Link Love

It's Link Love time!! Here are a few blog posts that have caught my eye this week and general blogs you should check out. I've figured out a way to organize my favourite posts during the week as I read them so expect these as a weekly (if I remember...) thing.

Probably the most exciting thing I've heard this week, The Plastic Diaries teases with news of Sephora hitting our shores!

I need an Ikea Helmer in my life, check out Cosmetic Cupcake and her new nail polish storage *droooool*

One of my favourite blogs is Tattoologist, check out some amazing ink here!

I Came To Make A Bang has discovered EcoTools brushes! I love them too :)

I loved Rainbow Brite as a kid, and on Bec's Beauty Buzz I was reminded of her awesomeness (really a word...promise) in this manicure!

The Best Concealer Ever? The Makeup Mole has found it!

Jade Musing hauls and discovers Mad Men (which sadly, I couldn't get into!)

Check out the ahhhhmazing swatches of the China Glaze Awakening Collection on You've Got Nail, I've got Zombie Zest and will be painting it on my nails this weekend...my swatches will not be as good :)

Counter Obsession asks if were using protection.... did your mind go there? Silly Rabbit! Check it out to see exactly what she means :)

What's ahead this week... It's Halloween on Sunday and while we don't really celebrate it in Australia i've been noticing it's getting a little more shoved into our faces. I'm not complaining i've always wanted Halloween to be something we celebrated here. I think I'll have my Zombie Zest nails on and watch some horror movies on the day, sounds perfect right?.

One thing I did really want to do, is dress my dogs up. I'm one of those furmummys who dresses her dogs up. When I was thinking about outfits/costumes for them I thought something that wouldn't really take a whole lot of work was if I dressed my Boston up as Taylor Momsen... add a bleach blonde wig and she'd be good to go. Hold your applause...Visual below -

 

I am still obsessed with The Vampire Diaries.... no really it's actually quite bad. I challenge you to find a better looking ensemble cast then that cast. Amazing! For your viewing pleasure is Mason and Tyler Lockwood (that's the characters names, I don't know real names and can't be bothered going on IMDB and finding out) and of course I couldn't not put a picture of Damon/Ian Somerhalder :)





Don't forget Target have 25% off cosmetics this week!!! I want to get my hands on Revlon Melonade lippie from the new collection... Hoping it's still at my local Target tonight.

Also Stella McCartney for Target launches tomorrow in Australia, some really gorgeous pieces and well worth checking out. You can't layby this time though. I love layby!

Have a wonderful rest of the week everyone, keep smiling were almost at the weekend!

Loving... Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics (OCC) Lip Tars Part 1

The OCC Lip Tars were by far the thing I was most excited about picking up at IMATS Sydney.  I'd heard amazing things about them and I can tell you now, it's all true!

It looks like a lip gloss tube, but beware! Don't apply it like you would a lip gloss! You only need the tiniest amount to cover your lips fully and I mean a pin drop amount...seriously. I find using a lip brush to be the best method for applying the product as well.

As for the formula of this product, I don't find it drying and I find the peppermint oil ingredient is kind of refreshing on the lips. One thing I do especially love is the wear, these do last on your lips which for a lazy can't be bothered to redo my makeup kinda gal (ie me) it's fantastic!

In Part 1 of my OCC Lip Tar posts i'm going to show the more wearable colours I have, which are Momento & Melange. The Lip Tars come in some cray cray colours (blue, yellow, green, black) while for someone like me who just loves makeup and not overly bold/daring makeup those colours are unheard of but for Makeup Artists they are fantastic or budding artists who enjoy mixing colours and making their own unique shades.

Momento is my favourite out of all the OCC Lip Tars, it's just a gorgeous wearabe pink it's just a no brainer colour for me.

If your interested in trying out OCC Lip Tars you can buy them in Australia from Makeup and Glow and they retail for $16AUD.

Also a little tip if you do own Lip Tars, sometimes the product does seperate (as you will see in my photo of the Melange tube) what you need to do to remedy this is place it facing whatever side hasn't seperated so the product mixes together. Shaking it doesn't help. So what I suggest is when you store them, move them around frequently to prevent it happening.

