Monday, November 9, 2009

MAC Haul

Backstory: I usually do not have the money to spend this much at MAC in one hit, but as one of my birthday presents Aaron (My fiance) gave me a limit and said "Go nuts".. he knows me well!

So this is what I got:

1) Magic, Mirth & Mischief 'Wave of a Wand' brush set- This has the 129SE, 190SE, 212SE, 227SE and 275SE in travel sizes.

2) Mineralize Skinfinish Natural in Light Medium.

3) Select Cover Up in NC20.

4) Studio Sculpt Concealer in NC20.

5) Prep + Prime Skin.

6) Penultimate Eyeliner in Rapidblack.

7) Eye Kohl in Smolder.

8) Naked Lunch Eyeshadow.

9) All That Glitters Eyeshadow.

10) Satin Lipstick in Brave.

11) Dazzleglash Creme in Soft Dazzle.
.. So this is the entire haul



The 'Wave of a Wand' brush set, it was in such pretty packaging that it saddened me to open it



This is the Mineralize Skinfinish, the Cover up, the Concealer, the Eyeshadows and the Prep + Prime.



This is the Eye Kohl, the Penultimate Eyeliner, the Satin Lipstick and the Dazzleglash Creme.



This is a closeup of Naked Lunch & All That Glitters.



Here is a swatch (It is horrid, I know) of Brave, Soft dazzle, Penultimate eyeliner & Smolder.

.. and this is me wearing all of it


Sunday, November 8, 2009

Coastal Scents 88 Palette

I am so excited! Last night I ordered two palettes from Coastal Scents (I know, I am very late in to the game).

This first palette I ordered was the Coastal Scents Warm 88 Palette, there is a combination of matte, shimmer and pearl shadows in neutral shades perfect for everyday looks and smokey eyes.



The second palette I ordered was the Coastal Scents Ultra Shimmer 88 palette, which are vibrant, highly pigmented shadows that are shimmery.



I ordered these last night and I am not expecting them to arrive for about a month as I only paid for standard international shipping, which I am kind of regretting now.. but I will definately do a swatches post when they arrive!

Friday, November 6, 2009

My Lush Wishlist

1. Love Lettuce Face Mask
I recently purchased the cupcake face mask from Lush and when I was in store they did a tester of love lettuce on my hand, when they massaged it off my skin was so soft and smooth.. I can't wait to see what it does to my face!
2. Dream Cream
I have read so many reviews on this stuff claiming that it has fixed some of the worst skin problems. It is a little more than I would usually spend on a product like this ($28.95 AUD) but I think it is a pretty safe bet that it will be worth the money.



3. Ceridwen's Cauldron
I actually saw this in the catalogue and thought it looked really neat. The idea behind it is that as the bath melt starts melting, you use the little bag as a body washer- I think it is really nifty!




4. Supernova
This isn't something that I would regularly use, but I would like to have one for New Year's Eve. I can just imagine sitting in the bath with a Supernova and a bottle of bubbly before I start getting ready for a night of celebrating.. not looking forward to cleaning up the confetti though.



5. Big Buffy
I don't even think this needs an explanation.. its Buffy, only bigger- who wouldn't want that?
6. Strawberry Feels Forever
I smelt this in store and it is so deliciously sweet, I love it! If I remember correctly it is strawberries mixed with hibiscus flowers.. it is heavenly, and it is also limited edition so I will definately be buying one soon.


... I am going to come out and say it, my name is Danni'Elle and I am addicted to Lush products.

Monday, November 2, 2009

Mini Ebay Haul

This is just going to be a very short blog as I have gone over my bandwidth for the month and my computer is running at dial-up speed.. I have watched way to many youtube beauty vlogs this month!

Anyway, as the title suggests I have purchased a few things off ebay so I will just do a quick haul, and possibly review them a bit later when I can upload more photos/swatches.

