Cosmetic Cupcake

The hubby and I went to watch Wicked on Friday night so I had to break out the green polish for the occasion! I saw Wicked with my sis when it was in Sydney a few years back but it was great to see it again. It's always nice to go out for a date night and especially as it'd been aaaaaaages since we'd been to a show. I didn't have time for nail art so what better than a gorgeous green glitter in the form of Illamasqua Destiny. It doesn't match the Wicked green but oh well!


Destiny was released about this time last year as an Australian exclusive shade for Chinese New Year that was available only at Myer (for those playing overseas Myer is a department store here). It contains fine and hex gold glitter in a dark green base and is wonderfully opaque. It's so opaque you could get away with just one even coat but I do 2 coats out of habit.

It dries super smoothly which is really surprising considering how packed with glitter it is. I love the depth of it and it's just gorgeous isn't it! 2 coats is pictured with a coat of Cult Nails Wicked Fast top coat.




I'm trying to shop my stash at the moment as I haven't really been in the mood to buy polish much lately. No collections have really jumped out to me which my wallet is happy about!

Thanks for looking as always!

Happy weekend everyone!! I'm off to Europe for my honeymoon in less than a week (EEEEK!) so I've been holding off on beauty purchases for quite some time so that I can go crazy over there. But as usual I couldn't resist a few things here and there! I can't go past a good sale ;)


Some gorgeous Hello Darling shades! From L-R: Georgeous, Cakefight, Trophy Wife, Sir English, Ballerina La La and Over topcoat.


Models Own had their awesome 50% off sale a while back so I took the opportunity to stock up on polishes for my kit and also pick up some lemmings! There was no way I was going to let such a good sale go even with the crazy shipping fee. I picked up the entire Hypergel collection and some cremes and glitters.



Illamasqua Raindrops has been on my wishlist ever since I saw swatches of it and I finally picked it up along with Destiny as a birthday pressie to myself! I had Myer vouchers so I only paid $14.50 for them both!


I picked up Revlon Parfumerie shades in Autumn Spice and Lime Basil when Priceline had their last 40% off sale (swatched here) and of course I couldn't go past the Ulta 3 speckled egg collection (swatched here) for Easter.


Chevron nail art is so cute but it's such a hassle with scotch tape I hardly ever do it. I thought I'd try out some Nail Vinyls to make it easier and they are definitely worth the price! I also bought some mini chevron, heart and straight vinyls too.


Bundle Monster had a 20% off sale so I took the chance to add the 2012, 2013 and Holiday plates to my stamping plate collection. It was also time to update my plate storage so I also bought 2 of their pink organisers which are fantastic - I should have upgraded my storage ages ago!!


I had to stock up on my HG makeup remover Clinique Take the Day Off Makeup Remover so I took advantage of the Clinique Valentines Day offer and scored myself a free Chubby Stick in Two Ton Tomato with my order woot!


I hope you liked seeing my recent hauls!! What have you hauled lately?

Some quick swatches for you today of Illamasqua Omen from their Paranormal collection! The polishes from this collection are UV but unfortunately I don't have black light to show you the effect =(


What they say:

"Take your nails into the next dimensions with limited edition UV Nail Varnish form the Paranormal collection. Alone, each shade delivers bold, high-impact colour with a distinctive shimmer finish. But when worn under UV light they take on a life of their own, emitting a standout glow that cannot be ignored."


Omen is a gorgeous bright in your face green with shimmer. I FREAKING LOVE IT!!! I don't have enough greens in my collection so I am so crazy happy to add this to my stash. It's bright, bold and fun. Application was beautiful like other Illamasqua polishes and 2 coats is pictured with no top coat.

Close up:



Details: Illamsqua Paranormal polishes are available in four shades from Illamasqua counters in Myer or the Myer online store for $22.50.

I love my Illamasqua polishes and I think Omen is definitely one of my faves now! What do you think? Do you wear green polishes? I know it's not for everyone!

Thanks for looking as always! =)

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.

