The Monthly Roundup || March

So this month my saving plan went through the window. Priceline had 40% off, so duh I brought stuff. We also are in the middle of a small skincare change up, so I 'needed' a few purchases. I haven't tested them out for long enough for them to be incorporated in the favourites list, but can usually tell straight away if I love or hate a makeup product. Here's what found their way into my heart this month:

March Favourites:

The Bourjois 123 Perfect CC Eye Cream steals the show this month. Never have I encountered an under eye concealer which is so perfect. It does an awesome job at ridding my eyes of shadows whilst remaining crease free all day. You need it in your life now.

Another new favourite product is the Maybelline Colour Tattoo in Barely Branded. It's been a daily addition to my everyday makeup look, departing a wash of shimmery colour. It's subtle enough for daily wear, but I expect it would look great with a bold lip at night. 

I ran out of hydrating toner earlier in the month, and I'm not loyal to one so I thought I would try the Calendula Redness Rescue Toning Mist, a new release from Jurlique. It smells divine, think cucumbers, and leaves the skin feeling hydrated and calm. It's cool and quite refreshing, I think I will be going through this at an alarming rate, considering its $55 per bottle. Ouch.

I've really started to enjoy watching Reign this month. Reign is all about Queen Mary of Scott's' early life at the French Court. It's my ideal TV show with a blend of romance and historical fiction.

This month in blog posts:

I started off with a bit of a slow start to the month, I think there was about two weeks’ worth of posts missing. Uni has been crazy recently, with assignments coming out of my ears. I've got three due this week!! 

I started off by showing you my evening beauty bits and my other skin care post this month was looking after the décolletage. 

As mentioned above, Priceline had a sale, here's what I brought. 

I took a moment to review my New Years Resolutions, I'm pleased to report that most of my goals are on track. 

The beautiful Love Birds Collection from Napoleon Perdis made its way into my hands, here's a full review.

What products have you been enjoying lately? 

X Suzy

The Review || Napoleon Perdis Love Birds Collection

I was having a casual day wandering around David Jones when I first laid eyes on this gorgeous bag from Napoleon Perdis. I had to have it, just because it looked so pretty. I didn't care if the products were gross, the beauty of the bag justified the price. It's been released as a Valentine’s Day Gift Set, I know I'm a little late to write this post...

The art on the front of the bag has been done by an Australian artist, Felicia Aroney, of two Australian Fairy Wrens. It's too nice to use as a makeup bag and I would never, ever fill it! I use it as a sort of "essentials bag" as I mentioned in my “what’s in my handbag post”. It's filled with makeup bits, mints, hand sanitiser, and so on.

Included in the set is a nail polish and a lip gloss, both named White Swan. Strangely enough, the colours of the two products are quite different. The lipgloss is one which is AH-MA-ZING, in the tube it looks like a clear, pearly gloss, but it’s got a fantastic purple glow to it, very similar to the YSL Glossy Stain in Naughty Mauve. It’s a tad on the sticky side, and the lasting power isn't great, but what do you expect from a lipgloss? The nail polish is also a favourite, the colour is the most perfect lilac, really opaque and shiny. Someone asked me if my nails were shellac whilst wearing this. I've rocked it on my fingers and not suffered too badly with chipping, enough to earn a tick from me.

If you spot this set floating around on shelves anywhere, swatch the lip gloss, grab a bag and march over to the till. Or pop it into your shopping cart if you are browsing online. You won’t be disappointed. 

X Suzy 

The Weekend Pamper || A Priceline Haul

Ahhhh Priceline, the Australian equivalent of Boots, filled with cheap bits of beautiful makeup and some superb skincare finds. A couple of weeks ago Priceline had 40% off all makeup and cosmetics. It was only natural that I picked up a few things. I've since used a number of these products, so I'll give you a little bit of a review when I list them.

The first thing I grabbed upon entering Priceline was the Maybelline Colour Tattoo in Barely Branded. I've been longing for a daily wearable eyeshadow, something low key and natural looking. Barely Branded fits the bill perfectly, distributing the right amount of shimmer on my lids in a beautiful Champagne-y colour. It's just perfect for everyday wear.