My haul includes:
  • OPI Summer Stunners Pack- 2 shades of OPI nail polish, "Brights Power" and "Greenwich Village", plus a cute little make-up bag. The RRP for this was $29.95, I got it for $15.00 plus $4.95 shipping, bargain!

  • MAC Dazzlelash mascara in "Black Dazzle"- A very nice, dark black but the teeniest little brush I have ever seen. I only use it for my bottom lashes, for which it works perfectly. The RRP is $25AUD and I paid $13.95 plus $6.00 shipping.


  • MAC Grand Duos Collection Blush- I purchased this in the shade "Grand Duo" which is a copper pink with plum. This is unavailable in Australia, and I paid $24.95US plus $6.00 shipping.

Thursday, October 29, 2009

What I Am Wearing On My Nails Right Now

OPI Most Honorable Red
I have spent the day treating myself to a home medi & pedi. I went with a fairly strong red tone because I am going out tomorrow night and am wearing a black dress with blue and gold accents. The red of the nails really pops in contrast to the colours in the dress.

I have had this colour in my collection for awhile now and I adore it. It is a great colour which applies very easily. Two coats and that is all you need (and a clear base coat and top coat). It really is one of my favourite OPI shades.


This is the colour on my nails under yellow lights


This is the colour on my nails in natural light

My Daily Face Routine

Over the passed year I have had alot of problems with my skin; breakouts, red rashes. dryness.. a whole lot of unpleasantness really.

I thought I would do a quick blog on my face routine and how effective it has been in overcoming my skin issues.
Morning
  1. I start by washing my face with warm water, and just gently give my skin a massage. I then pat my face dry with a clean towel.

  2. I use Dickinsons Witch Hazel (see below review). I use a cotton ball and apply generously all over my face. I allow the toner to dry.
  3. I then apply The Body Shop's Vitamin E Moisture Cream. I don't use to much as it is very rich and thick and I don't want to become greasy over the course of the day.

Night

  1. I removed my makeup using Neutrogena Make-up Remover Cleansing Towelettes.

  2. I apply the Dickinson's Witch Hazel toner again.

  3. I apply The Body Shop's Vitamin E Moisture Cream to my cheeks and under my eyes.

  4. I use The Body Shop's Tea Tree Blemish Fade Night Lotion on the T-Zone.

Every second or third day I use The Body Shop's Tea Tree Face Mask. I find that this really dries up any blemishes and leaves my skin feeling very tight and firm. I would not use it every night as it is very strong, but it is definately a must for me atleast 3 times a week.




Tuesday, October 27, 2009

What I Rate & What I Hate 1

I thought I would do a rate and hate as there is one product I am LOVING right now and one product which I am not loving so much.
I'll start with the product I love:

T.N. Dickinson's All Natural Witch Hazel

"Cleans, Soothes, Tones.. Naturally" (Taken from the bottle)

Okay, so I purchased this at my local supermarket for $6AUD.. which is very cheap for a toner. I was all out of the product I had been using and just wanted to quickly grab anything to 'make do' until my next pay when I would purchase something else.

I have alot of redness under my eyes and often have a slight red rash on my face, so my skin is very sensitive. All I do is wash my face as per usual, put the witch's hazel on a cotton bud and dab it all around my face, I am pretty generous with how much I use. Then I just use my usual moisturiser and I am done.

This stuff works miracles! After two weeks my redness has almost completely cleared up and there is no red rash in sight. I can't even tell you how much money I have spent on different cleansers and toners yet this $6 product beats the rest by far. Love it!



The product which I am not happy with:

Lush Marilyn Hair Moisturiser

"Moisturizing treatment to soften and brighten blonde hair" (Taken from the Lush website)

I have used this product twice and have not seen a difference in my hair at all. My hair is a very fair blonde, and I dye it roughly every four weeks. After I initially wash my hair I can feel a slight difference, however after my hair dries it feels just as it did before I used the product.

