Skincare and Makeup Haul!

So I was bad. There were plenty of sales in the last two weeks and I bought a bunch of stuff. Let's start off with Sukin.

Sykin Purifying Facial Masque, Sukin Micellar Cleansing Water, Sukin Antioxidant Eye Serum

Priceline had a 3-for-2 on all Sukin products, so I decided to finally bite the bullet and try some products out, as well grab some skincare items I wanted for my routine. I've been really into my masks lately, so I decided to try the purifying mask.

Because my skin has been rather dry and tired, I also picked up the eye serum, and the third product was the micellar water because I wanted see how well it'd took off makeup. I haven't tried the latter yet, because I still have open makeup wipes on the go, but I am looking forward to doing a review on the eye serum and the face mask.

Continuing on with skincare; Priceline also had a 40% off skincare sale a couple days ago, and I popped in to grab a couple things. I needed a toner, so I picked up the Thursday Plantation toner, and it smells like lemonade!

I also got the Natio Ageless Rosehip oil. I've tried Trilogy's rosehip oil before, but to be honest the dropper packging is a pain, especially if you forget to close it back up like I used to do. To avoid making the same mistake, I looked for an oil with a pump dispenser, and luckily Natio had one. I haven't opened it yet, but I plan to crack it open before bed once my pimples clear up.

I also got an Otaku face mask at an Asian store in the city. I really like this brand, if you ever come across it try the light blue and yellow packaged sheet masks you should give them a go. (Also the little cartoons are adorable!)

Now onto some randoms and makeup:

Nude by Nature Mineral Cover in Medium, Rimmel Wake Me Up Conealer, Burts Bees Honey Lip Balm, Rimmel Exaggerate Eyeliner in Rich Brown

Target had a great sale on cosmetics, with 30% off Rimmel and 25% off Target (as well as other great deals that I didn't take advantage of) so I decided to pick up a full size of the NBN Mineral Cover in the right shade. I also wanted to try a liquid concealer, as I haven't had much luck with stick ones, so I decided to get the Rimmel Wake Me Up as I've heard some great stuff about it. I'm hoping to do a first impressions post on it soon!

I did a purge of my makeup a few months ago and got rid of all my pencil liners because I could never be bothered sharpening them, so I finally got a retractable one. It's so quick and easy to apply, faster than liquid liner or pressing black eyeshadow into my lashline, and the formula is pretty good too, and lasted me all of yesterday. I'm excited to work more with it, and see if it really is waterproof.

And that's it! I hope you enjoyed the haul, and keep an eye out for some upcoming posts with these products!

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How I use coconut oil: 4 ways!

4 Coconut Oil Uses

1. Hair mask + detangler

My favourite way to use coconut oil is on my hair. I have long thick hair to my waist and using a hair mask for 20 minutes before I wash my hair keeps it that way. I like to focus on my tips and my scalp because they're very dry, especially in winter time. It also gives me a chance to give myself a scalp massage.

Another way to use it in your hair is as a detangler. I actually try not to brush my hair too often, because I feel like overbrushing is damaging. But by the end of the week I have a couple knots that coconut oil just gently detangles. Just work some coconut oil between your hands, run through your hair, and then gently comb through.

2. Cuticle cream
I don't paint my nails often but when I do, the process of polish around my cuticles and then nail polish remover when I take off the colour leaves my cuticles all dry and cracking. A spot of coconut oil on my thumb and a quick rub of coconut oil over them leaves them soft and smooth again.

3. Body/hand moisturiser
Along the same line of cuticle cream, because of its moisturising properties, coconut oil is also handy as a body/hand cream. I find it a little too heavy duty for summer, but during the drier winter months coconut oil is my go-to. It also smells amazing.

4. Shaving cream
Less messy, and super effective. I like to take a tiny amount between my fingers and melting it down before applying a very thin layer on my skin as shaving cream. And the best thing is you don't have to wash it off afterwards and you can just work it into your skin.

So those are my ways of using coconut oil in my beauty routine. Do you have any tips and tricks to share?

