What's In My Rubbish Bin? #2

My last empties post was almost an entire year ago! I should probably make an effort to do this more regularly, because I would have just collecting rubbish, without realising how extensive the pile had become. I have 11 empties to share with you! 

Sally Hansen Strengthening Nail Polish Remover

Manicare Nail Polish Remover

I don't really understand how the Sally Hansen polish remover is strengthening when it contains quite a lot of acetone, but alas that is the claim that they make. I liked both of these - the Manicare one didn't have any acetone, but I personally prefer to use nail polish remover that does contain it, so SH wins this round. I have already purchased a new bottle of the SH. 

Loreal Gentle Eye Make-up Remover

This featured in my last empties post, where I proclaimed my love for it, so it's really not surprise that it has shown its face around here again. I did lament in my last post about the disappointment of the new packaging, so for now I'm going to steer clear of re-purchasing and try out what else is out there. 

Priceline Round Cotton Pads

I really didn't like these. I usually buy the Swisspers ones, but these were cheaper so into my basket they went. Unfortunately, they separated upon getting wet, and left cotton-y bits everywhere. Not a fan, won't repurchase. 

John Frieda Radiant Red Daily Conditioner

A friend at work gave me this when I dyed my hair red, as she had it sitting around at home and had no use for it. There was enough for three washes in there. I like how silky and shiny this leaves my hair, but I am dubious about the "colour magnifying" claims, as although the product is bright red, it contains no pigment. I will possibly purchase this and see how I feel about it after using a whole bottle. But only after I make it through whatever other conditioners I have in my shower. 

L'occitane Almond Shower Oil

I have written about this before, in this post. I love this product so much. It smells beautiful, moisturises my skin and is incredibly luxurious. I actually repurchased the "eco" refill bag of this, so I just poured it into the old bottle, and still have some left over to refill once that runs out! 

Rexona Clinical Protection

I feel like I sweat more than normal people. Which is where this handy anti-perspirant comes in. I was pretty impressed with this, it seemed to work. It definitely works better when you follow the instructions and apply it at night. This is a cream product that dispenses out of the top grill like worms when you twist the bottom. I think though that the pressure must build up inside and the product works its way out the top somehow, because sometimes I would open it and there would be lots of cream smooshed into the lid. 

Make-up Store Vitamin Day Primer

I love this primer, and have already purchased another bottle. This is so hydrating, makes my foundation stay on all day and I don't get that weird "separation" that happens with some other primers. When I re-stocked the sales assistant told me they were discontinuing this, which makes me so sad. If you have any recommendations for primer let me know! 

Dove Silky Nourishment Body Cream

I love how easily and quickly this moisturiser sinks into my skin, making my skin soft without leaving it greasy. The tub packaging isn't that ideal due to contamination, but it does make it easy to get out a big scoop, and to use up every last drop. I only really use this on my legs but I did love it. Will probably repurchase. 

Stila Smudge-stick Waterproof Eyeliner

This eyeliner came with my Stila 'In the Light' palette. It's creamy, soft and glides on the eyes without tugging. This eyeliner is really pigmented - the colour is brown, but could almost pass for being black. I had about a centimetre left of product on this, when I accidentally broke it. I would definitely repurchase this, and would love to try some of the other colours that Stila have on offer.

Maybelline Eye-Studio Gel Eyeliner

This one technically isn't an empty, as it had gone dry well before then, so I decided to throw it out. This gel eyeliner is my go-to for creating cat eyes. Gel liner is generally a lot easier to work with than liquid liner, and this one in particular is really black, and stays on the lid for hours. I have already repurchased.

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Face of the Day: Rediscovering Old Favourites

I've been finding with the warmer weather that I've mostly been keeping my make-up quite simple, and my hair out of my face. 

I've been making an effort lately to go through my make-up collection and re-discover old favourites, and found myself falling in love again with the Stila 'In the Light' palette. 

