Blush Crush: Benefit's Coralista

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Hey beauties,

I'm back with another blush crush. This time I'm loving Coralista by Benefit.

Coralista is a gorgeous corally pink. It gives me a bright sunny look (which I need as the weather is unpleasant at the moment!).  There is some shimmer but not too much, just enough to give the cheeks a gorgeous glow. You can build definitely up the intensity but as I'm pale I use a light hand. I really think this is a blush that would be flattering on sooo many skin tones too. Really that about sums it up; it's just a fabulous blush..

Applied heavily on the left & lightly on the right.

Here is this baby in action!

Do you have a current blush crush? I would love to know, I always love blush recommendations!



xxx

NOTD: Wild Berry

Good Afternoon gorgeous girlies, 

I am currently sporting this brand new polish which is Wild Berry by Ulta3. Yes the name of this nail polish is Wild Berry... personally I don't think it hits the spot but name aside I like this polish. It's a blue based grey which applied beautifully. It was smooth and just needed two coats. It's a wintery kind of colour so perfect for this time of year and unfortunately especially appropriate today where the weather is miserable. It's one of those non black colours which I love and need more of in my life! I find it has a bit warmth to it which is flattering and I have even managed to rack up some compliments so go Wild Berry!

What is currently on your tips? 

I am planning on a bit of a nail polish shopping spree soon so would love your suggestions on some new colours to get!

:)

NOTD: Karpati Dito nail polish

This is the latest nail polish to join my collection. I found it buried in a discounted bin and had to have it! Admittedly I bought it for the bottle rather than the colour. I have never really seen anything like this before and couldn't resist giving it a whirl. It's by an Australian brand Karpati and the colour is in Lily Crown. 

As great as the packaging looks it does have it's faults; once you open it you can't put it down, the brush and handle is not long enough, the lid doesn't screw on very tightly and the solid packaging colour makes it hard to see that actual colour of the polish. 

I have never come across this brand before, after doing some research on their website (and being bombarded with  an unnecessary amount pictures of the founder!) I found out that their nail polishes are free of unnecessary chemicals including toluene, formaldehyde and Dibutyl Phthalate, which is a big plus however the nail polish itself was rubbish. It may have something to do with the pale colour but it was thin and runny and I needed way to many coats to get a decent result. 

 

This was the only colour left but I would be interested in trying some of the other colours in the range if I came across them but there is no way I would pay $22 for them. Props for creating a safe nail polish in a unique bottle which differentiates itself in the market but I think there needs to be a lot of tweaks to make this polish worthwhile. 

What are your thoughts on this style bottle? Have you used one like this before?

x Imogen 

Product Rave: Estee Lauder Idealist Even Skintone Illuminator

Hi there lovely readers, 

I have recently started 2 new jobs so I have busy busy busy and become a bit slack with blogging lately but I am back with a long overdue rave/review. It's for Estee Lauder - Idealist Even Skintone Iluminator and I have been wanting to do this post for ages now because it's amazing!

Estee Lauder claims the product drastically reduces the look of uneven skintone; redness, acne marks, dark spots and discolouration. They describe it as an intensive yet gentle oil-free serum with Triple-Optic technology which instantly illuminates the skin for instant radiance. The serum is comprised of comprehensive, anti-spot ingredient, powerful antioxidants and soothing anti irritants to combat the signs of uneven skin tone making it appear clearer, even-toned and radiant. Sounds pretty good to me!

The illuminator is a light, pale coloured serum which has a delicious citrus scent and comes in lovely simple packaging with a convenient pump pack which is sanitary and means less waste. I have been using this product for about 6 weeks now and I have to say I am impressed. I apply the product both morning and night after cleansing. Once it has sunk it I just apply my usual moisturiser over the top and I'm done.

I am fair skinned and I do have quite of bit of redness in my skin. I found that shortly after using this product my skin tone looked great. It felt smoother, even and healthy as well as appearing brighter and luminous. I do think it also helped fade spots a bit quicker than usual too but luckily for me I have good genes and spots aren't a major concern for me.

The serum itself has a luminescent pearly sheen to it which I really loved as it makes my skin radiant and glowy without the dreaded shimmer. I am not sure if this is a long term effect of using the product rather than the product itself but either way I am happy. My skin is dry so I love the pearly glow of the serum, which I tried to capture in the photos below, but for those with oily skin I'm not sure if this would be the perfect product as it does add extra sheen which you might not want. Having said that I would suggest checking it out and making up your own mind.

