Revlon® ColorBurst™Lipstick

As part of my role as a PRIMPED VIP member I have to use, test and review products sent to me – such a tough gig!

And I must say, I was super stoked to receive Revlon® ColorBurst™Lipstick in shade #025 Carnation. I had always wanted to try a bright lip (which you can read about here) so having this pretty-as-punch lipstick delivered right to my door was perfect.

The formula is creamy yet light and with almond oil listed as one of the moisturisers, it’s definitely kind to your lips. I wouldn’t count on it being touchable and creamy all day though, I found I did have to reapply every hour or so to sustain the finish and moisture that I wanted. (That may have just been a reflection of the condition of my lips at the time though.)

I loved the colour, Carnation, which was a super pretty pinky-red with just the right amount of pop. I would definitely recommend this colour to anyone (like me) who loves the bright lip look but doesn’t want to dive straight into the deep end with some radical in yo’ face pigment. I found that it was easy to build and blend until you found the perfect intensity, and also faded evenly. It also looked great after just one swipe with a thin layer of gloss over the top. Multitask-er!

For only $23.95, it’s definitely an option for entry into the lipstick league. The packaging and look of the lipstick had a vibe of luxe, and the black quilted case and Revlon stamp on the stick itself channeled Chanel in my mind.

ColourBurst™ has definitely got my vote, as an affordable lipstick that delivers everything you need, including a pretty pout.

To read the other VIP members reviews, click here.

A Cocktail With A Side Of Sircuit

As some of you may recall, I have blogged about my skin troubles before. To recap; crystal clear skin as a teen, hormonal hell as I passed 20. While there has been some improvement, I’m always looking to try new treatments from different skincare brands. Ah, the elusive magical fix…

A skincare range that I had been keen to try was Sircuit Cosmeceuticals.

My local beauty therapist (All You) were offering a skincare consultation and peel deal from a visiting Sircuit representative, the lovely Rebecca. Hopefully better for me than Mc Donald’s new family meal deal.

We chatted about my concerns (breakouts, congestion) and spoke about my skincare routine.

Rebecca then led me to a UV light box to further assess my skin. It had a mirror so that I could see my own face and understand what Rebecca was talking about when referring to the orange, purple and white spots on my face.

Yep, colours. It was like some kind of nightclub rave in that box. A nightclub with only UV light, so that my eyes were glowing white, and the box was filled with a bluey/purple light. The colour came from the ravers breaking open their glowsticks and chucking the liquid around. Obviously. Cos that’s what goes on at raves…maybe?

Actually, the colours, and their meanings, were as follows; dark purple patches around my eyes meant dehydration (I had skipped my eye cream the last few nights) and the tiny fluoro orange dots signified oil flow. These showed up in the middle of my face; down the nose and on the chin – combination skin! The white? Residue from the lip gloss I had applied earlier in the day.

Rebecca prescribed a Cocktail peel  for my face, followed by a Lemon-Aid mask.

Cocktails? With yummy fruit flavours, mini-umbrellas and near-always pleasing alcohol side effects? Yes please!

But this was unlike any cocktail I’d had before. This was an ouchy cocktail. A few minutes after the peel was applied, things started to heat up, literally. The tingling turned to a kind of burning sensation, which was unpleasant but tolerable. About five minutes later, relief was found in the cool towel that wiped the treatment off.

The soothing Lemon-Aid mask (mm, they all sound so delish!) was applied and left to calm the redness, and all traces of unpleasantness were swept away with a pleasantly tangy lemon scent.

I’ll be sure to let you know if I see any visible changes for the better (or worse) in my skin. Fingers crossed and here’s hoping, because I’m getting mighty over it. It’s an expensive gig!

RESULTS: While there hasn’t been any mega-radical changes to my skin in the past two days,(eg. all-of-sudden-clear)  I can still see some differences. The little bumps underneath the surface of my skin around my chin area are less raised, and they seem to have dried up a little. The rest of my (clear) skin looks great, with a visible difference in the size of my pores – (smaller, yeah!) and an extremely even and smooth texture. If the Sicuit Cocktail peel was undertaken in a series of treatments, I think an improvement in skin condition would be seen.

