2013 Quarterly Favourites: Summer Edition

I decided to do quarterly favourites instead of monthly favourites because I was finding I wasn't really enjoying doing the posts each month (however, I do love reading them).  For this post, I have found it a bit difficult to narrow down my favourites to ten (that was the number I set myself), but I feel that means these are all products which are genuine favourites of mine.  They will probably be favourites for many more months to come.

The top ten:

These are products I kept coming back to (mostly) everyday since the start of the year.  There are some recently acquired items and they're pretty special to have beat out some other items.

The Faves

Stila In the Light Palette:  I did a review/comparison post here of this palette.  Stila make some fantastic eye shadows (along with other items :)  I'm definitely keen to pick up another palette, most likely In the Know.

Nars Foreplay Palette:  Love these blushes.  The fuchsia one has been my fave this month.  See review here.

OPI Eurso...Euro:  This is a recently acquired nail polish.  I love the formula.  I love the colour and I love that my partner picked it out.  Check out a swatch here.

MAC Blot Powder Pressed:  I'll have a review on this sometime soonish.  I use it to set and touch up my makeup.  Just know, it gets the job done.  Very well.  Great for oily/combination skin.

Missha Perfect Cover BB Cream in 21: I cannot say enough about how much I love this BB cream.  It's amazing.  I wear this about everyday to work.  See review here.

Lancome Teint Idole Ultra 24H in 005:  If I'm not wearing the BB cream, I'm wearing this or another foundation which I'm currently in love with.  I'll reveal the other foundation at another time.  I struggled for a long time finding foundations that match my skin and now I'm obsessed with finding more (even though I don't need anymore :)  I made a mini review about this here.

Revlon Lip Butter in Lollipop:  I love lip butters.  They're my kind of lipstick.  Pigmented and low maintenance.  I've been wearing lollipop a lot this summer.  I'll be posting a FotD soon with this as a star.

L'Oreal NutriBalm Tinted Lip Balm in Nudy Coral: Love. Love. Love.  This is pretty much a lip balm with the slightest amount of colour (emphasis on slight), but it is fantastic!  The subtle colour and shine is great for my work makeup.  I will be writing a post comparing this to YSL Volupte Sheer Candy.

Kosmea Skin Clinic Rescue Balm: I mention when I bought this I loved it as a lip balm; however, I have also seen firsthand it's ability to mend and fade scarring.  My partner cut his nose at work and it has scarred (even after attempts to avoid this during the healing process).  I told him to put the Rescue Balm on it just to see what would happen and what do you know? It has worked.  The scar is slowly, slowly fading, but it is so much better than it was at the start.  I was so mad at him (even though it was a complete accident) because in less than 3 months, we'll be getting married and there will be so many photos!

Finally, Etude House Missing U Hand Cream Harp Seal: This is the most adorable packaging I have ever seen.  I'm obsessed with seals and I couldn't pass this up.  It's supposed to smell like Green Tea (I'm not sure if it actually does, but I also cannot pinpoint what it smells like) and it's actually a pretty good hand cream.  It leaves your hands feeling really smooth.  I will keep this container forever!

Honourable Mentions: 

Okay, so I have cheated, slightly, and included three honourable mentions.  These were products that I have (a) fallen in love with recently, but the blogger world has been loving it forever, (b) loved it for a while now and have used it a lot more this quarter or (c) really like it, but it just narrowly missed the cut.

Honourable mentions

Bioderma: it seems that everyone has an opinion of this.  I thought it was overrated, but after using it for a while now, I cannot see myself without it.

Fine One One: See my review here.  I still love it.

Bellapierre Mineral Blush in Desert Rose: The swatch leans a bit too orange, but it is definitely peachy.  I adore peach blushes and this is a great everyday one.  It's really finely milled and applies extremely well.

Bellapierre Mineral Blush in Desert Rose

Desert Rose swatch

What were your favourites this month/quarter?

