Makeupper

NOTD: Summer Nails!

2012-02-12T20:22:00.005+13:00

Here's a few nail looks I've been wearing lately - let me know what you think!

Thanks for viewing!
oxo

It's a wee bit late but...

2011-12-26T22:21:00.002+13:00

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!!!
And Happy Boxing Day! Hahaha!
Hope you've all had an amazing one with your loved ones, I know I sure did. :)
Much love to you all!
oxo

The A to Z of me!

2011-11-21T18:40:00.002+13:00

Saw some other bloggers doing this and thought I would join in on the fun!!

A -Age – 24.. eeek! That sounds so old. I won't lie to you, the fact that I'll be 25 next year freaks me out a little. :P

B - Best holiday – Probably the trip up north I took with my family when I was 7. It started a tradition - we go there every year! And now we even own a section there. Eeeee! :D

C - Chores you hate – Scrubbing the shower, the fumes from the cleaner always gives me a headache! I really need a natural alternative that actually works.

D - Dogs – 3! Saprana who is a boxer cross, and 2 Swedish Valhunds; Quileute and Chinook.

E - Essential Start to Your Day- Breakfast!! Dad always told me that it's the most important meal of the day - I actually can't survive without it.

F - Favourite colour – Purple and turquoise, but black is my favourite colour to wear!

G - Gold or silver – Silver. I feel like it just suits my skintone more. But I do have some gold jewellery that I adore. :P

H - Height – I'm short as! Barely 5 ft 4. I'm the shortest in my family and I have to say I don't like it! I'd love to be taller!!

I - Instruments you play – I kinda play the guitar.. or I used to atleast. I have an acoustic and an electric that both sit around being neglected. :(

J - Job title – Pharmacy Assistant. That sounds a bit flasher than "Shop girl" doesn't it? Hahaha. I also do my freelancing on the side (when I have the time!). I love my job though, my co-workers are amazing and have all become good friends of mine.

K-Kids- One day! I have to find the right man first, hahaha.

L - Live – New Zealand! Lived here all my life, and don't really intend to live anywhere else. I would however like to move out of Auckland - I'm really not a city girl at heart.

M - Mother's name – Lisa. I love my Mummy! <3

N - Nickname – Diddle and Kittykai are the most popular ones, but I have many.

O - Overnight hospital stays – Haven't had any! I was rushed to hospital in an ambulance once for my allergies, but didn't have to stay overnight.

P - Pet Peeves – People who smell bad. Ugh. It seriously makes me want to throw up. :P

Q - Quote from a film- "I'm gonna take a pillowcase, fill it full of bars of soap and beat the shit out of you!" Step Brothers. Seriously one of my favourite movies of all time. :P

R - Right or left handed – Right handed.

S - Siblings – Camille, my awesome sister! She's my best bud and I love her muchly.

T - Time you wake up – 6am-ish.

U - Underwear – What kind of lady do you take me for? Hahaha.

V - Vegetable you hate – Corn. Ew.

W - What makes you run late – I'm one of those people who leaves everything until the last minute, so when it's time to go, I'm still running around trying to find my watch/keys/bag etc.

X - X-rays you've had – Arm, ankle, teeth, sinuses. The sinus scan thingy freaked me out so much. Didn't really realise I got claustrophobic until then. Hahaha.

Y - Yummy food you make – Cookies, muffins, cakes... I'm a better baker than I am cook. :P

Z - Zoo animal – Tigers and turtles. And phoenixes. >_>

Well that was fun, I wanna know more about you guys too so.. TAG! You're it!
oxo

Mail of the week! 9 - 15 November

2011-11-15T21:33:00.006+13:00

I ordered the first two books from the "Symply Too Good To Be True" series from Trademe the other day, and they've arrived already! Keen to try out these recipes as soon as possible.

Seeds from Yates!
Wasn't expecting these to show up in my letterbox... not entirely sure how I got them. I know I'm a part of the Yates club so maybe I received them as part of that.
Anyway, we will definitely be planting these in our vege garden.. or atleast, my sister will be since my allergies have been playing up again. Haha!

Also wasn't expecting this little pack! Back in September, it was Cervical Cancer Screening Awareness month, and to celebrate this they were running a promotion where they gave away little gifts like this! I was lucky enough to get one of these, which includes:

Carefree Actifresh Oxygen Liners
Stayfree Ultra Thin Regular Pads
Neutrogena Deep Clean Gentle Scrub
Neutrogena Norwegian Formula Hand Cream

All in a cute little pink and white polka dot bag!

Can't wait to see what next week brings!
Thanks for viewing!
oxo

Fave Five!

2011-11-14T18:55:00.006+13:00

It's getting warmer and warmer every day! Ahhh, I can't wait til Summer.

Lush Soap

Why has it taken me so long to discover these? My favourite scent at the moment is Angel's Delight. It's one of their christmas soaps, and I think I might have to stock up on it. :P
LMFAO - Sexy and I know it

I actually can't stop singing this song. It's stuck in my head 24/7. So funny!
Bobbi Brown Long-Wear Gel eyeliner

Got this for my birthday and am really enjoying using it. The brush that came with it is actually really good too, which was a pleasant surprise! I think I prefer Bobbi Brown gel eyeliners to MAC Fluidlines.. just seem better quality.
My pandora!

Just started wearing it again.. I really love it. Pretty much all the charms on it have been bought by my family - for birthdays and christmases, and I think it's one of the prettiest pieces of jewellery I own.
Living Nature Skincare

I might actually do a review on this. This was another birthday present that my parents bought me from the Living Nature shop up in Kerikeri. I think the whole lot cost around $50, and I have to say that I think it was worth every cent! My skin feels awesome.

Thanks for viewing!
oxo

NOTD: Nudey Rose

2011-11-13T16:40:00.004+13:00

This is most definitely my favourite Konad stamp. I can't help but love the way it looks with everything, it's so pretty! It also livens up an otherwise boring nail polish, haha.

The base colour I used is Revlon Peach Smoothie. It was the first time I'd actually used this, and it was a bit of a disappointment. I could not get it to apply smoothly - it went on streaky, and what's worse is that it smelt disgusting... I should've known that scented nail polish wasn't a good idea.
On the plus side, the colour is quite nice and summery and you can't really notice how streaky it is when you Konad on top of it.

Thanks for viewing!
oxo

Mail of the week! 1 - 8 November

2011-11-08T21:39:00.013+13:00

I know other bloggers post their Mail Of The Week, so I thought I might start doing this too! Because opening packages is ridiculously fun xD

I love MegsMakeup! I got this package when I redeemed 250 points, pretty exciting huh?
Closer look at the Napoleon products:

Thought you might like to see a couple of swatches.
Urban Decay Tinted Moisturiser - not rubbed in:

And this is how it looks when it is rubbed in:

Here’s the Napoleon Eyeliner, it’s such a pretty gold:

The Napoleon Lip Veil is nice:

But, didn’t show up that great in this photo:

And trying to take a photo of this Urban Decay eyeshadow swatch was just a joke – it refused to show up! Not very impressed with the eyeshadow unfortunately..

My ASOS swimsuit order arrived! Yay!! Was the first time I actually ordered from them and am really happy with the whole experience. It always makes me sad that it’s cheaper to buy swimsuits online from an overseas retailer than buy one in my own country though…

Tea Samples from Twinnings! My sister will probably end up with these as I don’t drink enough tea myself. :P

Ahhh. I love getting packages, it’s one of my favourite things!
Thanks for viewing!
oxo

Fave Fiiiive

2011-11-07T14:47:00.008+13:00

I may have forgotten to post last week, oops..
But I have exciting news!! My parents, sister and I have bought a section up north (in a place called Houhora!). It's a 5 acre block that we'll eventually live on one day, but until then, it's going to be our holiday home. It's what I've wanted for as long as I can remember and I can't even begin to express how happy and excited I am that we've finally got it!!

Now lets get onto my favourite things from the past week..

Lush Lip Scrub in Bubblegum

This is what I've been needing for SOOO long. It does an amazing job at exfoliating my lips and tastes so good.
Armani Code Perfume

Love the smell of this! It's replaced Flowerbomb as my Number 1 favourite, for sure. I can't help wearing it every single day. >_>
My kittens!!

We breed beautiful litte persian kittens and this is just one of them that we have at the moment! Isn't she a little cutie!?
Feather Earrings

My sister actually made these for me for my birthday back in September. I get soo many comments on them, they're so cute!
Lucas Papaw Ointment

It's always a favourite, I'm not gonna lie. I just bought a new one on the weekend, it feels so good using this after using my Lush lip scrub. <3

Thanks for viewing!
oxo

Fave Five!

2011-10-25T16:21:00.007+13:00

I had to have today off work, to have my latest lot of injections, so I thought I would start my new series - Fave Five! I'm basically just going to be listing my five favourite things from the past week, I was going to do it monthly - but then I might not get around to it at all!

The mighty All Blacks!! Never in my life have I been so proud to be a kiwi. I'm so stoked that we won the Rugby World Cup 2011 on Sunday night. Good on ya boys!

Gosh they're a handsome bunch aren't they? BONUS! :P
Sally Hansen Airbrush Legs!

This stuff is actually amazing. It looks surprisingly natural and gives me just enough colour so I don't look like Casper the ghost. Highly recommend!
Bangles from Equip

These were actually on sale for $5.00, which is why I bought them really. I hardly ever buy jewellery that isn't on sale. Hahaha. :P I'm a huge fan of turquoise - it makes me feel really summery.
Pulp Shoes from Hannahs

I confess.. I actually saw these in the latest Hannahs catalogue and immediately fell in love with them. They were $59.99 – which is pretty expensive really… but I couldn’t resist! I was possessed by the shoe demon! Lucky I love them so much. :P
Satsuma Body Butter from The Body Shop

Have you ever smelt this? It’s amaaaazing. The thing I’ve always loved about The Body Shop body butters is that they smell just as good on, as they do in the pots! Passionfruit was my previous favourite, but since they’ve stopped selling it in New Zealand (and maybe the rest of the world?) – I’ve now moved onto this. Loving it!

Thanks for viewing!!
oxo

NOTD: Pink Leopard!

2011-10-23T16:56:00.005+13:00

I've been pretty lazy with my nails lately - actually pretty lazy in general, I'm not gonna lie! Well enough is enough, so to liven up my hands I decided on hot pink leopard print.

Here's what I used:

Two coats of Milani Neon nail polish in Pink Hottie
One coat of Kleancolor Chunky Holographic nail polish in Chunky Holo Candy
Konad black with the leopard print from m57
Clear nail polish as a top coat

I actually really love this combination. It's so girly and cute. Something about pink reminds me that summer is on the way.. such an exciting thought!

On another note, tonight is the Rugby World Cup 2011 final!! GO THE ALL BLACKS!!

Thanks for viewing!
oxo

Strawberrynet Haul!

2011-10-03T15:49:00.005+13:00

Hi gals!
Mum let me order some stuff from StrawberryNet for my birthday! It was so exciting!! I decided to pick up some Limited Edition items that I'd missed out on when they were originally released.

Everything:

Wooo! How cool does everything look?

First up was the MAC Noble Knights Lash and Line Kit from their 'A Tartan Tale' collection. I was so gutted to miss out on this first time round, so I definitely had to get it this time!

Included in this pack is:

Blitz & Glitz Fluidline
Teal Pigment
Zoomlash Mascara
209SE Eyeliner Brush

Next was the MAC Smoky Thrillseekers Pigment/Glitter kit, also from 'A Tartan Tale'.

Included in this:

Reflects Blackened Red Glitter
Naked Pigment
Jigs & Jives Pigment
Blue Brown Pigment
Dark Soul Pigment

Then the Bobbi Brown Gel Eyeliner Duo.

Included in this:

Black Ink gel eyeliner
Sepia Ink gel eyeliner
Mini ultra fine eyeliner brush

Up next is the Bobbi Brown eye shadow in Ivy. Can't wait to try this out!!

Then the Estee Lauder Pure Color Lipstick in Crystal Pink, I love this! Wish it was in the nice packaging though :(

And finally, the free gift - Calvin Klein Lipstick in Heavenly. Still haven't tried this, but looks pretty!

I would've taken swatches of everything, but that'll have to wait til I do the individual reviews - my arms are too sore from the injections :(

Thanks for viewing dolls!
oxo

Allergies, Birthday, Work and more work...

2011-10-03T15:20:00.002+13:00

Hi dolls!
I'm about to do a strawberrynet haul, but first of all I thought I'd give you an update of what's been going on in Christel-Land lately. :P

Some of you might not know that I'm an allergy freak. I have chronic hayfever, chronic sinusitis and asthma. To give you an idea of how intense my allergies can be, I'm on four times the recommended dosage of antihistamines - everyday! Hahaha. Crazy. :P

In December last year I started seeing an immunologist (allergy specialist) and he's helped me out more than I can even explain. He's seriously amazing, and it freaks me out when I think about how bad I was before I got his help!

Earlier this year, he recommended I try desensitization, which is basically where they inject you with the allergens that set off your allergies. Over time, you build up an immunity to these allergens. It's a really slow process - takes around 3 years, and in the beginning it is really full on. I have to have 2 injections every week for the first 14 weeks, then every 2 weeks, 3 weeks and eventually every month.

At the moment I'm on week 4, just had the injections this morning. They're getting more and more painful and irritating every week - I just have to tell myself that they'll be worth it in the end!!

It was also my birthday on 16 September! I turned 24, so now I feel really old. Hahaha. It's also why there's a strawberrynet haul post coming up! :P

Other than the injections and my birthday, the only other thing that has been consuming my life has been work. Because the injections make me tired, work has felt a lot harder these past few weeks! Hoping I settle back into a good routine soon..