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="225" caption="OCC Lip Tar in Momento"][/caption]

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="241" caption="OCC Lip Tar in Momento - Swatch"][/caption]

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="345" caption="OCC Lip Tar in Momento - Swatch"][/caption]

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="300" caption="OCC Lip Tar in Melange"][/caption]

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="297" caption="OCC Lip Tar Melange - Swatch"][/caption]

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="345" caption="OCC Lip Tar Melange - Swatch"][/caption]

I will have Part 2 for you later in the week (I need to retake shots of one colour because it didn't turn out true enough for me). Stay Tuned!

Nails! OPI What's With The Catittude & Konad

I've been a bad bad blogger, not taking pictures of my polishes. What's even worse is that I had an awesome polish to show you but I was too busy looking at it's prettyness I didn't take a photo! The other was a major fail, not even an I have to show you it's so bad fail. Just a fail. So while LA Girl Obsidian might look like a winner in the bottle, on the nails it's a major F-A-I-L.

Anyway onto a polish I do like! OPI What's With The Cattitude was part of the Shrek collection that came out a few? months ago. It's the only polish from the collection I picked up but it's right up my alley...blue (of course) bright and pastel. I have a lot of similar blues in my polish stash (China Glaze For Audrey, Essie Lapis of Luxury) but this one just is a little different again. It's a little brighter but stil maintains that light pastel colour. I really like it!

One thing I didn't particularly like was the formula of this polish, it was really runny and a bit of a streaky mess! I even had to do some patch up work on some nail "bald spots".

I've also been trying out my Konad stamping skills, and well they certainly aren't up to par. I managed to get this one nail done and then for some reason my stamp wouldn't pick up the polish on the plate and I was getting frustrated. So i'm rocking one Konad nail and pretending like it's a new trend :)

Link Love Wednesday

This is my first link love post, So many of my fellow bloggers do it and I thought i'd jump on the bandwagon and join in :) YEE HAH :)

It's Cheap & Cheerful week over at The Lip Print. Check out Stef talking about my favourite Maybelline lipsticks.

Angie sure knows her celebs, She's been talking about one of my favourites Lauren Conrad on her blog An Obsession With The Fabulous

Jacie asks the question about leading a double life on You've Got Face

Bec has been trawling the MAC website for halloween looks on Bec's Beauty Buzz, I love this zombie look!

Hannah talks brown nails on Counter Obsession - looking good lovely!

Jade makes me want to run to strawberrynet and order Dior Amber Diamond NOW! on Jade Musing

Celine shows how fabulous the lacquers from the MAC Venomous Villans collection are on Fables In Fashion

Jess is super cute on Youtube and showing us her favourites on All I Want Is Everything

Check out  Tara's new blog Keeping Up With Me, she has a fab post about online shopping (which I clearly love)

In other news.....

I'm loving this lipstick colour that Kirsten Stewart is wearing, I don't really like her as an actress I find her a little boring but this colour is fab! It actually looks a bit like OCC Lip Tar in Grandma



Confession time! Katy Perry is my current guilty musical pleasure. I love nothing more then dancing around the house and belting out Teenage Dream at the top of my lungs. Another thing I love about Katy is she's a total nail gal! This is a long time coming and I wish it was a bigger collection but her collaboration with OPI looks awesome and I can't wait to get my little fingers onto it!



Teenage Dream (Pink Glitter...eep totally me!), Not Like The Movies (Silver Metallic), Last Friday Night (Blue Glitter), The One That Got Away (Dark Berry Purple), Black Shatter (CRACKLE!!!)

One nail polish collection i'm not excited about is the Justin Beiber nail polish collection, I wonder if we'll see them on his nails at all? Doubtful!

Celebs I'd love to see do a nail polish collection are... Gwen Stefani, Courtney Love & Britney Spears (it'd be chip city right?)

Product Review - MAC Pro Longwear Foundation

For this review I decided to do a video



As you can probably tell, I love this foundation! I just wanted to also confirm the price and it's $54AUD which yes is a little pricey but for something that works so well for me, i'm happy to buy it! It's still cheaper then MUFE HD Foundation which didn't work for me.