Eye Base: Maybelline Colour Tattoo in 'Inked in Pink'
Eye Shadows: Stila Kitten, Champagne, Bliss (Review, Buy here)
Eyeliner: Outline with Maybelline Line Express, cat eye with Maybelline Gel Liner
Mascara: Colour Theory Mascara Plump*
Eyebrows: Australis Oh Hai Brow (Review, Buy here)
Lips: Maybelline ColourSensational The Elixir in Signature Scarlet.

How do you do your makeup as the weather heats up? 


(N.B: Products marked with an asterisk (*) were kindly given to me. All opinions are my own. For further information, please see my disclaimer. Links are not affiliate links)



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Face of the Night: Drama Eyes

I went out the other week to see some pole dancing with one of my good friends from uni. I was excited to leave the house, and took it as an excuse to have some fun with make-up. Ever since getting the Lorac Pro palette, I've really wanted to try out some of the darker shades it has to offer. I'm pretty happy with the way it turned out. 

On my eyes I used the colours (in order from L-R) Deep Purple and Slate as the main eye colours, and blended them out with Espresso and Black. 

Slate didn't turn out as silver on my eyes as I wanted, so I patted some of this gorgeous colour across the top. This is Bloom's Pure Mineral eye shadow in Moonstone. I love this colour, it's so dramatic and really pigmented. 

I finished up with some Maybelline Eye Studio gel eyeliner, and these gorgeous false lashes by Blync (now Model Rock Lashes)

For my face I used Revlon's Colourstay foundation, but in a lighter shade to what I normally wear. I wanted to make my face as pale as possible to really contrast with my dark eye make-up. A little bit of NYX blush in Mocha to bring a bit of colour to my face, stopping me from looking dead. I've also really been loving Maybelline's Instant Age Rewind concealer under my eyes. A lack of sleep has made those dark circles darker than normal, but this product brightens the whole area up nicely! 

And that's it! I love how this whole look turned out.
Do you wear dramatic make-up when you go out, or do you tend to keep it more natural? 



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Review and Swatches: Stila "In the Light" palette

It's really no secret just how much I love Stila eye-shadows, and the 'In the Light' palette is no stranger to my love. 

Firstly, let's start with the packaging: the palette is housed in a cardboard box. It's a nice, small rectangle (slightly bigger than my whole hand) so doesn't take up too much space and doesn't use unnecessary packaging. It does get dirty kinda easy though, and I'm honestly not too certain how well it would fare in strenuous travel. There's no magnetic closure or anything like that on it, so if you were to carry it with you it may just snap open. If you travel with make-up a lot, I would recommend de-potting these. If you are going to be using it only in the bathroom, it would probably be fine. 

The back lists the colours, and rather than a mirror, the the front inner cover has a nice little quote "believe in the beauty of the future".

The colours are beautiful - lots of nude colours, but there's also a couple of darker ones which is nice for a darker, nighttime look. 

All the colours are pigmented, soft, creamy and really easy to work with. The only exception to this would maybe be gilded gold (bottom row, second from left), as it's quite glittery. 

(T-B) Kitten, Bare

Bare is the first colour in the palette, a matte ivory shade. I really like this colour as a highlight or an inner-corner colour. 

Kitten is the next colour, and my oh my do I love this one. It's a shimmery champagne colour with pink undertones. However, I've read reviews that if you're of an olive complexion it may show up just white so maybe stay away if this is you. I personally love it. It's easy to swipe over the lid with some eyeliner for a put-together, easy daytime look. Less is definitely more, as it can be easy to over-do due to the amount of shimmer.

(T-B): Sunset, Bliss

Bliss is another matte colour, in a beige-y pink.  It's dark enough to be used as a crease colour alongside bare, but can also be used as a colour on its own.

Sunset is described by Stila as a "shimmery canyon pink". I don't really agree with that description as it's quite coppery. As you can see in the above swatch, it almost looks a little like gold leaf with pink undertones. It is a beautiful colour though, and one I reach for often. 

