myNail Art – Stone Marble

I absolutely LOVE getting my nails done (who doesn’t?) and I equally love doing my own nails myself.
I find it relaxing actually. I normally do mine during the weekend while catching up on some of my favourite YouTubers. And just in time for a new week ahead, I’ve noticed a trend floating around in the nail art community, which happens to be the marble technique.

So I decided this week I’d try it out for myself and attempt the Stone Marble look.
The items you need are quite simple. White nail polish for the base, grey or black nail polish for the marble effect and a top coat.
You’ll also need, a bowl of room temperature water, hair spray, Q-tips and nail polish remove (it can get a little messy)
If you have all these items, read ahead and check out my tutorial on the stone marble nail art!

Step 1: After you’ve done your personal nail care of cutting, filing and buffing. Apply a base coat before you apply two coats of you favourite white nail polish.

Step 2: Once your base colour has fully dried, we can now get to the fun stuff. Have a bowl of room temperature water ready and make sure that it’s not too cold or not too hot. With your chosen colour of either gray or black, as close as you can to the surface of the water, let a few drops fall. The nail polish will spread evenly out on the surface of the water. If it doesn’t, make sure that your nail polish isn’t too old and that it’s nice and shaken before use. During trial and error, I found that if I used an older polish, that it wouldn’t work so well.

Step 3: Almost immediately after dropping some nail polish on to the water, lightly spray some hair spray on top. This will react to the nail polish and create a web like effect. Once you’ve sprayed the hair spray, carefully dip your finger (nail down) on to the desired part of the grey or black nail polish and leave for a few seconds.

Step 4: While your finger is still in the water, use a Q-tip or toothpick to collect the excess nail polish floating around. Take your finger out of the water and clean off any nail that’s left on your finger.

Step 5: Apply a top coat and wait for it to dry. Once your nail polish is completely dried, follow the steps again on all your other nails!

And voila! Stone marble nail art! It’s a really fun and different way to paint your nails but trust me, if you’re in a rush, this is not the nail technique for you. It’s tedious and sometimes downright frustrating, when the hair spray doesn’t react to the nail polish like you want it to. Believe me, I know! But if you’re into your nail art, you can appreciate the different designs each nail will look like. And remember, you don’t have to do a white base with gray or black. You have all the colours of the rainbow to be creative with! Check out some of the other water marble designs below and get some #NailArtInspo!

Until next time,

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my Throw Back Thursday – Halloween Edition

Today for TBT, I wanted to reminisce to last Halloween 2014. The time of when my whole makeup and beauty blogging would begin. It was then when I realised my love for makeup and special effects. All my friends had hobbies of their own like motorbikes, fashion, music, art and I always wondered why I didn’t have a hobby of my own. That was the day when I realised, it was right in front of me all a long. I was a collector of makeup and I loved making creations by using the products! Since then, my makeup and skin care collection has grown significantly and I’ve also started collecting supplies for special effects makeup! I’m looking forward to not only making some new creations but also improving on my skills and sharing it with you all.

My readers, my followers and the people who are just passing by, you’re feedback means so much to me and I appreciate you even taking your time to like, comment and/or follow.

Until next time,

myFavourites for January

What?! It’s February already?! Since when?!
No wonder I’m late for my January favourites!

Anyway, here’s a list of some of my beauty and non beauty favourites for the month of January. In no particular order, lets start with makeup!

Rimmel London – Wake Me Up Concealer – $14.95
I’m actually late on this bandwagon and I’ve been noticing a lot of people rave about this concealer all over social media! So I grabbed one and I’ve been loving it! It has a great full coverage consistency to cover all the unwanted blemishes, redness or dark circles, yet it’s still super blendable and light weight on your face.
I grabbed the shade lighter to my skin tone and it works wonders as a highlighter under the eyes. It doesn’t crease and with just a little power on top, it lasts all day! For the price and the quality, it’s definitely worth the hype!

Savvy by DB – Ultra Matte Lip Colour “Lights, Camera” – $7.99

I bought this after recommendation from other beauty bloggers on Instagram and to be honest I wasn’t expecting anything special. I swatched it on my hand while I was in store and at the end of the day noticed that the swatch hadn’t rubbed off! Not one bit! I fell in love with the “Lights, Camera” shade (it’s no secret I love my nudes lip shades) and the colour has also been said to be a close dupe for MACs Velvet Teddy as well as Lime Crime’s Cashmere! It is a little drying on the lips when it dries matte but I just applied some lip balm on top and I was good to go!