Another thing I wanted to mention, after I filmed this video yesterday (I had applied the foundation at 7am) I went to lunch (yum cha...yummmm), had a sleep (due to yum cha food coma) and went to the gym in the afternoon. Got home around 8pm and it was still as if i'd applied it that morning. As I mention in the video it fades a little on me around my nose but even that didn't happen yesterday (I blame my air con at work for that because it only seems to happen when i'm at work)

Holy Grail... just maybe! I will come back with my thoughts again in about 2 months and let you know if i'm still using it or if our romance had been fleeting (I hope not!).

TAG - Current Beauty Routine

I snatched this one from The Belle Lumiere go check her out. Do this tag too if you like and let me know if you've done it. I'm a nosey parker and love reading other peoples routines!

Face
01. Cleanser: Neutrogena Anti Acne Pink Grapefruit Wash & Neutrogena Deep Clean Cream Cleanser
02. Toner/lotion: Garnier Soothing Toner (I think that's the name?)
03. Cream/moisturizer: Olay Total Effects or Clarins Daily Energizer Gel & Neutrogena Ultra Sheer SPF 30 Lotion
04. Facial mask: Lush Oatifix
05. Exfoliator: Neutrogena Acne Stress Control Scrub or Lush Angels on Bare Skin
06. Make-up remover: Biore Deep Pore Cleasing Wipes, Simple Eye Makeup Remover Wipes

Body
07. Shower gels/soaps: Natures Organics Vanilla Berry Body Wash
08. Body lotions/creams: Dove Summer Glow
09. Anticellulite/firming treatment: Dry Body Brushing
10. Body exfoliator: Currently looking for one! Any recs?
11. Hand cream: Day - Mor Marshmallow Hand Cream, Night - Lush Lemony Flutter Cuticle Butter & Lush Helping Hands
12. Lip balm or lip treatment: Burts Bees Lip Balm
13. Perfume: Work - YSL Babydoll Play - Miss Dior Cherie/Marc Jacobs Lola (I have so many though so it changes a lot)

Hair
14. Shampoo/conditioner: DNA BlondeBrite Shampoo &  DNA Peppermint Conditioner
15. Mask or other treatments: Moroccan Oil

Make-up
16. Foundation: MAC Pro Longwear
17. Powder: Make Up Forever HD Powder or MAC Mineralize Skinfinish Natural
18. Blush: NARS Laguna or Benefit Coralista
19. Mascara: Using Max Factor False Lash Effect but Love Covergirl Lashblast
20. Lipstick/lipgloss: Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics Lip Tar in Momento / MAC Revenge Is Sweet Lipglass (perfect combo!)
21. Eyeshadow: Stila Wheat & GoLightly
22. Eyeliner: Too Faced Foiled Liner in Black Beauty

I use a lot of Neutrogena products :)

Not Loving... Smashbox Photo Finish Primer

I hate being a Negative Nellie but sometimes it just has to be said. Keep in mind this is how a product has worked or in this case not worked for me and my skin and conditions are probabaly different to yours, if they are the same woo hoo we're special :)

I must admit, I have a little bit of an obsession with primers. I totes blame that Napoleon Perdis reality show where every episode he rattled on about it being a crime not to prime. I am forever looking for that one primer to make my makeup last, pores look invisible and my skin to look ultra amazing! I must give a shoutout though to my homie Benefit PoreFessional for being THE BEST product for making my pores invisible.



I'd heard wonderful things about Smashbox Photo Finish Primer, it ticked all the boxes and won a shitload of awards so of course being the beauty gal I am I needed to get it! Well.... sometimes you just can't trust awards (Kanye, please step in if you need to...). I tried everything in my power to like this product and I tried using it multiple ways but it just didn't work.

I wish I had something nice to say about this primer because i'm a glass half full kinda gal, actually the packaging is nice and I like pumps on products so it gets a tick there. Everything else about it....fail i'm afraid! On my skin it felt super oily (and I have dry combo skin for those interested), did nothing for my pores, accentuated all my dry spots (and I moisturise like a mofo so they weren't even THAT bad), makeup didn't last and worst of all it gave me major breakouts, i'm talking alien pimples!

