Best of: The Products I LOVED in 2013

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Her Fashion Box: September

It's been quite a while since I unsubscribed from monthly subscription boxes. Although I loved getting surprises in the mail each month, I found I wasn't using all the samples I was receiving, so I was essentially just wasting my money. I still have a box of samples on my desk that I'm still making my way through. Maybe once they've run out I'll re-subscribe to the beauty boxes.

In the meantime, I've subscribed to Her Fashion Box. HFB is a mix of fashion, beauty and lifestyle products, delivered to your door every month for $39.95. There's no contracts, and you can cancel anytime. Which is a condition I love, being so fickle and all.

$39.95 is pretty steep, especially since I was paying $30 (combined) for two boxes previously. The difference between this box and others though is that you get a lot more full sized products, thus really getting your money's worth. You get to choose your 'style' as well, and unlike some other boxes that provide the illusion of choice, HFB actually tailors the products you receive to the style you choose. The styles are classic, feminine and trendy. (I signed up to classic)
And if $39.95 is too much, you can sign up to the "Her Fashion Boxette", which is a slightly smaller box at $24.95 per month.

So, I signed up last month, and even though I signed up past the date for September, they sneaked me onto the list anyway, so I got to receive the September box yay!

Here's what was inside:

Black clutch with gold studded detailing (RRP $39.95)

I love clutches, and this one pays homage to Alexander McQueen (only my most favourite designer ever, guys you know me too well!) It's sleek, sophisticated, classic...will go with everything. I'm so in love with it.

'The Midas Touch' Ring (RRP $24.95)

'Androgychic' ID bracelet (RRP $29.95)

Both of these are really cool, real gold-plated pieces of jewellery that I'll actually wear. The ring has little hearts, but is chunky (which is a style that I love, and matches so many of my other rings!) and the bracelet is so effortlessly chic. 

Maybelline Colour Show Nail Polish (RRP $5.95 each)

These are both colours I'll wear, and who doesn't love receiving nail polish? 

Lonvitalite Collagen Firming and Moisturising Facial Mask (RRP $29 for 5 masks)

PureTan Organic Extra Virgin 100% Coconut Oil (RRP $11.95 for 65mL) I received a 15mL sample

I love a good cloth mask, and I especially love moisturising ones given how dry my face is. This mask claims to promote skin renewal to keep 'complexion looking firm, even toned and radiant...smooths fine lines and enhances moisture retention'

I am such a coconut oil lover. Not only is it an amazing hydrating treatment for your skin and hair, but it smells like summer! 

Designer Brands Chubby Lip Crayon (RRP $7.99)

Designer Brands Kohl Pencil (RRP $4.99)

Both of these are soft and pigmented, and easy to apply. I received the lip crayon in the colour 'enchanted rose'. In the booklet that came with the box, it looks like a pretty pinky red colour, but when swatched it comes out fairly neutral. So the colour itself isn't anything amazing, but I'm all about the lips and this is a pretty, neutral colour. I was also in the market for a new kohl eyeliner so I am really happy about receiving this! 

Overall, I could not be happier with what I received in my first month's box. I will use absolutely everything I received, and I genuinely love all of it! I also love that the box comes with a little magazine with details about all the products, and ideas on how to wear and style it all. 

Are you subscribed to any monthly subscription boxes?



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Review and Swatches: Rimmel Apocalips Lip Lacquers

I can not even tell you how long I have spent trying to source these from England. No, I can. About 6 months. 6 long months, I have been waiting and waiting for these to become available. FINALLY they are in Australia! I picked these four up recently in Priceline, from memory they were about half price. I believe there's 8 in total, but my local priceline only had half of them stocked. Bummer!
I love the name of these lip lacquers...I'm a sucker for a good pun, and Rimmel have continued the theme through the naming of the shades, which I totally respect.

HOW INSANE is the pigmentation in these? That is literally one swipe of product, onto the back of my hand. 

Before we get into the nitty gritty, I will comment on the packaging, like I always do. Quite frankly...I love it They lip lacquers are sturdy, they look cool; the lids are prism-y and kind of crystal looking. Again, dedication to a theme; I totally approve of and respect this. I also love how the bottoms are clear, so you can see the colours without having to search for the names of each shade. I also love that the colours displayed on the packaging are pretty true to the colour of the product. It makes it so much easier for me to decide in the mornings on a colour to wear. 

I love most of the colours I picked out; 

Apocaliptic is a beautiful deep berry, which I'm absolutely loving for winter. 

Stargazer is a gold coloured nude with a heap of glitter in it. Don't love this one on my lips to be honest...it takes a while to blend out into something wear-able. 

Stellar is a cooler-toned red; if you're into corals you'll love this one. It almost seems to have a pinkish base to it too, which is nice. 

