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 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 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 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 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 Makeup || Evening Base

Yesterday at Uni I was writing an evening makeup post (shhhhh, don’t tell!).  When I hit the second page of a word document, I knew that no one wanted to read a makeup essay. So I have decided to break it up into two sections: base, and eyes and lips. Today I bring you the base component of my evening makeup ritual.

I start off with a clean face. Next I smother on some of the Nude by Nature Undercover Airbrush Primer. This is my primer of choice because it’s natural and non-toxic. My theory behind it is that this will provide a barrier for my skin and all the nasties in my makeup won’t be absorbed. Well I hope so.

Contouring follows, and I like to use the MAC Select Cover-Up Concealer in NW40 for this. I take a flat foundation brush and draw two lines down the hollows of my cheeks. Two lines are also drawn either side of my nose for a bit of slimming. Then I take the L’Oreal Magique Lumi highlighting pen and draw a line down the centre of my nose, in-between the two contouring lines. The brow bone, cupids bow and the tops of the cheek bones are also highlighted. At this point, I have some pretty scary looking lines drawn all over my face.

In order to blend these contouring lines out, I need my base. At the moment, I am currently using my “customisable” tinted moisturiser.  I take a dollop of the Grown Organic Alchemist Matte Moisturiser and a dollop of the MAC Select Cover-Up Concealer in NW20. I usually use about half as much of the concealer, but that of course depends on the condition of my skin. I then take a big buffing brush and buff the tinted moisturiser into my skin and blend out the contouring. Start where there is the least amount of contouring, as the brush will get a bit dirty from buffing out the contouring – you don’t want NW40 ending up on your NW20 forehead.

We’re almost done, I promise. Next I take my Studio Finish Concealer in NW20 and conceal any pimples. I also might need some extra concealing under the eyes, which I use the Magique Lumi to conceal. I then take some of the MAC Mineralise Skinfinish in Soft and Gentle and apply this shimmery highlighter on the tops of my cheekbones. Finally, I dust some of the Jurlique Citrus Silk Finishing Powder through my T-Zone to set it all.

Phew! For a girl who likes her makeup to look natural, that is one extensive base routine. Stay tuned for my evening eye and lip makeup coming soon!

X Suzy

The Makeup || The Winter Face #1

My makeup philosophy is very much 'Yeah, I rolled out of bed looking this good.' I strive to find the look that is both polished, concealing, yet natural. To get this natural look I use a good tinted moisturiser or BB cream, a swipe of a natural looking mascara, a touch of bronzer and a hint of lipgloss. 

Base:

After the conclusion of my morning skincare (missed it? read the post here) I start of with the MAC Prep & Prime BB Cream in light plus. It seams as though people either hate this or love it. I'm firmly in the love category, I find provides the perfect amount of coverage, hiding all my blemishes but letting my freckles shine through. Look out for a review soon.  Do be careful with your blending technique, like to blend it out with a dual fibre stippling brush, it can look a bit odd blended with the fingers.

Next I tap on some of the MAC Studio Finish Concealer in NW20 onto the blemishes that haven't been quite covered by the BB cream. Sometimes my nose and under eyes can use some more concealing so I pop on some of the MAC Select Cover-up Concealer in NW20. To set the base, I use the Jurlique Citrus Silk Finishing Powder. This is an AH-MAZ-ING setting powder that is so fine and doesn't go cakey or chalky at all. And it smells delicious - bonus points! 

Colour: 

For a bit of colour in the cheeks, I brush on the MAC Sheertone Blush in Sincere as a bronzer. I find that most bronzers look too dark on me, and this blush is just perfect - a good two in one. 

Mascara is up next, and my choice is the Maybelline Full 'N Soft Mascara in the non waterproof formula. I really hate using waterproof formulas because they are such a pain to get off at the end of the day. This mascara gives me a really natural looking lash which I love for during the day. As I mentioned before, my lashes are already full and quite long so during the day I just look for something to give me some colour on my lashes otherwise I look like I've put false lashes on for the day, which is sooooo not me. 

And finally, lips. I'm a lipgloss kinda gal but having said that, I hate sticky lipglosses, which is almost all of them. *Sad face*. But there is a solution: enter Lanolips. I absolutely love the Lanolips Lip Ointment with Colour SPF15. They tick all the boxes for me, they aren't sticky, long lasting(ish), moisturising, protective AND really pigmented! I have both the colours Apples (pictured) and Rhubarb. I pop Apples on in the morning to add a bit of colour into my complexion. I'm not a fan of whipping out the mirror and reapplying, so Rhubarb comes in handy. Rhubarb is a neutral 'my lips just better' and handbag staple which I can slap on without a mirror on the go.  

There you have it, my go to daily makeup that I have been wearing throughout winter. I hoped you enjoyed it! 

X Suzy