So if you saw my recent 'Lip Product Addict Tag' here, over on my youtube channel you would have heard me talk all about the Revlon lipsticks and just how great they really are, well after I finished that video I realised just how long it had been since I picked up any new shades from the range, so I stopped by Priceline to check out a few new colours.
I picked up a variation in formulas and colours to try out what they had to offer and I am very happy with the selections I made. I know have all of the formulas ( I think) including Matte, Creme, Shine and an unknown formula/the original??
The colours are all stunning as you can tell but from left to right we have:
Cherries in the Snow (Creme): A rich pink based berry red that is too die for, honestly this colour is probably the most beautiful in my collection. The pigmentation of this lipstick in phenomenal and the wear is very impressive.
Paradise Pink (Matte): This colour is a little deceptive, as you can tell both the name and the colour on the bottom of the tube are slightly misleading but this is a great colour none the less. It is a strong pink based orange. I love the matte formula because they are amazingly pigmented and none drying unlike most matte products.
Snow Peach (Unknown): I feel like I have heard about this colour before but I cannot for the life of me figure out where. This is more of a true pinkish coral, however it is showing slightly more pink in the photo. This is a nice middle of the road coral that isn't too in your face but is still bright and fun.
Fuchsia Shock (Shine): This colour is the most different from the rest because of the formulation. The Shine formula appears to be very similar to that of the Lip Butters (which I love). The pigmentation is build-able and incredibly glossy but with no shimmer. This is a mid toned standard pink that would suit all skin tones.
Sultry Samba (Matte): Probably the most outlandish of the bunch, this colour is a true Barbie pink, well maybe slightly warmer toned. Great pigmentation but can definitely be sheered out or placed under a gloss. I can't wait to wear this shade in summer with a soft golden eye.
I am very impressed by all of the shades I have picked up and will be keeping a close eye on any new releases. I am also counting down the days until the Moisture Stains hit our shores, I can't contain my excitement.
Hi there, lets talk nail polish, and in particular my obsession with Essie!
My collection has been growing over the past two years but when Essie became widely available throughout Australia (namely in priceline stores) it kind of got a little out of hand. Let me introduce what I have and what I think.
Left to Right: Cute as a Button, Tart Deco, Saturday Disco Fever
Left to Right: Lights, Mod Squad, Watermelon, Secret Story
Left to Right: DJ play that song, Go Ginza, Neo Whimsical
Left to Right: Butler Please, Bikini so Teeny, Lilacism, Borrowed and Blue, Mint Candy Apples
Left to Right: Sand Tropez, Penny Talk, A cut Above, Chinchilly
Left to Right: Devils Advocate, Bahama Mama
The worst:
I wanted to get the bad news out of the way first. My least favourites out of the bunch are the three below (Butler Please, Saturday Disco Fever and Secret story) and this is purely on consistency because as you can tell the colours are to die for.
Starting with 'Butler Please', This polish I bought on a complete whim because the colour is spectacular. This polish is a semi matte finish which is patchy and lacks the creaminess I have come to love from Essie.
'Saturday Disco Fever' is the most disappointing I have spent money on as it looks completely different in the bottle then when applied. In the bottle you get a creamy, neon, opaque truly amazing shade that I could not wait to apply. When I did get to try it I got a sheer, slightly darker and not at all easy to apply polish that even after four coats I could not get even.
Finally 'Secret Story' which I have a separate blog post on that you can find HERE. Again love the colour, not the formulation. This one is very similar to 'Saturday Disco Fever' Sheer and uneven, just not a pleasing experience to use.
The Best:
Now we have the negative portion out of the way, lets talk favourites.
The newest addition to my Essie Loves is 'Tart Deco' and this was an EssieButton recommendation I couldn't pass. The rich, creamy, opaque and yet still very wearable shade is great for the spring/summer months but I am loving the fact that there is a mix of brights for Autumn, and can I tell you, its love. I have only had this shade about a month and I have worn it five plus times, seriously addicted.
An old and trusted favourite 'Mint Candy Apple' has worked its way into my loves, and thats because its just so easy to wear. While it is a mint green colour, it works so well with my skin tone I use it as I would a nude. Its stunning a simple.
The only colour that is no longer available is 'Borrowed and Blue' from the wedding collection a few years ago. It is probably my most worn polish and most consistently worn, I love it and I'm so sad it is no longer available. #bringbackborrowed&blue
Next is a polish I am so surprised you don't here more about because it is amazing. A mix of pastel and bright, the rich lilac colour is so complementary to the skin tone, and so easy to get perfect I cant go wrong no matter what the occasion.
Finally we have the only dark polish in this section 'Devils Advocate'. I will admit, its not for everyone, but it certainly works for me. I really enjoy dark nails but have never liked black, this very, very dark red/purple still has enough colour to not give you that chalky grey black can often give you and is warm enough to look more natural on the nail.