(T-B): Gilded Gold, Champagne

Champagne is a beautiful shimmery gold, much like Kitten but without so much pink. If you were darker in colour, I imagine this colour would be much better suited, and more universal. 

Gilded Gold is a really shimmery (almost glittery) gold colour with orange/copper undertones. I used this for the crease when I did the makeup for my sister's formal, and was actually really surprised when I blended it out to find the copper / orange tones peeking through. That didn't suit the look I was going with, so I made sure to not blend too much with it. I think if you were going to blend this with a darker, brown-y colour you could probably negate the copper. 

(T-B): Night Sky, Luster

Luster is a gold-y brown colour - one that I think works perfectly with Gilded Gold. This colour is a little more flat than the other shimmer colours.

Night sky is a really bright, shimmer blue. To be perfectly honest, I'm not entirely confident with blues and haven't used this one yet.

(T-B): Ebony, Sandstone

Sandstone is a matte light chocolate-y brown colour, which is beautiful as a base, or as a crease colour. I personally like using matte's with shimmers to add a bit of depth, and this is a really great, universal colour that will work with so many different shades. 

Ebony is a dark, matte black. 

 

The palette comes with a smudge-stick waterproof eyeliner in Damsel, which is a dark brown. Honestly though, it could be black it's that dark. The second swatch in the above photo is after I've smudged it with my finger. As you can see, it hardly moves and it has excellent staying power. 

The palette also comes with a mini booklet containing 6 looks you can do with only the palette. I think this is a great inclusion if you're new to eyeshadow. 

Overall, I love this palette and use it frequently. I like that it's different to the Urban Decay Naked palette, yet is still quite neutral. If you are new to make-up and wearing eye-shadows I would recommend this one over the UD Naked - this is great value (12 eyeshadows and an eyeliner for AUD$39) and the inclusion of the booklet helps to combat any feeling of being overwhelmed by choice with simple, step-by-step instructions. 

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October Favourites!!

Does anyone else think it is absolutely ridiculous that it is already November?
With the beginning of a new month comes the post about my favourite products from the month before!
So I give you... my October favourites!

1. NARS - Deep Throat
Every single time I tried to snap a photo of this, I just couldn't do it justice. This is a beautiful pink, shimmery blush that I wore literally every day in October. A little goes a long way with this, so I can see it lasting ages. I find the shimmer isn't overpowering and the colour lasts right to the end of the day - unlike some other blushes where they fade, leaving you with glittery cheeks. I apply it with my Real Techniques stippling brush.

2. Lush - 'You Snap the Whip' Body Butter
I only bought this one recently, but I love it so much I couldn't not include it! This body butter exfoliates and cleanses your skin really well with the use of coal and charcoal, but has cocoa butter and macadamia nut oil to soften your skin as well. It's super easy to use, and it smells like lollies. NOM.

3. Dermalogica Precleanse
I got this in the September Lust Have It box, and am in love with it! Basically, using dry hands, massage it into your dry face, rinse with warm water and it turns into a milky cream and breaks down all your make-up. I use it after I've removed my eye make-up, and before cleansing (hence, precleanse!) I have loved using this and am seriously considering spending the money on buying the full-sized when I run out of the sample. 



4. Davroe Hair Wellness non-aerosol hairspray
This was another sample from the same September Lust Have It box. I wasn't sure if I'd like it when I first got it, because of its non-aerosol-ly-ness.
However, I think I actually prefer it over aerosol hairsprays. It shoots out a really fine mist, so it's easy to set your hair quickly, and it doesn't shift the hair when you apply it.

5. Stila all over shimmer in Pink Shimmer
I bought this one on a midnight-online-shopping-whim about two months ago. This is the first highlighter I've owned so I'm still working it out. But I love applying it on the brow bone when I'm in a rush in the morning, and it brightens my eyes and perks me up a bit. It is quite shimmery, so haven't yet tried it on my cheekbones. Will do so soon, and report back pronto!

