Category Archives: Review

Meet The Uber Tan – Best. Spray Tan. Ever!

Posted on by
24

I’m a dedicated fake tanner. I love a good faux glow. But I don’t like to look like I’m wearing a fake tan, I mean, does anyone?! I want to look naturally tanned! It’s taken me a while to find one that’s so fab that I don’t have to even think about it. Just book it once a week and enjoy the rest of your summer, thank you very much!

I always kind of felt like I was going with the ‘best available’ until the next thing came along, constantly chopping and changing (and even mixing them together) in the quest for something better. But I’ve discovered it. The holy grail. The ÜBER TAN.

Minx Tan at DMK Skin Meet my favourite summer discovery: Minx Tan, available at DMK Skin in Sydney’s Crows Nest. Not only is it a super-natural colour, but depending on the level of tanning you’re looking for, you can wash it off in between 2 and 6 hours. The beautiful Elisha at Danné Montague King in Crows Nest did my tan for me. And I’ve now booked her in for the rest of the decade!

Minx Tan The Super Fake Tan at DMK Skin Crows Nest
The difference, I’m told (and it’s visible almost immediately once you’ve been sprayed) is the addition of both green and purple base colours. “Base colours are added to counteract and neutralise the skin tone when exposed to DHA. On the colour spectrum, green is opposite to orange, so green is used to counteract brassy ‘orange’ tones which can occur,” the fabulous people at Minx Tan tell me. “Purple will assist in neutralising shades of yellow. Additionally, a purple hue will create a deeper and more natural-looking faux tan that is suitable for all skin tones.”

Minx Tan The Uber Tan at DMK Skin Crows Nest 2 The tanning liquid is non-sticky, it dries within minutes, even after two or more coats, AND it’s fragrance free (no icky tanning smell.) Minx have created their unique formulas with over 90% natural and organic ingredients like Hawaiian Sea Extract, Sea Kelp, Aloe Vera and Pro Vitamins, meaning they’re gentle on your skin, hydrating and your tan lasts heeeeaps longer!

Minx Tan the backI’ve chosen the deepest colour available, Eclipse, but the tan also comes in a light and medium shade as well. See how even around the elbows it doesn’t look orange? Swooon!

Minx Tan The Uber Tan Fake Tan at DMK Skin Crows Nest Which means I, can enjoy the rest of my summer, grab any opportunity to jump into a photo, show off my tan and spend more time doing important things like taking silly selfies in the car ;)

Much silliness and photo taking now possible!To book YOUR Minx Tan in Sydney, phone Danné Montague King (DMK Skin) in Crow’s Nest on 1300 007 546. Tans are available between 9-5pm Monday to Friday. Run, don’t walk!

Love,
Rosie xox

AQUA! Rimmel Exaggerate Eye Definer Review + Photos

Posted on by
16

I have been saying for the past few months that “blue eye makeup is going to make a comeback!” Especially for summer. Now I’m not sure if it actually IS making a comeback, or if I’m seeing a lot of blue eye makeup because I want to see a lot of blue eye makeup. Case in point: I popped into Priceline recently to take a look at their new Essence display and found myself distracted by this pretty little lovely on the Rimmel stand instead.

Mmmm… aqua-tastic! I simply HAD to have it. Those of you who know me know I have an unwavering devotion to eye makeup of any kind, and eye liner in particular, so any new eye liner is a source of immediate and overwhelming excitement for me.

This little pretty has a wind-up liner (Genius! I honestly don’t have the time to sharpen my eye pencils, and the wind-up ones always give a much finer line. Besides that, my boy gets cross with me when I accidentally drop eyeliner specks while sharpening, which then somehow find their way into: his/my newest and nicest white shirt/freshly laundered sheets/only-just-vaccuumed carpet and various other annoying places. But I digress.) Can I just say? Look how gorgeous the colour is!! Loooook!

It’s actually the same colour as the packaging. Now how often does THAT happen? And the colour pay-off didn’t let me down either.

