xx  

Bite Beauty Cosmetics// Lip Products Review & Swatches

Bite Beauty is a brand that is featured fairly frequently on Ozsale, and while I was on my "spending ban", which is now a lot more stricter since it is a bit more closer to my big holiday, I saw it on there and thought I would try something from a new brand.

Description from their website-
"Bite Beauty is an all-natural lip care company operating out of downtown Toronto. Our mission is to create lipstick that is high performance and healthy enough to eat for women everywhere."
Bite Beauty is entirely focused on lip products, with their Luminous Cream Lipstick, High Pigment Pencils, Cinnamon Lip Oil, Pastille Matte Crèmes, Lush Lip Tints & more, so I would imagine they would be focused on creating high quality products.

The two products I bought were the Luminous Creme lipstick in the colour Rhone & a High Pigment Pencil in Pomegranate. They have a high end feel with the rubber-textured packaging reminiscent of NARS. The High Pigment Pencil especially reminds me of the Velvet lip pencils, although I haven't tried or seen them in person.

I've used these a couple of times as you can see the bullets aren't as precise as they would have been.

Luminous Creme Lipstick
"These unbelievably smooth lipsticks deliver lush, long-lasting colour and moisture-rich coverage in an incredibly inviting palette of 13 alluring shades ranging from modern nudes to provocative plums. Organic fruit butters create a creamy texture that conditions and nourishes lips with every use, while antioxidant-rich Resveratrol fights free radicals and helps reduce the appearance of lines. Each lipstick contains the amount of resveratrol found in five glasses of red wine. Bite Beauty create their products with food grade ingredients for beauty that’s better for you. They are free from parabens, sulfates, synthetic dyes, petrochemicals or phthalates."
Borrowed from Kleinsperfumery

You would be able to see from these two lip products that I have been in the mood for red/ burgundy lips recently. This is, as the name suggests a very creamy & pigmented lip colour that applies very smoothly & is fairly long lasting.
Their signature B is carved into the bullet and the end of the packaging has a curved lipstick-wand shape, making it look different & interesting compared to other brands as well as the gray rubber. The only way to know the colour from the outside from the label on the bottom.
Rhone is a darker wine colour, and typically I had to have something almost identical to it, Kate by Rimmel in 09 as you will see in comparison swatches. Looking back at the different colours, I'd love to try a vibrant purple!

FOTD with UD Naked 1 eyes, Nyx Peach blush & Bite Beauty Luminous Creme Lipstick in Rhone

 High Pigment Pencil in Pomegranate
This pencil is basically a lipstick but in a wind-able pencil form with the colour shown at the end of the stick so you can see easily which colour you've picked up.
The colour looks like a brighter red in the tube but turns out to be very blue based on the lips, it is a lot more similar to Rhone than what I thought it would be, but not as glossy.
In the lip swatch below I have applied it over the top of lip balm that I really should have blotted before. I found that it lasted well until I had something to eat, and then it disappeared almost immediately, leaving only a little bit of a stain behind. Obviously if you take the right steps such as blotting lip balm beforehand, lining with a pencil and then using a lip brush (the head is small but not defined enough for a precise lip line), and even setting lightly with a powder, it should last bit more decently.

Eyes from UD Naked 1 palette, cheeks are L.A Girl Nectar, Bite Beauty High Pigment Pencil Pomegranate

 Comparisons
 As I mentioned above, almost every time I order something online, when I get it I know I have a similar colour straight away.

 L-R: Kate by Rimmel in 09,Bite Beauty Rhone, Bite Beauty Pomegranate, Maybelline Are You Red-Dy, Nyx Amsterdam

 Kate 09 is slightly darker but a very similar colour to Rhone, Are You Red-Dy has more orange tones and Amsterdam has a similar blue tone to Pomegranate.
 
Both the Luminious Creme Lipstick & High Pigment Pencil's retail for AU$36.95 online from Kleinsperfumery, The Iconic & also from Sephora(and instore) if you are in the US for US$24 but I bought mine on sale for $21 so if you are a lip junkie wanting to try a new brand I'd recommend to wait until a sale pops up.

Overall these lip products are pretty good but not a necessity to have in your collection, but if you want to try a different brand the Bite Beauty range has different types of lip products that may suit you.

No Affiliation with any of the websites mentioned, except for an invitation link to Ozsale. All products bought with my own money & are my own opinion.

How to: Effortless Glowy Skin

If you've been following me for a while, you probably know that I absolutely love a glowy/ dewy foundation finish. As my skin is dry/ dehydrated I love looking like I have a healthy glow and here's how I achieve it!

 Firstly you will want to start with your primer to ensure your makeup lasts all day. Lately I have been using Arbonne's Virtual Illusion makeup primer mixed with Majolica Majorca Skin Lingerie Porecover, although pores are not my main skin concern & this is meant to be for oily skin. If you have oily skin I'd recommend a primer to control that, but if you have dry skin there are many types of primers that help add an extra glow such as Face of Australia's Face Base with Vitamin E & Chamomile, Essence's My Base Illuminating Makeup Base or alternatively you can mix something like Becca's Shimmering Skin Perfector or MAC Strobe cream in with a primer.