6. Maybelline the Falsies Volum' Express Flared
I am of the opinion that Maybelline make the best "drugstore brand" mascaras. I am yet to buy one from them that I haven't liked (okay I lied...I despised that one in the green and pink tube. I'm sure you know which one I mean. Don't pretend you didn't own it as a 15 year old.). Anyway, I find this adds heaps of volume and length to my lashes, without clumping. I don't use waterproof mascara because I hate how hard it is to get off, and I find this one quite difficult to remove.

8. The Body Shop - Hemp Foot Protector

I bought this quite a while ago now, and cannot express enough how much I love it. 

It's a super hydrating, really thick cream for your feet. Now, I know feet gross some people out, but they carry us around everywhere we go, so they need looking after too. I slather this on before bed, and after my shower and let it really soak in. Be careful putting it on and then walking around on tiles / floorboards though - it can make your feet slippery!

What were your favourites for this month?

Have you used any of the above products before? Do feet gross you out? I personally don't mind them...

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Collective Haul: Lush, Priceline and Candles!

So when I ran my giveaway last month, quite a few people said that they wanted to see more hauls. Now, I can't promise that these will be super regular...unfortunately student budgets are not super conducive to spending....but I will post more!

This was basically just a bunch of stuff I've bought over the last few weeks. 

Just as I ran out of bleach, Priceline conveniently held a sale for me, so I stocked up on that. I also bought some purple toning shampoo - and a new Australis nail colour (see below).

I ducked into Target, noticed they were having an underwear sale so picked up two new bras! Only one is pictured here because I was wearing the other when I snapped these photos. But check out the video below to see the other one! 

I bought some new candles from City of Light candles and Luz by Nadia. 

I picked up orange creamiscle, hazelnut cappucino and gingerbread latte from the first store, and a lemon sherbet one from the second store. 

These seriously all smell incredible!

I also stopped into Lush and picked up a 'You snap the whip' body butter. This body butter smells like lollies and is super nourishing. It also has charcoal in it though so it's also really clarifying. 

My Stila 'In the Light' pallette finally arrived in the mail! You can definitely expect to see a full review on this one soon, and some tutorials.
The Australis nail colour I bought is called 'Rose Tattoo' and is a really pretty bronze shimmer. I definitely have to get back into store soon though and stock up on brighter colours to match the warmer weather.

Check out the video below for a more detailed description of everything I bought




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My Past (2) Week(s) in Pictures #10

So I didn't get to do this post last week, and have decided that instead this week I'll do two weeks worth of photos.

 

Top Row: On the 23rd of September, I headed down to Dubbo to referee the State Titles competition for a week. I didn't get back home until the 29th. The whole week was pretty regimented, including a bedtime at 10pm (which of course I got in trouble for breaking). Overall, it was a good learning experience but I didn't have the greatest time. I missed J and Rommy way too much. 

Second Row: I was planning on doing a heap of uni work while I was away, but because almost every waking hour was scheduled for us, I literally had no time. That meant that most of the past week was spent rushing through the mountain of assignments I had with little to no sleep. 

Third Row: New Stila products arrived in the mail while I was away! I've already started using the palette and I'm excited to let you all know about them!

Fourth Row: For J's birthday, his mate bought him a Slurpee machine. Although it takes a bit of manual work, it is pretty amazing. This was a red bull slurpee :)

Fifth Row: Lots of practice last week for my pole performance! I performed at my studio's open night on Friday, the 5th October. It was so nerve-racking, but I'm pretty glad I did it. I think I might do it again! All of the performers received a gift certificate as a thankyou from the studio owner and instructors! I thought this was so lovely - I was totally not expecting it, and definitely appreciate it. 

Sixth Row: To top off a busy and stressful past two weeks, I came down with Tonsillitis on Thursday night. (Yes, this means I performed while having tonsillitis) Luckily it hasn't lasted too long, but I'm glad that it's almost over. 

Have you ever performed in front of a crowd before? What are your best tips for beating nervousness?

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