This post is sponsored by Nuffnang.

When I was in Hong Kong recently, there were promo posters everywhere for Taylor Swift’s upcoming Red album. I’ve always been a fan of her makeup looks – her skin is always glowing and she looks so polished and fresh faced. In this particular pic she’s rocking a cherry red lip, winged liner and paired it with a cute black and white retro top and I loved the look so much I had to recreate it as soon as I got home! She’s been sporting a similar look while out and about on her promo tour for the new album this month and I love seeing the pics as it gives me great beauty inspiration. Her flawless skin and red pout look fantastic and is a look that would suit everyone.


You too can get flawless red carpet ready skin at home with the Clearasil PerfectaWash which I’ve introduced to you previously. Celebrities may have their makeup artists to help them look picture perfect but makeup can only hide so much. It’s important to start off with good basics like cleansing and moisturising twice daily and making sure to remove all traces of makeup at the end of the night to help achieve a healthy and glowing complexion.


While trialling the Clearasil PerfectaWash I must say my skin has been behaving itself and I haven’t experienced as many breakouts as usual. I’ve been rocking the natural look as much as I can so I started off with a sheer base by using Make Up For Ever Face and Body foundation in 20. I skipped powder and just used MAC Select Moisture Cover concealer in NW20 to conceal my dark circles (lack of sleep!). Taylor only has a hint of colour on her cheeks as the lip colour is so strong so I contoured my cheeks using Estee Lauder Bronze Goddess and skipped the blush.


I applied a wash of Illamasqua Cream Pigment in Hollow and winged out my Face of Australia liquid liner for a small cat eye. On the lower lash line I smudged Make Up For Ever Aqua Eyes liner in black on the outer third of my eye and I finished with Dolly Wink Long mascara.

For my bright red lips I lined my lips using Shisheido The Makeup Lip Liner & Pencil in Red Rouge and applied Tom Ford Lip Color in Cherry Lush!


I have another Clearasil PerfectaWash Dispenser & Refill to give away to ONE luck reader! If you didn't win last time here's another chance to get your hands on one. All you have to do is answer the following question:

Have you tried the new Clearasil PerfectaWash, what were your thoughts?
Leave me a comment with your answer below for your chance to win! Easy! The competition is open to Australian residents only and ends at 5pm AEST on November 22nd 2012. The winner will be chosen by Nuffnang. See Terms & Conditions here.

GOOD LUCK!!

The winner of my last Clearasil PerfectaWash giveaway was Crepe and her prize is on it's way to her now!

This post is sponsored by Nuffnang and Clearasil.

It’s finally spring here in Australia! I LOVE this time of year as it means I can break out the pretty colours I put away for winter, dewy skin and enjoy a fresh-faced look. One of the biggest beauty trends this spring is the no-makeup look and a twist is the barely there makeup look as I prefer a bit of colour in Spring. To achieve this look it doesn’t actually mean one doesn’t wear makeup though! For me it’s about enhancing your features for a fresh faced look by working with colours that suit your skintone. We want to enhance rather than conceal our natural beauty! Because I’m quite fair I love using peach and pink tones and this look is often my go to for spring.


Great skin is always the perfect canvas to start any makeup look but especially for the barely there makeup look! It’s a huge confidence boost when you can leave the house wearing minimal makeup or having only used just a few products. The Clearasil PerfectaWash can help you put your best face forward every day without makeup with the Super Fruit Extract and Soothing Plant Extract formulas to help soothe and protect against blemishes for visibly clearer skin. Something I think all of us ladies covet! The Clearasil PerfectaWash dispenses just the right amount of cleanser using the unique automated face wash dispenser that delivers exactly 1.5mls of product each time.


The automated dosage system prevents drying out the skin using too much product and active ingredients can irritate the skin and cause further problems. My skin is still a little on the dry side from winter and the formulas contain Vitamin E and antioxidants which are known for their soothing properties so are gentle enough for daily use. They’re dermatologist tested and with the combination of pimple fighting and beneficial ingredients it’s perfect for all young adult skin types to help attain clear skin.



