Recent Prize Haul from Vibrant, Vivacious, Veracious Beauty Blog!

 

I was delighted to find out from the lovely Jennifer over at Vibrant, Vivacious, Veracious Beauty Blog that I was the winner of her anniversary giveaway, which, while exciting for me, was surely even more so for her, passing a milestone. If you haven't had the chance to check out her Ontario based blog, head over right now!

Here are the items from the giveaway:

1) The Face Shop Real Nature Mask in Blueberry - I've tried a The Face Shop mask before and liked it, so I'm looking forward to this one!

2) NYX Blush in Mauve - I have this in a different shade, so I'm really looking forward to trying this out, as it's a lovely drug store blush and it's cruelty free!

3) Essie Nail Polish in Toggle to the Top - GLITTER! RED! SHINY! All my favourite things in a nail polish - how can someone not love this?

4) Revlon Lip Butter in Juicy Papaya - I don't know why, but orange/coral colours have been finding me lately, and it's so weird, because I think their 'love me!' campaign is working! 

5) Laura Mercier Foundation Primer Radiance Bronze - I have a similar tube of the original primer from the David Jones beauty bag and I haven't tried it yet, but something tells me I'm going to like this one!

6) Tarte SmolderEyes in Gunmetal - ahh... Tarte, why don't we have you here? Although, that said, I hear Sephora is poised to open one here sometime, so there's hope!

7) Nicole by OPI in Stand by your Manny - I'm loving this almost lavender blue! Can't wait to use it!

She was very generous, and I feel like such a lucky! Thanks again to Jennifer over at Vibrant, Vivacious, Veracious Beauty Blog - you HAVE to check her out, if you haven't yet!

Review: Colour by TBN Moisturising Lipstick in Kiss & Makeup

I received this in my March Her Fashion Box, and I will admit to being disappointed initially, as orange really isn't my colour, on my lips, on my clothes or just really me at all.

That said, given that they're currently priced at around $3.50, and were $2.50 mid last year, I figured I didn't have anything to lose by at least trying the formula out, so that if I liked it, I could at least get it in a different colour.

I'm glad I did, because this is actually a decent colour on me!

The first thing that hit me was how similar the packaging was to that of the Revlon Lip Butters, and I'm sure people always think this! That said, the packaging definitely feels cheaper. While this is quite a bright orange, I have found that this to be excellent for days when there's a need to be more daring.

I found that when I first swiped this, the texture was a little waxy and the colour pay off wasn't great, but the more I used it, the easier it was to glide it over my lips, and while not highly pigmented, it is quite decent, particularly for the price. Wear time tends to be around 2 hours or so. 

While not a moisturising as certain other lip products, this doesn't dry out my lips too much. I have been able to make it work a little harder by putting a bit of lip balm on my lips just before going over it with the lipstick.

Despite initial reservations, I have to say, trying this lipstick certainly got me interested in the rest of the range! With about 19 other colours to pick from, there's going to be something for everyone.

Have you tried this before? What colour is your favourite?

Review: Ulta3 Lip Paints

I will admit, one of my first loves when it comes to make up is lip stuff. I love lip products of all sorts - gloss, lipsticks, paints, tar, glaze, crayons... you name it, I've got at least one of it floating around somewhere! So, when I heard about Ulta3 coming out with some awesome new products, I was determined to get my hands on them!

I did go to a number of different chemists known to stock these, and came up empty handed, and even emailed their headquarters about it, when I happened to chance upon these just by walking by a Soul Pattison chemist and there they were! 

I had to restrain myself and I only picked up 3 of the 6 shades on the market. At only $5.95, it's easy to want to get the whole collection, and you certainly wouldn't be breaking the bank with these! 

Radical Red; Loud Purple; Expressive Fuschcia

I have to say, out of all of the colours, what I am reaching for more often these days is Loud Purple, which was bought on a whim. These have a glossy, rather than matte, finish, and they also stain the lips a little, which means that you will end up with a bit of colour on the lips, even after eating most of it off. However, reapplication is a must, as these don't stain the lips that much!

Additionally, they have a bit of a minty smell, and also have a doe foot applicator, which makes them easy to wear. These are meant to resemble a couple of other such lip paints on the market, and these little budget babies certainly seem to be able to hold their own!

For cruelty free beauty, they don't get more affordable than this. Hunt them down before they disappear, because I suspect they don't last for long!

Have you tried them? What are your thoughts?

April Bella Box 2014 Review!

