Cosmetic Cupcake

Hi ladies! I know it's not Spring here in Aus but it is in many other places and I think this mani is perfect for the warm months! I did it a few weeks ago but never got around to posting it. I have so many things to post about but I'm just so swamped at the moment =(


I used 3 coats of the gorgeous Jill Stuart Milky Freesia from the Bare Petal 2012 Spring collection as my base. It's a sheer milky violet and it's sooooooo pretty! I then sponged China Glaze Medallion onto the tips concentrating most of the glitter on the top 1/3 of my nail. Below is a blurry shot which I took totally unintentionally but it shows off the awesome gold glitter with holographic pieces nicely in the bottle.



Thanks for looking as always! Don't forget to enter my 2nd birthday giveaway here!

Jill Stuart beauty needs no introduction. Just the thought of her beautiful products makes me sigh with happiness! The products are absolutely amazing - from the pretty girlie colours to the beautiful packaging to the high quality of the makeup. HOW I WANT EVERY PIECE! Not to mention the makeup counters are just amazing and make you want to buy every piece xp Today I have the Jewel Crystal Eyes 105 Blooming Roselite palette from the Bare Petal Spring 2012 collection that I hauled in HK.


What they say:

"A fresh and vivid color collection, like a dress of dancing flower petals. Limited edition colors that give you cute, gorgeous eyes. A set of 4 eye colors to create radiant eyes with layers of pure color and shine, like a sprinkle of dazzling stones.. now contains "Enriched Milk Base". Thanks to its rich texture, the milky base blends seamlessly with the pearlescent pigments for rich, clear and glossy color with dazzling shine. Contains Pure Crystal Powder."


The Jewel Crystal Eyes 105 Blooming Roselite palette is packaged in the signature clear case but as it's a limited edition palette it has purple flowers on the front. The palette includes a mirror and a double ended sponge applicator. It is just so so pretty!


The palette consists of 4 beautiful shimmering Spring shades. From L-R: Jewel Crush which is a gorgeous pale mint gold highlight; Jewel Shine which is a peachy shimmer lid colour; Jewel Cream which is a pretty rose pink and Jewel Shade is a dark brown to line the eyes. The colours just scream Spring to me!


Jewel Crush and Jewel Shine:


Jewel Cream and Jewel Shade:


Swatch:


Overall: I am head over heels in love with this palette. What can I say - I am an absolute sucker for Jill Stuart and I just had to own at least one of her Jewel Crystal Eyes palettes! And I love limited edition products so even better ;) The shades are perfect for Spring I think and the shadows are quite pigmented and blend very easily. When worn altogether it creates a gorgeous feminine look. The colours aren't super unique but I think they look great together. For someone who struggles for colour combinations I love palettes as you know the colours included will always work!

My only issue with the palette is just how sparkly the shadows are. They contain quite a lot of shimmer so less is more really or else you end up looking a little glittery!

Details: The Jill Stuart Jewel Crystal Eyes 105 Blooming Roselite palette can be purchased in Hong Kong for $410HK; Japan for ¥5,000 (¥5,250 including tax) and in Taiwan for NT$1450 or online from Yesstyle.com.au for $74. It may be a little hard to track down now as it was released in January 2012 as a limited edition release unfortunately.

Do you own any Jill Stuart makeup items? What's your favourite? Thanks for looking as always! =) Don't forget to enter my 2nd birthday giveaway here!

I've been receiving requests for more Aussie lacquers so here we go! BYS is one of my favourite Aussie brands - they are super affordable, the quality is excellent and they are very readily available. You can pick them up at Kmart hello! It can't get more convenient than that seriously. Today I have two polishes from their new Platinum Nail Enamel range for Autumn/Winter - Buried Treasure and Golden Lustre.


What they say:

"This Autumn/Winter you'll be sparkling all the way to the tips of your fingers as BYS releases their Platinum Nail Enamel range. It's never been easier to add a touch of glamour to your look!

With four lustrous colours, Metallic Silver, Antique Gold, Buried Treasure and Golden Lustre, your nails are sure to look like you've been gold diggin'. The Platinum Nail Enamel range allows you to add as much or as little bling as you desire. Try Golden Lustre for a subtle sheen or hit the high notes with full coverage Buried Treasure!"

You may know that I am slightly obsessed with fruit nails which is ironic because I never eat enough fruit haha xp Today I have watermelon nails for you! Fruit manicures just scream Spring/Summer to me and I really wish we weren't heading in to Winter right now.


It was way too sunny when I took my photos so there's crazy reflection sorry =S


I used 2 coats of Cult Nails Devious Nature (fully swatched here) as a bright pink base for the watermelon flesh. For the rind I used 2 coats of Essence check me out to freehand the tips and Nail Star Two-Way pen & brush in green for the small stripes.

I added smile lines using Kiss Nail Art Paint striper in white and silver glitter and Kiss Nail Art Paint striper in black using a small nail art brush for the seeds.






Thanks for looking as always! Don't forget to enter my 2nd birthday giveaway here!