Thanks for viewing dolls, about to take pics for this haul post - so stay tuned!
oxo

NOTD: Rugby World Cup!

2011-09-09T13:09:00.004+12:00

Today is the official opening of the 2011 Rugby World Cup, which is of course being hosted in my beautiful country - New Zealand!

Since I'm working the late night at work tonight, I'll be missing all of the opening ceremony (I'm dying a little on the inside) BUT, I will be home to see the opening match of New Zealand VS Tonga! Yay!

To show my support for NZ, I decided to paint my nails >_>

Not gonna lie, it's pretty wonky. But what do you expect?! I painted it all with a dotting tool because I still haven't got nail art brushes. Hahaha!
Here's what I used:

Kleancolor Pink Sleepers as a base on all nails apart from my ring finger
Kleancolor Black as the base on my ring finger, and on the tips of the others
Santee White for the silver fern design
Kleancolor Chunky Holo in Bluebell on all other fingers
Clear nail polish (no brand) as a top coat

GO THE MIGHTY ALL BLACKS!!!

Thanks for viewing dolls!
oxo

NOTD: Super Mario!!

2011-09-06T19:07:00.003+12:00

I absolutely LOVE old school Super Mario, so when I saw this video by cutepolish on Youtube, I knew that I had to give it a go.
Now I'm not gonna lie, my hands were shaking like crazy - but I'm still really happy with how it turned out!

Heres what I used:

Kleancolor Pink Sleepers as a base
Santee White on the tips and as the 'dots' on the shroom
LA Colors Art Deco in Limon on the tips and as the shroom
Beauty Treats in Black for the eyes
Kleancolor in Clear as a top coat

Ugh, I'm dying from the cuteness. I've been staring at my nails all day - and so has everyone else! I've had SO many comments on them, some positive, some not so positive. Buy hey, haters gon' hate! Hahaha.

Thanks for viewing dolls!
oxo

MAC Haul - For the first time in aaages!

2011-09-05T15:54:00.005+12:00

I finally got to visit the MAC Pro store since it relocated to Britomart in downtown Auckland. I am so impressed. The store feels much more spacious and the set up is more like that of the St Lukes store. Thumbs up from me MAC!

The whole reason for me visiting was because I had run out of my Face & Body Foundation. Of course... somehow I ended up leaving the store with much more than I'd budgeted for...

Oops.

Hahaha. Well first up are the MAC Face & Body Foundations that I'd run out of. Geez I love these. C2 is the foundation I wear pretty much everyday - it's perfect!

Next was something I've been meaning to try for years - the MAC Paint in Bare Canvas. Never tried it before, but it looks real good. Hoping that it'll be amazing as an eyeshadow base!

Here's a swatch:

And finally I got my hands on MAC's Myth lipstick! It's been out of stock in New Zealand for sooo long, so I had to buy it!

Swatch:

Eyeshadows have always been my greatest weakness though, so I kinda knew I'd end up buying some more of them. In my defense, Shroom was only bought because I've hit pan on my old one.

Then I got Tempting because I've always been tempted to buy it. Hahaha. See what I did there? ... Yeah I'm lame. :(

Sable I bought for my Mum, but somehow it's in my palette now..

Everyone has All That Glitters, but I didn't so I added that too.

Electra is one I've wanted for ages - it's so pretty! I need to find an excuse to wear it now.

Swatches! Top: Electra, All That Glitters, Sable. Bottom: Tempting, Shroom.

Ugh, I knew that once I visited the MAC store that I'd fall in love with MAC products again.. There's just something about them (eyeshadows especially!) that are so alluring.
Since I just found out that you can use the mascara tubes in their Back2MAC recycling program, I really want to try one.. is there any MAC mascara that you would recommend??

Thanks for viewing dolls, this has been fun!
oxo

Glitter Gal now available in NZ!

2011-08-21T16:03:00.003+12:00

Remember that gorgeous holographic nail polish I showed you here?

Well, it's now even easier for us Kiwis to get our hands on these gorgeous nail polishes! Be sure to check out Polishqueennz for the range of Glitter Gal holographics - you will NOT be disappointed.
Exciting! (my wallet isn't nearly as impressed)

Thanks for viewing!
oxo

Old Reliables – Blushin’ Beauty!

2011-08-15T18:05:00.002+12:00

Yay! It’s time for another instalment of “Old Reliables”. This time we’re looking at my all time favourite blushes.

First up is definitely my Smashbox Blush Rush in Masterpiece.

This was actually released with their Muse collection, so I’m not entirely sure if this is a limited edition shade or not, but it’s definitely my ‘go to’ blush. I literally wear this almost every single day. It’s the perfect peachy colour that seems to just go with everything! It’s also extremely pigmented, so I only need the tiniest little pat with my blush brush in order to get enough colour.

Next would have to be the beautiful blushes in my La Femme palette.

This palette has something for everyone, no matter what skintone they have. It’s amazing! They’re also the most pigmented blushes I’ve ever owned (which makes it a little bit too easy to go crazy with the blush) – less is more! In all honesty, this is probably the only blush palette I need.

MAC Cremeblend Blush is next.

I just love the look of cream blushes, and MAC Cremeblends are my favourites so far. Ladyblush and Posey in particular are beautiful – especially for brides! They give the illusion of a glow from within and look so deliciously natural! I really love to use cream blushes on mature skin too, makes the cheeks look youthful and dewy.

Of course there are other blushes I adore, but these are the ones I always seem to go back to – my old reliables!

Thank you for viewing!
oxo

NOTD: Barry M Test!

2011-08-13T18:36:00.003+12:00

So I ordered a few nail polishes off nzsale when they featured Barry M, one of which was the Black Magic Instant Nail Effects polish. Since I haven't got any 'crackle' polishes, I knew I had to get this!
I am SO freakin' impressed with it. Here's a photo of it overtop of Barry M Cobalt Blue:

How cute is that?! I'm in love!!
Let's break it down.

Kleancolour clear nail polish as base coat and top coat
Barry M Cobalt Blue as base colour
Barry M Instant Nail Effects in Black Magic

After seeing several photos of other 'crackle' polishes I personally think the Barry M ones look the best - but that's just my opinion! :P

Thanks for viewing!
oxo

Quick Update!

2011-08-08T18:29:00.004+12:00

I know, I know. It's been over a month since I blogged. I'm sorry guys! It's been pretty full on around here.
To start with I had all four of my wisdom teeth out. I was in so much pain, I couldn't believe it! All the painkillers I was taking weren't really doing anything apart from taking the edge off, so I really had to just wait it out.
I'm happy to say that my mouth is healing well now, but I still feel a bit tender. >_<
Also been pretty full on at work, which has really been wearing me out - although I am happy to say that I've been given even more hours! Yay!!
So this is really why I haven't been blogging, and to tell you the truth - I've really been missing it! I've bought HEAPS of new nail polishes since my last post, and I'm looking forward to sharing more NOTDs with you soon. I also got my hands on that awesome NARS Blush/Bronzer/Highlighter Trio - so watch out for that review!

Thanks for viewing dolls, I really do appreciate every single one of you!
oxo

LaVaque - The Best Pluck In Town!

2011-07-04T15:35:00.004+12:00

Tweezing. I know some of you despise it, but tweezing my brows is actually one of my favourite things to do. Does that make me weird? Probably!

Finding a decent pair of tweezers though, is no easy task. I should know, I’ve been through about a million different sorts and the only pair that were even slightly decent were my trusty Tweezerman’s. But even those didn’t feel like they were working as well as they should be, I was still getting stuck with those horrible short little hairs that my Tweezerman’s refused to grab! It was driving me insane.

When I heard that LaVaque tweezers were the “best pluck in town”, it certainly got my attention. Here’s a little info about them:
“LaVaque Tweezers stands behind its motto " Beauty requires Precision™" promising extreme accuracy with a kiss of Extravagance. Our tweezers are here to stay and we are determined to make a significant mark. With low overhead and the Best Tweezers in the industry we can strongly say it is time the public can buy a professional tweezer that is affordable. We stand behind our tweezers with the Best Guarantee: You Break'em, You Dull'em, We Replace'em ™. No Questions Asked. When you hold these tweezers in your hand you will be convinced you have a professional, quality made tweezer that is trusted pluck for pluck.”

Sound impressive don’t they? But everyone knows you don’t really know until you try them yourself, so I was absolutely thrilled when Barry (the CEO/President of LaVaque) agreed to send me a pair to try out.
He sent me a pair of standard slanted tweezers, which came in this cute little tube:

I had a few of those nasty little short eyebrow hairs that I decided would be the perfect test, so I was able to try them out straight away. To my surprise the LaVaque tweezers removed them effortlessly! I couldn’t help but think it was beginners luck or something like that, so tried not to get too excited about the results.

It’s been about a month since then, and I couldn’t be happier with them . These tweezers don’t just work the first time, they work EVERY SINGLE time. I can’t believe I survived so long without them, my eyebrows have never looked so perfect!! They really do live up to all the hype and I would not hesitate in recommending them to anyone and everyone.

Do you want to score a pair of these little beauties for yourself? (Of course you do, who wouldn’t?!) Just join their fan base on facebook and be in to win with Free Tweezer Monday! That’s right, they give away a pair of their amazing tweezers to one lucky fan every single week. Check them out here!

Thanks for viewing!
oxo

Swatch Watch: OPI Pirates of the Caribbean - Mermaid's Tears

2011-06-26T10:47:00.004+12:00

I’m going to be honest here, I think OPI nail polishes are a huge rip off. I’m not sure how much they are overseas, but here in New Zealand, they retail for around $26NZD. Who in their right mind would pay that much for a nail polish?! Ugh, apparently I would.

The OPI Pirates of the Caribbean Collection appealed to me because I don’t actually own any pastel nail polishes, I do have to admit that the fact they thought pastel colours are pirate-y is ridiculously strange to me. But they’re beautiful pastels nonetheless.

I bought two colours from the collection, one of which was Mermaid’s Tears.

This is two coats, and I can honestly say I am not impressed. The colour itself is beautiful, but the application was horrible! I can’t believe I spent $26NZD on it, when the quality is of something that should cost $2NZD. Disappointing. The colour really is gorgeous though, and I have to keep telling myself that to justify how much I spent on it. Hahaha.

Because I’m on such a konad high, I of course had to stamp something over it, just to see how it looked. The result? Freakin’ amazing.

I had SO many compliments on this design. Everyone seemed to adore it, and I have to admit that it’s definitely one of my favourite combinations to date.

So all in all, I really don’t think OPI nail polishes are all that wonderful. If you shop around you can find cheaper nail polishes that are far superior in quality. What do you think??

Thanks for viewing!
oxo

Some NOTD goodness!

2011-06-20T18:32:00.003+12:00

Hey all!
I'm getting so bad at posting my NOTDs every week, so here's a few of them to catch up on!

First up is pink/black checkers:

I used:

Santee Rainbow Pink as the base coat
Konad Special polish in Black
Konad m56 plate
Hello Kitty bow stickers (only on ring fingers)

Next is my ultimate FAIL, the nail polish I used was this old 90 second set Revlon one... I can't even tell you just how OLD this nail polish is. The only reason I'm letting you guys see this, is because I'm dying to find a good dupe for it, the name is Revlon Tidal Wave. Can you help me, know of any good dupes??

I used:

Revlon Tidal Wave (failfailfailFAIL)
Konad Special polish in Dark Purple
Konad m64 plate

Lastly, we have what my sister named my 'Picasso nails':

I used

Santee Blue Flash nail polish
Konad Special polish in Black
Konad m64 plate

Hope you enjoy! I'm going to try and post a few times this week, I've got lots of reviews coming up, one in particular that I'm extremely excited about, so stay tuned!!
Thanks for viewing!
oxo

Review: MuLondon Moisturiser - Heaven in a jar!

2011-06-06T20:51:00.003+12:00

MuLondon. Have you heard of them? Until a little while ago, I had no idea who this company was and what products they made – and then I started to see them being mentioned on blogs and I got intrigued.

MuLondon produce hand-made, organic moisturisers. Not exactly original, right?? WRONG.
What sets MuLondon moisturisers apart from other organic moisturisers is the fact that they contain absolutely NO man-made chemicals whatsoever. This means no parabens, no mineral oils, no emulsifiers and no other nasties. They also contain no added water – which makes them insanely concentrated. How concentrated exactly? Well most commercially produced moisturisers contain around 20% active ingredients. MuLondon are 100% active ingredients. Impressive much?

I was lucky enough to get my hands on their gorgeous Lavender Moisturiser. Look at how cute it looks:

I was so excited to get into it, and oh my goodness it smells amazing! I am addicted to just opening the jar and sniffing it… gosh it’s good.
These moisturisers are made to use all over, literally. Hands, feet, lips, face, body… this covers everything. It’s pretty much the only moisturiser you need! I also wouldn’t be surprised if this lasts you forever, a little goes a looong way.
My skin is pretty sensitive, but it’s also quite oily. So at first I just used it on my hands and body – I was scared that something this rich would make my face breakout. After talking to Boris (the founder and head cream-whipper of MuLondon skincare) I was convinced that it’d be fine to use on my face. Ever since then, it’s been the only face moisturiser that I’ve used. I am addicted to this stuff! It must be paying off too because I’ve had customers at work comment on how nice my skin is… that never happens!!

If you’re after a new moisturiser, I would definitely recommend MuLondon. If Lavender isn’t your thing, don’t worry, they have Rose, Marigold, White Chocolate and Hemp scents too! Check them out, I’m sure you won’t be disappointed.