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Skin79 Super BB Cream Review (Orange)

Today's post is a review on the Skin79 Orange Vital Super Plus Beblesh Balm BB Triple Funcations (SPF50+ PA+++) (what a long name omg).

According to the website and a nifty little chart, it's suitable for:

• Yellow beige skin
• Dull and blemished skin
• Users for high UV protection and coverage

It comes in a convenient little pump, retails for $42 AUD on mybbcream.com.au.

Now onto my thoughts: I've been using this for about a year, and all in all I think it's an amazing BB cream if you suit the colour.

Pros:

• It has a medium to full coverage, so I think it's good for people with acne, scarring, discolouration and hyperpigmentation
• High SPF, which is also important for people with pigmentation issues
• Pump dispenser which is convenient and hygienic, although mine bottle got a little messy around the dispenser 
• It has a comfortable matte finish, so you don't have to powder to set it if you don't want to, although if you're wearing this through the summer and you sweat a lot you might want to just in case. The oil control is only average, but you can't expect everything from this one product.
• It can double as concealer because of it's thickish texture, although it's still very blendable. I would recommend pressing this into the spots you want high coverage instead of making sweeping motions
• Dries to skin-like texture so looks quite natural, especially if this is your skin tone (for me it wasn't, but the texture was nice nonetheless

Cons:

• There's only one shade (which is too light for me)
• Can get a bit greasy after a long day - again, not the best oil control
• Hard to buy in store in Australia, although there are more Asian cosmetic stores popping up around the city
• Strong flashback in photographs because of the high SPF

How to apply:

• Pump onto fingers (one pump is enough for my whole face and to double up and conceal any extra areas)
• Warm up the product between your fingertips
• Press onto the face
• Blend it out gently
• Double up where necessary 
• Powder if you want 

Have you tried this BB cream? Leave your thoughts below!

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Makeup Wishlist

Today's blog post is just a fun one, a makeup wishlist that I might return to after I finish my Project Pan! To be honest I don't need any of these, but I would love to try them nonetheless. Let's just started!

Nude by Nature Mineral Cover RRP $39.95 AUD - I have a sample of this in Medium but I really want to get the full size!

theBalm Eyeshadow Palette in Meet Matt(e) Nude RRP $42
I've been keeping an eye on theBalm for ages because they have lovely talc-free and paraben-free products that seem right up my alley, and this palette is so gorgeous but overpriced in Australia. I might save up on this but I have enough eyeshadows to keep me going for a while. This is definitely a 'don't need' and splurge item.

Revlon Super Lustrous Lipsticks in Fire and Ice and Teak Rose RRP $21.95
Am I the only one who finds Revlon luxurious? It's definitely one of the more expensive lines in Priceline or the 'drugstore' here in Australia. Unless I find these on sale, I probably won't be able to pick them up because twenty dollars for a lipstick is just stupid. But they're ridiculously gorgeous shades, and Fire and Ice reminds me of a certain books series...

Luma by Jess Hart Powder Blush in Dusty Rose RRP $24.95
Another talc-free product I'm dying to add to my collection, but I know deep down my current loose blush will get neglected if I buy a pressed one (they're easier to use and less messy). So I'm going to hold onto the urge to splurge on this one for now, and maybe when Priceline comes out with a 40% off makeup around November I would have used enough of my Nude by Nature blush to warrant a new blush purchase.

What's on your makeup wishlist? Leave me a comment below :)

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Finish 15 by Halloween

One of my favourite Youtubers, Peachykeen did a video on Finish 15 by Halloween. Because I've always wanted to try Project Pan I thought I would give this a go first, as the number of products and a deadline is set with the challenge.