Favourites from the Year that Was (2012) + A Small Giveaway

Hey all!!  Sorry, it's been a while.  I sort of got caught up with the festive season, but now I'm back!  I hope you all had a fantastic Christmas and start to 2013.  I wanted to give you a glimpse of some of my Christmas gifts because they are sure to be the content of some upcoming posts!  I also wanted to share my 12 favourite beauty products from this past year. 

This Christmas I received a lot of really great gifts from family and friends.  I now have some more Benefit, Stila, and Mirenesse products which I can't wait to share with you in the coming weeks.

Benefit Goodies

Heaps of other Goodies

Now, onto my favourite products of 2012.  It was quite hard to narrow down all the wonderful products I have encountered and loved this year.  To be honest, this has been the first year I have every really been interested in beauty products, so I've learnt a lot about what works best for me.


Makeup Favourites of 2012

L to R: Benefit They're Real, MUA Pro-Brow, Benefit Sugarbomb, Mirenesse Magic Touch Foundation, L'Oreal Color Riche, Revlon Lipbutter in Tutti Frutti

I cannot express how much I adore Benefit's They're Real mascara.  It is by the far the best mascara I've tried.  I love how it lengthens and curls my lashes instantly!  See my review here.

The MUA Pro-Brow kit is a relatively new purchase from Black Friday.  I haven't been too concerned with my eyebrows before aside from the occasional pluck.  However, this (super affordable) product has made me realise how good my eyebrows can look haha.  I'll definitely be using this in the years to come. 

You all should know by now how much I love my Sugarbomb blush from Benefit.  It looks great on my skin and I cannot wait to experiment more with my new box o' powders!  See my review of Sugarbomb here. 

2012 has been a year of experimentation with foundation.  I find it so hard to find ones that match perfectly with my skin.  Often times I feel as though foundation make my skin look 'dirty.'  However, I have found some foundations that fit okay.  My favourite (that is affordable; I really like Lancome, but alas) has been Mirenesse's Magic Touch Foundation in Vanilla.  I ordered a travel size and then was lucky enough to get a full size in my December Beauty Box!  Score!  I only need a bit of this and often mix it with Benefit's That Gal primer to make it a bit lighter. 

I have loved a lot of nail polishes this year, so this was a really tough choice.  I thought of OPI's THe Living Daylights and Femme Fatale's A Tisket, A Tasket, but ultimately I used L'Oreal's Color Riche formulas the best.  You honestly don't really need a top coat with these babies!  See my review here.

My favourite lip product was also a tough choice.  I have been exposed to many lipsticks and glosses and balms that I used a lot.  In the end, I settled with Revlon's Lipbutters.  My most used shade is Tutti Frutti.  So good for summer.  


Hair and Skincare Favourites of 2012

L to R: Cedel Blow Dry Faster, ONE Skin System Renewal Cleanse, Benefit Refined Finish Facial Polish, The Body Shop Seaweed Clarifying Toner, Clinique DDMG, Kosmea Radiance 24/7 Youth Boost

My favourite hair product this year was definitely Cedel Blow Dry Faster.  It is remarkable how quickly your hair dries once you use this.  See review here.  A close runner-up was Tresemme's Split End Remedy Shampoo.

I know I said ages ago that I would be posting about my skincare regime and I have not forgotten!  The following products will be a preview.  I was never really concerned with skincare until the second half of this year.  Since then, I have tried a lot of brands and products.  My favourite cleanser is ONE Skin System Renewal Cleanser.  It's a cream cleanser, it smells divine and it leaves your skin feeling clean and smooth.

I love exfoliating products.  I find that they feel like they're actually doing something whereas cleansers are so, you know, gentle.  My current favourite is Benefit's Refined Finish Facial Polish.  It has the perfect consistency in my opinion and leaves you skin looking bright.

