Innisfree Eye Primer Review

Innisfree Eye Primer

One should never underestimate the power a primer can do for your makeup. Well, I know I definitely won't again. I always wondered what the point of using one was. Sure, it makes your shadow last longer, but forking out quite a bit of money on something like that didn't make any sense to me. Everywhere I go eye primers all seem to range from 40-60 dollar mark, Urban Decay, Smashbox, Too Faced. I couldn't make myself part with that money, especially when there were so many other things I wanted for the same price. So when I found Innisfree's eye primer on RoseRose's Store for as little as $4 I decided to give it a go. Here are the before and after shots:

Innisfree Eye Primer before/after

An eye primer really does help enhance the longevity and colour of your eye shadow, and I really wished I had found this out sooner. You watch tutorials on youtube and they always tell you to apply primer, but they rarely tell you why. Oh well, now I know!

Overall, I've been extremely happy with this primer. My shadow lasts all day when I use this, with very little fall out. For someone with oily lids, this has been my saviour. There's nothing particularly showy about the formula either. I know some primers can be a different colour, scent and glittery, but Innisfree have gone with a creamy, light pink shade that blends into the skin easily and doesn't feel heavy. It also smells like peach ice tea (nomnom). For someone on a budget, I highly recommend this!

Innisfree Creamy Tint Lipsticks Review

Innisfree Creamy Tint Lipsticks in Raspberry Red & Cocktail Orange

Recently I've been seeing these lip tints everywhere. Everyone seems to be going mad for them, so I decided to try out a couple for myself to see what all the fuss was about.

These tints really do feel like lip balms, but they give a pop of colour you would expect from a lipstick. They last up to two hours for me before they need a little topping up.  Unfortunately, they do tend to mattify slightly on my lips so I always make sure to apply lip balm beforehand. Otherwise it can become quite flaky. On a slightly better note, depending on your tastes, these tints smell amazing! While some may not like the idea of smelling like a candy factory, I happen to love the sweet, bubblegum scent. Mmmm, candy… Here are the swatches for the two I bought:

I do love the formula, but it's the colour that irks me. These are the brightest lipsticks I have ever tried! They're ridiculously bright, and I'm not sure if I'm game enough to wear these out. Ever. So far I've just been trying them in the full enclosure of my home. Cocktail Orange is a little too much for me to wear often but the Raspberry Red is lovely. And I think, I repeat 'I think', I may be able to pull it off. But it will take some time to convince myself to step over the threshold of my front door with it on.

Xmas Wishlist | Dec '13

With Christmas looming on the horizon, 18 days to be exact, we've been rushing out frantically trying to find presents for our friends and family. I like to think I'm pretty good and picking out presents for others, but when someone asks me what I want I blank. I honestly don't know, but last night I decided to compile a list of things I would love to receive. 

1. Kath Kidston Notting Hill Rose & Spot PJ Set - $90
Your probably thinking 'pijamas? Really?' Well, I think their cute. Unfortunately they can only be purchased online from the UK for £50 (not including shipping). $100 for PJs? Yeah, I know...

2. Tiffany's Toggle Bracelet - $370
Honestly, I'm not the biggest fan of Tiffany's jewelry (don't hurt me!). I find the majority of their collection a bit tacky. This bracelet in particular, is simple and elegant. Alas, I could never ask anyone to spend that much on me. I am thinking of saving up to purchase one myself though sometime in the near future.

3. Aesop's Parsley Seed Masque - $29
I feel ashamed, being a Melbourne girl, having not tried Aesop before. I've heard great things about their products, especially the parsley seed mask.

4. The Killing Season 1 - $15
I'm not one for crime shows but I am obsessed with this show. Great characters, and an incredibly moving story. I recently just finished watching the third and final season, and I refuse to believe it's the end. I think a rerun is in order.

5. Adventure Time Canister - $15
Who doesn't want an Adventure Time canister? Really. BMO in particular is my favourite.

5. Arcade Fire's Reflektor LP - $50
Ever since their first album 'Funeral' was released back in '04 I've been an avid Arcade Fire fan, and with the whole vinyl resurrection going on right now I've been collecting their LPs. It's not a bad investment for a music lover, considering how expensive vinyls can become over time.

6. Ayra Stark & Jon Snow bobble heads - $10 each
All I want is to sit these two together on my bookshelf for reasons I'm too scared to publish on the internet in fear of angering unsuspecting fans. Fans of the book series will know what I'm talking about.

