Australis AC ON TOUR Contouring and Highlighting Kit

It took forever to get my hands on this bad boy and after all that time I'm kind of sitting on the fence about this product. Some claim for it to be a dupe of the Anastasia Beverly Hills Contour Kit yet some absolutely hate it. So when I finally got this into my possession, I was quite curious as to how I would find it.

Hourglass Ambient Lighting Blush in Diffused Heat

This beautiful product was given to me as a gift at Christmas time andI do not remember a time that I have fallen more in love with a product's packaging. It's amazing simple gold packaging just sells the whole thing, you don't even need to LOOK inside! This one is definitely on the higher end of the price scale coming in at $46 at Mecca for 4.2g of product. 

Garnier Micellar Cleansing Water

Who loves to know that they've cleaned every last bit of makeup off their face? I know I do! I picked up the Garnier Micellar Cleansing Water a few months ago and have found myself using it religiously ever since. It's known to be a drugstore dupe of the Bioderma Cleansing Water and with it being so much cheaper, how could I go past it?

I'll admit, I do use makeup wipes to get rid of the bulk of my makeup at the end of each day but ever since introducing this cleansing water into my nightly routine, I no longer feel guilty about what I'm leaving on my face. You'd think after giving your face a good cleanse with a makeup wipe, you'd be good to go, right? Absolutely not. The first time I used the cleansing water, I did my usual routine with a makeup wipe and then grabbed a few cotton pads to wipe down my face after. I put a generous amount of the cleansing water onto the pad and even after a few wipes, I got such a massive shock as to what was still on my face! From that day on, I HAD to include the Garnier Micellar Cleansing Water into my routine.

It doesn't leave your face feeling sticky or like it's covered in residue and it seems to remove every last bit of makeup left on my face. It's gentle enough to remove eye makeup but unfortunately doesn't get ALL waterproof makeup off. I highly recommend this product to anyone wanting an easy way to remove their makeup. And for only $11.99 from Priceline, you really can't go wrong. 

Kit Plump Pucker Pout set

For Christmas, my girlfriends and I continued our little Kris Kringle tradition. My best friend got me in the pick and as she knew about my love for makeup, she went to Mecca Cosmetica and picked up the Kit Plump Pucker Pout set. (She also really wanted me to blog about these!) 

The set contains four limited edition lip glasses, each a different colour/finish. The names of them are Clear Glass, Tint Glass, Shimmer Glass and Bold Glass. 

Clear Glass is just a plain clear gloss, Tint Glass has a slight peachy colour to it, Shimmer Glass has a very sheer hint of pink with shimmer through it and Bold Glass is a beautiful watermelon shade. All except Bold Glass have a minty scent to them and seem to plump up your lips a little when applied. Bold Glass seems to have a peach smell (I think). They all seem to be slightly sticky but that's what I've come to expect with any gloss.

This set has all the gloss colours you would need to complete any look and are all the perfect size to pop straight into your handbag or clutch for any occasion. I would definitely recommend these to all lipgloss lovers!

Maybelline Color Tattoo 24hr Cream Eyeshadows

This product is something I've had for ages and still can't get sick of. They're the Maybelling Color Tattoo cream eyeshadows and I currently have six different shades.

The ones I have so far are:

#05 Too Cool
#25 Bad To The Bronze
#35 Tough As Taupe
#45 Bold Gold
#55 Inked In Pink
#70 Barely Branded

These eyeshadows can be used both on their own or as a base for your powder shadows. They work beautifully either way. They're quite creamy, super pigmented and easy to use and blend. I find that if they do dry up, I just need to wipe away the top layer and mix it a little with my finger to warm them up so that they're usable again. 

(From L to R: Tough as Taupe, Bad to the Bronze, Inked in Pink, Bold Gold, Barely Branded, Too Cool)

Maybelline have definitely done well with these and they seem to be quite popular. You can pick them up from Priceline for $11.95 and there's always some sort of sale there too! 

Have you tried this product? Let me know your thoughts and favourite colours in the comments below!

Monthly Favourites - October

October was full of fun things but now that we've hit November, I've realised how close Christmas and New years are. Where has this year gone?
I've compiled a collection of a few of my favourite things (cue My Favourite Things from The Sound of Music) to share with you all.

#1 MAC Cremesheen Lipstick on Creme Cup

This has quickly become my go-to lipstick when I don't feel like wearing a bright colour. It's such a pretty pink colour, super moisturising and just has a great formula. I can't wait to pick up more lipsticks from MAC.