I was hoping to pick up the Bourjois 123 Perfect CC Cream, but there weren't any in my colour. Instead I thought I would try the 123 Perfect CC Eye Cream. Holly cowl, it's amazing. I've been using this every day to conceal my eye bags. It's not the highest coverage concealer, so if you're after the Kim Kardashian look, this isn't for you. It does everything I want it too, without looking too concealed and fake. It also doesn't crease. At all.

Essie's Master Plan also made its way into my basket, upon ravings from Anna (link). Although I like the colour, I found myself bored of it after a while, craving for a colour with something more. I've got a feeling that it would look fab with a matte topcoat. The wear time is the standard 5 days-ish that comes with all Essie nail polishes and the finish is super shiny. A good colour to have in your collection, but not a staple.

Although I don't wear winged eyeliner as much as I used to, I've grown tired of the Rimmel Glam Eyes Liquid Eyeliner, so I picked up the Maybelline Hyper Glossy liquid eyeliner. After only a couple of applications, it certainly lives up to its name, it is super glossy. Which I love! I'm yet to form a proper opinion however.

Another product I picked up was the Rimmel Stay Matte Pressed Powder, something I had been thinking about for a while. I wanted a powder for my handbag, it had to be translucent, pressed and mattifying. Stay Matte is just perfect for what I wanted and it truly is matte. I wouldn't want to use it every day, the ingredients are AWFUL! Parabens, silicones and even mineral oil. How ironic, a powder with oil in it.

A couple of boring bits follow, I picked up three different makeup brushes: a cream eyeshadow brush, a fine eyeliner brush and a traditional foundation brush. I've been desperate to try the very popular L'Oreal Elnett Satin hairspray and I just finished off a different brand. My old nail file snapped a couple of weeks back so I picked up a new one. 

Quite an extensive haul don't you think? 

X Suzy 

The Weekend Pamper || Sticking to New Year's Resolutions

It's the middle of March, which is perhaps an unconventional time to review my New Year’s Resolutions, but I feel like I need to assess my progress and see what's working and what's not. Before we go any further, here are some of the goals which I set out to achieve earlier in the year:

1.      Post more often. I feel like I've done a decent job at achieving this goal, I certainly have gotten more into blogging of late. Of course I would love to blog more, but there are other things in my life which take up more of my time. I'm looking at you uni.

2.      Stop picking my zits. This is the goal I’ve struggled with the most. Currently, I'm trying to break this habit using bribery, but more on that later.

3.      Look after my body skin more. A pretty successful goal so far in my opinion. I remember to put sunscreen on my neck almost every day, I cleanse it with a facial cleanser each evening and apply some samples of moisturisers and serums. 

4.      Eat more healthily. As with goal two, I struggle with this as well. I attempt to go by the 80% healthy food and 20% unhealthy, but some days that goes completely out the window. And my skin shows it the next day. I'm targeting less milk and sugar at the moment, two of my most loved foods...

5.      More exercise and Pilates. I've definitely improved my fitness levels by doing much more walking, which I'm pleased with. However, I'm yet to improve my level of Pilates, something which is so helpful for my health (I have a really bad back). Rather than doing Pilates when I'm in pain, I should be doing it regularly to prevent back pain, duh.

To achieve my gaols, I write up a little checklist on a monthly calendar. Each night I check off which goals I have achieved during the day and which ones I didn't achieve. If I achieve everything during the day, I draw a pink box around the day to celebrate my achievement, and treat myself with another square of chocolate. If I'm really struggling to achieve a goal, i.e. stop picking my pimples, I've started to bribe myself. When I can go a whole week without picking a zit, I'm going to reward myself with a NARS Velvet Lip Pencil. I'll get another prize if I can go another two weeks without picking another zit, and once I go a whole month without popping a zit, I'll get another prize. I'll report back on how well this works. 

The Skincare || Looking After the Décolletage

One of my New Year’s resolutions was to take more care of my body skin, particularly my décolletage area. Whilst I am religious about applying sunscreen to my face, my neck and chest are often forgotten which leaves me with quite a red, sensitive and damaged neck area. I've been trying to repair this damage by firstly applying sunscreen every morning. I'm trying to use up the Olay Daily Face SPF30+ on my neck because I don't like the feel of this sunscreen on my face and I suspect it breaks me out a bit. Yet as I type this I forgot to apply it this morning. Oops.