Has anyone had any luck with this primer? with all the awards and rave reviews i'm probabaly in the minority with not liking it. I've got a couple of other primers i'm trying out at the moment but I really want to get my hands on the Stila one with all the crazy colours in it! It looks awesome!

If you do want to pick it up, Smashbox Photo Finish Primer retails for $52.95AUD @ Kit Cosmetics

Review - Picture Polish

I love discovering new brands, especially when they are local (Australian) brands. When I saw Polish or Perish post about a brand called Picture Polish and the fact they were Australian I knew I had to get my hands (or fingers even) on some! Plus the packaging was super cute and if you read my posts you'll know packaging is important to me.

I have to apologize i'm a bad blogger and didn't get to tell you guys about this brand earlier and the discount code...which is valid til tomorrow...oops! However if you want to impulse buy now use the code 41eb62 at the checkout and receive free shipping and one extra bottle of polish when you order 3! If you miss out sign up to the mailing list as i'm sure they'll have more deals for everyone.

Onto the brand, they have a cute little tag line "A week on your tips, and never on your hips". The website has a ton of colours and they range from pastels to neon to duochrome (drooooooool!) and even holo's (droooling again). My favourite thing is the names of the colours and the little tag line they put above the name, very adorable! The polishes range from $9.95 - $14.95AUD so not too hard on the pocket. They also charge a flat rate of $7.00AUD shipping within Australia and International gals...they post internationally! Woo!

I picked out 4 colours because I took advantage of the deal, it was hard picking only 4 but now having tried them I think i'll be going back and ordering some more.

Before I post my swatches the only thing I didn't like was the website navigation is sometimes a little bit difficult. I found it really hard to just go back into my shopping cart. I'm sure this will be fixed over time.



Application of the polishes was really good, I found the Camoflauge colour to be the best in terms of application and the Watermelon and Coral Reef colours reminded me of the consistency of Essie polishes, a little thin but buildable. All swatches have 2 coats of polish.









I think Heavy Metal should be called Glam Rock or Glam Metal because as I was applying it all I could think of was Bret Michaels in Poison.

If you would like to purchase Picture Polish nail lacquers you can visit the website http://www.picturepolish.com.au

La La Love #3 - Random Thoughts

Helloooooo :)

So this is just a bit of a whatever post, whatever I feel like talking about... showing... etc. I'll probabaly be away from the blogging world until Monday (11th). I have a crazy weekend coming up my lovely mama is turning 50 and having a party!!! We have family visiting from interstate and i'm hosting 6 people in the tiny house I share with my boyfriend and our 2 dogs so I can't imagine i'll get much time to sit down and tell all of you about beauty products i'm enjoying, loathing or swatching.

  

We have ordered the Adriano Zumbo V8 Cake so i'll try and get some good photos of that (Fun Fact: my Adriano Zumbo post is one of my most viewed...maybe I should write about him more often) I'm picking it up from the store tomorrow and may also grab a few macarons while i'm in there. Why not? :)

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="640" caption="Photo from http://www.adrianozumbo.com"][/caption]

The party is a hat party, so you have to wear a hat and I guess the crazier the better? This is what i'm wearing... not me of course but just so you get the idea! Mine is from Disneyland so uber special of course!



Speaking of Disney.... The Venomous Villans collection was released this week in Australia. Stef mentioned this on her blog The Lip Print (go there, it's awesome) and I thought i'd weigh in with my thoughts as well. There is one character that I think is really lacking in this collection. I can already imagine how awesome her items would be if she was in it (also the fact it's my favourite Disney movie so i'd probably have bought everything with her on it) URSULA!

Seriously you cannot get more fierce then this bitch right? Maybe they should just bring out a 2nd villans colllection and just focus on her... Hear that MAC?



Speaking of MAC...wow love how i'm making my own little segueways into my own conversations! I'm getting a MAC Makeover on Saturday (for the party) I haven't decided if I want to go crazy with colour yet or just pretty... we'll see how I feel on the day I guess. I do know I want false lashes though :)

I'm addicted to Sun Rice Caramel Rice Crackers, thanks Ms Critique! :) I almost ate the whole packet by myself last night....thank goodness they are healthy, in moderation though!

