Essence Long Lasting Eye Pencil - Review + Swatches

Hey all, 

You have heard me rave about Essence products a couple of times now, and you are going to hear it a couple of times more. I seem to love every single Essence product that I try and cannot get enough of them; this eye pencil is not any different. 

I picked the black one up a few weeks ago and loved it so much that I headed back to expand my colour collection. I picked up Black Fever, I Have a Green, Think Khaki, Remember Amber, Go Wild and C'est La Vie!. 

For $2.95, I can afford every colour of the rainbow. 

My pretties! 

Black Fever, C'est La Vie!, Remember Amber, I Have A Green, Think Khaki & Go Wild

What Essence Says 

- Super soft and precise application. Long lasting. 

What I Love

- It really is long lasting; it won't budge or smudge during the day. 

- Goes on smoothly and doesn't tag at the skin. 

- Highly pigmented. 

- Automatic pencil, no need to sharpen. 

- Quite a wide colour choice.

- Cheap.

What I Don't 

- I have found that the pencil tends to break quite a bit - but maybe that is just me? 

- My local Target is always sold out! Fix it! 

Where to Buy: Target 

Price: $2.95

Swatches 

Without Flash 

From Left to Right: I Have A Green, Think Khaki, Remembering Amber, Go Wild, C'est La Vie! & Black Fever

With Flash 

These have become one of my favourite cheaper, long-lasting eye liners. I particularly love Black Fever, Think Khaki and Remember Amber.  Oh Essence, you have impressed me again! 

Have you tried these, or are you going to? Do you have a favourite liner under $5? 

Hope you all have a great night! xx

*Exciting update! I have purchased all the products for my giveaway and it should be up later tonight or tomorrow! 

Breast Cancer Awareness Inspired Nails + Tutorial

Hey all, 

With national pink ribbon day being tomorrow, I thought I would do something special with my nails to show my support. Breast cancer awareness is something that I hold especially close to my heart, as many women in my family - including my gorgeous mother, have been affected by breast cancer in the past. 

As I am no where near talented enough to paint a pink ribbon on my nails, I thought that I would just go with some plain ol' pink instead! I painted them a bright, candy pink with hot pink glittery tips!

Overall, I am quite happy with the way they turned out! 

What I Used

- OPI Base & Top Coat 

- French Manicure Tip Guides 

- B Collection by Bloom in Venezuela 

- LA Splash in Sparkling Rose 

How I Did It

- Painted my nails with my OPI base coat and let dry.

- Painted the entire nail with two coats of B Collection by Bloom in Venezuela, and let dry completely.

- Applied french manicure tip guides to all my nails.

- Painted two coats of LA Splash in Sparkling Rose on the tips.

- Removed french manicure tip guides before the polish dried.

- When nails were completely dry, applied top coat. 

I hope that you all enjoyed this look, and found my steps somewhat helpful! If you didn't want to do this look in pink, any other colours would work as well! 

Support those affected by breast cancer: wear pink, buy a ribbon or donate (if possible). You can get more information about this important cause at http://www.pinkribbonday.com.au/. 

Hope you all have a great day! xx

NYX Caribbean Collection - I Dream of Aruba Review

Hey all, 

This is a review that I cannot believe I haven't done already! If someone had asked me before I started blogging what the first product I would look at would be, this would've definitely been up the top of my list! I love bronze eye looks, and use this palette so frequently I always worry that I will get stuck in a rut! You can really create so many looks with this palette, from more simple everyday looks, to more glammed up looks. 

Those who know me are aware of how much I love NYX products, especially the eyeshadows. They are such great quality! Long lasting, highly pigmented and they have some amazingly gorgeous shades (and quite a few unique shades as well). They are also so cheap and really hold their own in comparison to the high end brands. Just getting the word out there - if you haven't tried any of their shadow's, you really should! (I will put up a post on my fave NYX shades). 

NYX Caribbean Collection - I Dream of Aruba 

What I Love

- The colours - most of NYX shades are amazing colours individually, and NYX also has this way of putting together palettes that just go so well together

- Pigmentation - rivals MACs

- Easy to work with, blend etc 

- Long lasting 

- Cruelty Free 

- Hypoallergenic 

- Cheap! 

What I Am Not So Crazy About 

- NYX products are extremely hard to find in Australia, I get most of mine online (I will list some places below) 

Price: $13.95 AUD (for 5 eyeshadows) 

Where to Buy

- I buy most of my NYX products from Crush Cosmetics, they are Australian and based in Australia & you can get express shipping as well. 