#2 Maybelline Colour Sensational Lipsticks in Vibrant Mandarin and Hot Plum

For those days when I feel like a bright pop of colour, I've been opting for these two. I bought them a while ago when Priceline had 50% off Maybelline and I've been loving them ever since. The colours are beautiful, the finish is gorgeous and the formula is amazing. Easily one of the best lipsticks in the drugstore.

#3 L'Oreal Infallible Foundation in 140 Golden Beige

This one is the perfect colour for when I'm tanned (which has been a lot lately). It stays on really quite well and has a nice consistency. It blends beautifully and has amazing coverage. Definitely a medium buildable coverage. I love how it doesn't sit on your skin or dry it out. L'Oreal definitely know how to make a good foundation.

#4 Bondi Sands Self Tanning Lotion in Dark

This has been my life saver lately when I've been wanting to wear brighter colours. I just can't do a neon yellow dress with pale skin so this has been amazing. It doesn't leave streaks, gives a nice natural tan and doesn't go too patchy as it wears off. This is definitely my favourite fake tan.

#5 Vaseline Intensive Care Spray Moisturiser in Aloe Soothe

I recently purchased this after seeing so my people rave about it on YouTube. It's so quick and easy and perfect for use to prolong my tan. You just spray it all over your body and then rub it in. It soaks in very quickly and leaves your skin feeling super soft and silky. Great work Vaseline!

What have you been loving this month? Let me know in the comments down below.

Maybelline Falsies Big Eyes Mascara

The other day I noticed that Coles was having a 50% off sale on all Maybelline mascaras. Even though I usually try and stop myself with mascaras, I couldn't pass up giving this one a go! For $10, I couldn't really go wrong.

This one is a double ended mascara with a normal sized wand on one side meant for you top lashes and a smaller wand on the opposite end which is meant for you bottom lashes. I really enjoyed the original Falsies mascara so I figured I'd love this one.

Not exactly. The top lashes end has a twisted design which I didn't particularly enjoy and is different to the original Falsies. I found that it gave volume but not much length at all which is something I really look for in a mascara. 
However, the lower lash brush was brilliant! It distributes just the right amount of product onto your lashes and doesn't make them look clumpy or smudged at all. 

If this were to come out with just the lower lash brush, I would definitely be purchasing but the top lash brush just doesn't do it for me.

Have you tried this one out yet? Let me know your thoughts in the comment section below!

Nails Of The Week

This week I've gone for a purple. I love the formula of these nail polishes as they don't chip too easily and they have a really good consistency. It's the Rimmel Salon Pro with Lycra in the shade Purple Rain. It's a beautiful mid-tone purple that is perfect for this current transition into warmer weather. 

What are you wearing on your nails right now? Let me know in the comments below!

Current Favourite Lipsticks

I've recently bought my first two 'high end' lipsticks and I am so impressed. When I was in Sydney, I picked up a Lime Crime lipstick from a shop called Princess Polly and I've also picked up a Mac lipstick from their counter in Myer Chadstone. 

Firstly, let's talk about the Lime Crime lipstick. I picked up the shade Babette which is a pinky nude. First impressions on this one was that the packaging was adorable. Who can go past cute purple packaging with unicorns on it? When I first tried the lipstick, I was impressed by the pigmentation and how well it went on. The only problem I had with this one was that if I had the slightest hint of dry lips, it wasn't going to work with me. All up though, I am loving this lipstick. It's such a good shade for everyday and it also works with any eye look I decide to do. Easiest way to buy this in Australia is online so check out Princess Polly or just google it and you should be able to find it. 

The Mac lipstick I picked up was in the shade Creme Cup and it's in their cremesheen formula. This is one of their most raved about shades and I can see why. This has quickly become my everyday shade and I am loving it. It's not super pigmented, just a sheer light pink shade. It's moisturising on the lips and perfect for those days when you don't want to wear a bright colour and just want something pretty and natural. 

These two have easily worked their way into my all time favourites. What are your current favourite lipsticks?

Monthly Favourites - September

September has been a pretty good month to me. Work hasn't been too bad at all, I took a weeks holiday and spent a weekend in Sydney. Having a career in retail means it's a pretty good idea to take some time off before the Christmas period starts so it's what I do every year. So before I think to much about Christmas, let's talk about some favourites, yeah? This month's favourites aren't really new products to me but something that I've found myself reaching for constantly throughout September.