The products I want to use up and their approx use by time are:
1. Chi Chi Super BB Cream - 1 month
2. Chi Chi Watermelon perfume - maximum 1 month
3/4. Goats Milk Soap in Honey and Coconut Oil - 2 weeks
5. NYX Buttergloss - 1 month if I use consistently
6. Revlon blush (hit pan) - 1 month
7. Invisible Zinc Sunscreen - 2 months
8. Burts Bees Beeswax Lipbalm - not sure but ~1 month
9. Daiso Eyebrow Pencil - 2 months
10. Natio Mineral Eyeshadow (hit pan) - 1 month
11. Coconut Revolution Original Coconut Hand Cream (sample) - 1 month
12. Target Sensitive Makeup Remover Wipes - 1 week
13. Target Eye Makeup Remover Wipes - 2 weeks
14. Jergens Body Creme ~a few uses
15. Essence Mascara ~a few uses

Missing: Revlon blush, Coconut hand cream, Burts Bees lipbalm, Goats Milk soaps

If you're doing a project pan or this finish 15 by Halloween challenge feel free to comment below! If I manage to finish at least 10/15 then I'm going to treat myself to something I've been eyeing at Priceline ;)

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My Nude By Nature Stash + Reviews

Not pictured (because I'm an idiot and forgot) is the NBN mineral veil pressed powder.

 I'm a huge mineral makeup fanatic and one of my favourite brands is Nude by Nature. It's an Australian mineral makeup brand that's mid-range in terms of price, but fairly pricey compared to other brands in Priceline. I've collected a small number of the products and am keen to try more, but I don't really have anything I need, and considering the price, I can't really go try everything in the range (unfortunately).

Nevertheless, the range is diverse for a mineral range, and has everything from lipsticks to eyeliners to foundations (liquid, pressed powder and loose powder). Their ingredients lists are always amazing and for that I am happy to own every NBN piece I do.

For swatches scroll to the end ;)

NBN's Virgin Blush is the only mineral blusher I own, and I use this almost everyday.

To be honest it's messy, and because it's in a loose powder form I find it really difficult to control but it's a gorgeous colour - a shimmery peach but buildable to an almost rosey pink. It also makes my whole face glow, and you need the smallest amount so I think it's great value for money.

I just wish the packaging had the wind top like the full sized mineral foundations so I can travel with this and control how much comes out because this is a bit of a monster. Because it's so pigmented, if I get too much on my brush I need to blot it off on my wrist or a tissue first, otherwise I look like a clown.

I think it's a shade that is universally flattering and suits a range of skin tones. It's bright and dark enough to show up on darker skin tones and can be used sheer enough for paler skin tones too.

Pros: Beautiful colour, versatile for all skin tones, pigmented, lasts all day, good value for money
Cons: Can't travel with it, packaging could be better, application can be messy, difficult to control pigmentation

I own two of the Natural Mineral Covers, a full size in Light and a sample size in Medium. The Light is way way too light for me, and I honestly don't know what was going through my head when I was buying it. I think I picked it because it was the most yellow toned, but honestly it is just too pale and I look like I'm sick when I have it on.

The Medium sample is new to my stash, but I'm so glad I spotted it with a starter kit in Target for $10. I think I'm really able to love this powder foundation now that I have the right shade (although this still leans more neutral in comparison to my light olive/yellow skin tone), it's such a flattering and natural foundation. I like to use a buffing brush to really work this into my skin. I would call it a medium coverage, and buildable if you have patience and a good brush, but I'm not sure if I can achieve full coverage with this. But it's so invisible on the skin, and it makes my skin so so soft. It is a little less forgiving over breakouts and dry patches, but not many foundations are flattering either anyway.

The colour selection is definitely an issue. I wish they catered for different tones (neutral, cool, warm). The packaging is perfect in the full size, and not so great in the sample. I think I might give away the Light powder and repurchase the Medium when I run out of the sample.

Pros: Nice packaging if you can get your hands on the full size, huge jar of product, invisible on the skin, great ingredients for your skin
Cons: Colour range a little off, quite expensive ($40 AUD), quite messy to apply, high zinc oxide content so may not be good for flash photography

Now onto the brushes: NBN brushes are softest I've ever got my hands on. The one on the left came with a kit, and it's a massively and gorgeously soft kabuki. It is dense enough to buff mineral powder onto the face for a medium coverage, and soft enough to properly work the powder into the skin. I know they have brush sets and I think they're definitely worth looking into as they're very high quality for their price. The one on the right is their mineral face brush, but as you can probably tell the handle fell off during washing. But the bristles have not shed and I still use it for blush and bronzing.