Last Thursday I did something a little crazy, well not really crazy because it's been planned forever! I got my first tattoo! I'll insert a bad iPhone photo shortly (it's really hard to take a photo of behind your ear!) It didn't hurt anywhere near as much as I expected it to and I love it! It's been a little itchy the past day or two so i've been resisting the urge to scratch it but i've been good. I've also been scared to wash my hair and haven't for a week (Thank goodness for dry shampoo and side braids!!!). I'll have to wash it tonight though it's getting beyond help.



I like leaving you with a song on these posts, just because music is so awesome.... hence my tattoo!

This is a song my mum and I love singing in the car and she's requested it specifically for her birthday and the fact we must dance to it (even though the majority of people aren't going to like it)

Video - September Favourites & MAC Venomous Villans Haul

My latest YouTube video, look out for the special appearance by Miss Penny Lane :)

NOTW - Butter London Fash Pack & MAC Bad Fairy

Here are this weeks nail of the weeks. I only put MAC Bad Fairy on my nails today but I had to share it with you guys so it made it into the week (even if it's been a little over a week).

First up is my very first Butter London polish, this was also a freebie with this months Harpers Bazaar magazine. Finally a great magazine GWP that isn't in a dodgy colour. This is one of those mushroomey, taupey colours that I loooooove. It has a little difference with a bit of a gold shimmer in it (I've tried to capture that it in the picture of the bottle). I think the magazine is only out for a few more weeks so get onto it! It also comes in a sheer pink as well, so why not get both, it's a bargain!

The colour is called Fash Pack, if you want to get your hands on some Butter London polishes but don't want Harpers or don't like the colours you can buy them online in Australia from Honey Honey and they retail on there for $22AUD. I've also seen them in various chemists as well. Check out my little watermark on my photos, i've decided to not be as lazy this week!





My 2nd polish this week and the one I applied today is from the new MAC Venomous Villans collection. Yep I went on the day it was released in Australia and picked up this bad boy (actually it'd more likely be a bad girl...) or BAD FAIRY!

This is an amazing duochrome colour with flecks of red, orange, pink, gold and cupcakes... actually no cupcakes but it may as well have due to it's awesomeness! This is my first duochrome and I see this could become quite the addiction...like glitter!

If you like this colour, get onto it quick because this is limited edition and from what i've heard has been selling well! It retails here for $22AUD which yes is pricey, but it's kind of too amazing to not get.

I tried to get this in a few different lights so you can see as many colours as possible...this was hard but I think i've achieved it!

Review - Beauty Pod Sponge

Something that caught my eye at IMATS was The Beauty Pod, very similar to the BeautyBlender but a considerable amount cheaper. A tool to make my makeup look airbrushed? Sign me up!

At IMATS it only cost $10AUD which is an absolute bargain, of course! Online now you can get it for around $12.50AUD which is still a bargain in my opinion.

So how does it work, basically you fill the sponge with warm water and watch it expand. Then you squeeze out the excess water and use it to apply your foundation. The finish it gives your foundation honestly is flawless, I was quite impressed (and let's be honest, i'm usually very skeptical!). I generally apply my foundation with a flat top kabuki style brush but have now switched and use this... or if i'm being ultra fancy will apply with the flat top kabuki and pat over it with the beauty pod to make it look even more flawless.

Here are some pictures



[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="500" caption="After water added, the beauty pod swells up"][/caption]

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="500" caption="Squeeze!"][/caption]

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="500" caption="Ready to use!"][/caption]

Clean up of this is easy too, just a bit of baby shampoo or any other gentle shampoo or soap will clean it right up. The one thing I didn't like was that it seemed to leave foundation residue on the pod that I can't get off so to me it looks dirty even though it isn't.

You can buy this online by visiting the Beauty Pod website or from Makeup and Glow

One word of warning, if you have a dog who is obsessed with Kong Toys... which I do!



Don't let them see this, my dog thought it was her kong and went a little nutso at me because she thought I was using her favourite toy and not giving it to her . Awwww Minnie :) (no her eyes are not blue, they are blackest black but for some reason show up blue in photos)