Chi Chi Fabulous & Flawless Foundation
A bought this a little while ago when Myer had 25% off Chi Chi as I'd seen plenty of people raving about it on Youtube, especially Shaaanxo. The packaging is really nice, just a really simple glass bottle with a pump. It's super easy to find your match as on each box it tells you the shade and undertone for the foundation. It's definitely buildable and has a beautiful, natural, dewy finish. I would say this is my number one foundation right now as I find myself using it nearly everyday. In Australia, you can pick it up in Target and Myer as well as www.chichicosmetics.com.

Rimmel Scandaleyes Waterproof Kohl Kajal in Black
This is my favourite black eyeliner I've ever found. It's super creamy and pigmented and so easy to use. I always use it in my waterline and find it never irritates and is easy to apply as it's not hard or super pointy (if you know what I mean). Definitely recommend picking this one up as well as the other colours as they're really affordable and such a good drugstore product.

Girlz Only Haircare Dry Shampoo
Target must have realised how good this product actually was as they've recently changed the price from $2 to $3. Hopefully it doesn't jump up anymore! This dry shampoo is so incredible for it's price. As long as you don't spray it too close to your head, it doesn't really show up in your hair and even if it does you can just brush it out. Using this, I can get away with not washing my hair for like 5-6 days which is so awesome because my hair takes way too long to dry and style. If you're new to the dry shampoo world, go pick this up and see how you like it!

Formula 10.0.6 Pores Be Pure Skin-Clarifying Mud Mask
What a mission to say the name of this one! This is such a good mask for the price. I picked it up from Priceline for less than $10 I think. It's just a standard mud mask but I find my skin to be really smooth after using it. It gets rid of all the excess oil on my face and I really like using it if I've got a couple of (rare) breakouts. I've even convinced my boyfriend to use this and he seems to really like it as well! I've used a cleanser from this range and I enjoyed using that too. 

Garnier Micellar Cleansing Water
I LOVE this product. Before this, I never realised how much makeup was being left behind on my face after using a makeup wipe. I still wipe my face with a makeup wipe and then I go in with the cleansing water over my face again and then on my eyes. It's not harsh at all like some cleansers and seems to get off most waterproof makeup as well. It'd be suitable for sensitive skin as well which is great. It's also only around the $10 mark which is so amazing considering the Bioderma cleansing water sells for around the $30 for 150mL less product!


So those are my favourites for the month of September. What were yours?

Mini Priceline Haul

Today I made a quick trip into Priceline as I wanted to check out the new Australis Velourlips. I've seen them all over Instagram the past week and haven't been able to find them at the Priceline near work so I had to wait until today! 

I picked up two colours out of the give newly released ones. The lighter pink is called LUN-DUN and the darker shade which is more of a coral type colour is MI-A-MEE. I'm excited to see how these go on the lips and how opaque they are.

The other item I bought was the Garnier Micellar Cleansing Water. This product has been raved about and compared to the Bioderma cleansing water so I had to try it out. Especially because it was 20% off! 

What have you picked up recently?

Xx 

Maybe it's Maybelline..

In honour of the recent 50% all Maybelline at Priceline, I thought I would share with you a bunch of products I've picked up and what my first impressions of them were. 

I had to stop myself from buying more so the items I chose were:

• Fit Me Concealer in Light
• Hyper Glossy Liquid Liner in Black
• Colour Sensational Lipstick in Party Pink
• The Colossal Volum' Express Mascara in Black
• Baby Lips Lip Balm in Mango Pie

Fit Me Concealer

This has to be one of the most amazing drugstore concealers. Not only is it super affordable but it conceals like a dream and is the perfect consistency. Hands down, my new favourite concealer.

Hyper Glossy Liquid Liner

Now I'm no expert in liner and am only really used to Maybelline's Master Precise Liquid Liner but this one I didn't find too hard. It's definitely true to it's name and has a beautiful glossy finish. It dries very quickly and is completely budge proof from my experiences. The brush is quite thin and not too long making the application easy. I can't wait to have a bit more of a play around with this one.

Colour Sensational Lipstick

This is hard and fast becoming my new favourite lipstick. The formula is beautiful and creamy and the lasting power is amazing. I find I only really have to reapply after eating. The colour is a lovely berry-toned pink and is perfect for the autumn and winter months. I would highly recommend this product and I can't wait to pick up more colours from this range.

The Colossal Volum' Express Mascara

Silly me did something I've done before. I picked this one up in the waterproof formula which I'm not much of a fan of. Clearly haven't learnt my lesson yet. None the less though, Maybelline has come through with another amazing mascara. The brush is quite firm (unlike the bendy one on The Mega Plush) and the formula is very black and very buildable. Maybelline seems to be the clear winner when it comes to drugstore mascaras so you really can't go wrong with any of them.