Thanks for viewing!
oxo

My ABCs

2011-05-29T13:32:00.003+12:00

Hello my dears!
I love getting to know people a bit better, and since I saw this tag floating around, I thought I'd join in on the fun (even though I wasn't actually tagged!)

A. Age:
I'm 23. Geez that's old isn't it? I'll be even older when September rolls around. I wish I could just stop aging!!

B. Bed size:

I have one of those King Single beds, the ones that are bigger than a single, but smaller than a double. I'd love to have a bigger bed, but to be honest a bigger one wouldn't fit in my tiny room!

C. Chore you hate:

I hate washing dishes.. and doing the laundry.. I hate most chores to be honest. The only one I like doing is vacuuming! :P

D. Day:

Sundays and Mondays! They're my days off, I love knowing that when I wake up on a Sunday or Monday morning that I don't have to rush around and get ready for work. It feels amazing!

E. Essential start to your day:

Breakfast! I have Ricies everyday, sometimes followed by fruit. I don't think I could function
without it.

F. Favorite color:

Purple, has been ever since I was a kid. I absolutely love wearing a purple smokey eye..

G. Gold or Silver:

Silver. Or white gold. ;)

H. Height:
I'm tiny! 5' 4" on a good day. Hahaha.

I. Instruments:
I used to play guitar.. and I still have two guitars but they don't get any love these days.

J. Job title:
Pharmacy Assistant and Freelance Makeup Artist.

K. Kids:
Someday...

L. Live:
In New Zealand!

M. Mom’s name:
Lisa. I love my mummy <3

N. Nicknames:
Kitty and Diddle are the main ones, but I honestly have so many..

O. Overnight hospital stays:
Not sure what this means exactly? Never stayed overnight in hospital, but have been rushed to hospital in an ambulance before (from anaphylaxis).

P. Pet peeve:
Hmm.. probably rudeness. If you don't have manners, then I really don't want anything to do with you.

Q. Quote from a movie:
"I'm going to take a pillowcase and fill it full of bars of soap and beat the shit out of you!" - From Step Brothers, one of my favourite movies. Hahaha <3

R. Right or left handed:
Righty! I'm so intrigued by people who are left handed..

S. Siblings:
I have a younger sister, Camille, who is also my best friend. I love you <3

T. Time you wake up:
Work days - 6.45am. On my days off, I wake up whenever, but it's usually early cause I very rarely sleep in late.

U. Underwear:
Is this a boxers or briefs question? I like to have fancy underwear, but it's not really practical for everyday. Hahaha.

V. Vegetables you dislike:
I hate tomatoes (yeah, yeah they're a fruit.. whatever) and don't like capsicums or corn much either.

W. What makes you run late:
To be honest, I'm never really late. Sometimes I muck around and forget what time it is, but am rarely ever late to anything.

X. X-Rays you’ve had:
Wrist and ankle... and teeth years ago.

Y. Yummy food you make:
I'd say cookies... and Feijoa cake! Yum!

Z. Zoo:
My house is a zoo! We have a million cats and dogs and a bearded dragon. Why so many? My mum breeds Persian cats and my sister breeds Swedish Vallhund dogs. It's actually pretty awesome, because everyone knows baby animals are the cutest! <3

That was fun! Now I tag YOU! I'd love to see everyone do this :D
Thanks for viewing!
oxo

Review: Glittergal 3D Holographic Nail Polish

2011-05-16T11:57:00.002+12:00

The lovely Kerry from Glitter Gal was kind enough to send me a holographic nail polish for review. I received the colour ‘Copper’ from their 3D Holographic collection. At $11.95AUD, these are very reasonably priced.

I received this early last week and was dying to try it out but was too busy with work and other commitments, so it sat on my table just waiting for me to use it. It comes in a 9ml bottle, I was definitely surprised at how small it was but I actually prefer it. I’ve had so many nail polishes over the years go all gross and gluggy because I haven’t been able to use them all. So to me, these being on the smaller side is nothing but beneficial – and they’ll take up way less room if I use them in my kit.

The formula itself is a beautifully smooth consistency – it applies like a dream! The first coat was quite sheer and a little streaky, but the second coat fixed that up nicely. The holographic effect is sooo intense! As I write this my nails are glittering beautifully in the sunlight that’s streaming in through the window. It is seriously gorgeous. I actually can’t stop admiring my nails. :P

Here are some photos:
In natural light

Inside with flash

Isn’t it gorgeous?!
I’m so impressed with this nail polish, I am actually dying to get my hands on the other ones in the collection now. Especially the black and silver ones! And how cool would these look with a konad design over them?

Check out these amazing nail polishes at their website http://www.glittergal.com.au, I assure you, you will NOT be disappointed!

Thanks for viewing!
oxo

NOTD: Lacy French Manicure

2011-05-08T17:42:00.002+12:00

Hi guys,
Here's a quick NOTD I did the other day. I think I need to do something a bit brighter next time, but I like how this turned out!

I used:

Pinnacle French Twist as a base coat
Santee White with the lace pattern from the m56 plate
Santee Silver Blue for the polka dots (done with my awesome dotting tools)
Kleancolour Clear as the top coat

Thanks for viewing guys, watch out for my Sigma brush review coming up soon.
oxo

Giveaway Winner!

2011-05-02T19:04:00.003+12:00

Again, a huge thank you to everyone who entered, this has been a lot of fun.
I counted up all the entries (there were 260 altogether!!) and the winner is...

Marinella!!

Congratulations! I'm sending you an email now :)

If you didn't win, don't worry, I'll be hosting another giveaway real soon.
Thanks for viewing!

oxo

NOTD: Hello Kitty!

2011-05-01T07:20:00.003+12:00

I've been playing around with nail art stuff lately, experimenting and trying to get better at it. I did this one the other day:

I used:

Santee Nail Polish in Rainbow Pink (all over) and White (for stamping)
m57 plate
The Hello Kitty plate from BornPrettyStore
Tiny little silver rhinestones from The $2 Shop
KleanColour clear as a top coat

Thanks for viewing, check out my Purely Cosmetics review if you haven't already! And don't forget to enter my giveaway!

Thanks for viewing!

HAPPY EASTER!

2011-04-22T17:52:00.003+12:00

Wishing all my wonderful readers a very safe and Happy Easter!!

I hope you're all enjoying your long weekend, I know I would be if I wasn't in bed sick! Ugh! I swear, I always get sick on the few days I actually get off work. Typical!
Sorry I haven't blogged in a little while, I'm currently working on two reviews at the moment. Taking photos is such a huge job when you're not feeling 100% :(

Again, I hope you all have an amazing Easter and hope to post again in the next day or so.
Thanks for viewing!
oxo

Review: Purely Cosmetics

2011-04-18T11:49:00.005+12:00

The lovely Robyn from Purely Cosmetics was kind enough to send me some samples from her gorgeous line of mineral cosmetics, and I am so impressed!

After telling her a bit about my skin tone and texture, she sent me the following foundation samples:

Olive Beige and Neutral Medium both match me pretty perfectly, which I am stoked about. My skin has always been hard to match because I'm quite fair, but do tan up quite a bit in summer.
I'm not a HUGE fan of mineral foundation, but these are actually really nice! When my skin is in good condition (no pimples!) then this has the perfect amount of coverage. Unfortunately on days like today when my skin has decided to break out, I find that I really need a bit more coverage than these can provide. In saying that, I've been having more good than bad skin days - so yay!

I also got this Yellow Color Corrector:

I have quite bad undereye circles, it's so annoying and hard for me to find a concealer that really does the trick of hiding them. This however, is magic. I swear it erases my undereye circles with ease! I'm quite amazed to be honest. LOVE it.

Oil Absorb and Silk & Pearl Powder Primer:

I use this Oil Absorb first, just in my t-zone because that's where I seem to get most oily throughout the day. I follow it with the Silk & Pearl powder primer, which I apply all over my face. I really like these! Provide the perfect base for the foundation - my face looks sooo smooth when I use these.

Pearlescent Blush in Blushing and Bronzer in Lightly Bronzed:

I have used the blush everytime I use the mineral foundation. I really like it, it's a very nice natural blush colour that would suit anyone with a fair skintone. It's quite pigmented too, so you only need a very small amount.
The bronzer I use to contour. It's the perfect colour for me, not too dark or too orange and is really nice as a contour.

Diamond Perfect Finish:

Diamonds are a girl's best friend! This is amazing. It is a beautiful, finely milled powder made from real diamonds!. Really nice as a setting powder, and feels so luxurious on the skin. A little goes a long way and it really gives a gorgeous airbrushed looking finish. If you can only afford to buy one product from Purely Cosmetics, it HAS to be this! You will not regret it. I seriously cannot recommend this enough, will be buying one as soon as this one is finished. Imagine how my clients will react when I say that I'm actually using diamonds on their skin!

Overall, I really enjoyed using the Purely Cosmetics products, it's a really beautiful line.
My favourites were definitely the Diamond Perfect Finish (duh!) and the Yellow Color Corrector. Check them out at http://www.purelycosmetics.com/, and discover how amazing these are for yourself.

Thanks for viewing! oxo

NOTD: French Manicure with Dots!

2011-04-08T10:40:00.002+12:00

I bought these awesome dotting tools off ebay - they were only like $3 NZD for a pack of 5! Bargain!! So of course I had to give them a go:

I used:

Pinnacle French Twist - as a base colour. I honestly hate these nail polishes, they're streaky and horrible. But it worked ok for this.
Santee White - on the tips. These are my favourite cheap nail polishes. They go on so nicely.
Chinaglaze Bad Landing - for the polka dots. This is the only Chinaglaze nail polish I own, I seriously want them all now!
KleanColor Clear - as a top coat. Pretty decent for only $3 NZD!

Pretty cute and simple, and it has stayed on really well! Usually my nail polish chips off within a couple of hours - but this has stayed on for 2 days now without chipping at all - yay!!
Thanks for viewing! Don't forget to enter my giveaway.
oxo

Old Reliables: Foundations and Concealers

2011-04-03T14:34:00.004+12:00

In the second instalment of 'Old Reliables', we take a look at a couple of my favourite foundations and concealers that I've continued to use on a regular basis over the years.

First up is MAC Face and Body Foundation

This is actually my everyday foundation and has been ever since I discovered it back in early 2009. Face and Body is a sheer, water-based foundation that is suitable for any skin type. Even though it's sheer, it's very buildable and you're easily able to get any coverage you want.
I've actually got the other women in my family hooked on this foundation after using it on them, it's especially beautiful on mature skin - really gives a gorgeous dewy look. Even on my own oily skin, I find this to be a really decent foundation. Recommend to all, this is always in my makeup kit.

Graftobian HD Warm Foundation Super Palette

If I want flawless skin, this is what I reach for. Originally bought for my professional makeup kit, I couldn't resist using it on myself too. Creams are soo versatile, I can't help but love them.
My favourite way to apply this is to mix it with Cetaphil Moisturising Lotion - and apply with a beauty blender sponge or a duo-fibre brush. When applied this way, I find that it gives you the 'my own skin - but better!' look, which is what I always go for. I absolutely despise the whole 'cake face' look, natural is always the way to go if you ask me.
This palette can also be used to contour and highlight, and it also makes an amazing concealer - this will cover anything! Highly recommend this for your professional kit, and the individual pots or smaller palettes for personal use.

Ben Nye Concealer Palette

Ben Nye is such a good quality, well priced brand. I've never been disappointed with any of their products yet, and wouldn't hesitate in recommending them. This especially, is one of my favourites. The colours in here blend well and are just the right consistency - not too creamy and not too dry. When followed with the Ben Nye Neutral Set - this concealer does NOT move.
I love it!

MAC Studio Sculpt Concealer

For like a year, this was the only concealer I used. Like the Ben Nye concealer it blends very easily, but it's much creamier. So setting is a MUST. A little goes a long way and it's quite easy to use too much - so start with a teeeny amount and apply more as needed. The thing I've noticed with this concealer is that the NW shades are much more pink-based than the other NW concealers that MAC make - so if you have a yellow undertone like me, the NW shades really can only be used on dark undereye circles. For blemishes and redness, you will need an NC shade.
My only real complaint is that I hate the packaging, glass jars are too heavy to carry around everywhere and I find that they do dry out quicker. Still the product itself, hasn't really failed me yet!

Thanks for viewing, stay tuned for the next instalment!
oxo

FOTD: Woo! Lets get Naked!

2011-03-28T17:53:00.003+13:00

After swatching my beloved Urban Decay Naked palette, of course I had to do a quick look with it! I'm gonna wear this out to The Doobie Brothers concert tonight - so excited :P

I needa learn to take better pics, but until then these'll have to do!

Face:

MAC Face and Body in C2
Ben Nye concealer
Ben Nye Neutral Set (under eyes/middle of face)
MAC Mineralized Skinfinish Natural in Medium Dark
Smashbox Muse Blush in Masterpiece

Eyes:

Urban Decay Primer Potion
Urban Decay Naked Palette - Toasted all over lid
Urban Decay Naked Palette - Darkhorse in the outer corners
Urban Decay Naked Palette - Naked in the crease
Urban Decay Naked Palette - Hustle in the outer crease and under the eye
MAC Penulitmate eyeliner in Rapid Black
Covergirl Lash Blast mascara
Revlon Colorstay eyeliner in Black

Lips:

Lucas Papaw Ointment
Urban Decay Lipstick Midnight Cowboy

Thanks for viewing, let me know what you think! I promise I'll do something more bright and exciting soon :P
oxo

Swatch Watch: Urban Decay Naked Palette

2011-03-28T12:47:00.006+13:00

Swatch watch. Good luck saying that 10 times in a row. Hahahaa. This is another new (well it has a new name anyway) series on my blog - yay!