Above is a swatch of the colour in natural light. Boyyyyy howdy it’s Aqua! (Hence the exclamation mark in my post title.) It’s got just enough white in it to really make the colour pop against my skintone. And it’s so deliciously creamy too. I barely needed to touch the tip to my skin. The colour just glides on like butter. Or something else that’s a little less kitchen-y and a little more appropriate for gliding onto your hands.

And here, above, is a swatch of the colour taken with a flash. It’s a little more aqua, with a slightly greener look in this shot and not quite as deep as it appears in natural light. The true colour, in my opinion, is actually closer to the top swatch.

And the verdict? I’m addicted. I’ve been using it to line my inner, lower lids to add a dash of freshness to my makeup (and to shake things up a bit.) I can’t wait to try it on my upper lids for a full-on aqua eye look. It glides on creamy and it stays put. All day. And my days are long. It doesn’t slip and slide around, it doesn’t gravitate towards your lash-line — or worse, below your eye — and it certainly doesn’t give you blue panda eyes. This is a winner lovelies!

Rimmel Exaggerate Automatic Waterproof Eye Definer (RRP $12.50) is available from Priceline, Kmart, Target, Big W, Coles supermarkets & selected pharmacies nationally.

Love,
Rosie xxx

Find me: Facebook // Twitter // Instagram // Pinterest

p.s. Per my disclosure policy, I purchased this little piece of pretty with my own cash. The above review is my honest opinion. I have not been compensated for this review or for mentioning this product. 

30 Days of Lippy – Week Three

Posted on by
12

The third week of 30 Days of Lippy is where it got tough. There were some days I didn’t think I was going to make it. Some days I looked at the list and said “really?” And some days where I completely lost the plot and actually missed applying lipstick at all. (Like Day 17, which I swear I did, but for the life of me I can’t find the photo!) But I pushed through, and I made some awesome discoveries as a result.

Day Fifteen – Brown

Australis Colour Inject Mineral Lipstick in Foxtrot: I bought this in a fit of 90s nostalgia, after staring at old pictures of Linda Evangelista and Christy Turlington. I used to own several brown, bronze, gold lipsticks, but they all disappeared. When I first put this on, I actually really disliked it. To the point where I actually wiped it off. I reapplied it later in the day and was quite pleased with the result. It’s not the type of colour I usually wear, even if I am being adventurous. But I must say I love how creamy and delicious this colour makes my skin look! I’m used to colours that play up my eyes, and I think that’s what threw me. The lipstick itself is gorgeously moisturising, so creamy and lasts a solid 2-3 hours (assuming you don’t eat or drink anything). The beautiful pearl finish also makes your lips look extra voluminous.

Day Sixteen – Two-tone Lip

I wasn’t totally happy with my two-tone lip result. But it was an experience. I used MAC Violetta^ (which I can’t find for purchase anywhere anymore!) and Jager Flirt Fruit Glaze to try to create a sort of gold to purple ombré look. But it just came out all smudgy and kind of brown.  Separately, these lipsticks are both gorgeous, but together, well… they kind of suck. So key outtake? I need more experience creating a two-tone lip look.

Day Seventeen – The darkest lipstick you own
As I said, I swear I did this one, but I can’t for the life of me find the photo anywhere! In any case, the darkest lipstick I own actually makes another appearance later on. It’s Eles Cosmetics Micro Bubble Lipstick in Micro Cranberry. And it’s a verrrry cool shade.

Day Eighteen – Berry-licious
MeMeMe Cosmetics Light Me Up Lipgloss in Intense (#8)*. Boy howdy! Something about this lipgloss just brings out the Jessica Rabbit in me. Maybe it’s the rich red berry colour or the super luscious shiny finish, but after trying this for Berry-licious, it has made its way into my regular makeup bag. Like any gloss it doesn’t last a long time, but for the hour or so that it does, it works hard for the money. Deep, highly pigmented colour that spreads evenly over your lips and settles to a gorgeous glossy not-nearly-as-sticky-as-you-think-it-will-be shine? Oh yes please!