Winter Picks:
From Essie this year my picks are quite classic, so lets hope there is something for everyone. I have two dark plum reds at the beginning to keep all of the oxblood lovers happy. I have included a shimmer polish because on those really dark, cold days its nice to have a little pick me up with a bit of sparkle. Next is everyones favourite nude for those days where you just want to keep things simple and clean and finally a taupe shade for those days where you want to embrace the greys.
Spring Picks:
I have stuck to fairly traditional spring colours for this year. The first two are your standard Mint and Lilac which are always a spring pick. The second two are more of a trend pick based on the 2014 colour picks. Both are coral based colours which are bold and fun.
If you would like to hear me ramble in real life and not via keyboard, please check out my latest video, also about my far to large Essie Polish Collection!
I hope you have enjoyed my whole collection. I will have a video coming very soon where I speak a little bit more about the colours.
Here in Australia Cosmetics are very pricey, so anything you can get on a budget that works well is a great buy. Here are my top ten Drugstore buys Australian edition.
Lip Products:
At the moment I would have to say the Revlon Matte and Lacquer Balms, I have rambled about these products for quite some time now but only because I do really love them that much. Having the two finish options and a wide range of colours (most of which are bright shades) means there is something for almost everyone. The $17.95 price tag is a little high for a drugstore product but nothing outrageous.
Foundation:
This will come as no surprise if you watch my YouTube videos but for years now I have been obsessed with the Revlon Colourstay Foundation for combination to oily skin. This is truly my holy grail of foundations, it has amazing coverage that you can really alter to suit your skin needs, the colour selection is reasonably large for a drugstore product and the lasting power and evenness though out the day is unparalleled in my opinion. Price: 34.95
Concealer:
One of my new discoveries on this list has to be the Rimmel wake me up concealer. Although this product has been around for quite a while now It was just something I have not tried out. When I gave this product to my sister as a gift I knew I needed to try it out and it is great. The coverage is medium to high but reflects light enough that you don't need to use large amounts of the product, the formulations sits well with foundations and sets to a nice finish under powder. The one down side is the colour selection is terrible, even the lightest shade is a tad to dark for myself especially in winter and the darkest shade would only work for someone with a medium complexion. Price: $14.95
Powder:
This is not a surprise to anyone who has been following the beauty world in Australia and it has to be the Australia Fresh and Flawless pressed powder. If you don't know what I am talking about it is basically a dupe for the MAC Studio Fix powder (minus about $40.00). I have been obsessed with this powder for so long because it sets my foundations, ads a little more coverage and helps control my oily skin for hours and hours. I love that this product wears very evenly throughout the day so you don't end up patchy or cakey. The recent changed to the packaging SUCK but don't let that deter you from giving it a go. Price: $11.95
Bronzer:
While I am no expert on bronzers being a pale skinned gal, I can easily say that I adore the Bourjois Chocolate Bronzer in '51'. A well known product in the beauty community I actually prefer the lighter shade in comparison to the infamous '52' colour. The product applies evenly and is not overwhelming while still adding a little life to the edges of the face. If you are paler I would give this a go and of course if you have a little more colour the darker shade is a well know favourite.
Primer:
I have not had the best of luck with drugstore all over face primers but I have come to really enjoy the Australis Eyeshadow Primer. I find that there really isn't too much of a difference between the Australis primer and something like the Urban Decay Primer Potion. I am not someone with terribly oily eye lids so I am not sure how it holds up in that department but I do not get any creasing throughout the day and definitely notice the pigmentation of the eyeshadows is much stronger with the primer underneath. Price: $12.95
Mascara: Drugstore Mascaras are top notch and even compared to most high end mascaras the drugstore options are just as good. I am a huge fan of Covergirl (and Max Factor) mascaras and always have at least one on the go. Two of my favourites are the Lashblast Clump Crusher and the Lash Perfection, each easily amazing and both at amazing prices.
Eyeliner: This is one that I often get questions about and it is the BYS Smudgeproof Waterproof eyeliner. This dip pot style product is quite a liquidy formulation but the opacity and finish of the product is worth the fuss. This the the only eyeliner I have used that does not smudge on me throughout the day. With the $4.95 maximum price this is one of the BEST products I own
Cream Eyeshadow:
Until recently I really wasn't a big lover of cream products, especially from the drugstore because normally they are sticky, clumpy and just not nice to use, but since the discovery of the Maybeline Colour Tattoo's I have been in love. I have several of the shades but my favourite is the golden based champagne with subtle shimmer that is Barely Branded. I use this product most days under my shadows to give them a little more life and deepen the pigmentation.
Powder Eyeshadow:
Drugstore eyeshadows are something that I just don't get on with, I am really hard to please with eyeshadows because I don't see the point in using something that just isn't that great, and this product is not only a great product but one of the best eyeshadows I have used. The Loreal Color Infallible Eyeshadows are a pressed pigment style formulation which are the same as the Armani Eyes to Kill shadows. The incredible pigmentations and the unique finish of the shadows are hard to beat and are a staple in my collection.