- You can also buy NYX from Groove Accessories, although the selection is limited 

- eBay (direct from USA) if you don't mind paying for shipping

- And from the NYX website

It is a wonderful, versatile palette that I have got a lot of use out of. I really do recommend trying it! If bronze shades aren't really your thing, NYX has a extensive range of colours - so have a look! I cannot stress how much I recommend NYX eyeshadow's! 

Hope you all have a great day! xx

* Just a hint: use a primer! They swatch well without, but are to die for when you use one! 

Australis Intensifeye Wet/Dry Eyeshadow Review

Hey all,

I stumbled across these gorgeous eyeshadow quads while they were on sale in Priceline, and I just had to buy a couple. The colours looked absolutely gorgeous, the packaging was elegant, and they were such a great price! (I picked them up for $11 each!).

I grabbed the True Blue and the You Beauty quads as I don't have that many blue and pink eyeshadow shades - I am trying to expand my horizons! True Blue is a collection of four wearable, striking shades ranging from light to dark, and You Beauty is a collection of girly, but sexy pinks! 

What I Love 

- Highly pigmented - especially for the price 

- Great cost! 

- Can be used wet or dry

- The shades in each quad work together perfectly: shades in each quad for a base shade, contour/crease and highlight

- Sleek, elegant packaging 

- Not tested on animals!! 

What I Am Not So Crazy About 

- Doesn't last so long without a primer 

- As most drugstore eyeshadow products, I wish they had more shades

Where you can buy it: Priceline, Target, Big W & Kmart 

Price: $13.95 AUD 


Swatches 


True Blue 

I am not talented at swatching on my left hand at all!

You Beauty 

Overall I love them! Sure, they aren't as pigmented or long lasting as some MAC eyeshadows that I have, but at $13.95 for four splendid shades I don't think that they need to be! I am definitely going to pick up the Choc a Block (brown/neutrals) and The Big Smoke (smoky eye) quads the next time I head to Priceline!

Hope you all have a great day! xx

MAC Fall Colour Eyeshadow: Shock-A-Holic

Hey all, 

A couple of days ago I headed out to my local MAC counter at Myer with the aim to purchase Woodwinked (finally), and came across the new Fall Colour collection! All the colours within the entire collection are absolutely gorgeous, vibrant and unique. Of course, I couldn't help myself and left the store with the new Shock-A-Holic shade (as well as Woodwinked of course!). 

Isn't it such a pretty purple?!

About the Shade - Vibrant grape purple - Slight shimmer - Pink shimmer particles (absolutely gorgeous!)- Satin finish 

What I Love 

- Anyone who knows me quite well is aware that in general I adore MAC eyeshadows! 

- Long lasting 

- Crease free

- Beautiful vivid colours!

What I Am Not So Crazy About

- MAC eyeshadow's are quite pricey, especially here in Australia! At $33 AUD each, sometimes they can be hard to justify purchasing. 

- New and limited edition shades often sell out quickly in store


Swatches


Without Flash 

With Flash 

It looks great with a dark brown colour in the crease for an everyday look, or a green, or even a blue for a more adventurous look. 

I am definitely going to pick up more of the collection soon. I am loving the vibrant fall colours out recently, greatly suited for the Australian spring I think! And for those of us who are a little more on the adventurous side.

Hope you all have a great day! xx

Nail Polish: NYC Colour in Lolly Pop

Hey all, 

Just a quick post, I put a new nail polish on last night all, and am absolutely adoring it! It is an absolutely gorgeous light lavender purple metallic colour, with just the right amount of shimmer. Also on the plus side: it catches the light beautifully & looks great after just two coats! 

Oh, and it was only $1.95 from Crush Cosmetics! I had a bit of an online nail polish haul the other night (I am sure that some of the other colours I picked up will turn up on here in the near future!). 

Hope you all have a great day! xx

Six September Favourites

Hey all, 

I'm going to be blogging about my monthly favourites each month, and I am trying to stick to 6 items per month (it is EXTREMELY difficult!). When I first compiled my list it was very long, and I just looked at it and realised that none of you are going to want to read that much! My favourite products are generally products that I reach for a lot during the month and find myself using more than everything else. These aren't full reviews of each product, but I will be reviewing them all soon, and I will link to reviews I have already written. 