Bioderma Sebium Gel Moussant Review

Bioderma Sebium Gel Moussant / Purifying & Foaming Cleansing Gel for Combination/Oily Skin

In an attempt to control my oily skin this season I ventured out into the world of cleansers once more. Some cheap, some western, some expensive and some Asian. Recently I've been trying out Bioderma's Sebium Gel cleanser. Bioderma is a French  drugstore brand, infamous in the beauty blogging sphere, and has recently become available in Priceline stores here in Australia (for those who don't know yet!).

This cleanser is a light gel like formula that foams up gently when mixed together with a bit of water. What I like about this cleanser is that it doesn't feel like it strips the skin. It doesn't feel squeaky clean afterwards as I initially expected but feels clean, refreshed and softened. The scent is quite pleasant as well, it's definitely not natural, but light enough that I can stand. Despite all the good comments, there are a few questionable ingredients in this cleanser. For someone who is acne prone there are quite a few irritants in it: Sodium laureth sulfate (an emulsifier) and sodium hydroxide (PH adjuster), and a few other ingredients like sodium methylparaben and glyceryl cocoate  which are considered unsafe to use according to Cosdna.com. I will admit, I only looked up the ingredients list after I tried it. If anything, it reinforced the fact that this is a pretty average cleanser. It makes my skin feel great afterwards, but it doesn't fight off or treat acne. The lack of results, the ingredients on top of a hefty $20 price tag, makes this a disappointment in my books. 

Is there anyone else whose been disappointed by a Bioderma product? If not, which products would you recommend? 

Another Priceline Haul ~Happy (late) Birthday to me~

For my birthday I was lucky enough to receive a $50 gift voucher for Priceline from one of my best friends.  I wasn't even expecting a gift let alone a $50 voucher. Do you know what that means to someone who is beauty obsessed? My friend knows me too well. When I returned home I excitedly started compiling a list of products I wanted to try out. I never go into priceline unprepared. The Brisbane store is too small and busy to just saunter around in. Anyway, here's what I picked up:

Natio's Face Mask Purifier

Since my Mint Julup mask has run dry I opted for a home grown product. I tried this a few years ago and really liked the way it made my skin feel afterwards. 

Klorane's Dry Shampoo for oily hair

I'm always in need of some dry shampoo, but this time I went for one formulated for oily hair. I probably should have been doing that before but honestly never realised it existed. There's so many now!

Nivea Lip Butter

This has been quite a hyped product, and I'm not entirely sure why. It's just a lip butter. Maybe it's magical properties will reveal itself once I open it?

Maybelline Master Precise liquid liner

I've been on the hunt for a thin pen liner for quite a while now and I'm so glad I found this. I tested it in store and it's exactly what i'm after. It has a nice sharp, flexible tip that draws a very fine line. It seems quite long lasting as well.

Garnier gentle eye make up remover

I've read great reviews on this stuff from local bloggers and decided to give it a go. So far, for the price, I am really impressed! I've been using Bioderma to remove my eye makeup for the past year now and it's absolutely useless on waterproof mascara.

La Roche-Posay Anthelios 50+ sunscreen

With my old Prevage sunscreen running low, and also being very unwilling to spend $90 on another tube, I thought I would try this out. This is my first La Roche Posay product so I have quite high expectations for the French brand. Hope it's good!

Rimmel Salon Pro Nail Polish Swatches

Rimmel Salon Pro Lycra: Classical Red & Soul Session

I just love Rimmel polishes. Not only are they cheap but their brushes are amazing. They are so easy to use and only takes one to two swipes to coat the entire nail. I usually go for the 60 second polishes, but decided to try out the new Salon Pro range.

237: Soul Session

Soul Session is a lovely, earthy pink. Great for a natural, everyday look.

706: Classical Red

On the opposite end of the colour range, there's Classical Red. It's a little lighter than I initially expected, but how can you ever go wrong with red polish? The salon pro range are usually $8.95 each at Priceline. I managed to get them with the 2 for $10 deal, so I ended up saving $7.95. Woo!

| Beauty Wishlist | November '13

Is it November already? I guess this means I'm officially on holidays now. Hurrah! Time to spend some money. This month I have my eye on a few more Korean and Japanese products:

1. Innisfree Eye Primer
I've heard great things about this primer, and it's also very cheap. As much as I would love to try Urban Decay's primer potion I would rather not spend over $30 on something I won't use very often.