I love a dewy finish in spring so I used the Clinique Even Better Foundation in 01 for a slightly heavier coverage than I would normally use as I find can get away with not having to use concealer when my skin is behaving well. It evens out my skintone and covers any blemishes or acne scarring well. I set it with Face of Australia Translucent Powder and I lightly swept MAC powder blush in Hipness on the apples of my cheeks for a just pinched look. I couldn’t resist a bit of highlighter so I used Benefit Watts Up highlighter on my cheekbones!

For the eyes, I primed my lids using Too Faced Shadow Insurance and applied a very soft wash of pink using MAC eyeshadow in Ego and highlighted my brow bone using MAC eyeshadow in Shroom. I used a teeny bit of the dark brown shade from the Stila eyeshadow trio in gold glow in my outer corner and added Illamasqua Powder eye shadow in Synth to the centre of my lid. I lined my eyes lightly using Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Shadow Pencil in Juju and 2 coats of Dolly Wink Volume mascara and one coat of Clinique Bottom Lash mascara in black.


For the lips I used Chanel Rouge Coco Shine in Flirt for a sheer peach lip. I prefer using these lipstick-balm hybrids in the warmer months for a more natural look.


Fancy trying out the Clearasil PerfectaWash yourself? I'm giving away a Clearasil PerfectaWash Automatic Facewash Dispenser & Refill to ONE lucky reader! All you have to do is answer the following question:

Have you tried the new Clearasil PerfectaWash, what were your thoughts?
Leave me a comment with your answer below for your chance to win! The competition is open to Australian residents only and ends at 5pm AEST on October 28th 2012. The winner will be chosen by Nuffnang. See Terms & Conditions here.

Good luck!

Hi ladies! I am embarrassingly behind on posts at the moment oops so I'm trying madly to catch up. I was lucky enough to attend the launch of the Illamasqua Human Fundametalism launch a few weeks back and as always Illamasqua never failed to impress with their latest product additions! Illamasqua very kindly gifted us with some products from the collection to take home and I have a quick overview of them for you today.


What they say:

"Get ready for a startling celebration of humanity's connection with colour. Introducing the Human Fundamentalism collection, where blinding flashes of pigment provide a sharp contrast to neutral tones, creating a saturated palette that catapults your alter ego to new levels of self-expression. Mix contrasting textures to express your true self, spiralling from rich metallic to pale matt shades. This nonconformity at its most fundamental - at its unpredictable best."

Hi ladies! I hope you've all had a lovely weekend. I don't have time at the moment for fancy nail art so ombré manicures to the rescue! Today's is purple using some of my favourite purples in my collection.


Starting from my pinky, I used 2 coats each of China Glaze Light As Air, Barry M Berry Ice-Cream, Color Club Pucci-licious, Barry M Dusky Mauve and Illamasqua Baptiste.


Pucci-licious unfortunately is a blurple so it comes out way more blue in my pics than it is in real life.



Ombré manicures are so quick and easy! It's one of the easiest manicures to do but it's still something different ;) I might do up some colour combos later when I have time!

Thanks for looking as always!

Hi ladies! Today I have for you the second product that Adore Beauty very kindly sent over for me to try a little while ago - Laura Mercier Second Skin Cheek Color in Orange Blossom. I haven't tried Laura Mercier products before so I very excited as I've heard many good things about the face products. Plus it's blush - I love blush! As it's getting warm here, I decided to choose a peachy colour to try out.


What they say:

"Laura Mercier Second Skin Cheek Colour is a sheer light blush that easily glides on your cheeks to create a flawless naturally blushing look. Infused with natural botanicals, this product will soften and nourish your skin. With light-diffusing properties the Laura Mercier Second Skin Cheek Colour ensures easy and even application every time."


The blush is packaged in a sturdy dark brown case and includes a mirror which is always extremely handy in my opinion.