One, two, three...Enjoy!

Lancome Teint Miracle Foundation 

Definitely my new HG foundation! I have been reaching for it so often this month, and am absolutely in love with it. It has medium-full buildable coverage, and makes my skin look flawless and radiant! I have also found that the quality of my skin in general has improved since I started using this foundation more - definitely a bonus! Read my review here.

I love my NYX eyeshadows as they are so pigmented, long lasting, and have a wide range of shades to choose from. Absolutely amazing for the price! Two NYX eyeshadows made it onto my favourites list for this month. 

NYX Eyeshadow in Gunmetal 

Absolutely gorgeous shade, it is so hard to explain just how beautiful it is without you all seeing it up close yourselves. Gorgeous dark silver metallic shade, with lighter silver shimmer particles. Catches the light beautifully, and is great for a smoky eye or a more dramatic look!

NYX Eyeshadow in Kiwi 

Beautiful bright, light green, with just the right amount of shimmer. Green is big this season, which I am suer excited about as it is one of my favourite colours to use! 

E.l.f. Cream Eyeliner - Plum Purple 

Absolutely gorgeous cream eyeliner, especially for the price! It goes on smoothly and without any hassle, is long lasting, and super pigmented! I'm definitely going to build my colour collection in the months to come, especially since I have been using coloured eye liners more and more! 

e.l.f Shimmering Facial Whip in Golden Peach 

My go to highlight for this month. 

MAC Cremesheen Glass in Looks Like Sin  

This was a limited edition from the Semi-Precious Collection, and I absolutely adore it. I wore it a lot this month, especially for darker looks or when I was heading out at night. I think you can still buy it from MAC official websites, and you would be able to find it on eBay. 

I hope that you all enjoyed reading a little about my monthly favourites, and I will make sure that I put a favourite list up each month! Make sure you let me know what your favourites are this month :) 

Hope you all have a great day! xx

* Photographs are not my own (except NYX eyeshadow pictures) nor do I claim that they are my own. 

Nail Polish of the Month: Rimmel 60 Seconds in 285 Style Hunter

Hey all, 

I am currently stuck at home because I am horribly ill, and I just painted my nails to cheer myself up a little. Which gave me a great idea! 

Introducing...the nail polish of the month segment of my blog! Ta-dah! Nail polish is one of those items that I always find myself buying, especially if it is on sale. That being the case, it makes perfect sense to share my nail polish favourites with you all! 

My nails are generally a new colour every week, sometimes more frequently (I like to mix it up a little), but I am only going to introduce a favourite shade of mine once a month for two reasons. Firstly, some shades that I adore I find myself using over and over again, and secondly, some shades I will use once and forget about! 

Anyway, here goes. 

Rimmel 60 Seconds: 285 Style Hunter

About the Shade 

- Gorgeous muted purple, pink shade.

- Feminine and elegant. 

- No shimmer.  

I absolutely adore this shade! Purple is my favourite colour and this shade is just the perfect mix of purple and pink. Looking at it honestly just cheers up my day! I have worn it twice this month already.

About the Formulation 

I must say that Rimmel's 60 Seconds nail polish is one of my favourite drug store formulations. It goes on smoothly, and looks amazing after two coats. It's usually super shiny/glossy (you know what I mean!). I also love the brush, Rimmel states it as an 'Xpress Brush - for 1 sec application'. Although it does take a little bit longer than one second, the brush is thicker and wider than most other brushes out there, which makes for super quick and mess free application! 

Price: $7.95 - from Priceline, Target, Big W, K-Mart and pharmacies/drug stores across Australia. Pretty cheap I say! 

Hope you all have a great day! xx

XLNT Eyeshadow Rave & Review

Hey all,

This is a product rave of epic proportions because I absolutely adore the eyeshadow from this brand. I found this brand at my local Cosmetics Fragrance Direct store a couple of months ago and purchased one of their eyeshadow trios, or 'tr-eyes' as they call them. I wasn't expecting much at all because of the low cost ($2!!), but I must say its hard to put into words just how impressed I am. I now have their entire eyeshadow collection! 

For $2 a pop these eyeshadows are short of amazing, with a primer they have amazing pigmentation and staying power. They are also a perfect harmony between matte and shimmer. I only wish that they had a wider range of shades, but I am hoping that they expand their collection in the future. 

