What's New From Maybelline

Haul and mini review

I recently went makeup shopping at Priceline a few weeks ago where Maybelline was half price. You can imagine my excitement, crazily swatching colours, even squatting down to choose a product. That’s the only time I will engage in any form of physical exercise: true beauty dedication. What I ended up walking out with were all new Maybelline products (well, new to Australia at least!). In retrospect I realised that I only bought newly released products because I already owned every other makeup item from Maybelline. 

SuperStay 7 Days Gel nail colour

Shades(in order): Eternal Lilac 210, Forevermore Green 625, Surreal 635

I went a little overboard with the nail polishes but these are a new formula, promising to give 7 days of wear. I will say that I have tried one of the shades but it did not last as long as it claimed to. Personally, nail polish will always chip after a few days on me and I tend to choose polishes based on the colour selection. This formula had limited but amazing colours and I was even tempted to pick up a fourth that Amelia Liana had raved about, but I decided to restrain myself to just three. I am in love with the lilac shade and have worn it two weeks straight, something completely uncommon for me. However, I am yet to try the others.  

Color Elixir Color Sensational Creamy Lip Lacquer

Shade: Fuschia Flourish 075

If my Lip Product Addict TAG wasn’t an indication of my obsession than this completely unjustified lip purchase may be. It’s packaged nicely, it was fairly inexpensive at half price off, I had heard UK bloggers’ love for it and the colour is gorgeous. Look at me trying to defend another lip purchase; a sign of a true addict! I did try it immediately, fumbling with the sticker in the car, and although it’s a gloss, it has great pigmentation and it stays around for a while, though it can be a little sticky. 

(Please excuse the fingerprints on the metal lid!)

Colour tattoo pure pigment

Shade: 40 Improper copper

The third purchase is an eyeshadow that is actually a loose pigment; something of a rarity on the lower scale of beauty. I couldn’t decide on a shade but I opted for this rich, chocolate tone that would be great for a night look. It looked very nice swatched on my hand but I will have to test it on my eyes. 

Brow drama sculpting brow mascara

Shade: Medium brown

Lastly, a brow product. Not a fan of strong brows I tend to shy away from using anything at all on my eyebrows, apart from a little clear brow gel every now and again. I tried this yesterday and it seemed to give me fuller looking, less sparse brows by slightly tinting them a shade close to my natural hair. It did come off a little darker than my actual hair colour but it was nothing too noticeable, I even asked my mum ‘can you notice anything different?’ The whole aim is for it to look as if I have no product through my brows, and this seemed to achieve this. 

I may have to shy away from the Maybelline counter for a little while after this...

What are your favourite Maybelline products?

OOTD#4 Shades of Cool

This outfit was inspired by my gorgeous blue bag that I bought from H&M which was featured in this post. Cornflower blue is one of my favourite colours and the shades of this outfit are pretty close to it, making it even more of a pleasure to wear. I am a fan of matching pieces based on colour, but doing it in a tasteful way that doesn’t make me look like a blueberry (Charlie and the chocolate factory reference: ‘you’re going violet, Violet’). The pompom tailed scarf from Sportsgirl was a perfect addition to the look that was effective in terms of its practicality, and its overall aesthetic pleasure, while the nail polish was colour matching executed subtly. This is designed to be a lilac shade but it changes on my nails after about a day or so, transforming into the perfect shade of cornflour blue. In essence this is a very simple look with minimal accessories, with the main focus on the blue shade. Underneath the scarf I am wearing a very simple grey sweatshirt that I bought from Kmart a few months back. I could honestly wear this pullover as loungewear at home it is that comfortable, but pairing it with the scarf and the chic handbag make it outing appropriate. Again, a very simple look, but sometimes simplicity creates sartorial genius. In the wise words of Coco, ‘before you leave the house, look in the mirror and take one thing off.’ In this case I would probably catch a cold if I took anything off, but you can never defy Coco. And yes, I use her first name because I’m sure we were best friends in another life.  

Outfit details:

Scarf- Sportsgirl

Leggings- Glassons

Jumper- Kmart

Handbag- H&M

Boots- Lipstik

Ring & Bracelet- Pandora

Watch- Fossil

Nails- Essie ‘Lilacism’ 

New Bathroom Products

The Body Shop Brazil nut shower cream

I am actually new to using body washes as I previously just used bar soaps. I stumbled into The Body Shop the other weekend looking for a face primer, when it was advertised that majority of their products had a permanently reduced price. You can imagine my excitement as I crazily began smelling all the body butters, the scrubs and the body washes. Though I absolutely loved the scent of the grapefruit scrub, I decided to give the Brazil nut body wash a chance. The main reason I was drawn to this product was the scent. I was expecting quite a generic, not too overpowering nutty scent like the shea butter, but was pleasantly surprised by the sweetness of the Brazil nut. It was interesting that only the body wash had the sugary element, while the body butter was more subdued and ordinary. I am very excited to try this, and I hope the fragrance with linger even after the shower is over. 

Soap&Glory The Breakfast Scrub

This is actually a repurchase as I was getting down to the very last remnants of my old scrub. The only negative I have about this product is the newly shaped packaging, which has the shape of a body butter, and not the almost inverted dome that this scrub used to be. It is very rare that I repurchase bathroom products, so when I do it means that I have really loved using the product and am in desperate need of restocking. This is perhaps the most effective scrub that I have used; others are either not harsh enough or so course that they strip moisture from the skin. Not only do the sugar particles in this scrub actually scrub the skin, when mixed with water the product has a milky property, moisturising the skin simultaneously. The smell, however, is the most attractive feature of this scrub. Each time I use this I may or may not stand in the shower for at least two minutes inhaling the sweet, maple syrup-like scent. This is definitely better smelling than any breakfast I’ve ever had, but I’ll take the scrub any day over real life pancakes. Just a final note, do not eat the scrub. I know it’s tempting, but take my advice, it does not taste as good as it smells. 