This product may work better for people who do not have chemically treated hair, I am not sure. Everybody is different and some things work better for some people but I did not have a good expirience with this product.

The application can also be rather messy as it needs to be applied to dry hair. Some people don't mind this but I find it to be alot more of a task than applying a hair treatment to wet hair.

I paid $25AUD for this product at the Lush store and I will not be buying it again.




Monday, October 26, 2009

Dior Diorshow Blackout Mascara

Review: Dior Diorshow Blackout Mascara


I had been doing my research on mascara, reading and watching other peoples expiriences with different brands and had narrowed it down to either:

- YSL Volume False Lash Effect

- MAC Dazzlelash

- Chanel Inimitable Mascara

- Dior Diorshow Blackout Mascara


... obviously I went with the Dior, hence the title.

I had tried all of the above in store and I found the the Dior was the least clumpy and was a really dark, solid black.


I have worn it today, and I only needed to apply one coat to get the desired effect. If I was going out at night I would probably apply another coat, but I really don't feel like any more would be needed unless I was really trying to achieve a dramatic eye look.


When I applied the mascara it did not clump, and it went on very smoothly, as in the wand ran up my eyelashes very well. This allows for every lash to be coated, leaving the lashes looking very full and black.


I paid $52 AUD at David Jones, which is pretty steep for a mascara.. however, I think it is worth it. I am not sure whether I will keep this product as a staple in my collection as the price is very high, but for now I am going to enjoy wearing it!




Beauty Survery

1.What time did you do your makeup today?
I did my makeup at around midday today.

2. What's the least expensive beauty item you used?
L'Oreal Colour Riche Shine Gelee in Shiny Apricot, I actually got this for free with a L'Oreal Glam Shine at my local drugstore. The colour is gorgeous and rich, and it is the first L'Oreal lipstick which contains royal jelly, so it hydrates like a balm.

3. What was the biggest problem you needed to correct?
I have a few red spots around my chin, so I used my MAC select cover-up. As the day has worn on they are starting to show again, will definately need a touch up before work.

4. Did you apply false eyelashes?
No, I never wear false lashes. I can't apply them to save my life!

5. Did you do anything while applying makeup?
It actually took me about an hour to do my makeup because I kept coming back to the computer and watching youtube reviews on some products I have been coveting.

6. Biggest makeup mishap today?
I didn't have a mishap today, although my eyeliner is looking a little smudged.

7. Did you have a makeup inspiration in mind?
I watched lollypop26's "Face of the day 1", I used different shades but followed the same routine.

8. What's the most time-consuming part of your makeup routine?
Doing my eyeliner, I have a very unsteady hand and it can often look quite shakey.

9. What's part of your routine is the most fun?
I love contouring, it really just adds a new dimension to my face and makes me look alot more fresh faced.

10. What part of your makeup makes the biggest difference in the way you look?
Definately putting on mascara, it completely changes the look of my eyes.. and the contrast with the black and the blue of my eyes really makes me eyes pop.

11. Neutral or colorful eyeshdaow?
Today neutral, but if I am going out somewhere fun than I definately think colourful is the way to go.

12. Liquid or mineral foundation?
For everyday wear I use MAC Mineralize Skinfinish in Light Medium as it lets my skin breath while still providing coverage. When I am going out and want to look well made up I wear MAC studio fix fluid.

13. Do you do your hair or makeup first?
I do my hair first, and then pin back my fringe to do my makeup, not sure why I do it that way.

14. Did you pack a makeup bag to take with you for the day?
I take a lipstick and lipgloss with me, and sometimes take oil blotting paper from the body shop.

15. When did you finish your makeup?
After I put on my lipgloss, so usually 15 minutes after I start my makeup.

I got this from xXAllieCosmeticsxX @ http://www.alliesmakeupcorner.blogspot.com/



I included a stock image of the L'Oreal Colour Riche Shine Gelee, it really is great product and I can't recommend it enough!