Monthly Archives: January 2012

Face of Australia Lychee Crush, and why I love it

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Every now and then you find a product that just fits you like a glove. It slots into your routine perfectly, matches your style, colouring and needs like it was made for you. This doesn’t happen to me very often because I’m fairly picky. But Face of Australia has found its way into my heart (and my beauty routine) with their Lip Quench SPF30+ in Lychee Crush (RRP $9.45 AUD). Just in case you’ve missed me raving about it on twitter and instagram, I thought I’d review it properly.

Now usually I’m obsessive about taking my product shots before I use the product, but this one was given to me as a gift this Christmas and the minute I saw the colour I couldn’t wait to put it on. So you’re getting product shots of a product that’s been well loved over the last month or so, sorry. (Yes, I know, very disorganised and unprofessional of me, but what can I say, I fell in love with it straight away!)

What they say:
Enriched with natural moisturisers and emollients including Jojoba Oil, Vitamin E & Shea Butter, this rich, creamy lipstick provides beautiful colour in a hydrating formula that protects your lips from harmful UV rays. Nourishes and protects whilst delivering smooth, even colour that caresses the curves of your lips. Maintain soft and supple lips and protect them from the ageing effects of the sun for totally kissable lips.

What I say:
Beautifully, but simply packaged in a matte finish black tube (which is wonderful for avoiding fingerprints) this little delight is beautifully light, super creamy and moisturising on the lips. There’s a slight scent of sunscreen at first, which I really don’t mind, but it’s hardly noticeable after a few moments. I love the fact that it’s SPF30+ because lips are often forgotten when it comes to SPF protection.

The lovely shimmery, glossy finish will last you around an hour (provided you don’t eat or drink anything) and the remaining colour will give you about another two (again, or until you eat/drink something.)

The colour is simply gorgeous. It’s a beautiful peachy, nude pink that seems to suit just about every skin tone (which probably explains why you’ll find it in nearly every Australian beauty bloggers’ arsenal). On my medium-deep/slightly yellow toned skin it provides a lovely soft flush of colour, perfect for everyday wear. Depending on how tanned I am, it can appear as an almost pale shimmery pink (if I’m deeply tanned or wearing a lot of bronzer), right through to a bright peachy pink (if I’m a little paler.)

Swatch above: Face of Australia Lip Quench SPF30+ in Lychee Crush in natural light without a flash.

Swatch above: Face of Australia Lip Quench SPF30+ in Lychee Crush in natural light with a flash.

After wearing it for a day, my lips (which tend towards dry) feel more moisturised, softer and smoother. Which is why I continue to reach for it over and over again. I’ve worn this lipstick so much over the past month that it’s hard to choose a favourite look. So here are a few Faces of the Day in which I’ve used it recently. (Please note: the below images have been taken with instagram, so some of the filters may alter the appearance of the colour.)

On Boxing Day, with a heavily lined eye:
On New Year’s Eve with a fairly deep tan and lots of bronzer (see how it appears as a lighter, paler pink?)
And finally for my Disney Princess FOTD (read the full post here) channelling Belle from Beauty and the Beast (very pale – wearing my lightest foundation with no tan at all.)

Criticisms? None really. I wish it lasted longer, but then with a formula this moisturising and glossy one can hardly argue. I’ve since purchased Face of Australia Lip Quench in Pink Champagne.

Face of Australia is available from Priceline, Kmart, Big W and selected pharmacies Australia-wide.

Do you have a Face of Australia Lip Quench lipstick in your beauty bag? Which colour? Do you love it as much as I do? Let me know! Leave me a note, stop by Facebook or tweet me.

Rosemary xox
The above product was gifted to me for Christmas by my friend Sarah at Hip&Haute. All opinions are my own and the fact that this product was gifted to me has had no effect on the above review. It just means I’m eternally grateful to Sarah for introducing us :)

The Trout Pout Adventure, or “How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Trust my Twitter Friends”

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I recently discovered the most beautifully coloured nail polish, thanks to Madison magazine. Butter London‘s Trout Pout was a free giveaway on their November edition. I’m such a sucker for magazine freebies! This one was an absolute stunner. I loved the colour so much that I grandly announced I wanted a lipstick in the exact same shade. My twitter friends came surging to my rescue with loads of helpful suggestions of brands and shades to try.