In the evenings, I'm taking a number of steps to undo the damage done. Firstly I'm cleansing the area with the Jurlique Purifying Foaming Cleanser (please don't shoot me for using this, I'm trying to use it all up). I've been using a sample of the Trilogy Nutrient Plus Firming Serum, which is ok. I have to say I won't be repurchasing this, I find it doesn't mix well with certain moisturisers. It works perfectly with the Trilogy Line Smoothing Day Cream however, which I've been applying day and night. A fairly simple routine, but so far I'm happy with the results. My neck seems to be less sensitive, red, and the fine wrinkles which were appearing have seemed to lessen.

Do you take much care of your décolletage?

X Suzy 

The Weekend Pamper || Bed Time Beauty Bits

I'm sure many of you have your own unique ritual to get yourself ready for a good night sleep. Mine involves a number of products slathered on after the nightly skincare routine (yes there's more skincare), comfy pjs and a good book.

Usually I apply some of the Sukin Rose-Hip oil just before I go to bed, I don't like feeling greasy while I'm awake. Plus I wake up with the most amazing glow the next morning. I also top up the spot creams, hoping to kill them over night. Finally there's the Jurlique Love Balm for lips to prevent any chaps and dryness. That's usually all for the facial skin. I give my hands a bit of nourishment next, applying the Jurlique Love Balm to my cuticles and the Jurlique Jasmine handcream all over. Lastly my feet need a little bit of love, I use some of Lucas'Paw Paw Ointment on my heels and any other dry patches. To finish off, I smother my feet in some sorbolene cream, which means I wake up with such soft feet! 

In order to properly wind down, I charge all my electronics over on my desk, where I can't reach them whilst asleep. I take fifteen minutes to write in my journal and write a to-do list for the next day and then I spend the rest of evening reading a book. At the moment I'm reading Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn.

How do wind down for the night?

X Suzy  

The Monthly Roundup || February 2014

My recent buying habits have been quite slow and I have to say that I'll be like this for the next couple of months. I'm saving my pennies for when it go to Europe in July (I've already got a shopping list!). So I only brought a grand total of 5 cosmetics this month. And yes, I'm am feeling myself.

February Favourites:

The product which wins the most loved product this month is the La Roche Posay Effaclar Duo, something which is helping clear out my skin. It's totally cleared up my forehead, I've got no need to wear foundation there anymore. It's still early days so I'm waiting for it to clear up my cheeks and chin area too. I use this as my morning serum, to prevent any makeup causing blemishes during the day.

Something I've come to love this month is the Real Techniques Duo Fibre Face Brush. I think I've mentioned this before, but it's become invaluable for applying my mineral foundation. It buffs the product in to the skin flawlessly, leaving my skin looking natural and uniform. It also a dream to apply translucent powder with, and because it's quite thin, it works wonderfully with powder highlighter.

I've had some nail polish loves also this month, the Barry M nail paint in Mint Green and the Napoleon Perdis nail polish in White Swan. The Barry M is cheap and cheerful, for $5 the colour is decent, it took me three coats to achieve a level of opaqueness which I was happy with.  I got the Napoleon Perdis with their Valentine’s Day set, and I doubt you can buy it separate. The finish of this nail polish is lovely, super shiny and opaque. Someone asked me if it was shellac, that's the sort of finish this nail polish has. It's lasted me four nights and there's a little bit of chipping, nothing to major (it would be a lot better if my job didn't consist of finger painting and chopping up fruit).

This month in blog posts:

I'm glad to tell you that I wrote quite consistently this month. I started my new feature called The Craft Post, and I featured my Patchwork Lace Curtain. I hope you’re all interested in hearing about my crafty projects I whip up. Next I brought you my first “Empties” post. I reviewed my Real Techniques Brushes and my favourite shampoo and conditioner in Feb. I also wrote quite a detailed post about those products which I just love and can always count on to perform. The body skincare bits also got a mention this month, particularly because it’s one of my New Year’s resolutions to look after it a bit more. You got to see the makeup which I applied daily in summer. And lucky you, you got a peek inside my handbag.

Hope you all had a great February!

X Suzy  

The Review || Organic Care Shampoo and Conditioner

I've gone through quite a few conditioners in my time. I had favourites from Pantene and Sunsilk but it wasn't until last year when I realised all the benefits from using natural products and the harm that chemicals can do. Since then I've tried both of the Sukin conditioners and I was unimpressed. I stumbled upon the Organic Care Dry Nourish Conditioner when my sister tried the conditioner, didn't like it and let me have a try. It was instant love. The ingredients are fantastic, but there are some chemicals in there. However these are derived naturally from plants, which make them friendlier. The result is beautifully conditioned hair which is deeply nourished form natural oils, not coated in silicones. If you're used to the feeling of a silicone heavy conditioner, this may take a little bit of getting used to.