 

So, at the end of my one year subscription to Bella Box last month, I ummed and ahhed over getting another 12 months of samples from them, and in the end, my girlie side won out, and I bit the bullet, and boy, I'm so glad I did!

I think BB outdid themselves this month by placing two full sized, and one half-size, items in my box, and they were all things I would have been interested in purchasing in the first place! A great mix, and you'll find out why in a second, although that picture above pretty much gives it all away!

Here's a shot of everything in my box this month!

1) Revlon Nearly Naked Makeup - this is something that I have already tried, and received in a previous box AND a magazine, so it's not particularly amazing for me. However, for those who are low on base products, having this around can certainly get you out of a tight spot!

$?

2) Dirty Works You Soft Touch Hand Cream (full size) - I've seen this particular brand EVERYWHERE on the blogosphere in the last few months, and this can be found in Coles, which, unfortunately, I don't shop at, as Woolies is closer. Thankfully, this tube turned up in my BB this month, so hurray! It resembles a more affordable Soap & Glory, and I can't wait to crack into it!

$6.95

3) Gatineau Refreshing Melting Scrub - the problem with being subscribed to a number of boxes is finding repeat items in your boxes! I got this in last month's LHI and haven't had the chance to try it out yet. The upside is that if it's amazing, then I've got a backup!

$11.60

4) Colour Theory Eye Shadow Duo in Berrylicious (full size) - eye makeup! I love getting makeup items in my boxes, so this is exciting! This is budget friendly, so the quality could really go either way, but if it's anything like recent budget finds, I may be looking at a brand that will be turning up often in the future!

$6.00

5) Indio Eye Rise - this is mean to have 'inbuilt sunscreen and concealing properties', making it an appropriate daytime eyecream. I've enjoyed a couple of different Indio products in the past, so this is a welcome item in the box!

$22.40

6) Burt's Bees Lemon Butter Cuticle Cream - I'm currently using a cuticle cream from Lush, but once that's gone, I'll be cracking into this! The worst part of great smelling products is that desire to eat them!

$7.48

And that is everything! This box comes in at around $54.43, and is excellent value for me this month, as I will be using all of the items in it!

Have you renewed your subscription to them before and regretted it? What do you think of this month's box?

Review: Etude House I Need You, Dandelion! Face Mask

As the days get shorter, the nights longer and the weather increasingly gloomier, I thought I'd whip on a bright and happy little mask to give my skin that bit of a boost, and what could be brighter and happier than dandelions? 

Meant to revitalise the skin, this mask, D in the series of alphabet masks by Etude House, contains dandelion extract, as well as a number of other ingredients, as stated below.

I had a magnificent soak in the tub, complete with bath bomb, music and candles, prior to do this, so my skin had a good long while to relax, and for the pores to open up. Then, after my bath, I popped this little baby on my skin and waited for the requisite amount of time.

'

I found the serum for this one to be quite watery, and when I got it out of the packet, I was glad I had the presence of mind to do it over the basin, because it dripped everywhere! The good thing about this at least was that once it was on my face, it didn't run down my neck. 

A small fit, as usual, as per most other Etude House masks. I left it on for 15 minutes, before I patted it into my skin, then added everything else (eye cream, serum and moisturiser) on top of it. My skin certainly looked brighter and happier for it!

I do wonder if having the bath beforehand helped with it as well! Overall, a very enjoyable mask with great results.

What do you think of this mask? Do you have any particular mask from the Etude House range that you prefer?

Review: Hydraluron Moisture Booster and Moisture Boosting Mask *

I was asked if I wanted to try some Indeed Labs products recently, and seeing as I was eyeing Hydraluron in Priceline every time I stepped in there, I was very glad to be asked!

For those unfamiliar with Indeed Laboratories, they make the famous Nanoblur, which, I'm sure, is the one product from them that everyone has heard of. Additionally, they do not condone animal testing and they have come out with a few very interesting products, with Hydraluron being one of them.

Hydraluron contains hydraluronic acid, and while we all have it naturally, this decreases with age, and is also affected by certain other factors. What Hydraluron aims to do is plump and refine skin, while increasing it's normal elasticity. In short, this is meant to keep your skin hydrated, and is meant to also have a bit of a knock on effect in that you may find that you need less moisturiser as time goes by.

Note, however, that this is not meant to replace your normal moisturiser! To use it, simply squeeze a small amount out of it after your morning/evening cleanse or wash, then apply moisturiser/eye cream/serum over it. Ta dah! It's just that simple to incorporate.