Primer only, and bad lighting/ angle but bare skin. Yuck haha

 Now you can apply your foundation, or concealer if you prefer to do it beforehand, but for an extra glow you can mix an illuminizer on the back of your hand for an all over glow or only on certain areas. The latter is better for oily skin as usually an all over shine is what you are trying to avoid.

 Rimmel Wake Me Up is illuminating enough as it is so I don't really need to mix it with MAC's Strobe Cream but if you use a foundation with a matte/  satin finish it will add glow only where you want it. I've dabbed it only onto my cheekbones, nose & chin but you can also do center of the forehead & cupids bow. I only occasionally do this step.

I have already applied my concealer on blemishes & under my eyes. I also lightly go over my lips & eyebrows as a base.

 If you have chosen to skip mixing an illuminator with your foundation, I would recommend using a cream colour base (CCB), such as MAC's CCB in Pearl or Hush, depending on your skin tone. My cheap 15 concealer palette from eBay also has a highlighter shade in it too. I use my fingers to dab this on the same places as the Strobe cream. You want to do this after foundation & concealer & before powder.

 You will also want to set your CCB with a powder for longevity. There are soo many different highlighters out here but here are a few of my options; Revlon A Floral Affair in Hushed Blush, the lightest shade obviously, MAC Mineralize Skin Finish in Lightscapade, Nyx Dramatic Chromatic Eyeshadow Pigment in Pearl White. I have been using Lightscapade pretty much every day since I bought it in November & it has just started to loose the dome shape. I also use the Sigma F35 brush to apply it.

The difference isn't as notable unlike if I used a matte or satin foundation & no illuminizer at the start, but it is more noticeable when the full face is finished.

Bourjois Delice de Soleil bronzer, RT blush brush for bronzer, Milani Baked blush in Luminoso, Furless Blush brush.

 Here is what I applied on the rest of my face (not pictured, Rimmel Stay Matte powder dusted lightly all over). Can you see the film developing over the Bourjois bronzer, has this happened to anyone else? It's barely pigmented enough as it is! This baked blush furthers the glow but you could use a matte blush if it is too much for you.

Aand the absolute finished product complete with eyeliner & lipstick (MAC Hue), oh and eyebrows, but no eyeshadow since I ran out of time before work!! So this is basically what I do every day, give or take a few steps, to keep my skin looking healthy & glowing.

Top tips to remember (TL;DR version)
 -If you have oily skin use a mattifying primer and a matte/ satin finish foundation and spot highlight so you don't look shiny all over
-Use cream/ liquid products where possible if suitable for your skin type & lightly powder with similar colours for longevity
-Use a light reflecting concealer underneath the eyes only if you have dark circles otherwise the dewyness will not be as effective

I hope you find this informative & easy to understand, I'd love to hear all feedback!
Let me know if you prefer a glowy or matte look!

xx

Subtle Sexy 60's Makeup

 Hey beauties!

This is an older FOTD that has a subtle sexy 60's vibe with a slightly defined but more blended crease, and a small cat eye that extends all the way into the inner eye corner, creating a sexier feline shape for those ladies who have rounder eyes. This is a very cool toned look so you can use warmer crease colours if you would prefer, but I've also kept the cheeks & lips cool toned as well. I really adore this look & I hope you all like it!

Products
Face: Unsure of the foundation/ concealer combination as it is a bit heavier then what I have been wearing lately, but I think I used Nyx Pinky Blush, this was before I had Laguna so bronzer would have been a Christian Dior sample I had at the time & Nude by Nature Eye Definer to contour with Mac Lightscapade as a highlight.

Eyes: UD Naked 2 Palette: Foxy & Bootycall Applied together all over the lid with Bootycall as a highlight on the browbone & inner corner
Tease Blended into the crease with a fluffy brush so there are no harsh lines
Snakebite blended just above Tease & also on the lower lash line.
Blackout Added definition in the crease by using a bullet brush and then blended out again with Tease
UD liner in 'Whiskey' to line the waterline & lower lash line.
Maybelline Master Precise eyeliner starting from the middle of the lash line to draw outwards and a slight wing to meet the crease colour, and then going right into the inner corner, accentuating it by going onto the lower lashline slightly.
 Max Factor False Lash Effect

Lips: Revlon Lip Butter in Sweet Tart mixed with a purple lipstick from Inglot


The 60's is one of my favourite eras for makeup inspiration, tell me about yours!
xx

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Diva Jewellery Haul

 Diva is an Australian Jewellery shop that sells decent items for affordable prices. As I do not have one near me, and it has been forever since I have acquired any new accessories, I thought it was about time I would place an order.
 Although our summer is done & dusted, I was feeling like I needed a few bright statement necklaces & earrings, but just because it is not the season doesn't mean I can't brighten up my look! I bought the necklaces in mind especially to wear out clubbing as I have a lot of black clothes & bright accessories will change the look.