After going through a couple of bottles of the conditioner, I thought I might give the Organic Care Conditioning Shampoo Anti-Dandruff a try. It's much the same as the conditioner in the sense that it's not 100% natural as it makes out, but the chemicals are sourced from natural plants. It foams up really well, giving my hair a good clean. My dandruff is also kept at bay when I use this.

These truly are wonderful hair care products, the balance between natural and chemicals is just right. I get mine from Coles, each for $3.50. Great price, great quality.

Have you tried any of the Organic Care range?

X Suzy     

The Weekend Pamper || What's in my bag?

"What's in my bag?" videos are my favourite to watch. There's something about having a good old snoop inside someone else's handbag which intrigues me. A woman's handbag is kind of a life line, and I feel as though you can make a pretty accurate judgement based on her handbag. A big oversized bag filled with everything makes me think that this girl is prepared for every situation. Tiny bags conjure thoughts such as "low key" and "streamlined". I fall into the first stereotype, I'm into the big bags. I envy those who carry so little on a daily basis, but I think of to many questions like  "what if I get a sudden blood nose? I'll need those tissues then" and "what if I get caught in the middle or a tornado? I'll need a hairbrush and some lip balm then".

On to the contents of my bag. I don't tend to carry around that much makeup, I'm not a fan of re-applying makeup during the day in public. The only product I regularly reapply is the Lanolips Lip Colourin Rhubarb (has anyone else noticed these have disappeared off the shelves? I'm praying there only reformulating it...). Some days I find my lips to be super dry so I need the Lanolips Lemonaid Lip Ointment on hand because the Lip Colour just won't cut it. If it's going to be a long, hot day I'll pop the JurliqueCitrus Silk Finishing Powder into my bag for some touch ups. Generally I don't bother however. I also keep the Jurlique Jasmine Body Cream in my bag purely because it's tiny, it works great as a hand cream and as a body cream. Hand sanitiser is another must, currently I'm using the Jurlique one. Just in case I do encounter that tornado I do keep a mini hairbrush, some hair ties and bobby pins in my bag.

Beauty bits aside, you'll also find tissues, Band-Aids, my dairy, iPhone, iPad, wallet, glasses and a water bottle lurking in there. If it's a uni day then a document wallet and a couple of note books join the party. I go between three bags, a brightly coloured embroidered bag from Bali which could fit the entire kitchen sink in, a large black leather bag also from Bali and a medium light blue leather bag which I brought from the leather markets in Italy. I'm looking for a cute backpack and a smaller bag. I aspire to be able to carry around less junk.

What are your handbag essentials?

X Suzy 

The Makeup || The Summer Face #1

Summer is my favourite season of the year. I love the sun, the beach and swimming.  It's also the time of year which my skin is looking the best; I think it's something to do with the salty water from swimming so much leading to less foundation applied.

Following my morning skincare routine, I apply a good dollop of the Clinique Super CityBlock SPF30. This acts as both a primer and a sunscreen. Next I use the BareMinerals Original Foundation SPF15 in Fairly Light (yes, I'm talking about it again) with the Real Techniques Duo Fibre Face Brush. Recently I've been leaving my forehead bare, I don't have any blemishes there at the moment. Under the eyes and around my nose I take some more foundation on the Real Techniques Setting Brush to build up the coverage a little more. On blemishes I use the MAC Studio Finish Concealer in NW20 for a tad more coverage. Final step in the base is to powder with the Jurlique Citrus Silk Finishing Powder. Amazingly this doesn't make my face too dry, as you would expect from using two powders.

Colour wise I use MAC's Sheertone Blush in Sincere, standard. Also standard is a crimp from the Shu Uemura Eyelash Curlers followed by the Maybelline Full N'Soft mascara. Eyebrows are filled in with the lovely Eye Brows in Lingering from MAC and finally my lips are usually sporting the Lanolips Lip Colour in Apples.   

And that's what I usually slap on in fifteen minuets before running out the door. What has your go to make up been recently?