Baby Lips

One of the best lip balms I have tried. On sale, this was only $2 so I couldn't resist picking up yet another one. I reckon I've had all the different flavours (?). They're super moisturing, they smell amazing and you just can't go past that price point. Highly recommend.

Today is the last day of this sale and I am SO tempted to pop in to my nearest Priceline and pick up a couple more lipsticks!! 

Did you make it to the sale at all? What did you pick up?

Too Faced Chocolate Bar Palette Review

Yes, you've probably guessed it already. After writing my last blog post, I ended up caving in and splurged on the Too Faced Chocolate Bar Palette. This is one decision I definitely do not regret. I just couldn't help myself. After writing about how amazing it seemed to be I found myself inside Mecca Maxima in front of the Too Faced stand asking for the palette. 

To begin with, the packaging is absolutely gorgeous. The box that it comes with looks like something out of Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory and the actual palette looks like a chocolate bar. It's a metal casing with a mirror on the inside as well which is always handy. 

The palette contains 16 shadows with a nice mix of matte and shimmer shades. It's such a beautiful neutral palette. You can create endless looks with these and they're all really good for everyday wear. They're all made with 100% natural cocoa powder so opening the palette is a delicious experience. They are buttery smooth and super easy to blend out as well. 

From L to R: Marzipan, Salted Caramel, Triple Fudge, Black Forrest Truffle, Milk Chocolate, White Chocolate, Gilded Ganache

From L to R: Champage Truffle, Cherry Cordial, Haute Chocolate, Creme Brulee, Hazelnut, Amaretto, Candied Violet, Strawberry Bon Bon

The palette also comes with a 'How-To Glamour Guide' which is a little booklet with three different eye looks to get you started. Perfect for those just starting out with makeup or even just anyone stuck for ideas. 

My final verdict is that this an amazing palette and definitely a great addition to my collection. Beautiful colours, delicious scent, cute packaging and just really good quality in general. I highly recommend this to anyone looking for a super versatile, neutral palette. 

Palettes On My Wishlist

Everytime when pay day comes around, I contemplate splurging out on a luxe eyeshadow palette but I have to resist the urge and convince myself that I have more important things to spend my hard-earned cash on. It's a little bit sad, but I'm sure on of these bad boys will come into my possession soon when I finally cave in.

#1: Too Faced Chocolate Bar Eyeshadow Palette

This palette looks so amazing. I've swatched the colours multiple times while killing time on lunch breaks and have had to hold myself back. What makes this even more appealing is that the shadows are made with cocoa powder resulting in them smelling so delicious. There's a nice mix of matte and shimmer shades and they're all so wearable. It's definitely up there on the list.


#2: Urban Decay Naked 3 Palette

I have been eyeing this one off since the day it was released. The colours are beautiful and unlike any palette I've ever seen. I've watched countless tutorials on youtube with all different looks that can be achieved with this palette. Let's just say one thing: I am keen.


#3: Stila In The Light Palette

And again, another extremely wearable palette. It's filled with all the best Stila eyeshadow shades and is definitely popular within the beauty community. This one comes with 8 lovely shades in a mix of shimmer and matte as well as a complementing Smudge Stick. It's another palette that I have swatched quite a few times as well and I'm also in love with it. 


#4: Smashbox Full Exposure Palette

Lucky last, is this one. It has 7 matte shades and 7 shimmer shades. The perfect palette. Once again, it is full of neutral shades and can be used to create endless eye looks for both day and night. Such a versatile palette that would be perfect in any makeup collection.



So let's see how much longer I can resist. Considering a Mecca Maxima has just opened near work and they stock Stila and Too Faced, I feel like I'll be snapping one of them up very soon. 
What's on your wishlist?



Note: Photos sourced from Sephora

What I've Been Loving..

So for my next blog post, I thought I'd share with you a few makeup products I've been loving. I narrowed it down to 5 items that I have found myself reaching for quite frequently in the last few weeks. So let's just jump straight into it!

#1: Makeup Geek Eyeshadows

These shadows are to die for. So far, I only have 5 of them but I am hanging out to buy more. They are so smooth and super easy to blend. The pigmentation is outstanding. What gets me is the price. The only way to get them is through the website (www.makeupgeek.com) and each eyeshadow pan is only $5.99. I mean honestly, how can you resist? They have also been compared with the one and only eyeshadows by MAC. If the price, comparison and colour choice can't get you over the line, then I don't know what can!