Essence – Lash Princess Mascara – $6.75
Ahhh!!! I think I’ve found a new favourite mascara! This mascara, separates lashes, thickens and lengthens! With the cobra shape wand it catches each individual lash and makes it easier to apply for hard to reach lashes. It’s also great and holding the curl of your lashes all day. I actually can’t stop looking at my lashes, they’ve never looked so full and long before!
I’m going to say it… I think it’s even better than the Benefit They’re Real mascara… There, I’ve said it. I’m going to leave it at that.

St Ives – Fresh Skin Apricot Scrub – $9.99
Ever since I was a teenager in high school I’ve been using the St Ives Apricot Scrub and it was only during December last year that I stopped using it to try out other products. It wasn’t until January that I started using it again and forgot how much I loved it! What I love about it are the little beads that scrub and exfoliate your face. Now this is purely a personal preference but I love how rough and coarse it feels on my skin. It really feels like I’m getting all the dirt out of my pores. A lot of people don’t like it because it feels harsh on their skin but if you use a gentle hand you should be fine. I love this stuff and I’m never leaving it behind again.

EOS Lip Balm “Pomegranate Raspberry”
Unfortunately the EOS lip balms are sold in any stores in Australia. I’ve heard that they only sell them at Costo Sydney and Melbourne however I’ve never checked. I got given this as a Christmas present and I’ve been trying my hardest to not over use it because then it’ll be all gone! It’s so moisturising and leaves your lips super smooth, oh and did I mention they taste yummy too?! I’m dying to get my hands on some more flavours and have a little collection going. Aren’t the little egg shaped packaging just the cutest thing you’ve ever seen?!

Juicy Couture – Viva La Juicy “Gold Couture” perfume – $110.00 (100ML)
This is favourite came as another Christmas gift and I’ve been loving it all throughout January! Now I’m horrible as describing scents so I’ll just copy and paste what Juicy Couture themselves have described the perfume to be.
” A decadent rendition of Viva la Juicy that indulges the senses with luscious wild berries, a kiss of honeysuckle and a luxurious elixir of golden amber, melted caramel, and vanilla”

Yup, go buy it.

Revenge – (Channel 7 Australia)
This is something that I’m also late on the bandwagon with and the reason for my 4am bedtimes. For about a week I binge watched all three seasons and I’m now up to date with season four! Long story short, it’s about a woman who watched her father to go jail for something he didn’t do when she was at a young age and and now in her 20s she’s come back seeking revenge on all the people that had anything to do with her fathers wrongful imprisonment. It has the sass and “oh no he didn’t” moments like Gossip Girl along with the cliff hangers and OMG moments of Prison Break. Hats off the the writers of Revenge.
Warning: you will suffer from trust issues after watching this show

Heads Up Game App – available on iPhone and Andriod
Last but not least, this game app has brought hours or laughter to my group of friends. If you haven’t experienced the game of Heads Up, download it now and play with a group of your friends! You put your phone (or ipad) on top of your head and your friends have you give you clues for you to guess. You have to guess as many as you can before the time runs out. Oh and the best part? The front camera of your phone (or ipad) captures a video of your friends! It’s pretty effing hilarious, trust me!

So there are my favourites for January, hope you enjoyed!

Until next time,

myBeauty Essentials – Summer Edition 2015

To all my Southern hemisphere babes, welcome to the middle of Summer!!
If you’re like me and live in Melbourne Australia, you’ll know that the summer sun has been having its usual mood swings but that doesn’t mean we can’t get ready for it!
I have a mixture of high end to drug store products to accommodate everyone’s beauty needs. So sit back, relax and check out my beauty essentials for summer 2015 (in no particular order).

You got to fake it to make it right? So grab your favourite tanning glove and start rubbing some colour on to your body. St Tropez and Bondi Sands are my top picks for instant self tanners. They apply easily, non sticky and last longer than some other self tanners! No need to be wasting your time turning over every 30 minutes under the sun to get the perfect tan. As some cooking infomercials would say “set it and forget it!”