X Suzy 

The Skincare || Body Skincare Bits

I'm pretty sure I'm not alone when it comes to the lack of care I give my body skin. I'm extremely lazy, and one of my New Year's resolutions was to take better care of it.

To kick start my body care routine, I dry brush all my limbs with the Body Shop Body Brush (say that three times fast) whilst the shower water warms up. Once I hop into the shower, I run some of the Jurlique Citrus Shower Gel all over. I switch it up from the Jasmine scent to the Citrus sent because I get a bit bored of the scents after a while. Once a week I exfoliate my skin with the Jurlique Body Exfoliating Gel, something that I probably wont repurchase. It's just a little pricey for what it is and I want to try a Body Shop offering. My favourite razors are the Venus Embraces (in pink duh). They make shaving less of a chore and quick thanks to the wide blades and comfortable handle.

Once I've stepped out of the shower, I slather my body in the Jurlique Citrus Body Care Lotion. A lovely lightweight moisturiser is just what my limbs are crying out for after a wash. If I need a little more hydration, coconut oil is a good option, as is any sort of sorbolene cream. My favourite fake tan is the Sukin Sunless Bronzing Gel because its so subtle. If you want a fake tan to turn your skin into a deep golden bronze, this isn't for you. It's perfect for me however, because it gives such a lovely colour that looks like I have just got back from a holiday.

This quick and simple body care routine leaves ample time for me to fluff around with my facial skincare in the evenings. I tend to neglect my body in the mornings, favouring a few more minuets of sleep.

How do you look after your body skin?

X Suzy  

The Weekend Pamper || The Game Changers

This weekend's post is all about those products which I just love. Each of these have changed the beauty game for me. A number of skincare bits, tools and some makeup all make the cut.

Something I've been using since I had hair is the Mason & Pearson 100% Bristle Hairbrush. Incredibly pricey for a hairbrush, but worth every penny. I've only had to replace it once, after about 10 years of everyday use. This hairbrush leaves my hair tangle free, static free and shiny without pulling of tugging. Provided you’re not someone who loses hairbrushes often, the Mason & Pearson is a fantastic investment to make.

Quite a few skincare products make the list. There's no surprises here, you've heard me ramble on about these products a number of times no doubt. Bioderma is the most recent addition, but I've already used one whole bottle. The Jurlique Purifying Mask and the Herbal Recovery Advanced Serum are also on my game changers list because each of them make such a difference to my skin. Finally, the Grown Organic Alchemist's Matte Moisturiser deserves a mention for being the only moisturiser to actually moisturise and to keep my skin matte thought the day.

A few makeup loves include the first "high end" makeup product I brought, the MAC Studio Finish Concealer. This concealer is the answer to all skin problems, masking all imperfections. Two other complexion enhancers include the BareMinerals Original Foundation and the Jurlique Citrus Silk Finishing Powder. I'm sure this isn't the first time you've heard me mention these, together they create the most perfect base, without being too perfect. My favourite mascara in the form of Maybelline's Full N'Soft has earns its self a place on this list but my eyes wouldn't be complete without a squeeze from the Shu Uemura Eyelash Curlers.

What are products make your game changers list?

X Suzy   

The Review || Real Techniques Brushes

With a bit of my Christmas money, I picked up some of the Real Techniques Brushes. Extremely hyped up in the beauty blogging world, yet they laid untouched to me in the isles of Priceline. I grabbed the Setting brush, the Stippling brush and the Duo-Fibre limited edition collection containing the Duo-Fibre face brush, contour and eye brushes. On the whole I love them, the quality is so much better than the other brushes I've tried.

My favourite brush of the bunch is the Setting Brush. Although its intended use is for precision powdering, I like to use it for concealer, particularly under the eyes and around the nose. It does a fantastic job at blending out my MAC Studio Finish concealer to give a very natural yet flawless finish. It also comes in handy when applying mineral foundation around the nose and under the eyes.

The Duo-Fibre face brush is also very good, I've been using it for both translucent powder and mineral foundation. When used for translucent powder it deposits the perfect amount, nothing over cakey or chalky. With mineral foundation, it's a dream to use. This gives my skin such a flawless look, a concealed and even skin tone which looks natural.

The stippling brush is also very good at doing its job of blending out liquid foundations. I'm having a moment with my BareMinerals Foundation Powder, so this brush hasn't had as much use as you would expect. The finish however is just as I would hope, proving medium coverage with a BB Cream or a Tinted Moisturiser.