Beauty Care exfoliating mitt

The main reason I bought this is because I thought it would be perfect to feature in a blog post. It’s just so cute! Of course I did not spend my entire week’s pay on this, it merely put me back $4 as I purchased it from Kmart. That place can really do me no wrong! It is a hand held loofer in the shape of an apple, assisting with the ease of exfoliating the body. Where the old fashioned loofers were on a long, wooden stick to reach the awkward places on your back, this one is designed to easily scrub the arms, legs and the rest of the body. In the same way you would apply fake tan with a mitt, you just rub the cream coloured side over the skin in circular motions when wet. It subtly, manually exfoliates the body, which aids in the regeneration of new skin by removing the dead skin cells. If you find sugar scrubs a little harsh, this is a perfect way to get smooth legs without irritating the skin. 

Five Minute Face

Now that I think about it I rarely have more than five minutes to do my makeup. I don’t wear any makeup on school days, but I do work after school and on the weekend, and like to look a little more presentable (i.e not scare the customers away!). Whether I have to leave straight after school or early in the morning, I have to prioritise my makeup decisions. Today I bring you five makeup products that can be slapped on in around five minutes. 

I always opt for big lashes and these Shu Uemura eyelash curlers assist my lashes to curl and give me the wide-eyed look I prefer. It seems like a pretty boring step but it definitely makes a difference for me; I couldn’t put my makeup on without it. This pair is only $29 and can easily be picked up from David Jones. Next up is mascara, which is the Rimmel Lash Excellerator Endless. I must admit that this is not my all time favourite mascara but it does add volume and a little length (feel free to swap this out with your preferred one). Then onto the base. The one that I have used for over a year and does not seem to have run out is the Garnier Miracle Skin Perfector BB cream in Light. When you first apply this BB cream it doesn’t seem to do much; the coverage is light, it blends well and sinks into the skin but it doesn’t look flawless. However, when you look into the mirror post application your skin will look healthy and slightly more perfected with the redness covered. The finish is very natural and it is comfortable to wear. Being a product from Garnier I associate it as more of a skincare item than makeup, and I don’t feel as if I am clogging my pores. I would, however, recommend the Oily/Combination version to those inclined to a little shiny-ness, or you could simply set the cream with a mattifying powder as it can get a little too dewy at times. To cover up any imperfections or redness the Maybelline Fit Me concealer does a really good job at a drugstore price. It has medium to full coverage and sticks around quite well. The shade I have is 10 which is a little dark for highlighting but is perfect for covering up blemishes. Those who can pull of this shade as a highlighter are lucky as the creamy texture is perfect for under eye circles, down the bridge of the nose, the chin and forehead. The applicator on this is also quite handy and very Nars Radiant Creamy concealer-esque. Lastly something to put on the lips. A tinted lipbalm like the Maybelline Baby Lips in Pink Lolita not only adds moisture but a little colour to the lips. This is perhaps the easiest step as it doesn’t require a mirror, but if you need a little flush to your cheeks then you can use this as a makeshift blush. Swirl your finger over the product and then tap onto the apples of the cheeks. The positive of doing this is not only using one product for two purposes, but it gives a radiant and natural looking blush that a powder rarely gives. Also, no brushes needed. Score. 

And there it is. A five minute guide to makeup using five products. In fact, it probably took longer to read this post than it does to actually apply the makeup. 

Boohoo Mini Sale Haul

This is quite a long name for a short post. I received my package from Boohoo at the start of the week and thought that I might as well show you my sale purchases. I thought this post would be most relevant now, so hopefully the items are not yet sold out. Three quite random pieces at an amazing price, let’s get on with the haul...

Bonjour Tee shirt

Though I do find slogan t-shirts extremely cute I tend not to buy them as I just never wear them, and the slogan’s fashion credibility is usually temporary. Ones with French writing, however, are a must. Firstly, being a French student myself I can understand the English translation (though they usually print well known phrases), and I have a love for French culture in general. I am just really drawn to French sloganed tees and I feel as if I have to own them all. Not only was this one in pink it was around ten dollars. Can you really go wrong? (in case you were wondering the answer is no). Maybe I can wear this to inspire me to do my French homework. That was a little farfetched. 

Gingham mini skirt

My favourite pattern is gingham (an ode to the Wizard Of Oz), and in particular, navy gingham. This skirt looked like it would be an easy piece to add to an existing wardrobe and a more exciting, casual version of a black mini skirt. Again, the price was ridiculously cheap at eight dollars. For this price I really wasn’t expecting much in terms of fabric quality, and my predictions were correct. It’s a very thin material so if it’s quality you’re after, I would give this one a miss. 

(Update: now only six dollars!)

Collared skater dress

While the skirt was a Wizard Of Oz inspired piece, this dress is a reference to my other favourite childhood film; Alice in Wonderland. While I don’t really want to tumble down the rabbit hole and almost drown in a sea of my own tears, I can still channel the whimsical aura that surrounds Alice. Think of it as Alice’s dress without the white apron; collared, blue and floaty. Nipped in at the waist, it’s my perfect style. **Cue nostalgic sigh**