Face of Australia Pastels Collection

I wanted to start this post off by saying a resounding YOU ARE AMAZING! to all the nail bloggers out there that swatch entire collections. I only swatched 4 polishes in one sitting and that was enough for me!

Face of Australia you've done it again! The brand new nail polish collection entitled "Pastels" is just that, pastel goodness! I've always been a fan of pastel nail polishes and was scouting out my local Priceline until I saw these babies, then it was deciding which to buy? I consulted my lovely nail blogger friend Cosmetic Cupcake to let me know what the "must haves" were. I could have bought the whole collection but I thought getting 4 of the collection would do me for now.

Shades: Have Your Cupcake And Eat It Too, After Dinner Mint, Once In A Blue Moon, Boys 'n Berries

Have Your Cupcake And Eat It Too - This was a hard colour to photograph, it's a light baby pink with a kind of violet colour to it. Strangely enough this is the exact shade I was after a few weeks ago it's odd how it's pastel but yet it still seems bright. This was an absolute dream to apply, 2 coat wonder for me (could have possibly even gotten away with 1 coat to be honest). This is my favourite of the 4 I purchased but mainly because it was a colour lemming fulfilled!

After Dinner Mint - I am a sucker for a good mint shade and this doesn't disappoint! It looks a little streaky in my pictures but that was more my bad application. I wore this last week and it lasted chip free for 4 days which for me is an absolute lifetime. This is another two coat wonder and such a gorgeous shade for spring or summer.

Once In A Blue Moon - There is always one that doesn't perform spectacularly and in this case it's Once In A Blue moon, don't get me wrong I adore the colour but the actual polish was very thin and a bit of a pain to apply. You need 3 good coats of this one to get to the opaque stage. Such a shame as the blue is so pretty.

Boys 'N' Berries - Cute name, great colour and one of the best lavender pastels i've tried. I have quite a few in my collection particularly from Essie (they seem to do a lavender with every collection). This is opaque with 2 coats and is a dream to apply. This is for sure my new go-to lavender shade.

As with most Face of Australia collections, these are limited edition! They only retail for $4.95AUD a pop so certainly not a bank breaker.

You can purchase Face of Australia from various department stores, Priceline, Fashion Addict & Makeup Express

Please note all products were purchased with my own money, all opinions are my own. Link to the Fashion Addict website is an affiliate link, if this is an issue for you just google the address. Funds from affiliate links go into the running and maintaining of this blog.

September Faves!

What a cutie! Not me, my dog :) She's one of my every month favourites but watch above to see what I loved during the month of September!

If you don't want to watch the video, no biggie some people just aren't watchers. Here's what I loved in September in point form. I'll also try and add links of where to buy them if I can find them.

However, if you are a viewer I'd love it a bunch if you could Subscibe! to my YouTube channel

The Goods -

- Neutrogena Deep Clean Invigorating Ultra Foam Cleanser (RRP $13.99AUD) - This came as part of a subscription box, being an avid user of the Deep Clean Cream Cleanser I was excited to try this. My skin feels super clean after using this, however when my skin is super dry I steer clear. Click to Buy! 

- Embryolisse Lait Creme Concentrate 30ml (RRP $20.00AUD) - Adore this! I first heard about these while watching Pixiwoo on YouTube and always mean to get it at IMATS etc. This is the boost my skin needs when it's super dehydrated and I want my foundation to go on smoothly. Click to Buy!

- NP Set Brightening Pre Foundation Primer* (RRP $33.00AUD) - It's a crime not to prime, as the man himself says! This primer smooths out my skin ready for the foundation i'm slapping on afterwards. It feels nice and does the job, don't know about the brightening properties though. There is a calming one as well I think I might give a go next. Click to Buy!

- Korres Lip Butter in Quince (RRP $18.95AUD) - This is the perfect everyday, everywhere shade. I sometimes wear this in place of lipstick. It's moisturising but the colour is just beautiful and would suit most skin tones. Click to Buy!

- Marc Jacobs Dot Perfume (RRP 50ml/$120.00 - 100ml/$160.00AUD) - Such a sucker for any fragrance from this designer... I have them all! A birthday gift which was much welcomed, this perfume is fresh, floral and smells like all the things I love about Spring. Click to Buy!

- Illamasqua Gleam in Aurora (RRP $28.00AUD) - My current go-to highlighter! I also did swatches and a FOTD using this product earlier in the month...or was it last month? Have a look anyway. Click to Buy!