The Duo Fibre Eye Brush and the Duo Fibre Contour brush are the least used in my collection, mostly because I'm not an everyday wearer of eyeshadow or contour. However, these brushes do their job, blending out eyeshadow and contour nicely. I'm also known to use the contour brush for blush and it does a decent job at that.

It is no question, I love these brushes. The outstanding quality of these brushes apply the product so well, creating flawless makeup. I only have one minor problem: they have a "free standing base" which means that they can stand up on their own, but they can't all fit inside my brush holders. I think I can handle that though. Although I'm pretty well sorted with brushes for a while now, I've got my eye on the fine liner brush which will no doubt make its way into my collection shortly.

Have you tried any of these brushes?

X Suzy

The Weekend Pamper || Empties #1

Empties, while not the most unique post idea, are one of my favourite blog posts to read. I love to hear what products my favourite bloggers have used up, I feel like it’s a good indication of a good product. I've kept all these products for a number of reasons, firstly I'm a bit of a recycler. DIY toners and pillow sprays all require a little sprayer bottle. Secondly, Jurlique do an awesome return program where if you return your empty tubes or bottles, they give you 10% off the same product. Finally, I've kept all these products in hope of writing one of these posts. I've got some body bits and some skincare, but no makeup. Does anyone else find makeup impossible to use up?

Starting off with the body bits, I've finished up the Jurlique Jasmine Shower Gel and Body Care Lotion. A lovely sent and a lovely product. Both of these lasted me a whole year before I needed to replace them. I'll eventually repurchase these but I'm currently working my way through the Citrus versions.

A couple of toners were next to go, the Jurlique Herbal Recovery Mist and the Trilogy Hydrating Mist Toner. Both of these were OK, I am holding off a repurchase of both of these, I'm looking into trying the new Jurlique Calendula Redness Rescue Calming Mist next.

Bioderma reigns as the favourite makeup remover and a repurchase is about to happen. Makeup and sunscreen glides off like no other with a cotton wipe drenched in this cleansing water. Although Priceline now stocks Bioderma, it’s near impossible to get a bottle because it’s always out of stock. If I'm out of luck I'll have to resort to ordering it online.

I've also used up the Jurlique Herbal Recovery Eye Cream and repurchased another in a Christmas box set. A lovely product which keeps dryness at bay whilst also preventing fine lines from developing.

Two spot treatments have also been used up, the Aesop Control Gel and the Origins Super Spot Remover. The Aesop worked fantastically with my skin, quickly removing all spots. I suspect that it’s the Niacinamide because I had such good results with the Jurlique Herbal Recovery Advanced Serum which also uses Niacinamide. The Origins however I found a bit useless. I'll repurchase the Aesop soon, but not the Origins.

Finally, some moisturising bits. The first to go was the Jurlique Herbal Recovery Advanced Serum, which I've sung praises to here. I've since repurchased in the 100ml bottle, it’s that good. My favourite daily moisturiser, the GrownOrganics Matte Moisturiser was also finished off recently. The perfect product for me, moisturising yet mattifying and smoothing to provide a perfect canvas for makeup.

What products have you finished off recently?

X Suzy  

The Craft Post || Patchwork Lace Curtain

Welcome to my new feature, the craft post. I mentioned in my Happy New Year post that I'll be incorporating some of my craft projects into my blog and here is my very first project. First of all, excuse the terrible photography, do you know how hard it is to take a photo of a window with good lighting?? For a long while I've had a lace curtain hanging in my room which didn't fit the window, it was to small. So I decided to add a number of smaller pieces of lace across the bottom to make it long enough, and one large piece of lace to the side to make the curtain wide enough. The curtain now fits my window perfectly. 

Although not overly complicated or technical, I hand sewed all the pieces on the bottom together, making this project a time consuming one. The finished project fits perfectly with the rest of the decor in my room. I tend to style my room in the "Granny Chic" way, lots of clashing colours, prints and textures. 

What are your thoughts on my new feature? 

x Suzy   

The Monthly Roundup || January 2014

Wait, what? January is over? I can't be the only one who can't believe that 2013 is over, let alone January of 2014 is over. For me, January brought a lot of sunshine (and sunburn), swimming and celebrations (New Year’s Eve, my birthday & Australia Day). Next month both Uni and a new job start up so this is my last week of relaxation.