Spending the day under the sun, running errands or when you just need to revitalise and freshen up your face, these two face sprays are a God send! LUSH’s toner water spray will revitalise your skin while inspiring you of a seaside escape. It has aloe vera gel, rejuvenating rosemary and calming rose oils that will be make say “ahh” with every sprits.
Need some moisture in your life? Try out the Clinique Moisture Surge spray! It gives your skin extra hydration while giving your a nice dewy look, and it also softens your makeup and removes any powdery look!

One thing that I can’t live without during the summer season are my favourite lip balms! Blistex and Lucas make amazing products keep your lips soft and conditioned. Keep one on your desk, in your car, on your bedside table, on your vanity, in your hand bag, practically everywhere at arms reach! Has anyone actually finished a lip balm all the way to the end??

Essie

This summer, when I think of nail colours, I think pastel! Here are my top three perfect pastel colours for summer! Whether its on your finger nails or on your toe nails, pastel shades of orange, pinks and blues are winners in my book!

I don’t think we can talk about summer essentials without including the most important thing! All the fun you’re having under the sun can be ruined instantly if your have sore to the touch sun burns! So don’t forget to slip, slop and slap on the sunscreen. Whether its in a form of a spray or a lotion, make applying sunscreen part of your daily routine this summer!

Who wants to wear a full face of heavy foundation this summer?! No one? Good.
But if you do need a bit of coverage, try out Chi Chi’s Super BB cream or Benefit’s Hello Flawless light to medium coverage foundation. Both are light weight (perfect for summer) with buildable coverage, long staying power while hydrating your skin! What more could you ask for?

Now, just liked the nail colour shades, I have my top 5 lip shades for summer. Top 3 brights for summer are going to, hot pinks, corals and orange shades. Don’t be afraid to go bold and bright this summer!
And just because it’s summer doesn’t mean you can’t bring out the deep plums and nude shades every now and then!
Team up these shades with thick lashes, a dewy complexion and beach waves for your hair and you’re good to go this summer!

Until next time,

Disclaimer
All thoughts and opinions on everything featured on this blog are my own. This feature has not been sponsored nor have I received any payment for this post. Any photographs on this blog are owned by me unless marked otherwise. If you would like to use any of the images of photographs from this blog please notify me and credit it back to this blog.

myReview – LUSH African Paradise Body Conditioner

I was extremely lucky enough to try out a new product from LUSH before Christmas and I am IN LOVE!!

LUSH has released a new body conditioner called African Paradise which I have been using for the past two weeks and my skin has NEVER felt softer.

This body conditioner is used just as you would a hair conditioner to add extra hydration to your skin. I personally use a body wash along with a bristled exfoliating brush all over my body first, then finish off with the African Paradise to condition.

I wanted to see the difference it would make along side my exfoliating brush so I decided to only use the African Paradise on the top half of my body and I felt a massive difference to the way my skin felt on my arms compared to my legs!! You can really feel the oils seep into your pores but you’re not left with an oily feeling on your skin. I find myself not needing to moisturise after showering as my skin feels soft and moisturised already!

I also received A LOT of compliments over Christmas and New Years on how soft my arms felt and I could only give credit to the African Paradise body conditioner!

Just like all of the LUSH products, it’s filled with fresh ingredients such as natural oils, Shea butter and is suitable for Vegans. Not tested on animals and is packaged in 100% recycled plastic.

I can 110% back myself up and say that I will be repurchasing this again and again.

Grab yours today at your nearest LUSH store now!

Until next time,

myReview – Bourjois Push Up Volume Glamour Mascara

Did anyone else catch Priceline’s two day 40% off all cosmetics sale, three weeks ago?!
Well I did and I was like a kid in a candy store!
While I was there I picked up the new Push Up Volume Glamour mascara from Bourjois and can I just say, you’re going to want to see these before and after photos!

Now I can’t remember how much the RPR is and this particular mascara is not listed on the Priceline website, however a mascara from Bourjois normally retails from anywhere between $20.00 to $25.00

The mascara is 0.20 fl.oz. and claims “uplifting volume without clumps, silky formula and high resistance”. It it not waterproof and has a super soft bristle brush applicator.

Now a brief background on my eyelashes. They’re short, thin and naturally point straight down with a slight curl at the tips. Pretty much the opposite of what we all want in lashes.