But first, let’s talk about the wonder that is Butter London Trout Pout.

What they say:
By transforming catwalk trends to custom nail colour palettes, butter LONDON has developed a passionate following. butter LONDON is the cult phenomenon of the nail industry and is fast becoming famous for our high fashion, 3 Free (non-toxic) nail lacquers and revolutionary waterless nail services. butter LONDON products are formulated without the use of the harmful ingredients like Formaldehyde, Toluene, DBP or Parabens. butter LONDON was the first company to sell non-toxic nail lacquer in the United States.

Trout Pout: An opaque shade of cantaloupe, pale and retro.


What I say:
Butter London Trout Pout is part of the new Spring/Summer 2012 collection. This is the most fabulous bright pinkish coral I have ever encountered. It’s almost impossible to capture the true colour, depth and zing of this lacquer in a photograph. It’s got a hint of hotness to it, I would describe it as almost a fluro coral-pink.

The bottles are gorgeous little rectangular creations, with black caps that line up with the bottle perfectly. They remind me of neat little Surry Hills townhouses. The first time I used a Butter London polish I tried to unscrew the entire cap. This works, on occasion, but I’ve found it easier to simply pop the cap off and unscrew the smaller, notched lid underneath.

This polish goes on beautifully with a base coat underneath, but if you put it straight onto your nails, the first coat goes a bit wonky and uneven. But don’t fret, the second coat levels it out perfectly and it dries to a high shine finish.

 It looks solid and feels dry to the touch after about a minute, but you’ll leave fingerprints if you touch it any time up until about the 8 minute mark. It stops taking fingerprints at around 8 minutes after application, but will still dent and ding up until around 18-19 minutes. And will, if you’re unfortunate enough to hit it hard, still take little marks until about 35 minutes after application, when it completely sets. However, it is completely worth it. Take half an hour, give yourself a mani/pedi (this is a great summer pedi polish) and have a glass of champagne while you wait for it to dry. As long as you don’t knock it, you’re set.

The Adventure:
I fell so head-over-heels in love with this shade that I twitpicced a photograph of my nails with the grand declaration “This is the perfect coral pink, I want trout pout for my lips!” I was met with so many wonderful suggestions and products to try. (And the absurdity of actually wanting to have a “trout pout” wasn’t lost on me.) The lovely Sarah from Hip & Haute even instagrammed me a pic of some swatches of potential applicants, with the caption… “Here are some contenders I have on hand!” *giggles uncontrollably*

The contenders were (from top to bottom): Ciccone Cosmetics in Oceanus, YSL Rouge Volupté in #30, Inglot Slim Gel Lipstick in #40.

I loved the extra little bit of pink and the hint of brightness in the bottom swatch, the Inglot. But I wondered, since it’s almost impossible to capture the true colour of this lacquer in a photograph, how is it possible to match a lipstick the same way?

But I trusted Sarah’s amazing style and experience with pink and coral lipsticks, as well as my own instincts and immediately jumped onto Inglot’s website to purchase the beautiful pinkish-coral delight. And the result? It’s a close to a perfect match as I could possibly hope for. I adore my new Inglot lippie!

Here are the swatches side by side in natural light, with a flash.

And here they are in natural light, without a flash.

I am so thrilled with both these products. If you’re a pink fan, or a coral fan, or you’re looking for a fun summer shade, go out and “trout pout” your fingers and your lips!

Butter London is available in Australia from Adore Beauty and HoneyHoney.

Have you ever had an adventure searching for a product? Have your twitter friends helped you to find something wonderful? Let me know. Leave me a note, stop by Facebook or tweet me!

Rosemary xox

Both these products were purchased with my own finances (well, the original nail polish was a freebie with Madison magazine, but I explained that already.)

Disney Princess FOTD – Beauty + The Beast

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Last night I was chatting with some friends on twitter and suddenly, for some reason we were discussing Disney Princesses. I adore the Disney Princesses, so flawless and good and generally sparkly with happiness. It was decided that the Disney Princess I most closely resembled was Belle, from Beauty & The Beast. What a wonderful compliment! I always loved that movie and Belle is incredibly beautiful. Here’s what she looks like in cartoon form.