Day Nineteen – Sheer Flush

Burt’s Bees tinted lip balm in Pink Blossom. This is one of my favourite lip care products. It’s so rich and creamy, it leaves my lips feeling amazing: so moisturised, so soft and always more voluminous. I love the colour of pink blossom, it’s the perfect pretty pink flush for my skintone. It’s got a slight rosy undertone which matches my natural cheek flush perfectly, so it always looks natural and fresh. I reapply this about twice an hour, just for maximum benefit, and also because it’s super pretty! This is easy peasy pretty. One lip balm and you’re sorted.

Day Twenty – Orange Red

Eles Cosmetics Micro Bubble Lipstick in Micro Cranberry*. Now, I don’t own any orange red lipsticks, but I do own THIS. An absolutely divine cranberry red which I’ve just been looking for an excuse to wear. According to Instagram, this is your favourite of ALL my 30 Days of Lippy pics and to be honest, I think it’s mine too. *nonchalantly changes twitter profile pic to the above* The colour is a delicious combination of berry and red which suits my weird pale yellow skintone to a T. It is one of the creamiest, most moisturising lipsticks I have ever worn and it goes on smoothly, doesn’t stick in any creases or catch on any dry bits, creating a flawless pout which remains moisturised throughout the day. It lasts a solid 4-5 hours depending on how much Red Bull and coffee you drink, but even as it fades, it becomes a delicious berry stain that looks just as good as a creamy berry lipstick. Even better? It doesn’t ghost me out. For such a deep cranberry, it has just the right amount of warmth and depth to create a luscious pout, while still allowing my skintone to shine and my cheeks to look pretty and flushed. No fading into the background for this girl!

Day Twenty One – Use a lip pencil to fill your lips

Clinique Quickliner for lips in Perfect Poppy (which is a shade no longer available, although here is one that’s very similar). This is one lip pencil I can’t live without! A great red lip pencil is key to achieving an amazing red lip look that’s even, neat and sleek. I love the colour of this one, although it’s a lot more red than it appears here. I applied Lanolips lip ointment with colour in Rhubarb over the top, which “pinked” it up a little more and added a gorgeous glossy shine. Perfect Poppy is creamy, goes on smooth and sticks fast. It’s not hard, waxy or sharp and when I used it to fill my lips they didn’t feel dry at all. In fact, I loved the “stained gloss” look so much that I’ve used it several times since in similar ways. Who knew a lip pencil could be so versatile?!

So lovelies, what have been your can’t-live-without lip products over the last few weeks? I always love to hear about what you’re wearing!

Did you miss the earlier 30 Days of Lippy weekly round-ups? Check them out here: Week 1, and here: Week 2.

Love,
Rosie xox

Find me: Facebook // Twitter // Pinterest // Instagram

Per my Disclosure Policy, items marked with * were kindly provided to me for editorial consideration for this blog. Items marked with ^ were kindly provided to me for editorial consideration as the Editor of Modern Hair+Beauty and/or Luxury Weddings and I liked them so much I decided to include them here too.

NYC NEON POLISHES – Review + Swatches

Posted on by
14

Nail polish is the easiest, cheapest, fastest way to dip into a fashion trend and update your look, as well as brighten up your day. NYC Colour have some awesome colours and at just $2 a pop, they’re super wallet-friendly as well. They have a huge range of colours (somewhere around 80 shades total) and they’re available all over the place: local pharmacy, convenience store, Woolworths & Coles as well as online.

I was recently gifted four of what have to be the coolest shades in the NYC range: (all NEONS) Glow Worm, Gelati, Show Off and Shocking Pink by my beautiful friend Adrienne of Lot Deux. She’s gorgeous and so ridiculously talented. Go and check out her blog!