Today I have swatches and my review for you of 5 of the lovely lacquers from the recent OPI Holland collection. This collection is obviously inspired by the Netherlands which is a place I would love to visit one day! Stroopwafels anyone??!! I hope you enjoy the swatches =)


What they say:

"OPI’s autumn range, the Holland Collection features wooden shoes, pickled herring and tulips; a juxtaposition of sophisticated neutrals married with larger-than-life bright shades.. the Holland Collection is not only filled with quirky names inspired by the Netherlands, the collection features desirable blues, rich plums, sea foam green, red clay, neutrals, pinks and bold oranges that capture the energy of this clog wearing nation.

Picture fields of vivid tulips, windmill-dotted along the hillsides and bustling canals, OPI’s Holland collection offers an assortment of vibrant brights combined with sophisticated neutrals. The varied palette of colour shades complements the fashion displayed down the runway, from colour blocking pants and skirts to feminine free-flowing dresses and blousy-sleeved tops and dramatic patterns."

Top O' The mornin to ya ladies! It has just ticked over into Saturday which means it's St Patrick's Day today. I don't celebrate but you know me - I just had to get into the spirit and do a St Patrick's Day manicure!


What I used:

Pinky: I used 2 coats of Essence Check Me Out as my base and the best St Patrick's Day glitter EVER - Color Club Object of Envy* which I used last year for my mani (fully swatched here).

Ring finger: A leprechaun hat! I used 3 coats of OPI Alpine Snow as my base and Nail Star Two-Way nail art pen & brush in green to freehand the hat. For the black band I used Kiss nail art paint striper in black and the yellow buckle is done using China Glaze Happy Go Lucky and a small nail art brush. The hat on my right hand is BETTER than my left. Go figure!


Middle finger: I used 2 coats of OPI Jade is the New Black and stamped shamrock-looking design from fauxnad plate B45 using China Glaze Passion and Metallic Muse.

Index finger: A pot of gold!! I started off with 2 coats of Barry M Blueberry ice-cream as my base and for the pot I used Kiss nail art paint striper in black. For the rainbow I used Nail Star Two-Way nail art pen & brush in red, green and blue and Sinful Colors Cloud 9 and China Glaze Happy Go Lucky. The coins are done using China Glaze Passion and a small dotting tool!

Thumb: Irish flag! I used 3 coats of OPI Alpine Snow and then freehanded thick stripes of OPI Jade is the New Black and Sinful Colors Cloud 9.






Will you be rocking green polish today? If you celebrate I hope you have a fab day filled with pints of Guinness! Don't forget to drink responsibly though ;) Thanks for looking as always =)

* Product(s) provided to me for consideration but this in no way influenced my review in any way. As always, my reviews are my 100% honest opinion. My Disclosure Policy can be viewed here.

The Bobbi Brown Neons & Nudes collection was recently released and it contained a selection of gorgeous bright lip colours and toned down blushes. A bold lip and toned down face is always gorgeous! Today I have for you one of the blushes - Nude Peach.


What they say:

"Bobbi introduces two pretty and universally flattering blush shades in her Neons and Nudes Collection. Nude Peach and Nude Pink add a soft glow to cheeks that perfectly complements a bright lip or vibrant eye. Nothing gives the face a lift like blush."


Nude Peach is a matte pale peach powder blush. It is an ideal nude blush shade and works wonderfully for an everyday look. It's quite subtle but can be built up to give a subtle healthy glow. It's packaged in the signature Bobbi Brown black plastic packaging.


Swatch:




Overall: Nude Peach is a gorgeous nude blush and a great addition to any collection. I'm trying to get into wearing more bold lip colours but it takes time as I do adore wearing pigmented blushes with a nude lip! The wear time for Nude Peach is excellent on me - it lasts all day and gives me a lovely subtle peach glow. It works well on my NC20 skin however it may not work so well for darker skin tones. I would have preferred it to be a tiny bit more pigmented as I do need to spend some time building up the colour.

Details: Bobbi Brown Nude Blush is available now from David Jones and Myer stores nationally and the Bobbi Brown online store for $58.

US ladies can purchase it from the US Bobbi Brown online store for $24US.

The product featured in this post was provided to me for consideration but this in no way influenced my review in any way. As always, my reviews are my 100% honest opinion. My Disclosure Policy can be viewed here.

Hi ladies! I haven't had much time for nail art lately so I've been loving glitter or flakie sandwich manicures (here's a flakie sandwich I did a little while ago!). They're quick, look fab and last a very long time. Today I've done a purple glitter sandwich manicure with one of my favourite jelly polishes and glitters. I LOVE jelly polishes but I actually don't have that many.. must rectify this!


I used 2 coats of OPI Houston We Have a Purple from the Texas collection, followed by a coat of Essence time for romance, a coat of Deborah Lippmann Happy Birthday and another coat of OPI Houston We Have a Purple. Sealed it all with a coat of Color Club Vivid Color Intensifying topcoat.


Close up:


My pics don't do this mani justice - it looks a lot nicer in person! I was going to only use time for romance as the glitter but it wasn't dense enough so Happy Birthday added more glitter and colour to my mani.