Image courtesy 1st-cartoon.blogspot.com

The basics of Disney Princess makeup are these:
1. flawless skin
2. fluttery lashes that look natural
3. arched but natural, full eyebrows
4. flushed cheeks
5. pretty pink lips

Here’s my interpretation of Belle as a human.


It’s essential to start with a beautifully flawless base, so I chose a few products that always give me glowing, perfect skin.

Key Products
Face
Estée Lauder Double Wear Maximum Cover Foundation in 07/Medium-Deep
(warmed & applied with fingers)
Revlon PhotoReady Compact Powder in  030/Medium-Deep
(dusted over the top to set and help to matte down the foundation)
M.A.C StudioSculpt Concealer in NW25 (for illuminating under-eye circles)

Eyes
M.A.C All Races Matte Eyeshadow
(on the lid and swept up into the crease with a small blending brush)
M.A.C TenderSmoke Metallic Eyeshadow
(pressed into the crease and then allowed to collect in the outer corner of each eye to give the eyes depth) 
Napoleon Perdis China Doll Gel Liner in Equinox
(applied with a very fine angle brush right along the top lash line, and flicked out slightly beyond the lashes for an almond eyed shape)
Lash Curler (gently walked up the lashes for a wide-eyed look)
Australis Cosmetics Killer Curves Mascara in Black Brown
(Brown-black because it’s a bit softer than full-on black. Apply two coats, then comb through the lashes and apply a final coat just to the tips of the lashes)

Brows
Run a q-tip dipped in makeup remover over them to remove any traces of foundation, which would stick the hairs to your face. Then brush upwards in the direction of the growth.
Benefit BrowZings in Medium
(use the pigmented gel to define and help to keep them in place, then wet the powder brush with a little water and use the powder to fill in your brows)
Designer Brands Eyebrow Pencil in Dark Brown
(very softly and gently use the pencil to outline and define any bits still looking sparse or uneven. Then comb through again to disperse the products evenly.)

Cheeks
Australis Cosmetics Paparazzi Perfect HD Blush in Screen Siren
(applied generously to the apples of the cheeks)

Lips
Face of Australia Lip Quench SPF 30+ Moisturising Lipstick in Lychee Crush
(applied directly to the lips from the tube, blotted with a tissue and then applied again for a strong colour and super shiny finish.)

Some close-ups…

The eyes and the brows

The cheeks

The Lips

I hope you enjoyed my Disney Princess-inspired Face of the Day! I feel very happy, sunshine-y and sparkly! I could burst into song at any moment. In fact…. *wanders off looking for backing orchestra*

So my lovelies, do you have a favourite Disney Princess? Which one would you be? Would you ever try Disney Princess-inspired makeup? Let me know. Leave a comment, stop by Facebook or tweet me!

Garnier Miracle Skin Perfector BB Cream

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Awhile ago I decided it was time to try BB Cream. I started with the easiest to find: Garnier.  Which was pretty handy since their medium shade was a pretty close match to my skin. I am a big fan of foundation, but sometimes you just want something lighter, something that’s actually good for your skin.

What they say:
With a unique mix of active ingredients including vitamin C, mineral pigments, and SPF15 UV filters, Miracle Skin Perfector instantly cares for skin in 5 visible ways:

1. Long-lasting hydrating care thanks to a moisture binding formula of Hyaluronic Acid in Lipidure Microspheres which allows skin to retain moisture for 24hrs
2. Creates an even complexion with a lightly tinted formula enriched with mineral pigments to correct signs of fatigue, sun spots and dullness.
3. Corrects blemishes and imperfections to unify skin tone and create a flawless finish.
4. Boosts skin’s natural glow and radiance thanks to vitamin C – known for its anti-oxidant properties.
5. A SPF15 UV filter forms a protective barrier to help minimise the damaging effects of the
sun. 


What I say:
Garnier have created a nice all-in-one product. The packaging is simple but effective. The tube and flip-cap make it easy to use and to dispense the right amount. The cream has a very light, fresh scent that’s almost undetectable after a few moments. On my slightly sensitive, relatively oily skin it tingles a little at first (almost like when you use a very strong astringent). Depending on the level of coverage you require (I prefer as much as possible) you’ll require between a pea-sized amount and an amount around the size of a ten cent piece. The coverage is buildable to a point, but starts to cake, smear and become uneven if you try to put too much on.