From L to R: Natural Mineral Cover in Light, Natural Mineral Cover in Medium, Virgin Blush.

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June Favourites

Welcome to my first favourites post! I thought I’d share some of the things I’ve been really enjoying recently, I hope you find this helpful.

1. Dusty Girls by MooGoo Earth Cream - ‘Light’

This amazing tinted moisturiser has been my go to product for months. It has surprisingly nice coverage, and is a perfect blend of skincare meets makeup. The ingredients list is very attractive, with natural goodies that calm and heal the skin.
I like how it’s talc and silicon free, two ingredients I’ve been trying to make an effort to keep out of my makeup stash. Unfortunately finding products without these two ingredients is hard these days, and Dusty Girls is decently priced for the lovely products they produce.

2. Natio Mineral Eyeshadow Trio - ‘Smokey Eye Trio‘

I bought this at a discount makeup shop early this year and I’m so glad I did. Before this I wasn’t an eyeshadow wearer at all, but I’m crazy about this trio. It is probably the most versatile makeup item I own.

I can use it as eyeliner, to tightline, to highlight and contour, to fill in my brows, and of course as eyeshadow. If you have monolids like me, that matte brown in the middle is a godsend.

3. W7 Absolute Lashes Mascara

I got this for five bucks one day I was wandering around Chemist Warehouse, and I’m so glad I picked this up. I kind of got it because it reminded me of Benefit’s They’re Real, and after looking up this mascara apparently a lot of people have named this mascara as a dupe! I think it’s very separating and making my lashes look long and curly but still soft and natural somehow…
I’m very used to using cheapy Essence mascaras which are good, but this mascara has made me realise how clumpy my other mascaras have been. My only issue with this is that I haven’t seen it at many chemists, whereas the Big Lash is everywhere (I picked that one up too, but I haven’t opened it yet because I don’t want it to dry out), and it also wasn’t sealed, so it was kind of a gamble picking it up.

4. Unbranded Teardrop Makeup Sponge

A Beauty Blender ‘dupe’ at first glance, but from the many reviews I’ve seen online, I don’t think this is as squishy and soft as the others. Initially I thought this sponge was rather hard and didn’t seem to perform well at all, but now I’ve kind of ‘broken it in’, it’s softened and I really like it. It stains, but it blends out makeup seamlessly and beautifully. I love the skin-like finish I have when I use this for BB cream and powder. I’ve used this both dry and damp and they’re both good, it’s really a matter of preference. I got mine from Aliexpress in a pack of four, but you can find these everywhere from Ebay to Dresslink.

Swatches on Natio's Smokey Eye Mineral Eyeshadow Trio and Dusty Girls' Earth Cream in Light

What are your favourites this month? :)

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Mini review of Rimmel lipsticks

 Target had a sale on Rimmel recently so I decided to try out some of the Rimmel lipsticks because they’ve been so raved about on Youtube. I’ve been doing a good clean out of my makeup and have thrown out almost all of my lipsticks because they tend to go off around the one-two year mark. So I had some staple colours to replace eg a nude. I also wanted to try an orange lip colour, and was pretty excited to see Rimmel had one.

The lipsticks I chose to pick up were the Kate Moss Matte Finish Lipstick in 113 and the Lasting Finish Lipstick in 210 Coral In Gold.

(Left is 113, Right is 210 Coral In Gold)

I really enjoy the sleek packaging, and both snap shut with a very nice ‘click’.

I’ll admit, I’m a little disappointed with the nude lipstick (113). It’s a really nice peachy pink, and it’s a tad bit pale for my skintone, but the real issue is the formula. It just looks bad on my lips. It makes my lips look dry and flakey no matter how thoroughly I prep my lips beforehand. And if I didn’t, it looks just gross.

The only way I can get this to work is if I wear it under gloss, but even then, I still need to work to get this to look non-flakey on my lips. I think I will try a moisturising formula for a nude next time. I’m not sure if I’ll try the other colours in this line either, because while dark colours don’t accentuate the lines on your lips as well, the formula is just a little too drying for me.