2. Innisfree Creamy Tint Lipstick in 'Cocktail Orange' and 'Rasberry Red'
I've come across quite a few reviews on these lipsticks recently, and I am now officially intrigued, especially with the orange shade. This may turn out to be a terrible shade for me...

3. Naruko Tea Tree Clay Cleanser
For someone with combination, acne prone skin this sounds like a great idea. Naruko is also quite an affordable brand. Can't wait to try this out!

4. Skin79 Super Orange BB Cream
And once again, another BB cream manages to slip into my wishlist. Despite this, I am after a BB cream that will stay on in the summer, and I've heard this is great for oily skin. The shade also seems to have 

5. Essential Nuance Airy Hair Mask
This has to be the best hair mask I have ever used. I've have bought and used three tubs of this in the last two years and will soon be on to my fourth. 

Missha Time Revolution First Treatment Essence Review

Missha's Time Revolution: The First Treatment Essence

I didn't have very high expectations when I first bought this essence. I had tried SK-II's essence before and it did the complete opposite to what it claimed for my skin. But when I heard about Missha's dupe I couldn't resist trying it out, and I am really glad I did. I have been using western toners for years now, thinking that they would help with treating my acne, but they were really only making it worse . Korean toners aren't the same as the ones we have in the west, they're gentler, they soften and moisturise the skin. First off, I use this straight after cleansing as I would a normal toner. There is an initial feeling of stickiness but that disappears after a minute or two. When it's fully absorbed into my skin I then continue with the rest of my routine (serum > eye cream > moisturiser).

Having oily skin I was worried about over-moisturising my face, but this essence hydrates my skin without making it feel disgustingly oily. I'm even able to use it in the day time. As well as containing a lot of moisturising ingredients it also has a lot of whitening and anti-inflammatory properties (glycyrrhiza glabra, centella asiatica and camomile) which really helped clear up the redness around my cheeks and nose as well as existing pimples. Overall I've noticed a huge improvement around my T-Zone. Enlarged pores around my nose and forehead are tighter and even my blackheads seem to have shrunk. The redness around my nose and cheeks have disappeared and I love how smooth my skin feels after applying this.

I bought this from RoseRose Shop for $33, so it is on the expensive side but no where near as expensive as SK-II's essence. The 150ml bottle is priced at $185 AUD at David Jones and Myer here in Australia. Missha's is quarter the price and double the size, and in my opinion far superior in results and quality. These South Korean brands never cease to amaze me.

Rimmel Mono Blushes Review & Swatches

Rimmel Mono Blushes: Pink Rose (Left) Santa Rose (Right)

During my recent purchases from Asos I decided to pick up a couple of Rimmel blushes: Santa Rose and Pink Rose. I love the sleek look of the new packaging, and it’s a shame these aren't available yet where I live. We still have the archaic oval shaped ones that don't stand up properly in your drawer. I'm OCD so this is something I have nightmares about. Anyway, here are the swatches below:

Santa Rose is by far my favourite, it's a lovely soft coral that looks quite natural with my skin tone. Rose Pink on the other hand is a lot pinker (surprise!) and I tend to apply this with a very light hand so its not too overbearing. The formula blends out nicely, and the shimmer (which I usually detest but can't seem to get away from with drugstore blushes) has definitely been toned down and is unnoticeable to me. These are really affordable blushes, I purchased these off Asos for as little as $7, and with free shipping its a win-win. I definitely recommend checking these out if you're on a tight budget.

Cover Girl Clump Crusher Mascara Review

I bought this mascara months ago during my 'little' Priceline haul, and it's been my go-to mascara since. Simply, it's great for everyday use for these three reasons: a) it doesn't clump! b) it defines and c) it lengthens the lashes in a way that (almost) looks natural.