The medium shade is a fairly good match for my skin (medium to dark in most foundations) although it’s got a bit of a pinkish tinge to it, especially in daylight, which is annoying if you’ve got yellow-toned skin like me. It feels almost dry to touch after a few seconds, but the finish is kind of shiny and I feel it makes my skin look oily, rather than dewy. It does, however, look much better with a layer of yellow-toned powder over the top.

I’ve got freckles, sun damage, dark circles under my eyes and redness around my nose and chin and I must say I’m impressed with the “evening-out” properties that Garnier’s BB Cream possesses, even upon first application. The mineral pigments reflect light away from things like blemishes and dark circles, although the coverage is only light so if you’ve got any serious blemishes you’ll need concealer as well. The finish is nice and natural, smooth but by no means “flawless”. Perhaps if you have perfect skin to start with, but not if you’ve got normal skin like me. A base of primer will help it to last, but you’ll definitely need to touch up if you’re planning on wearing it all day.

I’m a bit bummed that it’s only SPF 15. I mean, if you’re going to make an “all-in-one” cream you could at least make it SPF 30+ so we don’t have to use sunscreen as well. In any case, it provides a little sun protection, but not enough. It’s better than nothing, but I think if you’re wearing Garnier’s BB Cream you should be wearing an SPF 30+ sunscreen underneath as well.

All in all, it’s better than any tinted moisturiser I’ve ever tried, and it’s a fine substitute for skin-clogging foundations, especially on the weekend. I’m trying to encourage myself to wear as little makeup as possible, and this product is handy to help me feel fresh-faced, without feeling like I’m off to face the world completely bare.

Garnier Miracle Skin Perfector retails for $13.95 and is available from supermarkets and selected pharmacies. For stockists phone 1300 659 259.

Have you tried any BB Creams yet? Which ones? What did you think? Let me know. Leave your comments, stop by Facebook or tweet me.

Rosemary xox

All the above images were taken in natural light. This product was purchased with my own finances.

Happy New Year!

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I decided to do something different for New Year’s Eve this year. I planned an elaborate cocktail party at home for just me and my boy. We got dressed up and swanned around drinking home-made banana, strawberry and kiwi daiquiris.

I put on my prettiest, most celebratory dress, covered in gold sequins, and draped myself in gold jewellery. We turned up the music and danced around our loungeroom. We dined like kings on delicious antipasto, Afgan bread and lots of cheese, and we played with sparklers and glow-sticks. As the clock struck twelve he pulled me close and kissed me. I loved my little heart-key necklace/bracelet so much that I wore it to bed. It feels like a good luck charm.

Happy New Year Everyone! May 2012 bring blessings, hard work, fun, silliness, friendship, good food, mistakes, growth and beauty.

Dress: Backstage Give Me Fever Backless Bodycon Sequin dress from Glue Store
Key Necklace (worn as bracelet): Heart Key Necklace from Rubi Shoes (bought in-store)
Charm Bracelet: Lulu & Rose Hayden Bracelet from Glue Store
Ring: Encrusted Skull Ring in Gold from Sportsgirl
Nail Polish: L’Oreal Resist & Shine Titanium in Gold/738

On my face:
Foundation: Napoleon Perdis Stick Foundation in Look #4
Powder: Revlon PhotoReady Powder in Medium/Deep
Eyeshadow: Chanel Irréelle Duo in 78 Acqua Alta
Eyeliner: Napoleon Perdis China Doll Gel Liner in Equinox
Mascara: Australis Cosmetics Killer Curves Mascara in Black
Brows: Benefit BrowZings in Medium
Bronzer: Natio Pressed Powder Bronzer
Blush: Estée Lauder Signature Silky Powder Blush in Peach Nuance
Highlighter: Dior Amber Diamond Poudre Shimmer
Lipstick: Face of Australia Lip Quench in Lychee Crush

How was your New Year’s Eve? How did you celebrate? Leave me a note, tweet me or stop by the new Lashes & Lattes facebook page.

Rosemary xox