Coral In Gold is another story. I really really like this lipstick. It’s such a lovely colour, and very comfortable on the lips too. It’s not too drying despite the long-wear formula. It has a frosty finish, but I wear it more as a stain, so the shimmery nature of it isn’t an issue. Ultimately I’m glad I got this, and have been wearing it lots with a blushy cheek look.

Final thoughts: I think I’m going to give the moisture lipstick line of Rimmel’s a go, although if you’re looking for a pretty coral-orange colour you should try Coral In Gold!

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Dresslink Haul and Review!

This is a collective haul of all the things I’ve bought from Dresslink so far, and a mini review on the site and the quality :)
If you don’t know what Dresslink is, it’s basically an online shop with really affordable clothes, shoes, bags (and other things) from China.

The items I got:

1. Leather look leggings
Dresslink photo:

I don’t think they’re very good quality, but they were less than $4 (AUD). They’re very thin, and the thread seems to be a little scraggly. I’ve put them through the wash a couple times, but I don’t think they’re going to last many many washes. They’re also a bit baggy on me, and a little long too (I’m 5′1), but for average height people they should be okay.
I don’t regret buying them, because they’re cheap for what they are, but I kind of would rather a pair that would last a little longer, and were thicker.
But if you’re not sure about this trend then feel free to buy a pair of these to give it a go. Because Dresslink’s shipping costs are based on weight, these leggings don’t cost much to ship because they’re so light.

2. Cat coin purse
Dresslink photo:

The little tie on the zip actually fell off as soon as I opened the package for the coin purse, but I really really love it anyway. It’s very soft on the back, adorable on the front, and it has a pretty lining inside. I think it’s quirky, and I got this for $3 with free shipping.

3. Four piece brush set
Dresslink photo:

The bristles are soft, and exactly the same feeling as my Sigma F80 for a fraction of the cost. If you’re iffy about the clothes quality and whatnot from cheaper Asian sites, I don’t think you need to worry about the brushes.

Final thoughts:
I like that the site is so affordable, but you get what you pay for (most of the time). I did three separate orders because you hear horror stories about how people make a massive order and half of the things are wrong or missing, so I felt like making three small orders were the way to go. I definitely got all the items I ordered, although some were a longer wait than others (the brushes, but they were worth the wait). All in all I don’t have huge urges to shop at Dresslink in the near future, mostly because the shipping will bite your ass, but it’s a nice site to browse and maybe shop at if you’re looking to try different styles but don’t want to invest in anything expensive.

Some tips on ordering:

• Always look for measurements, and compare it to your favourite clothes, etc
• Read the reviews
• Look for more popular items (they’ll have more reviews and ratings too)
• Shoes tend to have a hefty shipping fee
• If you make an account they give you a discount code :) 

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Decluttering old makeup

To be honest I haven’t thrown away everything in this photo…
Gone are:

• Revlon Colorstay that’s all separated and gross, thank goodness it was gifted otherwise I’d feel pretty bad because this foundation is pretty pricey in Australia
• Maybelline Age Rewind that I used to mix in with BB creams that were always ridiculously pale but to be honest I hate mixing foundations
• Daiso charcoal mask that I used ONCE, and hated. I got this because there was so much hype about it, but I just found it overly drying and a sticky mess
• Physicians Formula gel eyeliner in Brown, which I loved at one point as an eyeliner and to fill in my brows because it was water resistant, but it’s all dried up now

Some things I’m having a hard time getting rid of because I feel like I can still use are:

• Lilan Vital cream to powder foundation, that I’ve actually hit pan on. It’s very pale on me but I don’t mind using it as a concealer under a product that suits my skin, only I don’t reach for it as much as I’d like. I might try to use it all up as part of my project pan which is why I’m tempted to keep it.
• Revlon blush that’s a beautiful colour, only I don’t like using talcs on my skin BUT I’ve already made a dent in it and I feel obliged to use it up and I literally have one other blush so I feel like I should keep this??? Still need to think about this a little more, I reckon.
• Maybelline eyeshadow quad that I’ve used quite a few times but it’s not a favourite or a staple and doesn’t seem to earn its keep on my counter. Another candidate for project pan, and it does have some nice colours I could use for special occasions and the like.