This is a more defining mascara than anything, it elongates the lashes with minimal clumping, and with the mix of short and long bristles, it's now easier for the wand to coat those pesky little lashes that hide between the longer ones, giving the illusion of more  lashes. I do experience minor flaking later in the day but that's usually because I have a tendency to rub my eyes, otherwise it's quite long lasting. I have quite fine lashes so my camera struggles picking them up, but check out the photo's below:

I bought mine on sale for $10 from Priceline so I definitely recommend waiting for the sales. It's usually priced at $17.95 otherwise. Overall, a great, affordable mascara!

| Beauty Wishlist | October '13

My gosh, I can't believe it's October already! This is going to be a very busy month for me. With uni starting to wrap up and new stock coming in at work I really don't know how I'm going to survive. To calm myself down a little, I decided go through my wishlist folder and pick out my most wanted for this month.

1. Holika Holika All That BB Cream
I don't know why, but I seem to have this endless list of BB creams. It doesn't matter whether or not I already have a million, the list keeps growing and I keep buying. Not sure if it's the gorgeous purple packaging or whether I'm just itching to try something form Holika Holika for the first time.

2. Marc Jacobs Daisy Perfume
I never really took much notice of Marc Jacobs perfumes before, I think it was the weird, over the top flowers and ladybugs that kind of made me run in the other direction. I was staying at a friends place, getting ready to go out when she offered to let me use some. Surprisingly, I really liked it. I love the look of the black limited edition too. Sigh. Maybe for my birthday?

3. Missha's Time Revolution Night Repair Serum
I've been looking for a new anti-aging serum for a while now, and was attracted to Estee Lauder's Night Repair, unfortunately the huge price tag put me off completely. After hearing about this 'dupe' I've been really intrigued. The content has been modified with more natural ingredients and less possible irritants. It's double the size of Estee Lauder's and a quarter the price.

4. Benton's Snail Bee High Content Essence
I've had great success with my snail creams, they heal my acne super fast, but haven't tried bee venom yet. Apparently it's also great for healing acne and scars. It's not expensive either (especially on RoseRose), and would also love to try the rest of the Benton range while I'm at it.

5. Missha's Beautiful Style Tints
I've never tried a Korean lip tint before, and these Missha ones look gorgeous. It's not just the sleek packaging, I swear, but I love the look of the coral and red shades. It'll be interesting to see how it looks on my lips.

6. Illamasqua's Compliment Palette
I've been pining after some Urban Decay shadows for a while now, and have thought about trying out a cheaper option in the meantime. The colours are exactly what I'm after, especially the purple and brown!

Etude House's Precious Mineral BB Cream Review

Over the last two years I have tried six BB creams , and this is the best one I've tried so far. The texture of the cream itself is very smooth. It spreads like butter over the skin and is really easy to blend out. Event though I feel it has quite a light coverage it's the most buildable BB cream I've tried. I apply around two to three layers and it doesn't look cakey at all and gives the skin a really lovely dewy glow. The finish definitely reminds me of Bourjois' Healthy Mix foundation. I've found it's also really great for covering acne scars and blemishes, because it doesn't accentuate any dry patches or flakey skin. And because it's so buildable my acne scars and blemishes become barely noticeable.

Precious Mineral BB Cream in no.02

It's very moisturising , even though it doesn't make me feel disgustingly oily, I find I need to powder up on a long day. It was great during the cooler seasons, and I highly recommend this for those with dry skin, but I would steer clear  if you have oily skin. Now that its starting to heat up here my skin is reverting back to being oily, and I've found this BB cream just doesn't look or feel the same anymore. ;__; (super sad face). It also contains SPF 30 PA++ which is very nice, but if you're not very sun crazy like me, you'll probably still apply some form of sunscreen before hand. Finally, the scent. Just from the cute packaging alone I expected something light and florally  but instead was greeted with some off smelling sunscreen or something. It's kind of hard to describe, but thankfully it doesn't linger.

Aside from the scent and my oily skin this is a great BB cream and I'm already considering it as my favourite so far. It's also very affordable, usually pricing at around $15-20 depending on where you shop. I bought mine online from Yes Style on sale for $14 (woo!). It's a shame I have to wait six months to be able to use it again but I guess this gives me time to try out and finish off my other BB creams (there's so many…). Lioele's Beyond the Solution is next in line!