As per usual, I trialled these polishes with no base or top coat, however, in order to get the best neon results and depth of colour, I required three coats, instead of my usual two.

Let’s start with Show Off. A hot, sizzling neon pink that makes your tan pop, your nails look amazing (no matter what the length) and goes with pretty much everything. Definitely one for the pink girls.
This photograph doesn’t quite capture it’s “neon-ness”. It’s got much more oomph and is far brighter, far more vibrant. Show Off is touch dry at 4 mins 45 secs, however you’ll still leave fingerprints up until the 8 minute mark. It will dent and/or ding if you’re unlucky enough to hit it right up until about the 20 minute mark when it sets solid. The first coat looks a little streaky but the second and third coats level out beautifully. I got 6 days solid wear out of this, with no top coat. Very impressive.

Next up is Glow Worm. The most neon of any neon yellow polish I have ever tried. It’s like wearing a glow stick on your nails. If you’re looking to try neon polish for the first time, I recommend this one.
It’s touch dry at around 7 minutes, although you’ll still leave fingerprints up until about 9 minutes and 30 seconds, if you’re unlucky enough to dent or ding them you will leave a mark until around the 30 minute point when the polish sets solid. I know, it’s a long dry time. But it is totally worth it. This polish lasted 7 whole days for me with no top coat. The first signs of wear started on day 8, with slight wearing away of the polish on the tips of my nails (probably because I’m constantly typing), but no outright chips.

Looking for a secondary neon? Why not take a look at Gelati! It’s a hot neon orange with a real wow factor. Your nails actually vibrate on their own frequency when wearing this colour. Sunlight bounces off of it like dirty disco lights and I wouldn’t be surprised if it glowed in the dark (but to be honest, I didn’t try that.) Again, this photograph does not do it justice at all. It is soooo much hotter and so much more neon than this.

Gelati is touch dry at 6 mins and 40 seconds, although you’ll still leave fingerprints up until about 8 minutes and 30 seconds. If you’re not lazing around with a glass of champagne waiting for them to dry, and you accidentally hit them on something they will ding, right up until about the 25 minute mark when the polish sets solid. Again, I was super impressed with the wear of this polish. I got a full 7 days out of it with no top coat and no base coat. The first signs of wear were as per previous, just at the tips of my nails, but no outright chips. Unlike Show Off and Glow Worm however, Gelati is level from the first coat.

Finally, rounding out the quartet of NEON awesomeness is Shocking Pink. Not quite as neon as the other three, it’s still a solid electric purple pink. Perfect for easing into the neon trend if you’re a little unsure.
Shocking Pink is touch dry in just 5 minutes. You’ll leave fingerprints up until around 6 minutes 30 and it will dent if you hit it hard enough right up until about 19 minutes after application, when it sets solid. Shocking Pink’s first coat is a little wobbly, but the second and third even out beautifully. Surprise surprise! I got 6 days wear out of this baby, not quite as long as Glow Worm or Gelati, but still very impressive with no top coat or base coat. Again, no outright chips, but the first signs of wear were a thinning of the colour on the tips of my nails.

All in all, at $2 per polish I was expecting very little of them aside from incredible colour. I was very pleasantly surprised to find that they wear really well and outlast some of my much more expensive polishes by several days (and almost a full week in some cases.)

Grab these babies from selected pharmacies, convenience stores and petrol stations, as well as Woolworths & Coles. For more consumer questions and stockists phone 1800 181 040.

Have a great weekend dolls! And don’t forget, you’ve got just over 24 hours to enter my WIN a Makeup Box Competition.

Love,
Rosie xox

Find me: Facebook // Twitter // Pinterest // Instagram 

The Girl with the Magic Comb

Posted on by
5

I am NOT one of those people who just wakes up with amazing hair. I work with some of them though… and while I love admiring their perfect locks, it frustrates me that my hair requires so much attention and energy to look exactly the same. At least, I thought it did. Little did I realise that a few little tweaks to my usual hair routine would make such a major difference! Don’t worry, I’m not going to do that mysterious “I have amazing hair but I’m not going to tell you how” thing.