 Toners have become a staple in my regime.  I've tried a few, but my favourite by far is The Body
 Shop's Seaweed Clarifying Toner.  It's amazing.  Plus, it has no alcohol in it!  And it leaves your skin feeling tingling fresh.

I'm quite picky when it comes to moisturisers and it seems often I'm too eager to dislike one rather than like it.  However, I feel in love with Clinique's Dramatically Different Moisturising Gel the moment I used it.  It's geared towards Oily/Combination skin and it leaves your skin feeling soft.  My favourite part is that it also doesn't make my face red.  Most products turn my face red upon application, until they sink in, but this one doesn't at all.

Lust Have It Eco introduced me to rose-hip oil in the form of Kosmea's Radiance 24/7 Youth Boost.  It has definitely enhanced my skin since I've started using it. 


Now for a little Giveaway!  

I wanted to share some of my favourite products with you!  Included will be a Revlon Lipbutter in Strawberry Shortcake, a sample of Benefit Refined Finish Facial Polish and two bottles of your choice of L'oreal's Color Riche nail polish.  As a result of the nail polish, this giveaway will be restricted to Australian Residents only.  You must also be at least 18 years of age to participate.

L to R: Revlon Lipbutter in Strawberry Shortcake, L'oreal Color Riche Nail Polishes, Sample of Benefit Refined Finish Facial Polish

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Good Luck!

NotD: Mint and Sparkles

I have a NotD for you all today. I used L'oreal's Color Riche in 602 Perle de Jade (see rave here). I truly do love this nail polish and recommend it to all. To add some sparkle, I used Rimmel's Disco Ball. I adore this combination.

What do you think?

November Empties

I know this is waaay late, but work still hasn't eased down, which is crazy.  I should be on cruise control at this stage.  So, this is a combined empties from October and November.  I didn't feel my October empties warranted a post on their own.

1.  Burberry 'The Beat' Eau de Toilette-- 

Description from the Burberry Website:

• An intense and energetic scent with warm top notes of bergamot, cardamom, pink pepper and mandarin
• Heart notes of Ceylon tea, iris and bluebell add a floral texture
• White musk, vetiver and cedar wood give depth to this sensual fragrance

This is my favourite fragrance full stop.  I love what Burberry produces, but this is the best in my opinion.  With saying that, however, I am very inclined to purchase 'Body' by Burberry as well.  It's the closest a fragrance has come to overthrowing 'The Beat.'  I repurchased this before the bottle was empty.  I can't go without it.

2.  Natio Gentle Cleansing Wipes-- I purchased these to receive a GWP.  These wipes smell really nicely (green tea and chamomile), which I assume is why they're a part of Natio's Aromatherapy range.  They do an okay job of removing make-up, but do not get them near your eyes.  They will burn and irritate them.  As a result, I will not repurchase these.

3.  L'Oreal Studio Secrets Anti-Redness Primer-- I have been using this for years.  Having a strong Irish heritage, my skin is naturally red practically all the time.  Not a fantastic combination with my fair complexion.  However, this primer balances the redness wonderfully.  The formula is a bit runny, but its effects counter that.  I have already repurchased.  

4.  Witch Blemish Stick-- You may recall seeing this in my October favourites (found here).  I really do like this product; however, I really want a stronger product to get rid of those occasional ugly blemishes quickly.  I have repurchased this because it's good for the occasional 'normal' blemishes.

5.  Clearasil Ultra Overnight Scrub-- It seemed like I had this for ages!  I really like this scrub.  First of all, it is the kind of scrub I enjoy massaging into my face.  It has just the right amount of coarseness.  I'm not a fan of gentle scrubs.  This product did visibly clear up my skin.  Again, it's not a miracle product, but it's a good product.  I have decided to continue trying more scrubs before repurchasing this one.  I am currently using Witch Exfoliating Face Wash.  I'll review this soon, but I don't like it as much as the Clearasil one.