Nova is a really pretty pink and I actually like this one a lot more than I thought I would. 

All of the colours dry easily on the lips and the staying power is a couple of hours, less if eating and/or drinking. To be honest, I was slightly disappointed with how long they last. Considering the amount of colour you get in a swipe of product, I expected it to really cling onto my lips and hang out there for a while. I did have to re-apply several times throughout a 9 hour day, with the colour fading off the inner part of my lips first, leaving that ugly ring of lipstick. 

The formula of these is really creamy, albeit quite thick. I personally have found this makes it a little tricky to apply, but I'll get to my tips for that later. 

The scent of these probably won't be to everyone's taste. If you're one of those people who can't handle weirdly scented lipsticks, you'll probably want to avoid these, and in particular Stargazer. I noticed that one had the funkiest smell of all of them. I can't even really describe the scent...it's like cheap, synthetic plastic.

The lip lacquers come with a doe-foot applicator. Honestly, I think the formula is way too thick and wet to apply with one of these and ends up quite messy-looking; especially the darker shades. 

I've found the best way to apply these is by swiping some product on the back of my hand and then applying with a lip brush. This allows for a far more prescise application than you could possibly get with the built-in applicator. If you're in a situation where you don't have a lip brush, just make sure you scrape off any excess product onto the rim of the lipstick and start off with a small application and build up. This is one of those lip products you NEED to blot with, otherwise they will never dry on your lips, and will slip and slide like nobody's business. 

Also; make sure your lips are nicely hydrated and have been exfoliated before you pop some of this on... I didn't do that when I swatched these onto my lips, and as you'll see in the below photos, this is one of those products that clings to the dry patches. 

Top-Bottom: Stargazer, Stellar, Nova, Apocaliptic

The above photos were all taken with the exact same lighting conditions, and applied with the doe-foot applicator. You can see in the first and second swatches where the pigment has grabbed onto my dry patches. You may also notice that the application of stellar and apocaliptic is slightly messy. Like I  mentioned earlier, this can easily be avoided by using a lip brush, but as long as you have a tissue and some make up remover on hand, you'll be fine either way. From normal standing distance, I doubt anyone would really notice the application is less than perfect. 

Overall, I love the colours of these. I think they are fantastic for a liquid lipstick, and I may go purchase the other four shades if I can track them down. This is quite a high maintenance lippy though, so if you're not into that I'd give it a miss. If you love beautiful coloured lips regardless of what it takes, then this is the product for you! 

Have you tried these out yet? Is liquid lipstick something you're into?

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Body Care: Eczema and Dry Skin

Winter is notorious for sucking any moisture from our skin. As we spend more time indoors with heating, and brave chilly winds, our skin takes a serious beating. I have dry skin to begin with, so winter is actually hell for me. (Despite this, it's still my favourite season)

May Favourites

As yet another semester of uni winds down, my life gets busier than ever. Unfortunately I haven't been deviating too far from a simple, day routine as far as make-up goes, so no new favourites in that department. I do have some great things to share, so grab a cup of tea (which btw, I've been loving T2's Creme Brulee!) and have a squiz:

Review: Everlasting French Stick-on Nails

 

 When I was about 7 or 8, my parents bought me a "nail salon" for Christmas. It was essentially a stick on nail kit, but it had adhesive tape instead of glue, and a little stamper set and it was all contained on this one contraption that spun. Anyway, I loved it. But the nails didn't stick on that well. So, when I saw this product in my Priceline goody bag, I wasn't too keen on the idea. But I thought "hey I got this for free, let's try it out!" I don't take much convincing. 

 

It comes with a pamphlet which is pretty much useless. The instructions contain obvious photos to demonstrate how to apply the nails, but I wanted more precise instructions. How much glue am I supposed to use? How long do I press for?  Disappointment number one. But, I'm never one to give up and I took this as a challenge! I leaned I wasn't applying enough glue, and you don't have to press for too long because the glue dries realllly quickly.

 

Each nail has a number on the tab. So once you work out that your thumb is a '3' for example, you can assume your other thumb will be a '3' too, and your pinky is probably like a '9'. Anyway, after sizing up all the nails, I stuck them all on and ripped off the little tabs. You then have to file the edges because the plastic doesn't always snap off nice and cleanly, as you can see on my pinky in the photo below. 

The packaging says these will last 7 days, and they are "chip free"! and I can attest to that. These did not chip on me at all. They did not however, last 7 days. They lasted two days before random nails started falling off in public. I waited it out til about 4 days, but I kept losing nails, and it was frustrating coming home to glue them all back on again so I just took them all off. 

The glue absolutely destroyed my nails. I'm pretty lucky with my nails, normally they grow fast, they grow quite strong and even though some of them peel and crack I can still grow them to a nice length. Since wearing these, my nails have cracked and peeled and broken and now I have tiny short nails that attract dirt like nobody's business. That being said, I've never worn acrylic nails either, so can't compare on the damage rate. 