It all started with the delivery of a wooden comb.

I read up on Carpenter Tan’s Luxury Hair Accessories, and the benefits really astounded me. Their wooden combs are handcrafted using only the finest sustainable and ethically sourced timbers. I received the Ivy Comb in Peachwood (RRP $8.95). It’s a fine-toothed comb, naturally finished and specifically designed to reduce structural damage to the hair, while reinvigorating the scalp.

Now I was a bit dubious at first. A comb? Really? That’s it? But after using it for a month, I’ve noticed such a change in the quality and texture of my hair. Because it’s made from natural materials, it is much gentler on your hair and it helps to distribute your natural hair oils (which are so much better for your hair than any treatment) from your scalp, down through the mid-lengths and ends of your hair. Being a balayaged babe, I am keen to try anything that will help add some moisture to my poor bleached ends.

And the beautiful workmanship is just a plus, I love how pretty the combs are! Now, as you all know, I’m a Leo (so aside from loving beautiful things) my mane is my pride and joy. Anything that will improve said mane is immediately put into regular circulation. The other wonderful thing about the Carpenter Tan’s Combs is that they’re naturally anti-static. Hair static is something I struggled with until recently. But now, it’s all smooth baby smooth. After using the comb morning and evening my balayaged ends are in much better condition, they’re no longer frizzy and fried-looking and they’ve actually got some shine to them (which I didn’t have to spray in). And the extra blood-flow to my scalp has helped with some dryness and I swear has actually made my hair grow faster.

The one other plus, which I was super impressed with, is that with regular use, my blow-dries lasted much longer than usual. If you’re like me, your blow dry looks amazing the day you get it done, but after sleeping on it, it goes a bit… flat and messy. I used to wake up after a blow dry with the ends of my hair all stuck together, hair sticking out at weird angles… but using a natural wood comb has made all the difference. And I’m giving my new extensions the wooden comb treatment too. They are definitely thanking me for it!

Blow Dry Day 1
(Now, after this is when it usually all goes awry.)

Blow Dry Day 2

Still smooth, shiny and straight! It was a little knotty on the ends, but a little combing took care of that quick smart.

Blow Dry Day 3

Now I didn’t wake up quite as smooth this day, there was a little kink in the front which I had to tong to smooth out, but aside from that, I am super impressed! I’ve never had a blow dry last thing long or this well before!

Here are a few more tips on keeping your locks looking AH-MAY-ZING!

1. Sleep on a satin pillowcase – the slippery, sleek nature of the silk means your hair can slide around as much as it likes, it will be less tangled and much smoother when you awake.
2. Use a wide tooth comb to comb through wet hair – you’ll lose less hair and it’s far less damaging than trying to brush your hair straight out of the shower.
3. Just like your Mum and Nanna said – comb (or brush) your hair before you go to bed. It doesn’t have to be 100 strokes like Marcia Brady, but using a naturally based tool will help to invigorate your scalp, increase blood-flow to the hair follicles and help distribute all those good hair oils down through the shaft of the hair.
4. Use a high quality treatment at least once a week to really plump up and moisturise your ends. I love Moroccan Oil Restorative Hair Masque. And make sure you comb it through for the best possible results.
5. Always use a heat protector when heat styling your hair. I use KMS California Hot Flex Spray.

So lovelies, is your mane your pride and joy? How do you keep it in tip top condition? Let me know!

For more information on Carpenter Tan’s Luxury Hair Accessories, check out their website.

Love,
Rosie xox

p.s. Have you entered to WIN A MAKEUP BOX yet? Get on it!

Find me: Facebook // Twitter // Pinterest // Instagram

Per my disclosure statement this product was kindly sent to me for editorial consideration. I have not been compensated for this review. All opinions are my own and are honest.