- MAC Powder Blush in Well Dressed (RRP $41.00AUD) - Boy are we ripped off here! Looking at that RRP makes me wanna vomit. However this blush doesn't, I disregarded this when I bought it thinking it wasn't pigment and was just shit. Now i'm wearing it everyday, it puts just the right amount of colour on my cheeks to make me look alive and it goes with everything. Click to Buy!

- Eye of Horus Liquid Define Eye Liner (RRP $30.00AUD) - Another subscription box wonder! Absolutely loving this eye liner, it's highly pigmented and lasts the entire day without the tiniest smudge. Also really easy to use and apply, even with my morning half asleep-ness it works! Click to Buy!

- Real Techniques Buffing Brush (Part of the Core Collection RRP $45.00AUD) - I need eleventy billion of this brush forever. LOVE! Just go out and try it and you will agree. Want to get it cheaper? Click to Buy! also use the code - VUL257 and you will receive a further discount. Shipping takes about 2 weeks to get to Australia but I had no issues with them. 

- Face of Australia Sheer Lip Gloss Crayon in Macaron (Set of 3 RRP $14.95AUD) - I previously reviewed these here, but this has been my shade of the moment. Perfect YLBB! Click to Buy!

- Orly Nail Polish in Glow Stick (RRP $18.95AUD) - Check out my swatches here! . BEST NEON EVER! That i've tried anyway, I always get comments when I wear this shade and you can see why. Click to Buy!

One other thing I didn't mention in my video and I was an idiot and threw away the packaging, I was also obsessed with EVO The Great Hydrator hair mask. I only had a sample from a beauty box but it changed my hair/life. I used it with every wash (not sure if your meant to) but it was brilliant... I need to order a full size asap! Click to Buy! (get one for me while your at it!)

Although it's almost November, what were your favourite things in September? 

Please note products marked with * were provided for my consideration, this does not effect my opinion and as always I am honest about what I am reviewing.

IMATS 2012 Sydney Haulage!

Holy belated post Batman!

So I totally hit up IMATS again this year, just like I have done the previous 2 years. Overall I had a wonderful day, hanging out with fellow bloggers, indulging in the thing that brought us all together in the first place MAKEUP!

However this year it seemed smaller then last year and possibly even the year before that. Some of the exhibitors that were listed on the website and one even in the program weren't there, both were ones I was looking forward to seeing so that was a bit disappointing. Crossing fingers they get a few more exhibitors next year because for a $40/day ticket it was a bit of a rip off in my opinion.

Onto the hauling! I didn't buy too much this year. I usually go mad for things I don't really need and while I did get pretty much that, there are a few new brands I bought to try out.

Red Cherry Lashes - 6 for $25 & Clear Duo Glue $7 - Lashes are my frenemy, love them to death but can't apply them for shit! So bought these in hopes that maybe I can rectify that situation so we become total besties!

Girlee Cosmetics 4 Pan Palette - $25 - Last year was the year of Inglot shadows, this year for me it's Girlee... (terrible name) These little pans are so pigmented and soft and just ahhh! Of course I went with neutral shades as usual. Maybe next year i'll be a little more adventurous and try something called colour. 

Something free from Ben Nye - FREE! Got this after I was literally attacked with products from the Ben Nye stand from an overly enthusiastic exhibitor. I do need to learn to say "Please don't put your shit on my hand's so I can look at pretty things, kthxbai". This is a shiny silvery pigment, not sure if i'll ever use it but it might work as a rad inner corner highlight.

OCC Lip Tar in Queen - $15 - It's pretty mandatory that I buy an OCC Lip Tar every IMATS, This year my choice was Queen. An obnoxious bright watermelon pink, it was love at first swatch! Check out XSparkage for a good swatch of this, my camera didn't capture it very well at all.

Smashbox Sheer Focus Tinted Moisturiser - $15 - B-to-the-argain of the day! This retails for $43.95 at Kit Cosmetics. I've been wearing this on the weekends when I want a little bit of coverage but still want my skin to breath, it's really nice! I may even pay full price for a bottle of this.

That was the damage, not too bad if I do say so myself! I'm looking forward to trying out the Girlee Cosmetics eyeshadows and will be sure to do a FOTD with them soon. See below for close ups of the colours (and the colour names etc) and swatches of all the colour products I purchased.