#2: NYC Bronzer in Sunny

Good matte bronzers are quite difficult to find from my experience so when I came across this one on www.beautyjoint.com for only $2.99, I couldn't resist. It's perfect for contouring and doesn't give off that unwanted orange colour that some bronzers do (unless you apply WAY too much). It also has been raved about on YouTube so it's got to be good. All up this is a perfect bronzer for everyday use and I highly recommend it.

#3: Lush Bubblegum Lip Scrub

This product is probably one of my all time favourites. It is definitely an essential for any time that I decide to wear lipstick. For one, it tastes delicious. To use the product, all you do is scrub your lips with it and then lick it all off. No complaints from me! I tend to get dry lips quite often so this is such a good solution to the problem. I use it every time I wear lipstick so as to avoid the flaky lips look which is made more obvious with lipstick. All in all, this is definitely a holy grail for me.

#4: MAC Mineralize Skin Finish in Soft and Gentle

This is one of my most recent purchases. This was my first purchase from MAC and I am in love. I'd never actually owned a highlighter of any sort either so it was an exciting day for me. I find it to be a really nice, subtle highlight that can be used on a day to day basis. So far, so good with this one and I also feel like it's going to last me a long, long time which is great considering the $47 price tag here in Australia.

#5: Napoleon Perdis DeVine Goddess Lipstick in Calypso

I received this as a birthday gift from my girls at work back in April and I couldn't have been happier. They definitely knew the way to my heart. It is a beautiful bright pink shade and is nice and easy to apply. It has a lovely matte finish as well. The only thing is that it doesn't completely dry, which is a good thing in that it doesn't dry up your lips but if you accidently brush your hand over your lips or something, you WILL get lipstick on your hand. Other than that, I have been loving this lipstick. The colour is gorgeous and the formula feels so nice on the lips.

So, that's what I've been loving lately. What have you been reaching for? 

Revlon Colourstay Makeup for Combination/Oily Skin

Here in Australia, makeup is ridiculously expensive, especially for foundations. Your average drugstore foundation can set you back anywhere between $20-$35 so when I saw the 50% off all Revlon, Rimmel and Maybelline products at My Chemist recently, I leapt at the chance to try a new foundation. Particularly one that had so many good reviews and that I'd been eyeing off for who knows how long!

I picked up the Revlon Colourstay Makeup for Combination/Oily Skin in the colour #220 Natural Beige. Coming into winter, I really needed to buy a foundation that was less suited to my darker, summer skin and more to my less tanned, less glowing winter skin. 

I quite like the packaging. It's a nice glass bottle with a dark transparent lid and it also has a pump for easy dispensing. The only problem with it, is that it can get messy very quickly!

On the Revlon website, the product description is:

• Medium to full coverage with a lightweight formula that won't cake, fade or rub off
• Time Release Technology
• Specifically formulated for combination or oily skin to control oil absorption and shine
• Makeup feels comfortable and wears for up to 24 hours
• Comes in 12 beautiful shades
• SPF 15

As with all other foundations, I used my XO Beauty Round Top Face brush to apply this. It is definitely on the higher coverage scale of foundations. I quite liked the amount of coverage it gave and it was easily buildable. It did feel quite thick on my face at first though which I didn't particularly like but once it settled and I set it with a powder it was very comfortable. 
I don't have very oily skin to begin with but it did seem to control the oil that is usually only in my T-zone which I was pleased with. It only seems to wear off in the usual spot around my mouth but even then it's not that noticeable.
I loved that it also had SPF 15 and there was quite a decent selection of shades to choose from. 

All up, it is definitely a win in my books. After all this time being dedicated to my L'Oreal True Match, I thought nothing could compare but this definitely comes close. To sum it all up, it gives great coverage, it's long wearing and comfortable and with the colour selection you can definitely find the perfect shade for yourself. 

Until next time,

Alana xx


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Well, hello there

So after months and months off umm-ing and ahh-ing about doing something with my spare time, I have finally decided to start a blog. I had thought about starting a YouTube channel but I figured I'd be way too weird and awkward on there without any sort of following or anyone behind me being like, 'Yes! You can do it! You'll be awesome at it!' So a blog seemed like the way to go. 

All I want to achieve with this, is to share my passion for life and beauty and everything in between. I'm no expert at all. I just want to be able to share whatever I like and chat with new like-minded people about the things we love. Nothing extravagant. 

So here it begins, my journey into the world of blogging. 

'From here on in, I shoot without a script. See if anything comes of it, instead of my old shit'.

Until next time,
Alana xx