Orange Blossom is a light pinky peach shade with fine golden shimmer through it. It reminds me of a lighter and less glittery version of the popular NARS Orgasm - think of it as the daytime version of Orgasm! I didn't swatch it heavily in the pic below so it appears quite light on me (I'm NC20) so you can probably just make out my swatch. Don't be fooled by the "Orange" in the name though as it's not orangey at all but a peachy pink.

Swatch:


When applied:


A recent FOTD using Laura Mercier Second Skin Cheek Color in Orange Blossom:


Products I used:

Face:
Illamasqua Skin Base Foundation in 06
YSL Touche Eclat Radiant Touch in 1
Laura Mercier Second Skin Cheek Color in Orange Blossom*

Eyes:
elf eyelid primer
MAC Paint Pot in Bare Study
Stila eye shadow trio in gold glow
Face of Australia liquid eyeliner in black*
Fiberwig Paint-On False Lashes Extra Long mascara

Lips:
Chanel Rouge Coco Shine in Evasion


Overall: Laura Mercier Second Skin Cheek Colour in Orange Blossom is a gorgeous blush that's perfect for the warmer months! It's a very flattering shade and I think it would look great on all skintones. I really like that Orange Blossom is light giving me a lovely natural flush of colour - it gives a nice healthy glow. Alternatively, you can build up the colour very easily too if you want a stronger cheek colour. In spring and summer I prefer a more natural look but I don't want to look like a ghost either so this is perfect. Orange Blossom applies nicely and blends well.

The downside is the size of the product. It's actually a lot smaller in size to what I expected and also in comparison to other blushes containing only 3.6g of product. However it should last you a while! Because Orange Blossom is so light, I found a sheer application will start to fade after a few hours unfortunately.

Details: Laura Mercier Second Skin Cheek Colors are available in 8 shades and can be purchased online from Adore Beauty and Myer and David Jones stores nationally for $48.

For US ladies, Laura Mercier Second Skin Cheek Colors are available in 14 shades and can be purchased from the Laura Mercier online store for $24US.

Have you tried Laura Mercier products before? Let me know in the comments below what you'd recommend me to try next! Thanks for looking as always ladies =)

*Product(s) sent 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.

Yesterday I showed you some pictures from the Illamasqua Theatre of the Nameless collection launch and as promised I have swatches of two of the products for you today. I couldn't resist purchasing two products and Illamasqua were very kind to send us lucky bloggers home with some goodies too! =)


The pretty products I took home! You all know I FREAKING adore blush so I just had to take home the Illamasqua Shimmer Blusher in Ambition. I also purchased the much raved about Skin Base Foundation in 07 and received nail polish in Kink* and False Eye Lashes in Weimar*.


The nail varnishes in this collection are inspired by the Wittenberg Platz's Boot Girls colour-coded specialities (so ummm.. girls who wore different coloured boots so people knew what they specialised in xp). They have a "rubber-look" finish which is somewhere in between a matte and a gloss finish. The caps are also rubber finished to distinguish between the normal gloss finish polishes!

Illamasqua Kink is described as a "bottle green" and is a tad darker in real life. It's very different to any other greens I own and I love the "rubber-look" finish! 2 coats pictured.


Close up:


As always, application and pigmentation was perfect and it was opaque in 2 smooth coats.


I was very kindly given the False Eye Lashes in Weimar which are just stunning. I don't want to use them!!


The Shimmer Blusher in Ambition is Illamasqua's first shimmer powder blusher and I fell head over heels with it when Mikele tried it on me! Egged on by all the lovely ladies I just had to pick it up!


Ambition is a super pretty shimmery neutral blush. It is very pigmented and gives a gorgeous glow to my cheeks ♥


Illamasqua Shimmer Blusher in Ambition


I was colour matched for Skin Base foundation and just had to pick it up too. I love BB creams and Skin Base is inspired by them but better! I also needed another foundation with SPF xp


I hope you enjoyed my quick swatches and review! What do you think of the new "rubber-look" finish? Will you be trying any of the products?

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.