I stopped using the product for about the last week to see if I noticed a difference in my skin and I did. My skin didn't look as glowy and fresh and appeared a bit duller so I'm a convert!

The serum has only been officially released in Australia for about 2 weeks now and although it is pricey I would definitely recommend checking it out. I think serums are an important part of any daily skincare routine and this has definitely ticked all my boxes. I think I have discovered my new staple! Next on my list to try is the Night Repair serum.

What are your thoughts on serums? 

Happy hump day!

Imogen 

x

Pucker up with Back2Mac!

Hello, I hope you all had a lovely weekend :)

I finally got around to gathering together my empty Mac containers to swap them for some new lipsticks with the Back2Mac program. I'm sure you know what Back2Mac is but just in case you're not it's Mac's recycling program where you return 6 empty Mac containers and in return get a free lippie.

I knew I had a few empties but was surprised and a bit excited when I realised I had exactly 18 which meant 3 new lippies woo hoo! So these are the 3 gorgeous colours I went with. . .

I had my sights on Vegas Volt for ages so this one was a definite. Vegas Volt is a beautiful creamy coral with a tiny hint of pink. Can't wait for summer to pull this one out!

My second choice was going to be Hue but they were sold out so I went with Shy Girl instead which as you can see was a good decision. I have already made my mark on this baby. It's a peachy nude with a really smooth formula. Would be perfect paired with a smokey eye. 

I struggled to choose a 3rd colour because they are all great but decided to go with Girl About Town as I don't really have anything like it in my collection and I'm glad I did. Girl about town is a bright and bold fuchsia pink. I haven't worn this one too much yet but am itching to try it when I have somewhere appropriate to wear it!

Swatch time...

Girl About Town, Vegas Volt and Shy Girl 

What can I say apart from I LOVE Back to MAC! What girl can argue with free lipstick whilst saving the environment?! 

So far I am happy with each and everyone of my new lippies. Expect some FOTDs featuring them soon in the near future.

Enjoy the week, 

Imogen :)

NOTD: No Room for the Blues

Happy Sunday everyone,

I love this blue! It's OPI's No Room for the Blues. A great spring colour or in my case a great shade to add  pop of colour to a miserable winter day. I have got a few of my friends onto this colour and think it looked great on all of them regardless of skin tone.

It's an amazing formula which applies like a dream, is completely opaque at 2 coats, no streaks  and lasts a long time without chipping. I really don't have any complaints apart from it doesn't match all my outfits!

Plus it has a great name!

What are you currently rocking on your nails??

Battle of the Highlighters!

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Happy Tuesday!

It hit me the other day that I am a highlighter addict. I love glowy radiance skin and am a sucker for a good illuinating product. There are so many great products on the market  I thought I would give a bit of an overview and comparison of my favourites. I managed to narrow it down to the top 6, it was hard but I did it!

 

So we have;  

♥ Mac Cream color base in Pearl - Love this. It's one of my favourite highlighters. It's an off white cream colour with no obvious glitter. It creates dimension and a lovely luminscent glow. This product is the definition of dewy and glowy!

♥ Prestige Sun Baked Mineral Bronzer in Pure Shimmer - This is the cheapest of the lot and I think it's great. It gives a great natural sheen to the skin and considering the price it gives great glow and not glitter. I like that it's not too bronzey, pink or white it is sort of a great mix between all three colours.  

♥ Nars Albatross - As you can see mine has had plenty of wear and tear, I think it's a reflection of how much I love it! Albatross looks a bit white in the pan but adds a gorgeous golden warm glow to the skin. The golden shimmers are finely milled so it appears really natural. I use it on my cheekbones but it is also an amazing inner corner and brow bone highlight! 

♥ Dior Amber Diamond - I love this highlighter! I have posted about it before here if you want to read me rave on about it more. Gives a beautiful ultra-sheen to my cheeks. Don't know what I did without this. I especially love using this on nights out for that extra glow. 

♥ The Body Shop Shimmer Waves in 02 Blush - This was one of the first makeup products I ever bought and I have since repurchased it. I use it just as a highlighter rather than a blush. It's a great pinky toned highlighter with a very fine, satin like shimmer.

♥ Nars Multiple in Copocobana - This highlighter looks very frosty in the tube but once on the skin it's actually really flattering. It blends right into the skin and gives a natural, subtle nude sheen. I like that it creates more of a sheen than a shimmer. This is is great for the fair skinned ladies! 