First of all, thank you to everyone who has entered my giveaway, and to those who haven't already - enter now!

I have an obsession with Urban Decay, I'm not gonna lie. When I discovered the Primer Potion, I was in love and I still use it every single day without fail. Their Skyscraper mascara was amazing and if I could buy it here, I probably wouldn't ever use another mascara.
Everything they come out with immediately goes on my makeup wishlist - I'm so annoyed that we don't have it in New Zealand!

I turned to ebay when I heard about the Naked palette, I knew it was the only way I could get my hands on this little gem - sure it was ridiculously overpriced and close to half my week's wages went on it, but I was sure it'd be worth it.
I'm happy to say that my assumption was right, this palette was worth every cent! The colours are gorgeous and I can confidently say that they would suit everyone, no matter what eye colour or skin tone they have.

So what do you get? 12 gorgeous neutral eyeshadows and a double ended 24/7 eyeliner in Whiskey/Zero (yeah I have the original one, the new one comes with an eyeshadow brush) AND a nifty little travel size Primer Potion - so cute!

Lets get our swatch on!

With Flash:

Without Flash:

From left to right: Virgin, Sin, Naked, Sidecar, Buck and Half Baked.

With Flash:

Without Flash:

From left to right: Smog, Darkhorse, Toasted, Hustle, Creep and Gunmetal.

Whiskey and Zero:

All swatches were applied without a base, so you can see that these eyeshadows are really pigmented! Honestly one to two light swipes is all I need to cover my eyelids, I'm not even kidding. I've used it so much since I got it and I've hardly made a dent in it at all!
The double ended eyeliner was actually an unexpected love for me, it's so creamy yet seems to stay put. What else could you possibly wish for?

If you don't have this palette, then seriously go out and get it. You won't be disappointed!
Thanks for viewing!
oxo

New Domain = New Giveaway!! -CLOSED-

2011-03-20T18:47:00.008+13:00

GIVEAWAY NOW CLOSED

To celebrate the transfer of this blog to my new domain http://www.makeupper.co.nz , I decided to give away some awesome lip products!

Lets have a closer look at the products included:

Here's what the lucky winner will score:

Limited Edition Smashbox Muse Lip Paint in Virtuoso - A very pretty pink!
Designer Brands Lip Pencil in Nude - My favourite lip liner! Probably the only one I really use to be honest.
Napoleon Perdis Protege Lip Gloss - Really nice peach colour!
Revlon Matte Lipstick in Pink Pout - I love this, it's a gorgeous pink.
Lucas Papaw Ointment - By far, my favourite lip product for soft, kissable lips. I use this religiously and swear by it, so I knew I just had to include it in this giveaway.
And a mint green coloured makeup bag - to keep all your new lip products in!

HOW TO ENTER:

You MUST be a follower of my blog via Google Friend Connect. If you're not a follower already, just click on the 'Follow' button in the sidebar.
You MUST leave a valid email address in the form, as I will be emailing the winner. If I don't get a reply within 48 hours, I will have to draw another winner.
You MUST also tell me what you like most about my blog in the form.
IMPORTANT: You have to fill in the form to enter this giveaway, it would be great if you could also comment below to confirm that you've entered!

For extra entries:

Follow me on twitter for 1 extra entry http://www.twitter.com/makeupper
Tweet about this giveaway for 1 extra entry (must provide a direct link to the tweet)
Follow my Christel Hansen Makeup Artist facebook fan page for 2 extra entries (must tell me your name on facebook)
Blog about this on your blog (blogs devoted to posting only giveaways will not be counted) for 1 extra entry (must provide link to your blog post)
Put this giveaway in the sidebar of your blog for 1 extra entry (must provide link to your blog)

So you have the potential to have 7 entries in this giveaway!
Giveaway closes on 30th April 2011 and is open internationally.

PLEASE CLICK HERE TO FILL OUT THE FORM to enter. Good luck!! oxo

What's in my on-the-go makeup purse??

2011-03-20T11:07:00.011+13:00

Hi guys, I've seen people doing these sorts of things all the time, but I've never got around to doing it myself - so thought I'd give it a go!

These are the things I carry around in my handbag everyday as my on-the-go makeup kit. I can actually do my whole face with everything in this, but usually I just use it for touch ups.
First of all, this is the little bag I keep everything in:

It's actually supposed to be a sunglass case, but when I saw it I thought it'd be perfect for makeup!

Now lets take a look inside!
- MAC Skinfinish Natural in Medium Deep (this is the colour I wear in summer, for the rest of the year I use Medium)

- Thin Lizzy Brush. I don't use thin lizzy myself, and this brush isn't the best, but it's great to use on-the-go for reapplying face powder and blush!

- The Body Shop - Tea Tree Oil Facial Blotting Tissues. I can't even begin to tell you how often these have come in handy - I recommend that everyone carries blotting tissues with them!

- Cute little mirror that a friend bought me years ago. Could not live without this. Seriously. :P

- Two MAC Lipsticks in Snob and Hug Me. I actually wear these two colours quite often, so it makes sense to always keep them on me.

- Revlon Colorstay Eyeliner in Black. I'm not even sure what this is doing in here, must've randomly chucked it in one day when I was doing a smokey eye look.

- Altoids Tin 'Palette'! xD

I love this little thing. Inside there is:

An empty Everyday Minerals container with Ben Nye Neutral Set powder inside.
A Yaby Blush in BL005
3 Yaby eyeshadows in ES347, ES155 and ES154
Ben Nye concealer depotted into a little Yaby emptie
Mini Fresh Supernova Mascara
Mini Urban Decay 24/7 eyeliner in Zero
Teeeeny little MAC 213 brush (from one of their little holiday eyeshadow palettes)

The eyeshadows, blush and concealer all have magnets on the back which keep them from banging around inside the tin. So easy to make, I can do my whole face with this little tin alone!

So that's what's in my on-the-go makeup bag. I also have a 'Girls Survival Kit' that I keep in my handbag at all times too - maybe that should be my next post?

Thanks for viewing!
oxo

New Series: Old Reliables!

2011-03-10T19:40:00.008+13:00

Yay! Today I'm kicking off a new series on my blog called 'Old Reliables!'

If you know me in real life, then you know I'm literally obsessed with beauty products, I don't care what it is, lipstick, concealer, mascara, if it's new and exciting - then I want it!
Sometimes these new products lose their spark pretty quickly, suddenly that neon green eyeshadow you thought was amazing and absolutely had to have, doesn't seem quite so great anymore. It's times like these that you turn back to those good old all time favourites (Old Reliables).

To kick off this new series, I thought I'd start with face powders/powder foundations.

Ben Nye Neutral Set

This is my go to powder for myself, and everyone else that sits in my makeup chair. Chances are if I do your makeup, I most likely set your foundation with this little baby. I love this. Not only is this ridiculously cheap, but it gives your skin a perfect matte finish. Recommended to everyone!
Graftobian HD Pro Powder

I love my HD products and this is no exception. Can be used both wet and dry, for varying degrees of coverage - although I find I only need to use this dry to get great cover! Like all good professional makeup lines, it comes in lots of colours, so finding a colour suitable for your skin tone should be easy. Highly recommended, especially if you're a fan of dual finish powders.
MAC Mineralize Skinfinish Natural

I honestly did not think I would like this face powder as much as I do. Don't get me wrong, I love MAC products in general, but I imagined this would just be one of those over-hyped products that were actually pretty average. I was wrong, this face powder is so damn good! I love how the finish is matte, with a very slight dewy feel to it - it makes it seem more skin like, which is especially good when you don't want to look like you're wearing lots of makeup. Still not entirely sure if I like how this photographs or not, but nonetheless it's a great everyday powder.

Thanks for viewing, watch out for my next instalment!
oxo

Giveaways!

2011-03-07T16:21:00.004+13:00

Babylush is having her first giveaway! Head over there now to check it out!

fashioneggplant is having an awesome stila giveaway! Check it out here!

Alex is having a huge MAC giveaway over at her blog! You have to check it out!

FOTD: Yay for red lips!!

2011-02-26T13:34:00.005+13:00

Sorry it's been so long folks...

Products used:

Face:
MAC Face and Body - C2
Ben Nye Concealer
MAC Mineralized Skinfinish Natural - Medium
Smashbox Blush Rush - Masterpiece

Eyes and Brows:
MAC Eyeshadows - Shroom, Wedge and Handwritten
MAC Penultimate Eyeliner - RapidBlack
Rimmel The Max VolumeFlash Mascara
Revlon Colorstay Brow Enhancer - Blackened Brown

Lips:
Lucas Papaw Ointment
DB Lipstick - Red Hot Red
MAC Pigment - Your Ladyship

What do you think?

Life Update: I'm now working full time at a pharmacy - which I love even more than I thought I would! I work with some really fun and awesome people, and to now be working full time is an awesome feeling. I never thought I'd be any good at retail, but I guess you don't know until you try! Hahah :P

Hoping to blog a lot more these days, it's all about getting my A into G.
Thanks for viewing! And sticking around all this time :)

oxo

Aveeno - you're spoiling me!

2010-07-13T08:51:00.005+12:00

Awhile back I received my second package from Aveeno (as part of the Aveeno Discovers Program) and to be quite honest with you, this one was even better than the first!
I received both the Aveeno Daily Moisturising Lotion and the Aveeno Ultra Calming Daily Moisturiser with SPF 30.
As well as those full size products I also received lots of samples of the Daily Moisturising Lotion and the Positively Radiant Daily Moisturiser with SPF 30 to give out to friends and family! How awesome is that?!

When it comes to the Aveeno Daily Moisturising Lotion it's pretty fair to say that I've yet to come across a person who doesn't love this! I now won't be able to live without it after being given a full size one to try, I'll have to go and buy another one when I run out of it! It feels amazing, it leaves your skin feeling silky smooth, is fragrance-free (yusss!!) and comes in a convenient pump bottle as well as a squeezy tube. Non-greasy and contains natural collodial oatmeal - fantastic!
I actually know a couple of people who use this for their eczema - so that should give you an idea of just how moisturising and soothing this really is!

The Ultra Calming Daily Moisturiser with SPF 30 was a product I wasn't even aware of until I got it in this package. It actually contains feverfew, which is great at soothing aggravations and reducing redness - with my sensitive skin, this is absolutely perfect for me!
This is another product that I will probably be purchasing after I finish it, as it's fragrance-free, fast absorbing and contains SPF! Even in winter (I hate you winter, bring on summer!!) it's important to wear an SPF, and if you have sensitive skin then this moisturiser with it's SPF of 30 would be perfect for you!!

So looking forward to see what they have instore for me next! Hope you've found this review helpful!
Thanks for viewing!
oxo

May Favourites!

2010-06-10T14:49:00.004+12:00

Hiiii! How is everyone? Fantastic, I hope!
I've decided to start doing my monthly favourites again so I'll start it off with May's favourites :D

MAC Eyeshadows in 'Blanc Type', 'Wedge' and 'Handwritten'
Graftobian HD Pro Powder Foundation in 'Milk 'N Honey'
MAC Blushcreme in 'Ladyblush'
Smashbox Lip Paint in 'Luminary'
Natural Instinct Aloe Vera Gel
MAC Beauty Powder in 'Summer Rose'
'Flowerbomb' by Viktor & Rolf Eau De Parfum
Covergirl LashBlast Mascara in 'Very Black'
Designer Brands Lipliner in 'Nude'

What was your favourite product in May?

Thanks for viewing! I will be trying to blog ATLEAST once a week from now on, so keep posted! :)

oxo

Let's help these dogs find a new home!

2010-05-06T16:18:00.004+12:00

My sister, Camille, is currently helping a friend rehome a couple of dogs and I am going to repost her blog here in the hopes that my gorgeous New Zealand readers will know someone who's looking for a dog - one of these could be the dog they've been searching for!

Thanks for viewing!
oxo

Taken from http://www.cfsanimals.blogspot.com/:

Hey guys!I am helping a friend find new homes for her dogs. She is a rescue person and has some lovely dogs to rehome!

First up is Charlie.Charlie is a 5 year old, Wire Haired Jack Russell. He is a lovely RENGA and white. Hahah! Renga.He comes with his vet book, Vaccs, Flea'd and wormed. He is also Desexed. I got to meet him yesterday and wow. What a lovely lil chap! He was so excited to be out with his foster mum! He was such a cute lil man! I wanted to take him home. >_>

Second up is Penny.Penny is a 8 month old, Purebred Jack Russell. She even comes with papers!She is Black, White and Brown.Penny comes with all of her vaccs, Flea'd, Wormed, Desexed and has her vet book.Penny is a very lively little lady! She too was so excited to be hanging around the pet shop. Everything was so awesome to her! She spent a few good minutes licking my face and then the rest looking around. She knows how to sit and listen to her foster mummy. She still needs some training done as she is only a baby still! But she is smart and picks up new things very easy!

So please guys, If you are keen let me know! Or else I'll take them. I already have two dogs as it is. >_> Although another two wouldnt hurt. >_>

Contact me for more info at either ellimacwolf@gmail.com or catzruletheworld@hotmail.com
I'll see if I can get some photos up!

Peace, love and a new beginning for these wonderful dogs!

P.S, They are FREE to a new home. I bet you want them even more now. ;)

Review: Aveeno

2010-05-06T15:43:00.005+12:00

I was fortunate enough to be chosen as an Aveeno Ambassador. This means that I am part of the Aveeno Discoverer Program and I get sent products now and then to trial on myself and others. I then have to review them and let them know what I think! It's great! :D

The first package I received contained two Aveeno products I had never heard of before, the Stress Relief Moisturizing Lotion and the Positively Radiant SPF30 Daily Moisturizer. I have been using both of these religiously for over a week now, and thought I'd share my experiences with you!