Do you like jelly polishes? What are your favourites? Let me know in the comments below because I need to add more to my collection!

Thanks for looking as always =) Don't forget to enter my 2nd birthday giveaway here!

Hi ladies! Today I have some quick swatches for you of two polishes from the Essie Braziliant collection that were released for Summer 2011 - Absolutely Shore and Meet Me At Sunset.


What they say:

"This summer, it's all about daring, sexy colour. Cultivate your inner glamazon with colours infused with the seductive beauty of Brazil. The super-chic tropical nation is the ideal setting for a stunning array of six flawless, jewel-tone shades. Bold oranges and risque pinks transport you to paradise with the stroke of a brush.

"When the temperature soars, I embrace the heat as the perfect excuse to play with fiery colours," essie brand colour guru, Essie Weingarten explains. "Summer colour should pop, sizzle and be brazenly alluring." Imagine yourself diving into crystalline azure waters and cavorting on white quartz beaches. Just forget the plane ticket and escape with colour!"

So today I am another year older! And hopefully wiser but I highly doubt it lol. Now I had intended this to be an ice-cream manicure however everyone said my mani reminded them of cupcakes and NOT ice-cream so I guess it's turned into a cupcake mani!


Here's what I used:


Pinky: I used 2 coats of Barry M Strawberry Ice-cream as my base and Canmake 101 for the chocolate icing. For the sprinkles I used OPI Alpine Snow.

Ring finger: I used 2 coats of Barry M Berry Ice-Cream and OPI Alpine Snow for the icing. For the sprinkles I used China Glaze Happy Go Lucky and Empowerment.

Middle finger: For the base I used China Glaze Re-Fresh Mint and Canmake 101 for the chocolate icing. For the sprinkles I used OPI Alpine Snow and China Glaze Sugar High.

Index finger: I used 2 coats of Color Club Who Are You Wearing? for the base and China Glaze Sugar High for the icing. Sprinkles were China Glaze Happy Go Lucky and Flyin' High.

Thumb: I used 1 coat of NYC Color snazzle and 2 coats of Deborah Lippmann Happy Birthday.


I had to break out Deborah Lippmann's Happy Birthday of course! It's so awesome x)




Gosh I am really loving rocking this mani! I need to practice my drips but oh well. Expect more drippy/ice-cream manis in every different colour in the future LOL.


My gifts from the family and D! The parents gave me an agnès b makeup set and a red packet (ie. cash woot!) and D and my sis gifted me a nail course from Nail Boutique Le M that I've been wanting to do for AGES!!!!!! Yay! D also gave me OPI DS Magic and Extravagance, yummy Adora truffles and a cute Rilakkuma =) My yummyt birthday cake is below!


I hope you all had a lovely day! Thanks for looking and don't forget to enter my 2nd birthday giveaway here!

I haven't done a food post in a while so I thought I would share with you all a fabulous meal I had recently! At the end of last month, I had dinner with 2 awesome friends (hi Jade and Anita!) at Est.. For those not playing in Sydney, Est. is an award winning contemporary Australian restaurant. Boy was it a lot of fun! It was so great to unwind with some girlie talk over cocktails and fine food =) We ended up going with the chefs tasting menu (4 courses for $150) as it had more choice compared to the tasting menu (6 courses for $175). Unfortunately my camera pics didn't turn out so Instagram pics will have to suffice.


We started off with a round of cocktails. I don't drink much at all but I do love a good cocktail! Vodka is my drink of choice so I went with a Moscow Mule. It was delicious x)


For the first course, we all chose the salad of spanner crab with heart of palm, avocado, pink grapefruit, mint and lemon. I could eat this salad everyday! The crab and pink grapefruit went so well together.


For my second course, I chose the grilled white scallops with heirloom carrots, goats curd, roast garlic and black truffle chicken jus. The scallops were beautiful but I think I should have gone with the quail.. there just weren't enough scallops in the dish! LOL.


The highlight of the night - our "off the menu" Périgord truffle mash! We were only expecting truffle through the mash but instead we get thin slices of French truffle atop the most smooth and creamy mash imaginable. We literally could have licked the bowl!! Except of course we were all too ladylike to lol.


For my fourth course I chose the saddle of venison with pickled sour cherries, blackberries, baby turnip, game chips and salad of cresses. Venison is served on the rare side and I don't usually like my red meat too rare but this was just melt in your mouth.


For dessert I chose the mascarpone citrus cannoli with macerated summer berries and pink grapefruit sorbet. Oh my goodness it was so heavenly! It was summer on a plate. I could have eaten a whole tub of the pink grapefruit sorbet mmmmm.


We were even given an extra dessert to share! Caramelised blood plum, brown sugar cake, labne and spiced plum caramel. The flavours in this were so interesting but worked really well together!


Yummy petit fours!


Overall it was a fabulous dinner and night out! The service was impeccable and the atmosphere was great - and of course the food was divine! I'll definitely be going back in the future. Est. is located at Level 1, Establishment 252 George Street Sydney 2000.

Thanks for looking as always =) Don't forget to enter my 2nd birthday giveaway here!