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Chi Chi Super BB Cream!

Today’s post is another rave, this time about one of my favourite BB creams! To be honest I don’t really like western BB creams, I don’t really believe they really have that great skin care stuff in them, but I’m a huuuge fan of this one. Maybe because it’s made in Korea, so I feel like it’s actually got some punch in it in terms of skincare beautifying properties, or maybe it’s because I can actually feel and see a difference after using this BB Cream for a month straight!

I was first attracted to this BB cream because the colour Medium was perfect for my skin colour, which is rare in the Australian market because everything is usually pinky-neutral in comparison to my yellow-olive complexion. The finish is definitely dewy, probably from the hydrating (skincare) oils you can find on the ingredients list.

It comes with a convenient pump, blends flawlessly and is a strong medium coverage. I don’t even really have any cons so I can’t be bothered making a pros and cons list! You can find this in Myer, Target and of course the Chi Chi website. If you’re looking for a Korean BB cream but they colours are all too pale for you, try this range!

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Savvy by DB Mineral Powder RAVE!

I don’t know why there isn’t that much out there on this powder because it’s amazing! I’ve gone through two of these and currently on my third, and probably going to stock up on another one next time Priceline has a sale.

What I like:
Price: $9.99 AUD but Priceline always has sales, I usually get it for $7 which is a huge steal!

Packaging: Strong compact plastic packaging, lightweight because it doesn’t come with a mirror, which I’m okay with because you don’t need this for touch ups anyway (read ahead)

Texture: Be careful using this as setting powder if you have a full coverage liquid/cream product underneath, because this stuff is surprisingly pigmented. I say a light/medium coverage, and very buildable by itself. I don’t think I’ve ever used a pressed powder that has higher pigmentation and still looks good on my skin!

Colour: I’m asian with strong yellow undernotes, and it’s SO RARE that I find a product that actually matches my skin tone, and this one matches perfectly! Almost all the powders by Savvy are yellow toned, which is what drew me to them in the first place. Medium yellow/light olive tones, try this!

Longevity: SWEET JESUS THIS STUFF LASTS AGES. I believe the third ingredient works as a sort of ‘stick’ ingredient, meaning this stuff really attaches itself to your skin, so it works as a powder (oil-control) and foundation all day long. You just need a decent makeup remover, which is fine by me.

Even the ingredients look decent for such an affordable product. So if you’re looking for a mineral pressed powder foundation, please check this powder out! :0

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Daiso BB Cream Review

I love Daiso, it’s so fun and colourful and with the $2.80 AUD pricetag you feel like you can buy the entire store (you can’t, but it’s a nice thought). I saw this BB cream at a local Daiso and thought about picking it up, but I couldn’t find any reviews or raves about this product :( Still, being so cheap, I thought I would give it a go anyway.

If you’re not familiar with BB creams, you’re crazy! and you definitely need to try them out. I use my skin79 orange BB cream every time I wear makeup, and it helps with my acne scarring and pigmentation :) It’s completely the wrong colour, though, and ‘ocre’ in Japanese products tend to be my shade (medium yellow tones), so I thought I try it for mixing or wearing for casual/small outings.

First thoughts:
 - Nice travel friendly packaging A+
 - No indicated SPF, but third ingredient is titanium dioxide
 - Made in Korea which sounds promising…

Pros:
 - It’s the right colour yaay
 - Disappears seamlessly into my skin
 - Can slap onto my face in 30 seconds
 - Light watery texture, so light you forget it’s there.
 - Has a cooling effect (aloe?) and good for those with redness

Cons:
 - Covers nothing, light light coverage
 - Seriously covers nothing
 - It just tints your skin, evens it out a little..
 - :(

Finally: Would I repurchase? No. Would I recommend to a friend? Nah. Will I wear it? Maybe, but probably not unless I’m having a really good skin day.

Have you seen this around? What do you think? :)

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