Colours from Top Left to Right Bottom - B44 Acorn Matte, B96 Pewter, B37 Antique Gold, B88 Gilded

Swatched in the same order, with OCC Lip Tar in Queen

Did you go to IMATS? What did you buy?

Links & Loves #2

This week has been a complete write off in ye olde blog world, I had grand plans last weekend to get a few videos done and a couple of lip swatches. That was until an alien decided to come and plant itself right on my face under my lip. I thought the offender was a cold sore I never get them, but the fiancee does and he assured me it wasn't. It was a big ass nasty pimple and it hurt like hell! 

Source - Google Images

I honestly didn't plan to pop it but it kind of just happened, and then the sucker came back! WHAAAAAAAT! It's now only just going away... a week later.

So anyway in lieu of any real posts this week I thought i'd do another installment to my links & loves posts.

LINKS

- Lilit from Makeup & Macaroons gives her 5 tips on wearing bright lipstick - this girl rocks the bright lipstick so it's a great guide!

- Celina from Fables in Fashion wrote this amazing post about Filming Tutorials & Taking Self Portraits it has so much useful information it'll be forever bookmarked on my computer! She has also done this amazing Zombie look for the Book of Fables... LOOOOOOVE!

- Emma from Emma Bovary Beauty has been haulin' Illamasqua and her post on the Complement Palette may have created a new lemming for me!

- Chelle from Cosmetic Cupcake does an amaaaaaaazing macaron manicure for Adriano Zumbo's Zumbaron day - guess who lined up at 7.30am in the morning for macarons with her? Me! 

- Reese from Reese Atomic has done what I wish I could do and dyed her hair pink! Go have a look, it looks rad!

- I'm easily enabled and Jess from The Belle Lumiere has not helped the situation with her must have Etsy store picks!

- Stef from Girl 3000 has written an inspiring post on the 100 things she has learnt about being healthy, this is a must read if you are lacking in motivation at all!

LINK & LOVE

An amazing new blog started up this month! If you're interested in Gardening and growing your own vegetables check out The Green Thumbed Gnome - I may or may not know the writer of this blog ;)

LOVE

Tonight i've been on trawling tumblr for the past few hours. I've had some good and bad results form it, here's what i've found that I liked!

Source - http://noblogjustinspiration.tumblr.com/post/33847437061 

Source - http://daisylouise.tumblr.com/

Source - http://kellensblog.tumblr.com/

Source - http://depopulatehell.tumblr.com/

Source - http://screwxthexstandard.tumblr.com/

I hope everyone has a great weekend, and if this bloody pimple clears i'll be busy doing videos and swatches... wah-hoooooooooo

Crush Cosmetics 3rd Birthday Haul!

This is just a small haul, I received an email about Crush Cosmetic's 3rd birthday and their 20% off sale so I thought it'd be a good opportunity to get a product i've been after for awhile and since it was so cheap grabbed a couple of other little goodies!

The item I was after was the Collection 2000 Lasting Perfection Concealer (Shade: Light) (RRP $12.95AUD). This always gets rave reviews and it's such a low price! I've only used it today to cover a couple of blemishes but so far so good! The shade matches me perfectly and it blends in nicely and covers well (which is what you want a concealer to do, right?)

I also purchased another item i've been wanting for awhile and that's the Sleek Blush in Pixie Pink (RRP $12.95AUD). This is a bright matte pink which is such a perfect shade for the warmer months. It's quite pigmented and while the actual compact is smaller then I imagined (I don't know why but I thought it'd be the size of a NARS blush compact?) it still holds a good amount of product! I'm wearing this today as well and it's really brightened up my otherwise tired looking face - a little goes a long way!

The last item I purchased was an on the whim purchase and it's the Sleek True Colour Lipstick in Coral Reef (RRP $9.95AUD). I haven't had a chance to wear this yet, it's a little too bright for work! However i'm planning on rocking this baby on the weekend. The formula when swatched feels really nice but I guess I have to wait to see when I actually wear it. I'll do proper lip swatches and a proper review once i've worn it. One thing I do want to mention is how weird the packaging is! It's an oval tube! Putting the lid on proved a little challenging for me!

If you aren't already subscribed, I suggest joining up to the Crush Cosmetics mailing list as they always have sales and their usually pretty quick ones.

Also their turnaround time is brilliant! My stuff was ordered and in my hands within 24 hours, that's pretty impressive!

Product Disclosure - All products were purchased by myself, I did however use a 20% discount because let's face it I don't like paying full price!