Koji Dolly Wink Pencil Eyeliner Review

Oh my gosh, I only just realised how long it's been since I did a makeup review. Has it really been three months? Anyway, here is a quick review on Koji's Dolly Wink eyeliner pencil, both the old and new versions. For those who don't know, Koji is a Japanese brand that offers a lot of cute looking, affordable products that really put some of our drugstore make up here in the west to shame; on cost and quality Here are the swatches:

From the left: Old formula, New formula

As you can see, they did end up reformulating the new version a little. The pigmentation is a lot stronger on first swipe.  There seems to be one other difference between the two that I've noticed (other than the packaging design, duh) and that is the staying power. On a regular day I only put black eyeliner on my upper water line, both liners are water and sweat proof, but I've found the newer version does tend to wander into the inner corners of my eyes a little. The old version, once applied, wouldn't budge, even on a 35 degree day. Aside from a little smudging, the new formula still lasts just as long. It's also a lot easier to apply, I don't have to work it into the lash line as much to get that intensity anymore, it glides on seamlessly.

These, for me are, the best pencil eyeliners I have ever tried. If you're after a great eyeliner that won't stray too much in hot weather, I can't recommend these enough.

A Whole Lot of Empties 01

This post has been a long, long time coming. This is an accumulation of at least eight months of hoarding, and enough is enough. I need to throw these out now. So here's my first empties post!

Skincare

Avene Thermal Water

It's really just water in a can, and I didn't find it did much for my skin, but it was a great refresher on a hot day out.

Trilogy Rosehip Oil

This was the first oil I ever tried, great for the acne prone! However, I've decided to go for Sukin rose-hip oil now. It's significantly cheaper and works just as well. But Trilogy will always have a soft spot in my heart.

Botani Boost Balancing Moisturiser

One of my favourite moisturizers, and another great for acne prone skin. I am still a little iffy on the texture though, it feels light but can feel quite sticky after a while, so I really only use this during the cooler months. Until next winter, I guess.

Fresh Sugar Lip Treatment

This was an amazing lip balm, but I don't think I'll be forking out $30 on another one anytime soon...or ever. I could buy a new pair of shoes with that money...

Shu Uemura Skin Purifying Cleansing Oil

Loooove this stuff! I'm already onto my second bottle.

Liz Earle Gentle Face Exfoliator

Sigh. I really did love this exfoliator, but it's just so damn hard to get my hands on! See review here.

Forumla 10.0.6 One Smooth Operator Scrub

When my Liz Earle exfoliator ran out I turned to the back up. Eh. There's not much I can say about this product. It did the job fairly well, but it was quite harsh, and the artificial, grape-y scent was horrible.

Origins Zero Oil Moisturiser

This was a good moisturiser, but for the price it's a bit too average for me to justify repurchasing again. Sorry Origins.

Origins Super Spot Remover

This product however, I will gladly repurchase. It really helps kill those big nasty pimples quickly.

Laneige Perfect Renew Essence

This was a lovely essence. Unfortunately, because it is more for wrinkle correction, I didn't see any obvious affects on my skin, but it did make it feel really smooth. It also smelled really nice. :D

Haircare

Batiste Dry Shampoo
I cannot live without this product anymore, its really sad. I have very fine hair that's gets greasy very easily, and there's no way for me to get away with not washing my hair everyday. Until this guy came along!


Toni&Guy Leave In Conditioner
This is another product I probably won't purchase again. It didn't really do much for my dry ends, in fact, I think it made them worse. It also made my hair feel very weighed down and didn't improve smoothness and frizz at all.

Cosmetics

Natio Natural Cover Conealer
This was a really nice concealer. The shade was a little light for my skin, but it worked really well as a highlight under my eyes and around my nose. Great staying power as well.

Collection 2000 Concealer
Ah, the infamous collection 2000 concealer... I'm not going to lie, it's pretty amazing. Great staying power and hides nasty red blemishes really well. Already purchased my second bottle of ebay.

Bourjois Flower Perfection Foundation
I wear this stuff religiously in the summer for work. It's a very affordable, high coverage, matte foundation. I do a lot of running around at work and on a long 10 hour day this stuff just won't budge. Already onto my second bottle.

Benefit They're Real Mascara
I was so upset when this ran out. I would go out and buy another one but I still have a few more mascara's to get through at the moment. I must be patient...

YSL Touche Eclat Highlighter
I used this highlighter almost everyday. It was just so easy to use, just click and swipe. But now there are just as many cheaper options available, so I don't think I'll be coming back to this one anytime soon.

Phew. Thank god that's over...now into the recycling bin!