First up is the Stress Relief Moisturizing Lotion (sorry about the pics, I just found them on the Aveeno website - batteries in my camera are dead!)

If you're like me, you want your body moisturizer to be absorbed quickly, but leave your skin feeling silky and smooth. I don't have the time or patience to be rubbing in moisturizer for ages, I have better things to do! And what's the point in moisturizing at all if you don't get that silky smooth feeling?! I mean, come on..
Well I'm happy to tell you that this does exactly what I expect it to do. It's absorbed almost instantly and my skin has never felt so good. Excellent!

The one thing that bothers me about this though, is the smell. I can't stand highly fragranced lotions like this (not entirely true, I love the body butters from The Body Shop) but this is different, I find The Body Shop fragrances to be strong, but kinda soft, if you get what I mean. This on the other hand has a harshness to the smell that I just don't like. Even though the smell doesn't last long at all, I'm not sure if I would purchase this after it runs out.

Next, the Positively Radiant SPF30 Daily Moisturizer

Everyone is always on the hunt for the BEST Anti-aging cream to slather all over themselves, because no one wants to age prematurely, right? Well you can stop buying into all those products that claim to be 'Botox in a jar' etc, because the BEST Anti-aging cream is sunscreen. I kid you not, sunscreen is the one product that is proven to stop premature aging and it is never too late (or too early!) to start wearing this every single day.

I hadn't actually come across a Daily Moisturiser that had such a high SPF before, I am so impressed with this! Not only does it protect you from those harsh UV rays, but it's quickly absorbed into the skin and actually doesn't feel thick and greasy like most sunscreens do. It also actually leaves your skin feeling soft, I swear my face and neck are just loving this.

I honestly feel like if I had've had this in Summer, I wouldn't have got as sunburnt as I did. I will definitely be purchasing this after it's finished, and would recommend this to everyone.

I'm really enjoying this Aveeno Discoverer Program, and I hope that it helps you all find a product that works for you.
I'm also loving blogging again, even though I've just stolen Mum's laptop in order to do so. :P I've missed you all and hope you're all well and healthy!

Thanks for viewing!
oxo!

Eeewww, you have to read this article!!!

2010-04-24T17:41:00.002+12:00

Big hello to all my wonderful followers! :D
I am very sorry that I haven't been posting, as you may know, my laptop is broken - hoping to get it fixed, but I don't have the money for that yet, so will have to wait. :( In the meantime, I'm using Mum's laptop as much as I can and am keeping up to date with emails by using my iPod - I honestly don't know what I'd do without that marvellous piece of technology..

Anyway, I came across this article today about makeup testers and the bacteria found on them, it grossed me out so much that I just knew I had to share the article with you guys. So if you'd like to read it, here it is: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/04/20/makeup-testers-regularly_n_544267.html
I honestly recommend that you DO read it, and please, please, PLEASE take extra care whenever you use any makeup tester - remember, you're NOT the first person to have touched it.

Hope you all well and I am hoping that I will be posting more, I'm so sorry that I've been slacking lately!
Thanks for viewing!
oxo

And the winner is...

2010-03-28T19:56:00.003+13:00

jo.frougal

Thank you all for entering my first giveaway and a huge congrats to jo.frougal for winning!! :D I am about to send you an email so I can get your prize to you asap!! :D

Look out for another giveaway coming up soon, and more reviews/fotds (trying to get my laptop sorted, til then I'll try to use Mum's as much as possible and hope to get some more posts on here!)

Thanks again every one, I love you all and wish I had the money to send each and everyone of you a gift. If I win lotto one day, I swear I'll do that. >_> Lol!

oxo

ATTENTION: Giveaway is now CLOSED!

2010-03-26T17:43:00.003+13:00

Thank you to everyone who entered!! I will be drawing this tomorrow afternoon hopefully (have to write out all the entries first which is going to be hard with my laptop still playing up!)
I never expected it to get so many entries, so thank you all very much! I will post again tomorrow (possibly the next day) with the winner! :D

Keep an eye out for another giveaway coming up in the next month or so. :D

Thanks again lovelies, good luck!
oxo

Giveaway and Blog Update - Please read!!

2010-03-18T13:30:00.002+13:00

I've just found out that I will be away when my Giveaway ends, so it will now end on the 25th March 2010 and the winner will be drawn on the 26th March 2010.

Huge, HUGE thank you to all those who have entered so far - I wish you all good luck! :D

I am currently having heaps of problems with my laptop so am unable to post as much as I'd like to - sorry about that. :( It's really annoying and making me realise just how much I depend on it!
Definitely seems like it's on it's way out, so I've been trying to back up everything - thank goodness for external harddrives, I really don't know what I'd do without it.
Once I get this laptop sorted out, I hope to be blogging a lot more - got heaps of reviews coming up and more giveaways since this one has been so successful!! :D

Thank you all again, and remember, now you only have until the 25th March 2010 to enter my giveaway.
oxo!

Blogger Awards + A Little Update

2010-03-11T15:08:00.002+13:00

The lovely Lisa nominated me for three blogger awards, how sweet is that?! Check out her awesome blog HERE!

Beautiful Blogger Award*:
1. Thank the blogger who gave you the award.
2. Put the award on your blog
3. Link the person who nominated you.
4. Share 7 ‘interesting’ facts about yourself.
5. Nominate 7 other bloggers

*Sunshine Award*:
1. Post the logo on your Blog
2. Pass it to 7 bloggers that inspire you!
3. Link the bloggers and let them know

*I ♥ You! Award*:
1. Post award on your blog
2. Link the person who has given you the award
3. Pass the award to 7 other blogs you've newly discovered
4. Remember to contact the bloggers you've nominated

7 Interesting Facts About Me
1. I hate, hate, hate, HATE tomatoes. But I love making tomato relish for my family. I”m getting into preserving/making jams and stuff. I’m such a Nana. :P
2. I love WWE. xD Randy Orton is one fine looking man. >_>
3. I have thought about doing youtube vids before, but every video I ever see of myself makes me cringe – my voice sounds crazy! Plus I wouldn’t be able to keep a straight face xD I admire those of you who do youtube vids – it takes a lot of guts!
4. I got really sick at the end of 2008 (with a massive airways infection and was in bed for like a month or two) and I still haven’t fully recovered from it. It left me with asthma and apparently air isn’t going all the way to the bottom of my lungs or something? It annoys me, I just wanna get healthy!!
5. I make a lot of different things – jewellery, softies/plushies, anything really! I’m also a huge baking fan and try to bake atleast once a week.
6. I don’t like Auckland. Infact, I hate it. I would MUCH rather live out in the country or something but I know Auckland is where the ‘money’ is. So I’ll stay here for now.
7. I love Fleetwood Mac and was lucky enough to see them live in concert last year!

Ok, now I would like to nominate the following bloggers for all 3 awards:

Lina
Nikki
Camille
SilhouetteScreams
Sarah xo
Y
Vanessa

Update: I have now added a Giveaways page to my blog! Remember to check it out as I'll be adding links to giveaways regularly. :D
I'm also thinking of adding a few new and exciting things to my blog, so keep posted!
Also I will be holding another giveaway soon - yay!

Thanks for viewing!

oxo!

Review: Urban Decay Hall Of Fame

2010-03-10T15:34:00.001+13:00

I love Urban Decay products, I wish more than anything that they were available here in New Zealand! Their stuff would sell like hot cakes here, I swear!

I was actually lucky enough to receive this set from Meg’s Makeup! How awesome is that?! Meg’s Makeup is a site where you earn points and then redeem them for prize packs. If you’d like to join up, leave me a comment below with your email and I’ll send you an invite!

But now, onto the review!
The Urban Decay Hall of Fame pack gives you a chance to sample 5 of their best products.
First up is the Eyeshadow Primer Potion in the XL size.

I have used and reviewed this before and even though I find that the packaging is poorly designed, as you can’t reach all the product with the wand, it is still one of my favourite eyeshadow bases. Eyeshadow just sticks to this like glue and refuses to budge! If you find that your own eyeshadow still creases when using this, then in all honesty you are probably using far too much. You only need the tiniest amount! A little goes a long way.

Next up is the New Skyscraper Multi Benefit Mascara

This includes the actual full size brush, which is always a good thing, as then you get a real feel for the product.

I am actually in love with this mascara. It makes my eyelashes look almost fake! I so badly need the full size one as I’m almost out of this one and no other mascara I’ve tried so far even comes close to this. Highly recommend this product to anyone who has access to Urban Decay – you will not be disappointed!

Then comes the 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil in Zero

Well it would be pretty fair to say that this is one of my new favourite eyeliners. It’s soft, it’s creamy and it’s waterproof!! Genius! It says on the site that it will not budge, I disagree – anything that is applied on the waterline will eventually move. But this IS very long lasting! If I had one of those star rating systems, I would give this 4.5 out of 5 stars! :P

Next is the Lipstick in Midnight Cowboy

I don’t really think much about this, it’s just a regular lipstick. Nothing special really! I do like the colour and how natural it is, but I probably wouldn’t buy it myself..

And lastly, the Pocket Rocket in Timothy

Oh man, these things just crack me up. I actually have a couple of full size ones (including this) so haven’t used this mini one at all. I seriously would buy a heap of these to give to all my friends, just because I know they’d think they’re hilarious! As well as being funny, they’re also useful too! The gloss seems more slick than sticky and they come in the cutest colours. Timothy is a coral colour with a pink glow – just gorgeous! Do you need these? Probably not. But do you secretly want one? Of course you do! xD

Overall I love this pack and if you have a spare $20 USD then you should definitely get your hands on one for yourself. Great value for money!

That brings us to the end of this review, I hope you enjoyed it!
Don’t forget to enter my giveaway!
Thanks for viewing!
oxo

Tag: Threes Of Me

2010-03-10T10:16:00.001+13:00

Hehe, I stole this off Rai because it looked fun! :D

Three names I go by:
1. Christel
2. Chrissy
3. Diddle (yep… all my cousins have called me that when they were little because they apparently couldn’t pronounce my name. xD and now it has stuck!)

Three jobs I have had:
1. Sales assistant at the SAFE Cruelty Free shop
2. Secretary at a camping ground
3. Makeup artist! >_>

Three places I have lived:
1. Auckland
2. North Island
3. New Zealand. Yes this is my way of showing you that I haven’t lived anywhere but here! xD

Three favorite drinks:
1. Milo! Yummy
2. Apple juice
3. Water!

Three TV shows I watch:
1. Home and Away
2. How I Met Your Mother
3. New Zealand’s Hottest Home Baker. >_> I admit, I’m obsessed with it. But not many episodes left :(

Three places I have been:
1. Hawaii
2. New Caledonia
3. Australia

Three places I would like to visit:
1. New York
2. Los Angeles
3. Denmark!

Three people who text (or bbm) me regularly:
1. Sister
2. Kaki (my aunty Carolyn)
3. Colin

Three favorite old TV shows:
1. Full House
2. Fresh Prince Of Bel Air
3. The Jetsons!

Three favorite dishes:
1. Mushroom Risotto
2. Roast chicken
3. Mince and cheese pie >_>

Three makeup/beauty products I cannot live without:
1. Mascara!
2. Moisturiser
3. Lip balm

Three things I'm looking forward to:
1. Photoshoots with my friend Rouan!
2. Making more money xD
3. Buying heaps more makeup!

Three people I tag:
1. Camille
2. Sarah
3. Tali

Thanks for viewing! Omg over 300 followers - I love you guys!!
oxo

WOWZERS! When did that happen?!

2010-02-25T10:49:00.002+13:00

I have over 230 followers!! That’s insane :D Thank you so much! I really appreciate every single one of you!

I also need to highlight that some of you who have commented on the giveaway can’t actually qualify for an entry until you have posted about the giveaway either on your twitter page, or somewhere on your blog. Sorry about that, you may want to go back and edit your comment!

I was in the process of thanking you all for entering individually, but there’s just too many to keep up with now! So I have to say a HUGE THANK YOU and GOOD LUCK to all of you here! :D

Thanks for viewing, I have more reviews coming up shortly, including Urban Decay and Revlon – so stay tuned!

oxo

Natural Instinct Review: Part 3

2010-02-25T10:40:00.001+13:00

I know, I know. This should’ve been up ages ago but I’ve had such a full on week, this is the first day I’ve actually had any rest! :P
So on with the review!

First up is the Natural Instinct Aloe Vera Gel.
Our NEW improved Aloe Vera Gel is a versatile product and has many natural benefits. It can be used for the cooling of sunburn, may assist with the healing of scars and the soothing of dry skin problems.
Anyone that uses clear aloe vera gel would know that it has heaps more uses than this!
This is by far the best aloe vera gel my sister and I have ever used and I honestly don’t know what we’d do without it. We use it for everything from sunburn to insect bites and it’s the only thing that can calm down my skin when I have a reaction to something.
The thing I mainly use this for though, is a makeup primer. I put a very small amount of it on my face after moisturising, but before my foundation. It makes my foundation last all day and actually makes the foundation go on smoother. I love it as my daily primer!
Everyone should have clear aloe vera gel on hand, and this is the one I’d personally recommend! :D

The last thing in this review is the Natural Deodorant.
Natural Instinct Deodorant contains ingredients that won’t just mask body odours, it will help to assist in fighting bacteria that causes body odours.
This deodorant contains two ingredients: sea salts and purified water.
Together, we found that this only works provided that you’re not doing any strenuous physical activity! Which is no good for us, given that it’s Summer here and we’re always outside doing stuff :P
And that in itself is the reason why I probably wouldn’t repurchase this, I need a deodorant that can last the distance and so far I haven’t been able to find a natural one that can do that. :(

That brings us to the end of the review on Natural Instinct Products! You can find more information about these and all the rest of their products on their website.