L-R - Mac Pearl, Prestige Pure Shimmer, Nars Albatross, Dior Amber Diamond, The Body Shop Shimmer waves, Nars Copocabana.

I honestly cannot choose one favourite. I love them all and wear them all at different times for different occasions.  I think they are all great products for providing a gorgeous, luminous radiance. If I had to choose only one it would be a toss up between Amber Diamond and Mac Pearl.

Although I love all of these I could always do with more glow so I have my eye on Becca's Shimmering Skin Perfector in Pearl. I need it in my life!


What is your favourite highlighter? Share it with me!

Neon Nail Polish tip

Here is a quick neon polish tip. I like to apply a coat or 2 of white polish underneath neon nail polishes to make them brighter and more opaque. Often I find neon polishes watery and thin so you need to apply a few coats but applying white underneath makes it so you need apply less coats.  Plus it makes the neon polish appear brighter!

The nail on the left has 1 coat of white polish followed by 1 coat of Essie's Knockout Pout whereas the nail on the right only has 2 coats of Knockout Pout. 

Easy Peasy!

Mac Virgin Isle Dupe

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Hi Girlies,

So I was going through my makeup stash the other day and realised I have a really similar product to Mac's Virgin Isle cream colour base. I love Virgin Isle so have to share this discovery! It's Max Factor's Miracle Touch cream blush in Soft Candy (07) and although it's not a perfect dupe it's definitely in the running. 

Here's the comparison...

and swatched...

L-R: Max Factor's Soft Candy applied heavily and blended and Mac's Virgin Isle applied heavily and blended 

Soft Candy does look darker in the pan but once applied they are alike. Soft Candy has more of a red tone whilst Virgin Isle is a bit more coral toned.  Virgin Isle is more pigmented which isn't necessarily a bad thing as you do have to be careful not to use too much product or hello clown cheeks! One of the differences between these two is the finishes. Soft Candy has a glossier, dewier finish when applied to the skin, both products provide that great glowy look to the skin. Although their finishes are different the colours are really similar especially once they are blended into the skin. I would give Soft Candy a B in duping, what do you think?

So if you can't get your hands on Virgin Isle or want a cheap alternative I would recommend Soft Candy for that great corally pop of colour!

Much love, 

Imogen 

NOTD: Stripey Nails

Good Morning everyone!

So I am sick again so I haven't been wearing any makeup lately so I'm back with another nail polish post. 

Being cooped up inside made me restless so I decided to jump on the nail art bandwagon by copying a WAH design. I love WAH nails and their blog is one of my favourite places to browse and get inspiration. Here is the design I ripped off.

I think I need to practice for a month straight to get to WAH level!

To create these babies I used Sticky Tape, Essie Tart Deco, Essie Van D'go, Ulta3 Lily White, Chanel Laque Brillance Extreme, Sally Hansen Nail art pen in black. 

It was a bit fiddly but I had fun doing it. My right hand is a bit dodge, straight lines are hard with your left hand! 

I am definitely going to track down some of the Model's Own & WAH nail art pens, has anyone tried them??

Happy Friday

Imogen x

Blush Crush: NYX Mauve

Hello lovely readers, 

I'm back with another blush crush. This time it's NYX's Mauve. The weather has taken a turn for the worst lately and I haven't really been feeling like peaches of pinks so I thought I would whip out this one to mix it up a bit.

Mauve is a muted rosy pink blush. I do find the name a little deceiving as the blush is more of a muted pink with almost a hint of orange (on my skin anyway) regardless I am liking this blush. I am still on the hunt for a great mauvey toned blush so let me know if you have any suggestions. 

 The texture is smooth, silky and really blendable. It's easy to apply and very pigmented, as you can see in the pic below where I have packed it on! However this blush does lack staying power but for the price I really can't complain too much.

  (Excuse the messy hair, this is it in all its natural glory haha)

It is a nice, rosy, natural looking blush.  This blush is definitely great for fair to medium skinned gals but be careful to use a light hand!

I would love to know what people's favourite winter blushes are, I think I feel a shopping spree coming on!

Imogen x

Gold Glitter Nail

Hi gorgeous girls,

I am currently battling a nasty cold so to cheer myself up and make myself feel a bit less blergh I painted my nails in gold glitter. They are delightfully tacky but have added some much needed sparkle to my day!

To get this result I applied 1 coat of Ulta3's Antique Copper polish followed by 3 coats of Ulta3's Gold Digger polish (bonus points for the name!)