January Favourites

My most loved product of the month is the Eau Duelle fragrance from Diptyque. I got this for my birthday, and I love it so much. I'm going to attempt to describe the sent to you, but I strongly suggest reading other reviews online for a more accurate review. To me it smells of holidays in Bail, it's got quite a beautiful incense smell to it, combined with vanilla and musk. It's everything I look for in a fragrance, long lasting yet not overpowering.

Another present which I got for my birthday comes in second place on my favourites list. The Shu Uemura Eyelash Curlers were gifted to me by my sister, and not one morning I have gone without them! The difference is quite amazing, some days I feel as though I've over done the eyes for every day wear (a very good thing).

The YSLRebel Nudes Glossy Stain in the colour Naughty Mauve (107) is next up on my favourites list for January. Whilst I haven't had that many opportunities to wear it, it gives my lips an amazing colour. I would describe it as a "my lips but better" base colour with the most lovely purple sparkles and sheen in it. Don't let that scare you, the purple sparkles are subtle enough for casual nights out. And let's not forget to mention the longevity of these stains and their weightless formula. 

A couple of things from BareMinerals finishes of my monthly favourites. I have been head over heels in love with the Original Foundation this month. It looks so flawless on the skin, is super quick and easy to apply and provides the perfect amount of coverage. My only problem with this is the lack of SPF, I'd rather it had none that SPF15. Also from BareMinerals is the Eyecolour in Nude Beach. Another gift I received for my birthday, this shimmery eyeshadow is so lovely. The colour is right up my street, and it's one of those one sweep wonder shadows, where you sweep the shadow on and nothing eels is needed to complement it. 

One non-beauty favourite this month would be my Sencha Mango green tea from T2. It's equally delicious served hot or cold, perfect for hot afternoons. The tea is flavoured only with real bits of mango, so the nutritional benefits of drinking green tea are not compromised.   

This Month in Blog Posts

One of my many New Years resolutions was to post on this blog more regularly. I feel although I'm doing OK, not as regularly as I had hoped. My goal is to publish a new post every Wednesday, Friday and Sunday. Some weeks I was able to manage this, and other weeks I failed a little.

This month I brought to you my super spot fighter post which details what I slap on when a breakout threatens.

The weekend pamper posts of this month featured my Christmas wish list and my nail careroutine.

My thoughts of the BareMinerals Original foundation can be found here and you can check out the makeup which I’ve been wearing on nights out here.

Finally, I did two posts on “How much my face is worth” each focusing on the skincare side of things or the daily makeup. 

The Makeup || How Much is my face worth in makeup?

My skin care total came to a rather shocking amount of $443. I'm hoping, praying, that my makeup comes to a lesser amount. I've decided to calculate what I'm currently applying makeup wise on a daily basis. Of course I have the option to change up my makeup as I please, just as I do with skin care. So here we go:

My current favourite base for daily wear is the MAC Prep and Prime BB Cream which comes In at $42. On any areas such as under eyes and blemishes the MAC Studio Finish Concealer ($32) is used. MAC's Sheertone blush in Sincere ($41) is used to sculpt and bronze up the cheek bones. The final step in the complexion stage is powder, and I favour the Jurlique Citrus Silk Finishing Powder ($45). Eyes follow with a swipe of the Maybelline Full N'Soft Mascara ($15) for everyday wear and my brows are filled in with the MAC Eyebrows in Lingering ($30). The Lanolips lipgloss in Rhubarb is my favourite daily lip colour and is a total bargain at $15. 

The total cost of my daily makeup comes in at $220. I'm glad it's a smaller amount than my skincare, which is almost double. But still, when you add everything up together, it's a bit of a shock. Let's not count up all the tools as well! I hope you enjoyed reading this mini series here on my blog, it's been quite an eye opener for me. 

How much do you think your face is worth in makeup? 

X Suzy 

The Skincare || How Much is my Face Worth in Skincare?

Coming to you this week is a couple of posts featuring the "How much is my face worth?" tag. I've seen this post around on a couple of blogs and I've always been interested in writing a post myself. As skincare is such a love of mine, it's only appropriate for me to do two of these posts, one featuring my skincare, and another featuring my makeup. As you've probably guessed by the title, this post is focussed on my skincare. Without further delay, here is the total cost of my daily skincare, prepare you're self for a big shock. 