Thanks for viewing!
oxo

Natural Instinct Review: Part 2

2010-02-18T17:41:00.001+13:00

In Part 1 of this review we looked at the Natural Shampoo, Conditioner and Body Wash. Today we’re concentrating on face products!

First is the Natural Facial Scrub.
Whisk away those unwanted dead skin cells with Natural Instinct Facial Scrub. Ideal for sensitive skin, use it to remove clogged pores and impurities.
This comes in a 125ml bottle. Like any face scrub you use this once or twice a week to exfoliate. It’s quite harsh so I would recommend you be very gentle when using it!
Again I’ve asked my sister to give her opinions on this as well, and she really doesn’t like this. I have to say, I’m with her on this one. The smell for one, just isn’t pleasant and it’s too harsh! I won’t be repurchasing it, and wouldn’t recommend it. There are much better facial scrubs on the market, I wouldn’t bother with this one.

Next is the Natural Foaming Facial Cleanser.
Keep your face looking clean and fresh with the natural plant extracts of Natural Instinct Foaming Facial Cleanser.
This comes in a 125ml bottle and is suitable for all skin types, will assist in the removal of makeup and removes dirt and excess oil.
Camille, my sister, loves this product and uses it every single day. She, like a lot of teenagers, has very oily skin and has regular breakouts. She finds it hard to find a cleanser that really makes her face feel clean and that also helps control her blemishes – but this does a fantastic job. Her skin looks much clearer and her face really isn’t as oily as it usually is.
I also love this cleanser! I suffer from oily skin too which lately is also sensitive. Because of this, I’ve found it really hard to find a cleanser that doesn’t irritate my skin! This however, is great! My face feels really clean after using this and I would definitely recommend this to anyone, especially those with sensitive skin!

The Natural Hydating Toner is next.
Soothe and balance your skin with Natural Instinct Hydrating Toner. Suitable for sensitive skin, use it to refresh and hydrate your skin after cleansing.
This toner comes in a 125ml spray bottle which I find really handy! In normal bottles it can be quite easy to use too much toner, when in reality you only need a little bit to do the job. But with this, you only need a couple of sprays and you’re done! I thought I would add that I don’t spray this directly on my face, I spray it on a cotton pad then apply to my face. :)
We both really like this. It’s beautiful and refreshing and it’s a bit of a step up from the witch hazel that I usually use everyday, as it contains all the goodness of that with the added benefits of rosewater. Would recommend this to anyone who wants a nice refreshing toner!

And the last product for this part of the review is Natural Moisturiser.
Natural Instinct Moisturiser is specifically designed for the sensitive, delicate skin on your face. It’s non greasy formula may assist in replenishing the moisture in your skin and compliments it with a blend of organic herbs.
This also comes in a 125ml bottle! It’s suitable for all skin types and is even great under makeup!
We love this! Cetaphil is pretty much my favourite moisturiser of all time, but this is a close second. It just feels so nice and doesn’t irritate my skin at all. Considering it’s so cheap, it feels like a high end moisturiser – without all the chemicals! Recommend to anyone :D

In the last Part of this review we’ll be looking at Natural Aloe Vera Gel and Natural Deodorant.
Thanks for viewing!
oxo

Natural Instinct Review: Part 1

2010-02-15T15:47:00.001+13:00

Natural Instinct is an Australian brand that has been producing natural and organic skin care products since 2003. As well as that, they also produce a range of household cleaning products.

My sister and I have been using a wide range of their products for the past few months and are here to share our experiences with you! This is the first part in a three part series, so let’s get onto it!

First up is the Natural Shampoo.
Organic Instinct Shampoo has been carefully formulated with a unique combination that contains pure essential oils and organic herbs.
This shampoo is made for all hair types and is meant to leave your hair feeling soft, shiny and manageable. It is available in three sizes; 250ml, 500ml and 1 Litre.
My sister, Camille SWEARS by this. To give you an idea of her hair type, she is a natural blonde who has never dyed her hair and has naturally straight hair that has a slight wave. Her hair gets really oily, so she washes it everyday.
She finds it really difficult to find a shampoo that leaves her hair feeling clean, but this is great! We have both noticed that her hair looks a lot more healthy since she has been using this, and now she refuses to use anything else!
I, on the other hand, like this shampoo but can’t use it every time I wash my hair. I have naturally curly hair that is in really bad condition from a botched up chemical straightening that I had done by a student hairdresser (that was a BAD idea!). It’s oily at the roots, but completely dry and fried at the ends.
I agree that this shampoo leaves your hair feeling really clean, but it really feels too harsh for my hair, so I don’t often use it.

Next up is the Natural Conditioner.
Organic Instinct Conditioner uses the nourishing goodness of pure essential oils and organic herbs to nourish your hair.
This conditioner is enriched with Vitamin E, Avocado and Lavender Pure Essential Oils which helps make your hair feel soft and manageable. It is also available in the same three sizes as the shampoo.
This is another product that Camille uses everyday after using the shampoo. Now this works fabulously on her hair, leaves it feeling soft and beautiful – I swear her hair has never looked so good!
Unfortunately it doesn’t work as well for me. It just isn’t nourishing enough for my hair and it feels like it doesn’t really do anything for me at all.

The last product for Part 1 of this review is the Natural Body Wash.
Natural Instinct Body Wash cleanses and revitalises your body with natural conditioning ingredients.
Made with pure essential oils and organic herbs, it nourishes your skin leaving it looking smooth and fresh. Would you believe that this comes in those same three sizes as the shampoo and conditioner?!
Camille and I both love this! My skin in general has been extra sensitive lately and has been reacting to almost all soaps and body washes – except for this! It doesn’t really have much of a scent to it, but it actually leaves you feeling really clean and fresh. It also doesn’t seem to dry out your skin like a lot of body washes. So this gets two thumbs up from the both of us!

Part 2 will feature the Natural Facial Scrub, Natural Foaming Facial Cleanser, Natural Hydrating Toner and Natural Moisturiser – so stay tuned!

Thanks for viewing, don’t forget to enter my first giveaway here!
oxo!

Update – Over 100 Followers!!! Wowzers!

2010-02-09T15:15:00.001+13:00

HI all!
I have to say a huuuge THANK YOU to all of my new followers (as well as all my old ones who have stayed by me all this time!)! This is so ridiculously exciting! I was away for the weekend, and when I returned yesterday, I realised I had gone from 95 to 111!! That is beyond awesome and I can’t thank you all enough. :D :D :D

The giveaway is going fabulously – thanks to all who have entered so far! Those of you who haven’t entered yet, but want to do so click here! Unfortunately I have had a bit of negativity surrounding it, which did upset and annoy me at first, but I’ve decided to ignore it and won’t let it ruin the excitement of my first giveaway. I owe it to all you amazing people!

My trip away was amazing.. It’s hard not to love this country when you go out and explore it, I tell ya. Although it does make Auckland less and less appealing. :P
I went to Taranaki with my family and spent the whole time on black sand beaches – swimming, kayaking, spending time with my family AND I even got to drive a tractor – twice! I’ve probably mentioned it before, but if not, I am obsessed with tractors! I’m not sure why.. I just am! I have wanted to drive one forever, so I was so excited that I finally got to do it! :)

On a blogging note, coming up this week will be a review on Natural Instinct products. It’ll be in two parts (possibly three?) because I’ve tried quite a few of their products. I’ll also be sharing my sister’s view on them – so you can see two different opinions!

Thanks again to everyone, you’ve really made my day! :)
oxo

Review: Graftobian HD Pro Powder Foundation

2010-02-02T10:21:00.001+13:00

“Graftobian’s silky smooth pressed powder formulation is highly pigmented for exceptional coverage and blends easily for a natural finish. Ideal for creating a matte HD finish following the use of Graftobian’s High Definition Glamour Creme Foundation.”

Also known as Dual-finish foundation, this awesome little powder foundation can be used both wet or dry.
To achieve a more translucent coverage, you apply this dry with a brush. For more opacity, apply it dry with the included sponge. For the best coverage, apply it with a wet sponge.

Now I’m sure you know by now that I really LOVE HD makeup products. You really do get more bang for your buck. Intensely pigmented products where a little literally goes a long way! I’m also quite a fan of Graftobian ever since I purchased this palette.

I had originally wanted to purchase these powders after reading the Model Mayhem forums (that place is bad for my wallet!) and seeing that everyone actually uses the Graftobian 12 Dual Finish Foundation Palette from Camerareadycosmetics on makeup jobs. It looked really good so I was in the process of saving for it!
I then actually got an email from Makeupandglow advertising a sale on their Graftobian HD Powder compacts (as they’ve decided to no longer stock them) and at a reduced price of $5AUD, we all know I couldn’t resist them!! I ended up with 5 compacts that altogether cost less than purchasing just one at full price!! Bargain! :D

The colours I got are: Honey Glow, Milk ‘N Honey, Porcelain Doll, Alabaster Baby and Healthy Tan.

So far, I have only tried them out by applying them dry, with a brush and oh my goodness, these things are AMAZING! The coverage is just beautiful, it evens out the skin without looking like you’re wearing anything at all! If you’re one of those mineral foundation junkies, that likes them because of how good they feel, then trust me, you would love this!!
I have been wearing Alabaster Baby a lot lately, because my normal liquid foundation just seems to melt off in this heat, and I can honestly tell you that I am loving it. I also use Healthy Tan to contour my face – it’s great for that! :D

I honestly just love these powders. Not only will they be great on my female clients but they will be perfect for when my job requires ‘male grooming’ as most guys can’t stand the feel of any makeup on them! :P Definitely a great product that I would recommend to anyone.
Although I probably will get a palette to depot these babies into, who wants that many compacts taking up space in their kit?!

Thanks for viewing lovelies!
Don’t forget to enter my first ever giveaway!
oxo

My First Ever Giveaway!!

2010-02-01T14:45:00.002+13:00

Yay!!! I’m so excited!! I really hope you all enter this, I love you all and can’t thank you enough for following my blog. Depending on how this one goes, I may have quite a few more coming up this year!! :D

Ok, let’s get onto it!

Included in the prize is:

Neutrogena Rapid Clear Spot Gel 15ml (I love this stuff and find that it works really, really well!)
MAC Lipmix in Clear ‘Gloss’ (I LOVE to make my own lipsticks/glosses by mixing this stuff with different pigments)
Revlon Beyond Natural Cream to Powder eyeshadow quad in ‘520 Spice’
6 MAC Pigment Samples all in 1/2 teaspoon sizes – Kelly Green, Mauvement, Melon, Mutiny, Violet and Rose
2 Nivea DNAge Samples – eyecream and nightcream (just thought I’d chuck those in there, cause I love them! :P)

All products are of course brand new!

It’s easy to enter!

First, you must be a follower of my blog! If you’re not one already then go ahead and follow me :D
You must comment on this post
You must EITHER post about this giveaway on your blog, OR write about it on twitter! Remember to include the link to this when you comment me!
If you happen to post about this on both your blog AND twitter, then you will automatically have 2 entries into this giveaway. If you do this, then remember to include both links!

This is open to all international readers and this giveaway closes on the 25 March 2010. Winner will be announced on the 26 March 2010.

Thanks for viewing! Don’t forget to enter! oxo!

Update!

2010-01-21T15:34:00.002+13:00

Hi everyone!
I just thought I’d let you all know what I’ve been up to and what’s coming up within the next month or so.

I’ve been on holiday – it was amaazing! Loved it so much and to be honest, I’m sad to be back home and back to reality. :P
I sprained my left ankle as soon as I got home. I am so damn clumsy! I was unpacking the car and somehow managed to trip and fall off the deck straight onto my ankle. It hurt like crazy! Wasn’t able to walk until the next day, had an x-ray and luckily it showed no sign of a fracture! Yay! :D I couldn’t even imagine how much it would suck to be stuck in a cast for the rest of the summer!! The swelling and bruising is still pretty bad though. Apparently it can take 3-6 weeks for a sprain to heal? I’m crossing my fingers that it won’t take that long!

I’m currently trying to organise some photoshoots with my photographer friend, Rouan. I’m hoping to get both some more natural and more creative looks in my portfolio, so it will be fun to work with him! And I will be sure to post the results of any photoshoots on here so you all can have a look and tell me what you think! The only sad thing is I’ll have to wait until my ankle is feeling better before I can do anything!! Argh!

Another thing I’m going to be doing is looking for a part time/full time job, so if I don’t post as often as I’d like, the reason will be that I’m busy doing that. :P It’s sad that I can’t make enough money by just doing makeup artistry at the moment, but that’s my goal for the future, to be able to get by JUST by doing what I love – makeup! :D

Ok, enough of that boring stuff, let’s talk about what’s in store for my blog over the next couple of months!

I’m going to be having my first giveaway! Just shopping around for the prize and then will be posting it hopefully next week. It will run for 4-6 weeks (haven’t quite decided) and I’m hoping that every single one of you enter! :D
In a couple of months time (hopefully) I will be having a contest on my blog. In order to enter you will have to do a makeup look on yourself based on a theme and will need to send me at least 2 photos of the gorgeous look you create! I will then post all the entries on my blog and you, my wonderful readers, will vote for your favourite and decide who wins. Exciting! I would love some ideas for themes, so please comment me with some :D
I will be reviewing a lot of new products and will try to post at least one review a week. I love trying new stuff and letting you all know what I think of it! :P
FOTDs/NOTDs/EOTDs will most likely be less frequent, I always forget to take photos!! I will try to remember to take photos more often so I can post them on here.