On these photos I have NO eye shadow, NO eyeliner, NO filters and I have NOT curled my lashes.
I applied two coats of the mascara and immediately noticed my lashes appears thicker in volume, darker in colour and curling upwards! Check out the before and after photos and see for yourself!

myReview: I’m REALLY impressed with this mascara! The fact that this is only two coats with no eyeliner and I didn’t curl my lashes at all, it’s a new favourite for me!

Until next time,

myReview – Lush Lip Scrub

I finally got my hands on the three lip scrubs that Lush has to offer! Plus the limited Christmas edition!

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Lush’s lip scrub is used to leave your lips super smooth while exfoliating dry skin. It’s made out of all natural vegan ingredients such as Jojoba oil and Coconut oil. It also uses Caster sugar for the “scrub” which means whatever lip scrub you choose, you get to have a tasty treat while licking your lips! I used the lip scrub before I went to bed and noticed that my lips were super soft in the morning!

Lush has three different flavours of “Mint Julips”, “Popcorn” and “Bubblegum”. With an extra Christmas edition “Santa’s”
-“Mint Julips” smells deliciously like mint chocolate and gives you the fresh tingle on your lips from the peppermint oil.
– “Popcorn” smells buttery sweet and also has sea salt, which leaves your lips tasting like salted caramel!
– “Bubblegum” smells like sweet candy and tastes like candy floss, perfect for someone who has a massive sweet tooth!
– “Santa’s” smells like coke bottle lollies and tastes exactly like it too. It also has natural colouring which gives you a slight red tint on your lips!

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myReview:
Cost price to quality, the lip scrubs RRP of $9.95 each which some could find expensive, considering the main ingredients are Caster sugar and selected oils and flavouring. But who really has the time to make these at home? My favourite would hands down be “Mint Julips” as I’m a big fan of the freshness that it leaves on my lips by the peppermint oil.
The only downside I have, would be that this is not an “on the go” lip product, unless you want to look like you’ve just eaten a sugared doughnut and forgot to wipe your mouth afterwards.
These are also perfect for under $10 stocking stuffer this Christmas!
I’d advise, like any beauty routine, that after exfoliating with the scrub that you moisturise with your favourite lip balm as the sugar can leave your lips a little sticky.

Until next time,

myLipstick Secret

Want to know what these lipsticks have in common?

Well, I’ll tell you. They all have a little secret hidden at the bottom of their tubes.
Word around the makeup community is that, the Ulta3 lipsticks (which you and purchase from selected Chemists) also come with lip gloss on the bottom of the barrel. I was a bit skeptical at first considering they were still new when I bought them but I decided to try it out and lo and behold there it was!

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I then decided to see if other brand lipsticks had the same hidden treasure. I didn’t have any luck with my Innoxa or Cover Girl lipsticks and frankly I didn’t want to push it, just in case it broke the lipsticks all together. I did manage to find that lipsticks by Savvy and NYX also had little pots of extra lipstick on the bottom! Out of the three NYX lipsticks that I had, only one of them had extra lip product while the others had some type of coloured rubber in the pot.

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Go through your lipstick collection and try it out for yourself! I would advise not to go crazy pulling apart all your lipsticks though. Remember if it’s hard to pull apart it probably wasn’t meant to be.

Until next time,

myReview – Australis AC on Tour, Contouring & Highlighting Kit

So considering this is a “makeup and beauty” blog, I thought that it would be appropriate to get the ball rolling and do a review on the highly talked about Australis AC on Tour Contouring & Highlighting Kit.

Let’s start with the specifics. The kit is a six shade powder palette, with three different shades for contouring and three shades for highlighting, depending on your skin tone. The palette also comes with a step-by-step guide on how to apply as well as guides for choosing the right shade for you. It’s released at a RRP of $16.99 at all Priceline stores and everywhere else that stock Australis products. Each shade is numbered on the back and has a matte finish, with shade number 3 the only one with a slight shimmer.

They apply buttery and velvet smooth with a high pigmentation on the skin. A little goes a long way with each shade and I’d advise to tap off the excess that is on your brush. The kit is designed to accentuate and compliment the natural curves of your face and it truly makes a big difference as you can see with the before and after photos.

This is an amazing product and considering it is known to be a dupe for the Anastasia Beverly Hills contour palette, it definitely deserves all the hype its getting.

myReview: Cost price to quality, Australis has definitely hit the nail on the head with this one. Order yours now at http://www.australiscosmetics.com.au or visit your local Priceline and other stores that stock Australis products.

Until next time