Fashion Edit | Asos & Modcloth Wishlist

Despite my best efforts to curb my spending I still can't shake off this online shopping addiction. First skincare. Now fashion. Asos, I blame you and your amazing free, seven day shipping. Luckily, the Warehouse lace blouse to the left is already sold out, but the sweater and blouse are just sitting there in my basket, begging to be bought. I should really wait until they go on sale again, but I live in constant fear that my size will sell out. Must...resist!

Over at Modcloth, I have my eye on these cute blouses. Summer is coming, and I want to be prepared. When payday arrives (three more days!) I will definitely be buying those two. The stripe dress, however much I love it, will have to be left behind. I have to stick to my budget. Okay, I say that now but when the time comes I'll probably get it. Gah!

Collective Korean Skincare Haul

After a month of anxious waiting, I finally received the final package in my latest skincare hauls. I ordered from 3 different sites: Yes Style, Rose Rose, and Cosmetic Love, and I must say, it was pretty interesting to see which ones arrived first.

Yes Style

Ladykin's Vampir Dark Repair Cream &Youth Activator ampoule

Ah, Yes Style. I really did crawl back to you on my hands and knees. I detest how overpriced their products are, alas they were the only online store that carried Ladykin's Vampir Dark range, and with the mid year sale and free shipping deal I couldn't resist. I can't wait to try these two products out, but they do sound too good to be true. If there's any chance it will give me skin like a vampire then I'm in.

*For anyone who is planning on cashing in on the free standard shipping deals be prepared to wait a really long time for it, it took 23 days for mine to arrive from the day it was shipped.

Rose Rose Shop

Missha's Time Revolution First Treatment Essence & Laneige's Light Balancing Emulsion

I had previously ordered from Rose Rose when she was just an eBay seller, so I thought it would be great to try her new online store out. The prices are fantastic, the Time Revolution essence only cost $34, and the Laneige moisturizer, which usually costs around $35, was $17. And it only took 16 days to arrive, the fastest of the three!

Cosmetic Love

To Cool For School Dinoplatz cosmetic bag (illustrations by Hatori Sando), Etude House 7 Way Nail File & Quick Sponge Nail Remover from The Face Shop

Last but not least, Cosmetic Love. This was my first time purchasing from Cosmetic Love and I was pretty impressed with them. It arrived 18 days after purchased, and they gave me an impressive amount of samples.

With my asian skincare hauls finally over I'm definitely having some postie-withdrawal. It's nice getting packages delivered to you. I do have my limits though, and my next skincare and makeup purchases probably won't be until the New Year. So until then, hopefully there will be lots and lots of reviews. :D

Laneige Water Sleeping Pack Review

On my journey through Korean Skincare I've come across many hydrating beauty packs that claim to do wonders to your skin. Laneige's Water Sleeping Pack is one of the few I've recently tried. So once a week before bed I try substituting my moisturiser for this mask.

This pack has a light, gel like texture that absorbs into the skin quickly, even if you have layers of products underneath, it didn't take any more than a minute for the product to completely absorb into my skin. It does leave a thin film over the skin though, but nothing that feels tacky or sticky, it feels smooth as if locking everything in.

My favourite part is the scent, it's a very light and refreshing. It's not very overpowering, so once you apply it it's basically unnoticeable. But to be honest, I like to apply a little more under my nose just so I can smell it as I drift off to sleep (lol).

In the morning my skin doesn't feel gunky or sticky it all, it feels plump and smooth. What I like about this mask is that it  gives you an extra boost of hydration without making your skin feel oily in the morning, my skin feels surprising well balanced. I find this mask particularly useful when my skin is feeling a bit flakey and dehydrated, especially after a long day at work.

I think this is a really amazing mask. It works for all skin types for all seasons, and it feels like such a luxury to put on my face without the huge price tag. You can find this mask for around the $20-$30 mark (depending where you buy) on sites like Sasa, and YesStyle. It's definitely a must try for Korean skincare junkies!

Antipodes Divine Face Oil Review

Antipodes Divine Face Oil with Avocado Oil & Rosehip

I've been an avid user of facial oils for over a year now and Antipodes has always been on my list to try, but it wasn't until my little trip to New Zealand when I finally bought and tried out their Divine Face Oil. What drew me to this brand is that it's 100% organic, vegan certified and animal testing free. Qualities I try to look for in skincare products as much as possible these days.