Firstly, in the morning I cleanse my face with the Jurlique Balancing Cleansing Lotion ($45), tone with the Jurlique Herbal Recovery Mist ($32), tap on the Herbal Recovery Eye Cream ($52) and follow with the Herbal Recovery Advanced Serum ($75). I'm not obsessed with the Herbal Recovery range at all. If there are any spots present, that means everyday, I dab on a bit of the Aesop Control Gel ($23). I finish of the morning with a pea sized amount of the Grown Alchemists Matte Moisturiser ($60). So mornings come to a grand total of $287. Ouch. 

In the evenings I start by taking a cotton pad loaded in Bioderma ($30) all over my face. The Jurlique Balancing Cleansing Lotion ($45) from the morning is used again. It's followed up by the REN Clarifying Toning Lotion ($40) and the Herbal Recovery Mist ($32) from the morning. The eye cream ($52) and the serum ($75) used in the morning are also used again followed with the Jurlique Calendula Cream ($85) and the Aesop Control Gel ($23). This brings my evening total to: $383. Ok, so that's a lot more than what I thought it would be. And so the grand total of my daily skincare routine comes too $443 (I subtracted the products which I use twice). Mega ouch. Let's not calculate the added costs of my bi-weekly at home facials. I'm hoping to redeem myself with a relatively small daily makeup cost, check in on Friday for that.  

How much do you think your skincare costs you?

X Suzy 

The Weekend Pamper || Nail Care Routine

My nails are often envied by my friends and so I thought I'd share my routine this weekend. It's a fairly simple routine, something I enjoy doing every second weekend. I prefer a short square nail, similar to the shape of my cuticle. One tip I've picked up along the way is to replicate the shape of your cuticle when shaping your nail. Rounded cuticles equal rounded nails, square cuticles equal square nails. 

First up, I remove all previous nail polish with some tea tree oil. This works a treat at removing all my nail polish, a tad more elbow grease is required than ordinary nail polish remover, but the all natural nice ingredients overweighs the extra work. I start by trimming my nails with a pair of nail clippers straight across the top. Next I shape my nails using an ordinary emery board. A little bit curved a round the corners and straight along the top. Once that's completed on all ten digits, I lightly smooth, buff and polish my nails with the good old Woolworth's Home Brand Nail Buffer. I'm telling you, this does an amazing job and it's cheap as. I smother my nails in some of the Jurlique Love Balm. Finally I push my cuticles back with an ordinary orange stick and lather my hands in my current favourite hand cream. 

Once all the hand cream and cuticle cream is absorbed, I like to paint my nails. I will always apply OPI's Nail Envy Sensitive, this strengthens the nails and gives a lovely shine. Some weeks I'm happy to leave it at this and give my nails a bit of a break. Most of the time however I'll paint my nails with either Essie Ballet Slippers, OPI Princes's Rules or OPI Suzie and the Life Guard. Can anyone guess what my favourite nail polish colours are? 

X Suzy 

The Review || BareMinerals Original SPF 15 Foundation

Ahhh BareMinerals. Quite possibly the most well known natural brand of makeup, and claims to be the world's number one foundation. Honestly, that's a bit of a big claim to make, this isn't perfect by any means. However, this has become my choice of foundation during the summer where I need a little bit of coverage and a little bit of SPF. Do take note that if I were to be spending more time outside in direct sunlight, I would layer this over a sunscreen. 

I wear the shade Fairly Light N10, and it is a perfect colour match for me. I LOVE the texture, so lightweight and, well, dry. This is my first powder type of foundation, and I love this formula. I would say the coverage is light but can easily be built up to a medium coverage. It's a tiny bit heaver than my usual tinted moisturiser preference, but I still need to conceal underneath. The only negatives is that  it dose settle into my pores after a while and when applied it can look a tad patchy if you have too much product on the brush. I prefer using a powder brush rather than a kabuki brush because it deposits less product. The packaging is also great, it has a little sliding lid which can be closed so that the powder doesn't go everywhere when its not in use. 

All in all, this is the perfect foundation for everyday activities and running errands on the weekend. It also works well over the top of a sunscreen, making it more useful for those days at the beach when you feel as though you need a bit more coverage. I brought mine at Mecca Cosmetica for $35 AUD. 

Have you tried this foundation? 

X Suzy