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 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 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 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   

The Makeup || Casual Summer Evening Makeup

On these hot nights my standard evening makeup look which consists of winged eyeliner and a bright lip can look a bit too overdone. A much more appropriate look is a natural looking lip and a bit of smudgy eyeliner. I've constantly been wearing this look for all low key events, and I even wore it on New Years Eve and on my birthday. 

I start of by priming my face with the Nude By Nature Mineral Airbrush Primer and I contour using the MAC Select Coverup Concealer in NW40 with the Real Techniques Duo-Fibre Contour brush. The Bourjois Happy Light Foundation in shade 51 is stippled across my face using the Real Techniques Stippling brush. The MAC Studio Finish Concealer is then used for concealing. A hint of blush and shimmery highlighter, MAC Pink Swoon and MAC Soft and Gentle respectfully, is then applied to my cheeks. A dusting of the Jurlique Citrus Silk Finishing Powder finishes everything of nicely. 

Eyes are next, and I start by filling in my brows with the MAC Eyebrows in Lingering. I take the Real Techniques Duo Fibre eyeshadow brush and swirl it around in the Maybelline Colour Tattoo in Bad to the Bronze. I build this up quite heavily to make quite a smokey effect. Once all the edges are blended out I take an eyeliner pencil, namely the MAC Technakohl Liner in Graphblack and smudge it across the upper lash line. Next I take the same eyeliner and line both my water line and my tight line. I smudge a little into my lower lash line to get a super smokey look. I finish up with by curling my eyelashes with the Shu Uemura eyelash curlers and lashings of the Maybelline Mega Plush Mascara.
Finally lips, because I have gone for such a strong eye look, I need a subtle lip to balance everything out. My choice of late is the YSL Glossy Stain in 107, Naughty Mauve. This is the most amazing lip colour, it's nude based but it has a purple shimmer through it. It's impossible to describe with out it sounding gross. Simply put, it's the perfect nude for my lips, with out looking too brown and boring. 

X Suzy

The Monthly Roundup || November

I feel like I've only just written the October roundup, but here we are at the end of November. Summer has hit and I've been at the beach and enjoying some sun. I've been big on the purchasing side of things recently (look out for a haul post coming soon), and a number of these new items have turned up in my favourites.

Monthly Favourites:

The most loved product of the month goes to the MAC Blush in Pink Swoon. I brought this at the end of October, and it actually didn't leave my cheeks during the night. I'm not a fan of wearing blush during the day, don't ask why, but I have been loving if on nights out. A very close runner up is the Aesop Control Gel, something I brought on the recommendation of Caroline Hirons. And it's absolutely amazing. I had a bit of a breakout at the start of the month, and thanks to this, it all cleared quickly.

Another favourite brought on the recommendation of Caroline Hirons is the REN Exfoliating Toner. This has been really nice to us on days that I haven't done a 'deep' exfoliation. And I do love that slightly tingling felling of the acid on my skin.

I have found the perfect eyebrow pencil. When I get my eyebrows tinted, they tend to fade fast in the inner corners. Which leads to blond at the start and brown towards the ends. In order to stop me looking like a creature with two toned eyebrows, I'll pencil this in with the MAC Eye Brows in Lingering. It's the perfect dark brown, with a touch of red, something that suits me. A daily essential.

The final favourite for this month is the Essie Nail Polish in Ballet Slippers. As my first Essie nail polish, this has earned the top place amongst all my nail polishes. It's perfect for every day, and gives that perfect I've just had a manicure look. The longevity of the nail polish isn't the best however.

This Month in Blog Posts:

Here’s all the lovely lotions and potions that save my skin during summer.

This month I was nominated for the Liebster Award!

Check out the usual combination of cheek products that I apply for evenings out here.  

My go to base of the moment is reviewed here.

Finally, two posts which go hand in hand are my Weekend Facial post and my Skin Treatments post.

Added to the Wish List this Month:

With Christmas around the corner, a few products have been added to the wish list. I tend to buy myself cosmetics with any Christmas money I get during the sales, rather than asking for something. First up, I have worked out what colour of the Rebel Nude Glossy Stain I would like, 107 if you’re interested. I also am after an oil absorbing primer and possibly a foundation... 

I’ve spotted this beautiful makeup bag at Country Road, something I’ll pick up in the sales. I’ll also grab myself a pair of these shoes while I’m there.

Finally, my liquid eyeliner is on its way out, and I’m looking for something to replace it with. theBalm Schwing Eyeliner is a possible candidate. I’m all ears for some recommendations!  

The Monthly Roundup || October

Another month has passed, and we are into November already! I've been a bit slow on the product buying side of things, but I've got a few pieces that I brought last month that I've being loving and trialling this month.

This Month’s Favourites:

My most loved product of the month is the Clinque Super CityBlock. It's gone from about 15 degrees to 30+ here, so SPF has been necessary most days. I've been mixing in a bit of the MAC Select Cover Up Concealer in NW20 for some extra coverage. This gives a really lovely finish to the skin, nothing to dewy or too matte. Add a bit of setting powder and some thicker concealer on my zits, and that's been my favourite base recently.

Another product I have been loving this month is the Maybelline Eyestudio Gel eyeliner in Blackest Black. I brought this ages ago and was instantly disappointed with it. I originally brought it to use as I would use liquid liner, but the result was so disappointing compared to liquid liner. But another use had been found, and I'm loving it for during the day on the top lid. For some reason I have issues using pencil liners on my top lids, and this is the perfect solution. The brush I use gives a super fine, soft and defined line.

The last favourite of mine this month is the Bare Minerals Original Foundation in N10. I initially brought this to go over the Super City Block and set it. But this combination is horrible, the foundation settles into all my pores and just goes really gross. However, much like the Maybelline eyeliner, this is something that I have absolutely fallen in love with. It's great for good skin days and when you can't be bothered with a full face of makeup, or when it would be a waste to put a full face of makeup on.

My favourite nail polish combination of late has been OPI’s Princesses Rule with the matte top coat. This combination is super, the matte top coat makes the polish look frosted and flat (I'm not portraying it in a positive light am I?). You will just have to take my word for it.                

Finally, the non-beauty favourite of October is The Vampire Diaries. Its back, and its back with a bang. The storyline this season is really interesting, unlike last season. I'm loving seeing Stephen without his memories and a human Katherine. Here’s a link if you’re interested. 

October in Blog Posts: 

Looking for a pillow spray? Give my DIY version a try first. 

Is the serum category of your skincare routine empty? Read my review of the Jurlique Advanced Herbal Recovery Gel here. 

My evening makeup always looks something along the lines of this and this. 

The nail combination that I was rocking for the majority of the moth looks a bit like this. 

Here and here is some more inspiration to get you into skincare.

Added to the Wish List this Month:

My chin has had a bit of a tantrum, with two cystic pimples. I've been hearing great things about the Mario Badescu Buffering Lotion lately, which I might need to pick up a bottle of soon. 

Inspired by this post from Anna, I desperately want to get a MAC eyeshadow palette. I just have absolutely know idea where to start. And no, I do not want one of those big 15-pan things. When would I ever use it?