So yeah, that’s about it really! I will post more updates now and then too so you all know what’s happening. :)

If there are any products you’d like to see a review on, please let me know and if I have it (or can afford to buy it, hehe) I will post a review on it asap! :D

Thanks for viewing!
oxo

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!

2010-01-01T22:36:00.002+13:00

Wishing all you amazing people a very HAPPY NEW YEAR! Hoping that 2010 is the most fantastic, fun-filled year yet!!! :D
Do you have a new years resolution?? Goals for the year??
I think my main goal for 2010 is just to be happier and not to let life's problems get me down as much as they usually do. It is hard to stay positive when it feels like your whole world is falling down around you, but my theory is that if you dwell on it too much, then things just get worse. So here's to being happier! :D
And even though I've started the new year with my shoulders peeling like crazy (don't do what I do and get sunburnt, sunscreen is your friend!!), I already feel pretty damn good about the future! :D
Thank you again for all being gorgeous people, both inside and out. Much love to you all! oxo

Merry Christmas!!

2009-12-26T17:36:00.003+13:00

Christmas has come and gone, here in New Zealand. It was a gorgeous sunny day here, best Christmas day we've had in years! I always wonder what it must be like to have Christmas in winter...
I hope you all have had an amazing christmas and spent it with all the wonderful people you love and cherish the most. :D

I'm truly sorry I haven't posted in so long, this year has been... hectic to say the least, and just choco-block full of dramas! I won't bore you with the details, but I'm promising that when 2010 gets here, I'm going to try and post a heck of a lot more! I owe it to you to make more of an effort to post!
I also want to say a big thank you to you all, you're an amazing bunch of people and you've really made this otherwise shit (to be quite honest here) year, a pretty damn good one! I can't wait to get to know you all even better!

Take care and enjoy the holidays! Much love!
oxo

Maui’s Giveaway!

2009-10-21T08:44:00.001+13:00

Head on over and check out this giveaway here!

Head on over, you have until 31st October to enter, winner will be announced on November 1st!

Makeup, Rants, Musings and More - click here to enter!

Review: Anatomicals Stop Cracking Up

2009-10-18T18:07:00.001+13:00

Have you heard of Anatomicals? If not then I’m guessing you’re not part of Meg’s Makeup, in which case comment below (with your email address) or send me an email (makeupper@gmail.com) for your invite! You will not regret it!!

Anatomicals is a brand that I honestly wish I had’ve discovered earlier. With a philosophy like ‘We only want you for your body’ you know that these guys are going to be refreshingly honest about what their products can and can’t do!

As a member of Meg’s Makeup I was lucky enough to get my hands on their ‘Stop Cracking Up’ lip balm. Now, I’m going to make it clear here that I have very high standards when it comes to lip balms. I’m not interested in any nice scents or cute packaging. If it doesn’t moisturise my lips and do it extremely well, then it gets chucked.
For this reason, Lucas Papaw Ointment is basically the only lip balm I use. That is, until I got this.
I applied it to my lips, expecting it to be a fairly average product, nothing special. So you can imagine my surprise when I discovered that this product does exactly what it’s supposed to, it stops your lips from ‘cracking up’!!

Would I recommend this? Yes! Everyone needs this in their handbag. There is nothing worse than dry, cracked lips so let Anatomicals work their magic on you!

I’m dying to try more of their stuff especially the ‘No Old Bags Allowed’ eye cream! When I get enough money I’ll definitely be ordering some.

Don’t forget to check out their site, I guarantee you’ll get a laugh!
Thanks for viewing!
oxo

What cleanser are you using??

2009-10-18T15:07:00.001+13:00

Big hello to all my gorgeous followers! I’m in need of your advice!

My skin is getting really sensitive lately. I used to use the Clinique skincare range without any problems, but lately my skin has started reacting to it. It gets all red and hot and my usually oily t-zone area is now really dry. Have you had this happen to you??

I decided to switch to this, in the hope that it would help:

My skin has definitely calmed down a little since I started using this but I’ve noticed that sometimes my skin doesn’t feel very clean afterwards…

So now I’m on the hunt for another cleanser to try. Something that won’t irritate my skin and will leave it feeling clean and fresh. Do you have any suggestions? What do you use??

Thanks for viewing!
oxo

Kreative Blogger Award!

2009-10-08T14:59:00.001+13:00

I was lucky enough to be nominated for this Kreative Blogger award by the gorgeous blogger Sarah! I just love her blog, it’s always so interesting and she does the most awesome makeup looks! If you’re not following her already, then go do so now!

To accept this award do the following:
1. Thank the person who nominated you for this award.
2. Copy the logo and place it on your blog.
3. Link to the person who nominated you for this award.
4. Name 7 things about yourself that people might find interesting.
5. Nominate 7 Kreative Bloggers.
6. Post links to the 7 blogs you nominate.
7. Leave a comment on each of the blogs letting them know they have been nominated.

I dunno if you’ll find all this interesting, but I’ll write it anyway! :P

1.
My family and I go camping every year. We’ve been going since I was 7 years old and we always go to the same place. It’s actually my favourite place to be, because it’s so far from Auckland and everything there is so much more carefree and relaxed. I get to laze around on the beach all day which is one of my favourite things to do!

2.
I love crafting. I’m a craft freak. I make a lot of jewellery mostly, but also make plushies and clothes and basically just anything. My room is FULL of both makeup and craft supplies! There’s hardly any room for me! :P

3.
I worked at Air New Zealand Fashion Week last year and it was one of the greatest experiences of my life. I worked 4 days of it in total, which included one day assisting Steph Lai (well known makeup artist here in New Zealand), one day doing the makeup for the TAV show and two 12 hour days (exhausting much?!) doing the makeup for several shows on during Fashion WeekEND.
I wish I had’ve worked at it this year, but oh well… always next year! :D

4.
I’m somewhat addicted to Home and Away and try to watch it most nights. If I happen to miss an episode then I try to catch the omnibus at the end of the week, lol! There’s just always something happening on that show, I love all the drama! :P

5.
My uncle has a tattoo set up, complete with all the hygiene and sanitation stuff. One day he decided to let my sister and I play around with it and now he has a really wonky looking pentagram on his arm, thanks to me. LOL! You would think he’d be bothered by that (come on, most people would be right?) but he couldn’t care less! It’s great! :P

6.
I LOVE Will Ferrell! His movies are hilarious! Elf is probably one of my favourite christmas movies, and Step Brothers cracks me up everytime I watch it. Not to mention Anchorman, Talladega Nights and Blades Of Glory.. pretty much any movie with him in it is a movie I enjoy. :P

7.
I’m such a huge fan of WWE, I watch Raw whenever I can. >_> I have so many favourite wrestlers and think that Randy Orton has the most amazing thighs in the world. <_< Lol :P Seriously though, I love watching WWE, it’s so hilarious. :D

Sorry I couldn’t think of anything more interesting, I never know what to say on these things! :P
Now I’d like to nominate:

Thanks again Sarah! And btw, Halloween isn’t big over here either, I really do wish it was! :(

Check out this amazing giveaway!!

2009-10-05T16:25:00.001+13:00

Shades Of U is having an amazing giveaway that you can check out here!

Info:

I am so excited to present this MAC Giveaway for The Shades Of U followers and subscribers!! This contest is open to everyone eighteen (18) years old and older worldwide. Take a look at the prizes in store for the winner (all items are brand-new, untested MAC products):

1. Blackware glimmerglass
2. Blackfire glimmerglass
3. Blingblack glimmerglass
4. Black Knight cremesheen lipstick
5. Blue Flame mineralize eyeshadow
6. Cinderfella mineralize eyeshadow
7. Wisteria eyeshadow trio (Dame Edna collection)
8. Kirsch mattene lipstick

It is easy to join. First of all, you need to be a subscriber or follower of this blog, either via Twitter, Blogger or Google Friend Connect, RSS Feed, Facebook or e-mail.
Also, this is a viral contest, so you need to post a link to this blog contest or a link to The Shades Of U homepage, on your blogs (Blogger, Vox, Livejournal, Xanga, etc), forums you visit, or social networks (MySpace, Facebook, Twitter, Friendster, etc). Re-tweeting on Twitter or sharing this link on your Facebook account fulfills this requirement. One post about this contest is enough to become eligible. Then come back to this blog entry and fill in the form below, answering the question "How Are You Subscribed to The Shades Of U?", and including the link to your blog/forum/social network post about The Shades Of U or the contest.
Contest Mechanics:
1. This contest is open to all The Shades Of U Subscribers/Followers 18 years old and older. International subscribers (outside of the US) are welcome to join. Subscribe to The Shades Of U via one of the following: the RSS Feed, e-mail subscription, Twitter, or Blogger/Google Friend Connect or Facebook. If you are currently a subscriber, you are automatically eligible to join and you do not need to re-subscribe.
2. Fill up the contest entry form below, include your name and e-mail address (don't worry, only I can read your information and these details shall not be published). You also need to answer the question, "How are you subscribed to The Shades Of U?". Your answer should be one of these:
a. RSS Feed
b. Twitter (include Twitter ID)
c. E-mail subscription (include email address)
d. Blogger/Google (include Blogger name)
e. Facebook (include Facebook name)
3. In the entry form, also include the link to the post you created on your blog, social network, or forum you visited about The Shades Of U MAC Viral Giveaway.
PLEASE READ, VERY IMPORTANT: We've been receiving entries with no link to the blog, forum or Social Network post about this Giveaway. Please include the link to the post you've created about this Giveaway in your entries. Thanks.
4. The contest shall run starting today,October 3, 2009 and ends on Friday, October 9, 2009 at 11:55 p.m. EDT.
5. Contest Machine and The Shades Of U shall randomly pick one winner, announce the name of the winner on this blog, and shall contact the winner via the e-mail address provided in the entry form.
6. The winner shall respond with his/her mailing address within seventy-two (72) hours of the delivery of the notification e-mail; otherwise, the entry shall be disqualified and another winner shall be chosen. Thus, this is also the reason why entrants should subscribe to this blog to be promptly apprised of the winner's name just in case the notification e-mail does not go through or goes to the spam inbox.
7. The Shades Of U will ship the prize package to anywhere in the world via First Class mail. If the winner is a US Resident, the prize shall be sent with delivery confirmation. If the winner resides outside of the US, the prize shall be sent to the international winner using First Class international mail with no tracking number. However, the postal receipt shall be kept as evidence of shipment. The Shades Of U shall not be responsible for loss or delays in the delivery of the package after the prize has been mailed, nor shall it be responsible for customs duties or fees.

So go check it out!!

NOTD: Konad – My first try!

2009-09-30T17:16:00.001+13:00

It has taken me months to finally give in and buy a Konad Stamping Nail Art ‘system’. I’ve been putting it off, mainly because I couldn’t afford it and because I wasn’t entirely sure that I’d ever use it.

I finally gave in when I was browsing trademe and came across an auction for a Konad ‘Set’ containing 2 special nail polishes of your choice, an image plate of your choice and a double ended stamper/scraper set. All up it was $20 (NZD) which I thought was a pretty good deal. I chose black and dark purple for the colours and the m57 plate.

It arrived today so of course I tried it out as soon as I opened it. And I have to say I’m completely in love with it!! It is so much fun and the results (once you’ve had a few practice goes) are fantastic!! Now I’m going to have to buy more image plates because I can see this becoming addictive!!

Here’s a pic of what I did today:

I used the Santee nail polish pictured as the base colour. The colour is M30 – Silver Blue. I seriously love these nail polishes, and at only $3 (NZD) they’re cheap as chips. The Konad special nail polish I used is dark purple.

Thanks for viewing!
oxo!

Giveaways!!

2009-09-15T10:29:00.001+12:00

A lot of amazing bloggers are having giveaways at the moment and here’s links to just some of them:

Jen's First Giveaway!

The lucky winner will receive:

Soap & Glory Flirtigo Moisturising Body Mist
The Body Shop Body & Leg Shine (gorgeous wash off fake tan)
The Body Shop Satsuma Body Butter
Topshop pearl stud earrings
Nails Inc nail polish inMarylebone high st
The Body Shop mini hi-shine lipgloss (love this!!)
No7 New Extravagant Lashes in Black
Girls Aloud lashes, Cheryl.

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Oh Puffcakes Giveaway!

Prize 1: (1st pic, far top)

Soapalaya Sensitive Skin Moisturizing Soap Sample (Handmade and All-Natural)-----her Etsy shop
Soapalaya Lip Balm in Pomegranate
Pure Spring Body Mist in Jasmine Tuberose
Lip Stick Case with Mirror (from China =D)
ELF Studio Complexion Brush
EcoTools Foundation and Blender Brushes
ELF Natural Radiance Blusher in Glow
CoverGirl Cheekers Blush in Pretty Peach

Prize 2: (2nd pic)

Soapalaya Lip Balm in Asian Pear
Bath and Body Works Body Splash in Velvet Tuberose
NC24 Long Lasting Extra Rich Cream
ELF Studio Blush in Peachy Keen
Maybelline Mineral Power Illuminator in Nude
Forever21 Brown and Gold Bracelet/Bangles
A pretty pair of Light Blue Dangly Earrings

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Missmercurylady's First giveaway!

If she hits 100 followers, she’ll throw in 4 more prizes so spread the word!!

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Shanghainese Dumpling's Giveaway!