6.  Sranrom Body Wash in Awakening Vitality--

Description from the Bellabox website:

• Extracts of of Aloe Vera sooth and moisturise your skin, while Cantella and Moringa add a perfect, invigorating complement. Your skin will truly feel vital from the effects of essential oils of lemongrass and kafir lime.

This body wash smells amazing!  My partner received it in his October Men's Bellobox (found here).  He loved it.  I loved it.  We repurchased it.  Once.  It's quite expensive ($22 for 200mL) for body wash.  However, if you can get past the cost and want to try an Eco friendly brand that has some amazing products, definitely give them a try.

7 and 8.  Klorane Gentle Shampoo with Oat Milk and Klorane Conditioner-- I received these in my October Bellabox (found here) and to be honest, I'm not that impressed.  The shampoo was far too runny for my tastes and I found the conditioner didn't really add anything extra in terms of moisture and shine to my hair.  I will not repurchase these.

9.  Biore Pore Unclogging Scrub-- I received this in a Bellabox Shop order.  I really really like this!  It's a different kind of scrub than what I'd typically use; it uses beads to do the exfoliating.  This scrub left my skin feeling cool and refreshed.  Similar to the sensation you get with you breath in deeply while eating a mint.  It's crazy cool.  I will be trying this out once my Witch scrub is finished.  

10.  Eco Minerals Flawless Mineral Foundation in Light Beige-- This was a sample I received from Eco Minerals.  I love local companies and especially those that take the environment and animals seriously (the vegetarian in me coming through).  This foundation provided a light coverage, leaving a natural look, which is exactly what I want in a foundation.  I have purchased a full size foundation, which came with a mineral blush, eye shadow and brush.  It's under my Christmas tree and I cannot wait to use it again!  Definitely give them a look.

I'm so happy I can now throw these out!!

A Rave and a NOTD- Wedding Colours

I am getting married next year and this week marks the day I got engaged a year ago. In honour of that, my partner suggested my nail combo this week....our wedding colours (a blue mint colour and yellow).

L to R: L'oreal 602, OPI Save Me, OPI Candlelight

Most of you know the wonder of OPI, but I also wanted to make sure you knew about the brilliance of L'oreal Colour Riche nail polish. It has a built in top coat which is actually really good. The formula is really smooth and I found it opaque in two coats. It does hold up really well. I have two colours; the one for my NOTD is 602 Perle de Jade.

I paired it with OPI Save Me ( which I love) and Candlelight from the So So Skullicious Collection.

The final product

Recent Hauls Part 1: Priceline and Target (and Myer)

Recently, I have been spending far too much on beauty products.  School holidays and online shopping the main culprits to blame.  I am thinking about a spending ban, but I don't think it can be cold turkey; there have to be clauses and loop-holes, so stay tuned for the outcome of that.

A week or so ago I went to Priceline and Target just to browse and pick up some red hair dye.  However, I ended up with this:

Here's the break down:

Priceline:

- Bourjois Blushes in 34 Rose d'Or and 16 Rose coup de Foudre (30% off--can't resist that!)
- L'Oreal Prefernce Hair Dye (necessary for my Amy Pond outfit for the Ramble)
- Rimmel Kate Moss Lipstick in 12 and 16 (Buy one get one free)
- Face of Australia Nail Polish in Mystic Iris
- Australis Nail Polish in Fairy Bread (I have done a NOTD with this and Iris here)
- Cedel Blow Dry Faster (This was on-sale and it is AMAZING! Stay tuned for a review)
- Cedel Dry Shampoo (On-sale and I've been dying to try a dry shampoo)

Target:

- Rimmel Nail Polish in Disco Ball and Wine (I really wanted Disco Ball and it was buy one get one 50% off)

Myer:

-Lancome Foundation Teint Idole in 010 (This was a free sample and so far, I really like this!  I'm not sure if I can justify spending so much money on it.  Maybe the next time I'm in America)