Coral Enamel Necklace

I have been seeing these types of necklaces everywhere so I thought I would jump onto the bandwagon. I love the colour of this. I didn't realize it would have a gold chain (like almost everything else I bought) as I normally only wear silver but I don't mind it like this, and don't care about mixing & matching silver & gold like I thought I would. This was the most expensive item I bought for $15.00 as I chose mainly sale items.

3 Row Orange Rectangle Necklace

On sale for $7 and to make up my order I thought why not and if I didn't like it to give it away.... I love the orange and the 3 tiers and think it would look great against a black outfit.

Gold Simple Plate Necklace

Another style that is in at the moment, this one was $9.95 and I thought it would look good with a strapless dress.

Solid Rose Gold Spiked Bracelet

 I have been wanting a bracelet like this for a while and something in rosegold, this was $9.95 and I think it looks nice with bangles and my chain bracelet which I wear all the time. I can see this not taking too long to tarnish so it hopefully doesn't!

Coral Enamel Spot Stretch Bangle

This was $6 and it looked bigger on the website but still quite pretty.

Pink Enamel Section Earrings

Going on with the pink & gold theme, these decently heavy earrings take a little bit of getting used to, I got these for $9.95.

Pop Pink Stone Cut Earrings

 Yet another pink item were these earrings that I wouldn't have bought if they weren't $3. Especially if I felt them in store as they feel quite cheap. I seriously didn't know that everything I was buying was gold, but I think I can get used to it. I'm still a silver girl, through and through.

Birds of A Feather Drop Earrings

I loved how elegant these looked with the gold against the black, & these were $9.95

Gold Open Triangle Studs

Lastly, almost, were these earrings that were also very cheap at $4 and once again I had pictured the sizing different as I thought they looked smaller on the website. Anyway, they are kind of a simple way to make a statement with my earrings.

Something I forgot to include in the picture was a Silver Ponytail Cuff that was $6.99 but a waste of money as it basically feels like cardboard and that it may break when I try to open it up around my ponytail. So far so good but with a few more uses I don't know how it would go.

So all up my total came to $81.95 and when you spend $80 or more you get free shipping, so when I was up to $61 I thought I may as well get a couple of extra items because the shipping would have probably added up to near that amount anyway, which is where the cheaper items came in handy.

It still took a couple of weeks with shipping but all up I was happy with the service from Diva online so I would recommend buying from them online if you did not have access to their shops. And although some items feel as cheap as they are, for the price they are easy & affordable to replace. Unfortunately I cannot tell you how much shipping is but I'd assume it would be the standard $9.95- $15 depending on how much you buy etc.

Have you bought from Diva online before? Or do you like browsing in store?
xx

LA Girl Blush // Review, Swatches & Comparison

I bought these L.A Girl blushes from IKatehouse not too long ago and you may remember me saying I wasn't too sure about them, because it was so hard to find good swatches at the time so I wasn't sure what I would be getting. The shades I got weren't really unique so I thought I would go through my collection and see what they compared to.

L-R: L.A Girl Blusher in Nectar, Just Pinched

 If you can see on the picture on the left, the flash captures the coral colour and golden sheen of Nectar, and the medium pink with slight shimmer of Just Pinched. The shimmer in both of these blushes are barely noticeable, and they pull more matte on me.

Packaging: Cheap feeling plastic compacts with a lift up mirror & brush underneath the product.
Pigmentation: Sheer, takes a few swipes from the pan to show up.
Texture: Not buttery soft but not hard, with satin/ shimmery finishes.
Price & Where to buy: $2.99 on Ikatehouse.com, Beautyjoint, Cherryculture for $6 but on special for $3.50.

Comparison
Nectar

 L-R: MAC Peachykeen, Bourjois Blush #16, Jordana Coral Sandy Beach, E.L.F Peachykeen, L.A Girl Nectar.

The closest blush I have to in Nectar is definitely E.L.F's Peachykeen, they have the same peachy tone & shimmer. I don't think I will get much use out of this blush, I don't use Peachykeen much as it is so I will probably give it to a friend.

Just Pinched

L-R: MAC Dollymix, Nyx Pinky, Bourjois Blusher 54, L.A Girl Just Pinched

 Just Pinched isn't a stand out unique colour, it is probably the closest to Pinky but with the same sheen that Dolly mix has, but not as pigmented as either blushes.

Overall I think there are plenty of other 'drugstore' makeup brands that have better products, I probably wouldn't bother with L.A Girl again as I've found blushes from Nyx, E.L.F, Jordana & Milani have just as good/better pigmentation. I'm going to wear these a couple more times until I decided if I like them enough to keep or give away.

Thanks for reading, what are your favourite drugstore blushes? xx