I am not normally one for having all my nails covered in glitter polish but was up for a bit of fun and actually really liked it plus I got loads of compliments, yay. Are you a glitter polish fan?

Hope everyone is having a great Thursday 

:)

Asian Face Masks

There is this great little Asian beauty store near where I used to live so before I moved I stocked up on a few things including these Cantena face masks. It was hard to choose all the different types so I ended up stocking up on heaps but these are the first ones I have tried. 

These are the 8 cups of water hydrating masks and as my skin seriously lacks moisture during the cooler months these sounded perfect.

As you can see you can see the instructions say cleanse, apply and leave for 20 minutes then massage and you're done! The mask is one of those fabric type ones and it did feel a bit super gooey when I got it out of the packet but once it was out of the packet and on my face it was all good. So for your viewing pleasure I have inserted a picture of me looking my finest whilst the mask is in action...

What can I say... it's a good look!

Onto the results, it didn't irritate my skin when I used it, it left my skin appear softer, dewier, moisturised and supple, has pleasant smell and was pocket friendly plus it may have even given me a tiny bit of a glow (that's right glow!) The glow was only temporary, however over the next few days my skin did feel and look more moisturised than usual so that's a bonus. Overall it was a decent mask.

I am such a sucker for all the Asian beauty masks, I have so many more different types I am itching to try yay!

Have you tried this sort of thing??

May Lovin'

Hey ey e

Hey hey, 

It's the end of May which means 2 things, it's my mum's birthday and it's time for a favourites post! So here are the things that have been floating my boat over the past month or so; 

  We have -  

♥ Lush Dream Cream,

♥ Orly Cuticle Oil

♥ Revlon Matte lipstick in Pink Pout

♥ Mac Nylon eyeshadow

♥ Maybelline Eyestudio Lasting Drama Gel Liner

♥ Mac Well Dressed blush 

  

Lush Dream Cream - First up we have Lush Dream Cream. I bought this stuff after hearing numerous rave reviews and I would now have to agree with them. I have terribly dry skin and with the cold weather taking over I thought this would be a great product to have. It's a great moisturiser that leaves my skin soft and smooth. I lather it on after my shower and find it really calms my skin, especially after shaving my legs. It's not too sticky or thick but still has enough oomph to get the job done. This will be a definite repurchase.

Orly Cuticle Oil - Bought this stuff on a whim when my cuticles were going though a shocking stage and it has worked pretty well. I have been applying it the evening and it leaves my cuticles softer and moisturised.

Revlon Matte Lipstick in Pink Pout  - I have had this lipstick for ages but only recently rediscovered it. I have been going through a bit of a light pink phase with my makeup and this has been getting quite a bit of use. I like that it's not way too pale yet not too bright. It's sort of a lilac toned pink. Looks great by itself or with a gloss!

Mac Well Dressed blush - I did a whole post dedicated to this blush a while back (check it out here if you're interested) and I am still loving it. As I said I am going through a light pink makeup phase and this is perfect. Gives my cheeks a great pop of colour and glow.

Mac Nylon eyeshadow - As you can see by the picture this shadow has been through the wars, it just shows how much I love it! The most perfect inner corner colour I have come across. It is a beautiful shimmery white/gold toned highlighter which instantly brightens the eyes. I would recommend this to everyone!

Maybelline Eyestudio Lasting Drama Gel Liner - I was going on holidays and wanted a cheap liner to take with me so I picked up this one and have really liked it. The colour is definitely a true black and it has a really nice creamy texture which applies smoothly. Long lasting too. I own both Mac and Bobbi Brown gel liners and I think this one is up there, especially when you consider it's a drugstore product.

Swatches! Left to right: Revlon Pink Pout, Mac Well Dressed, Mac Nylon, Maybelline Gel Liner 

And that's it. What has been on your love list this month? 

Imogen 

x

NOTD: Neo Whimsical

Good Afternoon lovelies, 

This has been my NOTD for the past week or so which is a long time for me! It's Essie's Neo Whimsical from the Art of Spring Collection and like all this other colours from this collection this one's a winner too.

I loooove this colour. It's a beautiful pastel pink shade with a hint of lilac and totally up my alley. It is a bit more pinky toned than the shows, for some reason it looks quite lilac in the picture. I think this is a great colour for pale skin tones.

It is a bit difficult to apply and it did require 3 coats. However I don't mind because I love the colour and think it's worth it plus with a coat of Seche Vite it lasts for ages.

x