Ingredients: avocado oil, macadamia nut oil, jojoba oil, rose-hip oil, vitamin e, ylang ylang oil, sandalwood, jasmine

The consistency of this oil feels a little thicker than others I've tried (Kiehls Midnight Recovery, Trilogy's Rosehip) but doesn't feel heavy on the skin at all, and absorbs quickly. You can use this oil as a stand alone moisturizer during the day and at nighttime, depending on your skin type and personal preferences. Personally, I've been using this during the day and at nighttime prior to moisturizing. Even on my combination skin it doesn't make me look like a grease ball.

Antipodes boast that their Divine Face Oil is "…scientifically proven to stimulate Type 1 collagen I human skin fibroblast cells by up to 51%." Now, I'm not entirely sure what that all means, (googling fibroblast cells as I'm typing) but I understand that the loss of collagen contributes to how fast our skin ages. This is especially relevant in females whose collagen levels begin to break down earlier than men's. The fatty acids found in avocado oil help boost collagen production, improving the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, and the added rosehip also helps target scarring and uneven skin tone.

So not only is it a great preventative treatment for aging skin but also for blemishes and scars. Unfortunately, because I'm only 21, I don't really have any deep seated wrinkles (thankfully), but the smile lines around my mouth have always been a thorn in my side. My makeup just loves sitting in those lines, accentuating them even more, making them look deeper than they actually are. I have noticed that they are less visible now. The eczema around my nose has reseeded, and it has definitely helped speed up the healing process of my acne.

Overall, I think this is a great oil. I would definitely recommend it for those who are opting for a more 'organic' approach to skincare that won't break the bank (priced around the $30 mark). In Australia, you can now find Antipodes products at Myer and David Jones.

| Yes Style Haul | 2013

It was that time of the year again, where I pool together all my spare change and purchase a whole lot of Asian beauty products. This year I did it through YesStyle.com, mainly because they were having their mid-year sale on, plus I had been building up quite a wishlist on their site for some time. Here's what I bought:

1. Etude House Goodbye Pore Ever primer essence
2. Etude House Precious Mineral BB Cream (the 'bright fit' one)
3. Etude House Shading Corset
4. Beautymate Collagen Boosting Sheet Masks
5. CHI Hair Silk Infusion
6. Lioele Triple The Solution BB Cream
7. The Face Shop HD Perfect BB Cream
8. Shu Uemura Eyelash Curler

Unfortunately, there was one slight hiccup with my order. I payed for the Lioele Magic Sponge remover but I never received it. It took them two weeks to figure out that they were sold out before getting back to me, which was really strange. Apart from that, I'm pretty happy with my purchase. I still can't believe I bought three BB Creams though. I don't even know where to start.

| Beauty Wishlist | August'13

1. Aveda Air Control Hairspray

My hairdresser uses this stuff on my hair, it's amazing. Not heavy or sticky at all and seems to last all day. I just wish it wasn't so expensive here in Australia!

2. Ladykin Vampir Dark Repair Cream

Okay, I will admit, the cute little vampire teeth drew me in, as well as the natural ingredients list which mainly consists of dragons blood, (or croton lechleriresin sap) rose water and green tea water. It claims to brighten skin, improve wrinkles, fine lines and skin elasticity, prevents and protects against skin damage, lightens pigmentation and dark skin tone, and on top of all this it is paraben, dye, mineral oil, benzophenone, talc and animal testing and originated ingredient free. This sounds too good to be true... 

3. Real Techniques Core Collection

This is the final piece to my collection. I'm excited to use the buffer and contour brush!

4. Illamsqua 'Freak' Perfume

I caught a whiff of this when I was walking through Myer one day. It's definitely a very unique scent, and I think that's what's drawn me towards it. It's quite dark and mysterious, very different from the sugary-sweet perfumes on my dresser right now.

5. Kevyn Aucoin Sensual Skin Enhancer

I've heard a lot of great things about Kevyn Aucoin, and this little pot of foundation has definitely caught my attention. Alas, this brand isn't sold anywhere near me, so as far as colour shades go I'm going in blind. This is going to be a very expensive experiment.

6. Rimmel Apocalips Lip Lacquer in 'Celestial' & 'Galaxy'

Since their launch in the UK I eagerly anticipated the day when the Apocalips finally came to Priceline. However, I was left bitterly disappointed to find out that the only two shades I was interested in wouldn't be available in Australia. You win again internet!