If you would like to hear me speak a little about these products please check out my video below!
As I promised I am going to talk you through as many of my polishes as possible and today we are going with a lovely spring time pick: Essie 'Cute as a Button'
As per usual I picked this shade up on a whim but I have since fallen head over heels. It is the perfect pink for this season being right on trend and just a lovely shade.
In photos this polish looks like you standard bright pink but in real life it is a bright coral based pink with a lot of orange to brighten it up. I am not a huge lover of pink on my nails but with the coral base I find it much more flattering on the skin.
Overall I am very happy with the polish and would recommend it to almost everyone, especially those who are not the biggest pink fans as I think it just works.
So that time of year has come around again and its May Favourite time. I always love a good favourites and so I am going to be sharing mine with you. Stick around to the end for my May Favourites Video
I have been loving wearing very seasonably inappropriate nail colours and really embracing the warmer hues for the cooler months. The two I have been reaching for are 'Cute are a Button' (on the left) and 'Tart Deco' (on the right).
Glowy skin is my thing at the moment and these two products have truly changed how my skin looks on a day to day basis. I apply the blush (Hourglass Ambient Lighting Blush in 'Luminous Flush') all over my cheeks and build up the pigmentation to bring back some colour to my other wise pale complexion and then I use the Highlighter (MAC Mineralize skin finish in 'Soft and Gentle') liberally on the high points of my skin to bring the light back to my face. This combination is To-Die.
My two skin saviours of the month have been the La Roche Posay 'Effaclar Duo' and the Kate Somerville 'CytoCell Dark Circle Corrective eye cream' and they have been working a little miracle. The 'Effaclar Duo' is an amazing Acne fighting cream/serum/moisturiser that is used all over the face to control those nasty break outs and boy does it work. The 'CytoCell Eye cream' is the first eye cream I have used where I have noticed a difference, my dark circles are less noticeable and puffiness is at a minimum.
Of course a monthly favourites couldn't be made without the inclusion of the Revlon Lip Balms (Matte and Lacquer). I wear these products almost every day. The soft texture, subtle minty scent and the amazing colour payoff, what more can you ask for!
The 'Tangle Teezer' is a relatively new addition to my hair care routine but I really do understand the hype. The soft rubber bristles glide through the hair with no pulling or harsh tugging that will cause breakage, it also feels very nice on the scalp, like a little head massage.
My new shower loves are the Soap and Glory 'The Breakfast Scrub' and the Dr Bronner 'Hemp Peppermint Castile Soap'. I loves using the soap to give my whole body a great clean but I also find it works great as a shaving gel type product and leaves the legs tingling. The scrub I like to think of as the Dessert of my shower routine, a sweet maple syrup scent with a milky texture to finish off a lovely hot shower is perfection.
That is it for my Monthly Favourites, make sure you check out my video for a more in-depth chat about each individual product.
Lets talk my current lip obsession that is not going away, and of course it is Revlon Balm's: Lacquer and Matte.
I struggle to find anything other than highly pigmented lipsticks that I like to wear and that look good, but I have found my new love.
From the Lacquer range I have 'Provocateur' and 'Coquette', the first being a a bright pink based red which is very vibrant and highly pigmented, the second being a bright mid toned pink which I love as an everyday colour.
The Lacquer balms apply very smooth to the lips and the colour builds very easily. The subtle minty scent of the entire range is a nice touch but not too over powering (something I hate in products). They last for several hours on the lips and do leave a stain, but nothing to offensive or that will sit in fine lines.
The one criticism everyone has had is the glitter in formula. At first I didn't even notice any glitter, and thats because there wasn't any, well at least until I got down in the tube a little, and then BAM! there is a whole lot of glitter. I now have a lot of glitter in the 'Coquette' colour which is a little uncomfortable, I just wished they had skipped on that step.
From the Matte range I have 'Unapologetic' and Stand Out' and I cannot say enough good things about these. I have always loved the matte look but have struggled to find one that was comfortable on the lips and didn't ball up in the corners (the most frustrating thing).
The pigmentation is amazing and the finish is beautiful, a creamy matte that doesn't appear dry at all. They are so comfortable to wear and easily reapply throughout the day without looking clumpy (not that they need much topping up).
'Unapologetic' is a bright coral pink which is right on trend with the colours of 2014, and just happens to be a shade that I LOVE. Although it is the wrong time of year for this beauty I still love brightening my day with it and cannot wait till summer to wear it everyday.
'Stand Out' is a truly amazing deep red that I am obsessed with. I personally struggle with traditional red colours and gravitate towards plums and berry tones when wearing red but this colour has changed that. Being such a deep red with blue undertones (that almost sways towards purple) this colour does not wash my pale skin out and would amazing on anyone.
The four shades I have are my favourites from the two collections which are available in Australia but I do really want to give a few more a go because my obsession with these grows stronger everyday.
I would love to know your opinions on these products because I know there have been both positive and negative reviews.