Which really is a shame because after I got used to the plastic talons, I quite love the look of them. I even got compliments on them! I think these would be great if you wanted nice nails for a night out or an event, but I can't see them lasting much longer in day-to-day wear.

Did you have stick on nails as a kid? Are you a fan of the french mani? 

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RAVE Review (and swatches): Revlon Colourstay Ultimate Suede Lipsticks

Revlon have done it again. First, there was the lip butters. Then there was the kissable balm stains. 

And now we have the ultimate suede lipsticks. 

The premise of these is essentially a nourishing lipstick with a matte finish. Revlon claims these will last 16 hours on your lips, even with eating and drinking and smooching. 

I bought two shades; 005 'Muse' and 050 'Couture'. Muse is a bright pink without being scarily bright. Couture is a redder colour, but not a deep red. I'll just let the swatches explain:

Left: Muse; Right: Couture

Without flash, natural light

Left: Muse; Right: Couture

With flash + natural light

Now why do I love these so much?

Firstly; the formula. 

Velvety deliciousness! This applies so easily, and once it's on its incredibly hydrating. It almost feels like I'm wearing a lipbalm. While we're on the topic of lipbalms; do not apply this on top of a lipbalm or the colour will slide right off. I found it works so much better on fresh lips. 

The colour is quite sheer, but very buildable. So if you're a little afraid of colour one swipe will welcome you into the world of lipsticks. If you're lip-colour crazy (like me!) then just go for it! 

I've worn this on days where I've been out of the house for 12+ hours, and it has held up On these days I'll only re-apply it two, maybe three, times. It lasts really well when drinking, and kinda well when eating. I found the colour on the inner part of my lips is gone after food, but the outside is still coloured in. So just be aware of that and make sure to touch-up after lunch. I don't think it's too bad, because it is just a quick touch-up. 

And...it's a matte finish!! So it's kind of like the effect you get from a stain, but without the incredibly dry lips afterwards! 

I cannot wait for my next pay to come through, because I want to go get some more colours!! 

Top: nude; middle: muse; bottom: couture. 

Have you dabbled in the matte lip trend? What do you think of these lipsticks?

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Review: Arbonne Cosmetics*

Arbonne is a Swiss company, mostly known in the beauty community for their skincare range. I'd heard a little bit about them on youtube, but never much from this side of the pond. I was asked if I'd be interested in trying out some of their cosmetic products, and after checking out the company, I absolutely was. Arbonne's products are based on botanical principles; products that are going to highlight your natural beauty whilst remaining safe and beneficial for your skin. 

Perfecting Liquid Foundation with SPF 15

I'm very, very fussy with foundations. I like something that is going to give me a fuller coverage and even out my skin-tone without being heavy, yet is going to last me all day. I was sent this in the lightest shade, 'Alabaster'. Unfortunately, the problem with matching someone's skin-tone on the computer is that you're probably not always going to get a match. This colour is quite lighter than my natural skin tone, which is unfortunate. I had the idea of mixing it with a darker tinted-moisturiser I have sitting around but decided that wouldn't be fair for the review. So, the first day I wore this without mixing it, and without bronzer. I looked way too pale, but it held up really well! It lasted a 13 hour day at uni without any need for re-application. I felt that it applied really nicely, and wasn't drying on my skin. This product also contains no parabens, phthalates or talc. 

The second day I wore this I brushed some bronzer over my entire face with a powder brush, which brought the colour closer to my natural skin-tone; this seemed to do the trick! I absolutely love this foundation; it's non-comodogenic, it increases the moisture content of your skin and the finish it gives my skin is just beautiful. I also really love the packaging; the glass bottle has a really luxurious feel to it, and I love that it has storage instructions AND a use-by date written on the glass. Genius. 

RRP: $55.00

Mineral-Infused Eye Shadow

I got two eye shadows, in the colours "Cabarnet" (left) and "Blue Slate" (right). Both of these colours are quite pigmented, without being too intense. They're easily blendable and  go well with most colours I already own. I love Cabarnet for a muted, day-time look, whilst Blue Slate provides a really beautiful pop of colour. Arbonne eye shadows are currently available in 20 shades, and all are infused with anti-cakeing agents, such as Zinc Stearate, to ensure that colour remains smooth and even. 

RRP: $26.00

Lip Polish in Posh

To be honest, I've never really been much of a lip gloss girl. Whilst I love the idea of shiny, sexy lips I absolutely cannot stand stickiness. And I actually can't believe it, but this product has lived up to its claims of shiny but not sticky. The applicator is quite similar to most lip glosses, and when I saw it I was kind of scared...hoping it would not be like every other lip gloss product that just leaves me furiously rubbing at my lips with a tissue. Oh how pleasantly surprised I was! The colour is quite a feminine pink, that definitely leaves my  lips with a nice sheen (which I feel is the grown-up version of shiny). As for how it feels? Ridiculously moisturising and super smooth. It feels more like a lip balm than anything, and I LOVE that. 