And now here’re the rules:

1) Be a follower of this blog
2) Become a Fan of Shanghainese Dumpling’s Facebook Page (Except if you don’t have Facebook)
3) Leave a comment on this post to let me know that you’ve done so

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XROCKSMAMA Giveaway!

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Gem's Giveaway!

G-lish trio eyeshadow
Clinique black mascara
Clinique lipstick in Berrylicious
Estee Lauder lip gloss
Elianto nail polish
G-lish mosaic blush powder
Blue eyeliner
Bag!

Mechanics:
1. You MUST be a follower of my blog. So, click on the "follow" button if you aren't a follower yet!
2. Copy the image and post it together with the mechanics on your blog. Don't forget to link back!
3. Leave a comment on this entry saying, "I'm in!"

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Make sure you check out all these amazing giveaways!

oxo

FOTD: Mixing!

2009-09-14T20:15:00.001+12:00

Yeah I look pretty tired, and the colours didn’t show up as brightly as I’d hoped they would but I wanted to show you all this anyway!

On my eyes:

MAC Paintpot in Painterly
MAC Satin Taupe eyeshadow – inner third
MAC Club eyeshadow middle – middle
MAC Handwritten eyeshadow – outter third and underneath
MAC Carbon eyeshadow – along lashes
MAC Ricepaper eyeshadow – as highlight
Revlon brown eyeliner
Avon Supershock mascara

Face:

MAC Face and Body foundation in C2
MAC Studio Sculpt concealer in NW20

Blush (the exciting part!):

OCC Lip tars in NSFW and Feathered mixed together and applied to the apples of the cheeks, then blended using my fingers!

Lips (also exciting!):

OCC Lip tars in NSFW and Feathered, then sheered down with a bit of the Clear lip tar.

It really makes these bright lip tars a lot more wearable for everyday use by sheering them down with the Clear lip tar. God I love these things.
Definitely going to be doing some more intense/bright looks with these in the future though, so look out for those. :D

Thanks for viewing!

oxo

Yaby Dramatically Neutral Palette – Review Time!

2009-09-13T13:33:00.001+12:00

Yaby Cosmetics is quickly becoming one of the most well known professional makeup brands available today. Their concept of downsizing makeup artist kits and their gorgeous, highly pigmented products are very popular among makeup artists across the globe.

I first really heard about Yaby Cosmetics while browsing through the Model Mayhem forums and was impressed by all the rave reviews they were getting, so I knew I had to check them out!

The Dramatically Neutral Eyeshadow Palette really is wonderful. It holds 40 eyeshadows which are a fabulous mix of both mattes and shimmers. The colours are divine, the pay off is great and the longevity is amazing! I can honestly say that I prefer these to all of my MAC eyeshadows – seriously!

As you can see from the picture at the beginning of this post, my palette needs a bit of a clean (I’ve been using it on myself a bit lately and haven’t got around to cleaning it yet). What you can’t see is that this (along with all the other Yaby palettes) comes with a built in stainless steel mixing palette instead of a mirror! How genius is that?! :D I love it!

I’m not going to swatch all the colours, because that would take forever, but I did swatch a few so you can see what the pay off is like!

ES339 – Fairytrail (has a high shine finish):

ES347 – Pottery (has a frost finish):

PP036 – Summer Night (pearl paint):

PP062 – Tamarind (pearl paint):

ES168 – Earth (has a matte finish):

ES154 – abyss (has a matte finish):

ES382 – turquoise dream (has a frost finish):

PP026 – amber rain (pearl paint):

They really are just gorgeous and even though this line is aimed at makeup artists, I would recommend this palette to everyone!
I’m definitely going to be purchasing more from Yaby (once I get some money!) :P

Thanks for viewing!

oxo

ARGH!!

2009-09-11T20:03:00.001+12:00

I really need to apologise to all my loyal followers. I am SO sorry I haven’t posted anything in so long. My life feels like it’s been consumed with drama and whatnot lately (such as a break up) so I have been neglecting this. :(

I’ve really missed blogging and will try to blog at least once a week or so from now on. Since I last blogged I’ve got a few new things to review, and should be doing some FOTDs sometime soon! I’ve also been playing around with my lip tars a bit lately so I should have some of that up soonish too!

AND it’s my birthday on Wednesday (16th Sept) and I have to admit I’m stressing out about it a little. I’m not a huge fan of being the centre of attention! But I am a fan of presents so.. yay! Lolol :P

Thanks again to all my followers, I’m at 80 now and I just think that’s amazing!! I will definitely be blogging in the next few days so watch this space!

oxoxo

OCC Lip Tars – The Beginning Of An Obsession

2009-07-27T10:53:00.001+12:00

Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics are a brand I recently discovered thanks to some fabulous bloggers, youtubers and the always informative – Model Mayhem forum.
Their Lip Tars immediately got my attention.

“A stunning new innovation in lip color, OCC Lip Tar combines the longevity of a lipstick, with the ease of application of a gloss. Goes on slick and moist, and dries down to a satin finish. Ultra-saturated in color, OCC Lip Tar contains an unprecedented amount of pigment, so a little goes a very, very long way. An intense yet featherweight layer of color that stands up to the scrutiny of Hi-Def Video and Digital Photography, without ever looking (or feeling!) heavy. Meant to be mixed, OCC Lip Tars come in concise range of colors (and black and white!) for a limitless selection of shades made by you!”

With an introduction like that, who wouldn’t be intrigued?? They also mention that they’re 100% Vegan and Cruelty-Free! :D

Upon receiving the 8 lip tars I ordered from camerareadycosmetics, I realised that the description of these was COMPLETELY 100% true.
They are by far the most amazing lip product I have ever tried. Period.
The pigment is insane. The tiny amount needed is just… crazy. I truly did not expect these lip tars to be as good as everyone makes them out to be, but they really are.

Onto the colours I chose:
Clear – obviously for mixing

Feathered – again obviously for mixing

Tarred – fabulous for darkening any of the colours. Plus how awesome would this be for a gothic photoshoot? :o

NSFW – I could NOT resist this. As well as being great for mixing, this is the PERFECT red!

RX – Everyone needs the primary colours!

Traffic – Primary colour again

Katricia – I couldn’t say no to this. Bit gutted that Pageant was sold out, wanted that too :(

Uber – I just needed this.

I am so in love with these, I don’t think I’ll be satisfied until I own every single lip tar they make. And wouldn’t ya know it, they just released some new colours! Make sure you check out their site here!
We all need lip tars in our lives!!

I’ll be posting swatches of the colours I mix, so be sure to come back and check them out.
Thanks for viewing!
oxo

Review: Napoelon Perdis Cake Eyeliner Sealer

2009-07-20T20:44:00.001+12:00

Napoleon Perdis Cake Eyeliner Sealer turns cake eyeliner and regular eyeshadows into a liquid liner. It also waterproofs them and can be mixed with loose eyeshadows/pigments and used as mascara.

I bought this last year and have used it A LOT. It does exactly what it says it does with great results.
I have one huge problem with it though. The price. For around $25NZD you get a measly 15ml! That is ridiculous.
I’ve also heard that Napoleon Perdis cosmetics are actually just repackaged La Femme products anyway. I find that quite appalling considering the huge price difference between the two brands.

For that reason I will not be repurchasing this. I may however look into purchasing the La Femme version of this and compare the two, as the product itself is wonderful, just a complete rip off. :P

Have you tried this or other Napoleon products?? What are your views on them?

Thanks for viewing!
oxo

Review: Graftobian HD Foundation Super Palette

2009-07-12T18:30:00.001+12:00

Being a makeup artist is fantastic, but I am sick of carrying around a million different foundations in my kit! Not only is it hard on my back but it makes finding the perfect shade a huge hassle.

This lead me on the hunt for a foundation palette. After reading lots of reviews I finally settled on the Graftobian High Definition Warm Foundation Super Palette.
This palette contains all 18 shades in their colour range of warm shades, which will cover almost every skin tone, with the option of easy mixing since it’s in palette form.
Each colour has enough product for around 12 applications, and all colours can be bought individually in larger amounts (around 7 times the amount in the palette) so refilling it isn’t a problem.

These foundations are made for high definition film and photography making them perfect for everyday use as well. The coverage is amazing (no need for concealer with these babies!) and they can easily be thinned down with a moisturiser for a sheerer finish.
With cream foundations (especially high definition ones like these) it is important to remember that as these are very highly pigmented, a little goes a very long way. Too much product and the skin will appear and feel oily.
Personally I prefer to apply cream foundations with sponges as I find that I can get a more flawless finish than I can with a brush.

I am thrilled with this palette so far, and I can’t wait to use it on more clients. I would definitely recommend this to all makeup artists. For anyone else who’s looking for a great, full coverage foundation, check out the individual ones I mentioned earlier.

You can find this palette online at Makeup and Glow and Camerareadycosmetics. Both sites offer samples of these foundations. :)

Big thanks to all my followers!
oxo

Fabulous Prize – Thanks Makeup Mama!

2009-07-05T21:32:00.001+12:00

So the other day I got the most amazing prize package from the beautiful Makeup Mama (Steph)! And of course my camera batteries were dead and I had to wait til they charged! Typical!
Anyway here’s what I got:

All of it together

Close ups:

Coolest thing I’ve ever seen! A little matchbook looking thing that has nail files in it instead of matches! HOW CUTE IS THIS?!

An awesome pair of revlon false nails!

Some really cool Revlon lashes!

An awesome glitter liner!

Kiss Me Mascara! A very cute little sample sized one! Almost too cute to use!

And a Kiss Me Eyeliner! Also almost too cute to use!

And a GORGEOUS Starry U.S.A Boutique Colors eyeshadow palette! Look at those pretty colours! You would not believe how pigmented this is, I will definitely be doing a FOTD with this!

And that’s everything! How lucky am I? Thanks again Makeup Mama, I could not have asked for a more amazing prize package! oxo

My June Favourites!

2009-07-01T16:02:00.001+12:00

First day of July! (Here in NZ anyway!) I can’t believe how fast this year is going!
Here are my favourite products from the month of June:

MAC Pigment in Violet
Ben Nye Neutral Set
Designer Brands Lipstick in Lilac Mist
Neutrogena Rapid Clear Spot Gel

What were your favourite products in June?
oxo

Another Blog Award!

2009-06-26T17:12:00.001+12:00

The rules:
1. Write five (5) interesting facts about the person who gave you this award.
2. Jot down ten (10) interesting facts about yourself or your hobbies.
3. Pick your ten (10) most deserving recipients and describe them.
4. Leave a comment on the recipients' blog to tell them they've been tagged.
5. Paste the award badge in your side bar.

Who gave me this?
I was lucky enough to receive this award from the beautiful diyanashukor!

She is a real sweetie who is obsessed with makeup!
She is a makeup artist in Malaysia
She does absolutely beautiful makeup tutorials on her blog
She does fabulous makeovers
The majority of her blog isn’t in english, but the pictures are so amazing that you simply have to check it out :)

10 interesting facts about me:
Ahh! I always have trouble writing stuff like this! :P

Makeup is basically all I buy. Apart from the ball dress I had to buy and a couple of t-shirts, I can’t actually remember the last time I spent money on anything other than makeup. xD
I really, really love blogging. And reading everyone’s blogs. It’s so great!
I have 2 tattoos, one is of two phoenixes and is at the top of my back and the other is of a turtle and is at the bottom of my back!
I studied makeup artistry last year and had some of the most amazing people ever in my class, I miss you girlies! <3
We breed pedigree Persian, Exotic and Nepalayan cats, I love every single one of them!
I am such a huge fan of the Transformer movies, have you seen Transformers 2 yet?? :o
I’m also a huge Twilight fan, can’t wait for New Moon!
Trying new beauty/makeup products is incredibly exciting for me and I have a never-ending list of things I’d love to try. :P
My favourite bands are Metallica and The Rolling Stones.
I am DYING to get more Make Up For Ever products, I wish they were available here!

And now I nominate:

Tali
This beautiful lady has an amazing blog. She is ALWAYS reviewing tonnes of amazing products and is stunning both inside and out!
Sarah
This gorgeous Australian is another one of my favourite bloggers! She is one of the sweetest girls around for sure. Her blog is FULL of awesome stuff to read and gorgeous looks that she’s done!
Robyn
Another gorgeous lady with a fantastic blog! Her blog has everything a fashion/makeup-loving girl could want! And it’s constantly being updated, I love it!
Carlinn
This beautiful girl’s blog is really awesome! She’s always updating her blog with reviews, deals on offer at the moment, FOTDs and more. She also has a youtube channel, so be sure to check that out too.
Rai
This very pretty lady is yet another one of my favourite bloggers. She’s a Hello Kitty fan (like a lot of us!) and is always doing the most beautiful bright makeup looks!
Jude
This is one stunning lady! Her makeup is always fabulous and she does amazing tutorials on youtube. She’s also got me really interested in Yaby cosmetics!
Whitney
Yet another stunning lady with a fabulous blog! Her eye makeup is always gorgeous and she’s always updating her blog with reviews, FOTDs and more!
Belle Du Jour
This beautiful blogger is always making me excited about trying new beauty products! Love reading all her great reviews!
Brilliant Farmgirl Beauty Secrets
I only recently discovered this amazing blogger when she started following my blog and I’m glad I checked her’s out! It’s fantastic and filled with lots of great info, loving it!
lipstickrules123
This beauty blogger is from Toronto! Only just discovered her blog too and it’s fabulous! She is constantly updating it with lots of fun and interesting posts!

Thanks again to diyanashukor. Be sure to check out all the blogs I’ve mentioned!
And a HUGE thanks to all my followers! Over 60 now! Wowzers! :D

oxo