XLNT has three eyeshadow trios, and four singles from what I have found and they are all a ridiculously low $2 each. The brand also has eyeliner and lipliner pencils, lipstick, mascara and foundation; I haven't tried any of these other products yet, but I will try and review them in the near future. 

As far as I know, the brand XLNT can only be purchased at Cosmetics Fragrance Direct within Australia, and the website link above has store locations. I'm always visiting Cosmetics Fragrance Direct and they have some great bargains, so it is definitely worth checking them out! 

What I Love 

- Super cheap at $2 an eyeshadow!!!

- Highly pigmented

- Long lasting

- Not too shimmery

Cons

- Limited shade range

Packaging (Just so you know what to look out for!)

Single Eyeshadow's

Shades: Taupe, Hazelnut, Shimmer Fudge & Opal Dusk 


Trios or 'Tr-eyes'

Shades: Blue-i's, Green-i's & Brown-i's (I personally think that the trio shades look good with ALL eye colours) 


Hope you all have a great day! xx

Covergirl Outlast Lipstain Review

Hey all,

It seems that lipstain's are currently all the rave, and I can see why. It is a great concept, colour and staying power that can be drawn on like a pencil - how convenient! In general, I am a fan of lipstain's and have tried a few from various brands - some good, and others, not so much. 

I'd been wanting to try out Covergirl's outlast lipstain for a while and picked one up from my local priceline (drugstore). I'd heard a couple of bad reviews and some good ones as well, so I was interested to see what I would think. My final verdict is that I do quite like them, and think they are a nifty little product. I know have three and plan to buy more soon! 

Reason Why I Like It

- Good range of colours.

- Colours are vivid (especially for a lipstain).

- Super easy to apply to your lips.

- Easy to store both at home & on the go. 

- Great staying power.

- I've had them for just over a month and they haven't dried out

- They have a nice smell. 

Things I'm Not So Crazy About 

- They do dry my lips out a little.

- The colours on the packaging can be deceiving (colours that seem light, turn out darker etc).

I generally put a layer of gloss over the top, which gives the lips a lovely shine & makes the colours pop a  little but more. 

Overall, I think that they are great for a lipstain! They aren't too expensive, can be found in most stores and there is a colour to suit everyone. But best of all, they do what they promise to do! 

I have 3 shades: 415 - Teasing Blush, 420 - Sassy Mauve & 435 - Flirty Nude. 

Swatches 

Without Flash

415, 420, 435

With Flash

415, 420, 435

Hope you all have a great day! xx 

NYX Jumbo Eye Pencils Review & Swatches

Hey all, 

I have just begun to buy products from NYX after hearing many raving reviews on youtube, and I thought I would try out these Jumbo Eye Pencils! I bought six to begin with, and I loved them so much that I now have 23, which I think is almost the entire collection!

I absolutely love these pencils, and use them in my looks just about every day. They have a great colour payoff, with an opaque consistency. They are creamy, glide on smoothly, and with a primer are long lasting. I usually use them as a base with a powder shadow on top to complete the look.

They retail for about $6.50 in Australia & $4 in the USA, and can be found at Crush Cosmetics AU.

NYX has provided a wide range of gorgeous shades, which are all highly pigmented.

My Favourite Shades

- Iced Mocha: Which I use as a base for a neutral eye.

- Slate: Great for a smokey eye.

- Pots & Pans: I use this shade as a base for silver looks. 

- Lime: Because I love greens on my eyes & this shade just 'pops'. 

- Purple Velvet: Beautiful deep purple that would suit anyone.

- Electric Blue: So bright & vivid! 

- Rust: Great for bronze looks. 

- Pure Gold: Gorgeous shimmery gold. 

- Milk: Great in the inner corners of the eye to brighten the whole look up. 

Ratings

Quality: 4/5

Price: 5/5

Packaging: 3/5

Overall: 4/5 

Would I buy it again? Definitely!

Swatches (For reference I am NC40/42)

Without Flash 

 Milk, Cottage Cheese, Yogurt, Iced Mocha, French Fries, Gold, Pure Gold, Bronze & Rust 

With Flash

Without Flash

 Pots and Pans, Slate & Black Bean 

With Flash 

 Without Flash 

Oyster, Strawberry Milk, Lavender, Pacific, Purple, Purple Velvet

With Flash

Without Flash

Baby Blue, Electric Blue, Horse Radish, Lime, Rocky Mountain Green

With Flash '

Hope you all have a great day! xx