Here's a swatch for colour purposes:

The lip polish is available in seven shades, with key ingredients including wild mango butter, sunflower oil, vitamins A and E. Like the previous two products mentioned, it's also completely free of parabens, phthalates and talc. 

RRP: $36.

Check out Arbonne Cosmetics for yourself here.

Are you a lipgloss girl? How do you make the wrong colour foundation work for you? Give me your tips - it would be a shame to let this go to waste!! 

Disclaimer: These products were sent to me for consideration. This has in no way affected my opinion of them, nor has Arbonne Cosmetics influenced this review.   For further details, please check out my disclaimer. 



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Book Review: The Bronze Horseman

In all honesty, it's been a while since I've read this book. Probably about 3 years. 

It's been about a year since I finished off the entire trilogy. But I'm reading the prequel to the story at the moment, Children of Liberty. 

I'm going to disregard how long it's been to start off my book review series. This book has firmly cemented itself on my favourites list, and so it's fitting that it's my first review. 

Well-loved book cover. 

What's it about?

Set in Leningrad in 1941, The Bronze Horseman tells the tale of two sisters, Tatiana and Dasha. The Metanovs live in poverty; but they know so many who are worse off than them. 

Hitler moves in on Russia, the country is under blockade and the Russian winter sets in. On the day that Hitler advances on Russia (22 June 1941), Tatiana meets a young officer, Alexander. 

I'm going to steal this next line from the blurb of the book because it's so beautiful:

"Confronted on the one hand by Hitler’s unstoppable war machine, and on the other by a Soviet system determined to crush the human spirit, Tatiana and Alexander are pitted against the very tide of history, at a turning point in the century that made the modern world."

(source)

TL;DR? It's basically a historical romance; a love story set in WW2. 

My Review:

This book is so beautifully written, and so capable of bringing out so many emotions, I literally devour it every time I read it. I find that this book is one of those best read twice; you miss so many details the first time around because the story is so absorbing. 

The characters have so much depth to them; Alexander at first seems merely a handsome soldier in the Red Army. You later learn he has many secrets - most revealed during the next two books. You will fall in love with him, and then there are things he does that will anger you, and almost make you hate him. You will fall for the characters as if they were real. Tatiana starts the story as a naive 17 year old girl. By the end of the book she has grown into a woman and it is this growth and character development that I long for when I read. This, combined with the remarkable setting is all it takes to transport me to Leningrad.

I think part of what makes this book (and the trilogy) so amazing is that Tatiana and Alexander's love should have been doomed from the beginning. The historical elements are nicely tied into the book without weighing it down. Those who appreciate history will enjoy reading it due to the historical perspective it gives. Those who don't will still be able to enjoy the book and appreciate it as literature. 

Whilst reading this trilogy I cried, I laughed. It ripped my heart out and put it back together again. 

You HAVE TO read this book. 

Have you read this book? What's your favourite trilogy?




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Review: Searo Nail Colour Dry Spray

J bought me this for Christmas last year, and after using it consistently for about three months now, I thought I should share the amazing-ness with you. 

Firstly; this product is Japanese. I have no idea where J bought it from (although I have asked him several times, he cannot remember the store name for the life of him - bless! It was from somewhere in Canberra, though) and I haven't been able to track it down on ebay, or Amazon. I also haven't been able to find much information about the company or the product, so that kinda sucks. I'm guessing a Japanese website somewhere has to have more information. 

The can is 75mL, and just like the name suggests, you use it to dry your nailpolish. It has a "three year shief life" according to the back, but I'm guessing they mean shelf life. So that's pretty decent, and you won't have to worry about it expiring on you any time soon. As for longeivity, I've been using it on and off (mostly on) since Christmas and I think I have about half a can left. Admittedly, it is kinda hard to tell with aerosols. 

So the big question - does it work? I am a super skeptic, and the first time I used it, it didn't work. I was incredibly disappointed. But, I gave it another shot, sprayed it a little further away and BINGO, guys we have a winner! 

I've found it works best when sprayed about 10 cm away from a nail that's had about 3-5 minutes air-dry time. I spray it for about 2 seconds on each nail, and BAM just like that my nailpolish is dry to the touch. No smudging.

This product is HG-worthy; it cuts my nailpolish-drying time down by like 75%, and time is money, peeps! 

I'm dreading the day it runs out, because I have no idea where to pick up a replacement. Next time we head to Canberra I'm just going to have to stake out all the stores there for it. 

Have you used a nail drying spray before? Do you read Japanese?

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