Is it worth the hype? Yes! While I really wanted to pick this up from Priceline prior to this, I will admit to being sceptical about it. Thank goodness I was given the chance to trial it, which I have for 3 weeks, because, let me tell you, this is definitely going to be a staple, particularly during the harsher, drier Winter months. This retails for $34.99 for 30ml.

This must be successful, because Indeed Labs came out with another type of Hydraluron related product, and that is the Hydraluron Moisture Boosting Mask! These go for $29.99 and they come in a pack of 4.

You're meant to place this on clean skin, like with every other mask sheet, and let it sit for 15 minutes prior to removing it. Then, as with most other mask sheets, you pat/gently smooth the residue into your skin before applying moisturiser over it, as you would with using Hydraluron.

This sheet isn't like most others, in that the mask isn't dripping in serum. It feels a little sticky, but not uncomfortably so, which is similar in texture to the Hydraluron. The serum is also clear.

Isn't it pretty? Meant to be used weekly, or twice a week to help hydrate the skin, it can get a little pricey, but Priceline does often have specials on, so keep your eyes peeled! It's quite a big mask, which means that it will also fit most faces.

Additionally, this mask also has patches that gives you the option to place it over the eyes. However, as I wanted to be able to function while still wearing this mask, I folded those bits down.

The result? My skin didn't not immediately appear to be plumper or brighter, but the difference came when I put makeup on the following day - things just seem to settle a little better, and there were no odd dry patches.

The verdict? Hydraluron and it's new mask companion are excellent additions to my skincare routine. 

Have you tried this yet? What are your thoughts on them?

* These products were kindly provided for my consideration.

Review: Shanghai Suzy Lipsticks and Swatches!

Happy Tuesday! Today, I want to highlight a new brand that I'm loving (and trying very hard NOT to buy more of). Shanghai Suzy is a Melbourne based cruelty free (yay!) lippie brand, and it's been popping up on Instagram a lot recently.

For those who would like to find me on Instagram, hop over to it and you can reach me at temporaryprincess. 

But! Less about me, more about Shanghai Suzy! I did a big order recently, getting a few as presents for some of my nearest and dearest, because, let's face it, if you found something awesome, you'd like to spread the word, wouldn't you? And that's exactly what I'm doing here!

I now have a total of 5 lippies by Shanghai Suzy in my collection, and this was kickstarted by an innocent order on the BellaBox website, when I was looking to spend the points accumulated by my subscription recently, which then escalated to this! 

Miss Kitty Black Plum; Miss Georgina Pink Plum, Miss Hannah Blood Red; Miss Tegan Cherry; The Gossling Lippie

How gorgeous are these shades? Miss Kitty and Miss Tegan have a matte finish, while Miss Georgina, Miss Hannah and The Gossling, which is a limited edition lipstick, have a bit of a glossy finish, and the formula is written as 'Nourish' at the bottom of the case.

The Gossling is a bright, coral/orange shade. I had a bit of a start when I opened this, and I wasn't sure that this would be my thing, but wouldn't you know, it's actually really gorgeous on!

Miss Tegan is a bright cherry red that has an orange base. This is good for days when I want a bright red to cheer up an outfit.

Miss Hannah is my absolute favourite of the lot! This is a true blood red on my lips, and is blue based, which makes my teeth look whiter than they are, and this is just a delicious colour!

Ahh, Miss Georgina, the lippie who started the domino process. I was having a moment of box envy, having received something else instead of a Shanghai Suzy, and decided to get this one. I'm so glad I did! This is a purple-ish pink shade that has a bit of a glossy finish. I've been wearing this with green on the lids.

Miss Kitty is a dark brown/red, which reminds me a lot of my witchy/not so gothy phase back in the 90's (did anyone else go through that?), and this is a colour I've always loved, so it's great to see a beautiful revamped version of this shade.

Miss Kitty Black Plum; Miss Georgina Pink Plum, Miss Hannah Blood Red; Miss Tegan Cherry; The Gossling Lippie

These all have a bit of a grape scent, which reminds me of grape bubblegum, and I don't find that this lasts around for long. Additionally, this also doesn't tend to end up drying out my lips, making them uncomfortably patchy.

All the swatches above were done with only one swipe of the lippie. Highly pigmented and wears well on the lips, this line is definitely an excellent bargain.

For those looking for more information on Shanghai Suzy and stockists, have a look over here. They retail for $12.95 a pop, but there are ongoing deals online, where you can get 8 of them for $65, including shipping! 

Have you tried any Shanghai Suzy lippies before? What's your favourite shade?