Elizabeth Arden 8hr Intensive Daily Moisturizer Review

Eight Hour Cream: Intensive Daily Moisturizer for Face

Now that winter has finally arrived, I’ve noticed a huge change in my skin. I was horrified when I passed the mirror at work and noticed all these dry, flaky patches along my cheeks and around my nose. Usually my skin is oily all year round, but has decided to settle into the dry/combination side of the spectrum. So for the first time, I decided to invest in a ‘richer’ moisturiser for the winter.

The texture is whipped, light to touch, and spreads like butter when you apply it to your skin. A little goes a long way, which is nice considering its only 50mls. My skin feels incredibly smooth and soft after I apply this, it’s amazing, and my skin stays hydrated all day. It also contains SPF 15 PA ++, which is an added bonus, and makes it my go-to daily moisturiser. The only negative thing I have to say about this product is the smell. For a high end moisturiser you would think the production company would come up with something that doesn't completely assault the senses. It smells like lemon scented dish washing detergent, and not the nice expensive detergent either. I’m talking bottom of the line, cheap branded detergent. It’s a huge turn off for me, because it makes me wonder what the hell they've put into this.

Aside from the smell, it does a really great job at keeping my skin hydrated throughout the day. I have no longer noticed any dry patches or flakiness on my face. Above all, even though it’s one of the thickest moisturiser’s I've ever used, it hasn't broken me out! I didn't exactly have high expectations when I decided to fork out $50 on this, but I've been pleasantly surprised by this little guy.

Some New Zealand Goodies

It wouldn't have been right if I had returned to Australia empty handed. A holiday just wouldn't feel like a proper holiday if I didn't splurge a little on myself, especially when skincare is concerned.

From left: Antipodes Organic Lip Balm with lime & cocoa butter, Antipodes divine face oil, Trilogy Eye Contour Cream

Being in New Zealand, I felt it would be nice to purchase some of their own brands. Antipodes and Trilogy in particular had been on my radar for a while, and luckily with the mid year sales on, picked these up cheaper than I would have at Myer and David Jones back home. When I first spotted Antipodes at a chemist in Auckland I went straight for the Divine Face Oil, and with my lips in disarray, the lip balm was a no brainer. I also picked up Trilogy's Eye Contour Cream, which really helped with my dark circles. Yeah, we didn't get much sleep.

Oroton 'Elysian' Wallet

Oh, and we might have gone to Oroton too. This was the Elysian wallet they had on sale at their store in Auckland. It was love at first sight, and didn't leave my side for the entire trip. I was just asking to get robbed with this one. Luckily that didn't happen!

I'm Baack! | Vacation Post |

Hello everyone, apologies for the lack of updates but I have just returned from vacation!  Last week my best friend and I packed our bags and went on a little trip to that great island across the Tasman Sea, New Zealand. I was overdue for a vacation like this, and to be honest, four years of uni without a proper holiday really got the best of me.

Photo of me overlooking the Wakatipu Lake in Queenstown, Otago.

For the first few days we stayed in Auckland. After exploring the city we took a ferry across to Devonport, an old colonial suburb, and walked up Mount Victoria to see the stunning views of the city and Rangitoto Island. 

Also, being Lord of the Rings fans we went to the Hobbiton set, which was massive. The hobbit houses were so adorable, and I’m pretty sure I took over a hundred photos of their little doors and windows. The amount of detail that has gone into this set is mind boggling! Apparently they even hired people to put washing on the clothes lines just so there would be footprints in the ground. (Whaa-?!)

Yes, even the mold is real.

Afterwards, our group was taken to into the warmth of The Green Dragon Inn where we indulged in a few jugs of cider. I also sat on Samwise Gamgee’s chair (soz Sam).

On the fourth day we put on our thermals and flew down to Queenstown. I saw snow for the first time ever and learnt how to (kinda) ski up at The Remarkables. Seriously, skiing was probably the most painfully frustrating experience ever, and the next day we woke up with aching muscles, bruises all along our shins and ankles, and a new found respect for the sport. I can't wait to do it again.

Watching the sun set from the Skyline, Queenstown.

Queenstown was definitely the highlight of the trip. It's such a beautiful, quiet town, surrounded by water and mountains, I really didn't want to leave. But now that I'm home, I feel as refreshed and energized as ever and ready to take on the next semester (sort of, haha).