Brows @ the Benefit Brow Bar

About two months ago, I made the decision to grow out my eyebrows. I admit the first week or two may have just been a lax ‘tude to my brows, but after that, a conscious decision was made to let them go wild – with the intention of a harsh whip back into shape of course.

And it was hard. Oh it was hard. Life doesn’t stop for your brows to grow out; social events were attended and photos of my face taken. I cringed to think people may have thought I actually wanted them in that state! A strong will was needed to resist the temptation to pluck out that one rogue hair curling in the opposite direction to the others, or to trim the hairs once they had started to bubble up. (Weird I know, once my brow hairs get to a certain length, they just get a kink in them – think one half of the Mc Donald’s arch)

Disclaimer: Eyebrow hairs may have been tampered with and picture may not be an accurate representation.

But I persevered and let them get truly rank, with the goal of going to the Benefit Brow Bar and having them attended to. I had read so much, and walked past curiously enough times to pique my interest, that I decided I must try it for myself.

After a few attempts to get them done at the Burke Street Melbourne bar – they were booked out both times, I would suggest calling ahead to see if they are free, yes I know it says ‘drop in service’ but save yourself the frustration – I went to Chadstone Myer’s Benefit bar.

This isn’t the Chadstone store but they all look a lil’ something like this:

Image courtesty of lipstickpowdernpaint.com/

I was taken to the waxing station where I propped myself up on the seat and explained to the very friendly brow-girl (a qualified beauty therapist – phew) that I was after a defined look that wasn’t too thin (after all, I hadn’t just grown all those hairs to have them totally ripped out again)

Having always been used to lying on the traditional table while having waxing done, it was a strange feeling to be sitting on a stool, trying to keep your head steady as the wax is applied to your brows.

A few strips were ripped off the first, and kudos to the waxer, I barely felt them she was so swift, and I was shown the result for my approval (yes) and then the other brow was completed.

Within 15 minutes my eyebrows had been waxed and then powered in to fill any sparse places. Easy.

I am really happy with the shape my brows were given, they are very close to my natural arch. I think I would like the second half of my eyebrow to be just a leetle bit thicker, so next wax I will request that.

A wax at the Benefit Brow Bar is $25 dollars, or you can request tweeze-only for $35.

It’s definitely an easy option during your lunch break or while shopping, but students or those looking to cut back may find they can get similar results at their beauty therapist for 5 – 10 dollars less. Or 2 – 5 sushi rolls, depending on your filling. Yes, I think in sushi currency.

The result:

New brow shape, with a little help from Benefit’s Brows a-G0-Go brow shaping kit. (My new obsession)

Trilogy Certified Organic Rosehip Oil

Where has this been all my life?!

Image courtesy of Trilogy

“This lightweight, non-greasy, golden oil contains Omega 3, 6 & 9, essential fatty acids and antioxidants to restore optimum skin health.” – Trilogy

I’ve only got myself to blame, I was a bit slow on the uptake. It’s not like there was a shortage of glowing reviews for me to absorb. I read them often, but they never drove me to action, and I’m not sure why. Did I think that a 100% natural, organic product wouldn’t be as effective as the chemical-laden products were are accustomed to? Maybe.

Woah-ho-ho I am wrong. I love this stuff. I mean, really truly love. I spout it’s merits to anyone who will listen, and also those who won’t.

I apply 3-4 drops into my finger tips at nighttime and massage into my skin. Using that much does make your skin look and feel oily, but I love the richness for nighttime. It does absorb fully after a while, so don’t be too concerned. In the mornings I add a drop to my SPF daily moisturiser. It blends seamlessly and adds an extra kick of life to the appearance of my skin. And some mornings I really need that!

I wasn’t planning on writing about this until at least 2 months of use, but I couldn’t wait that long!

The main deserves-a-medal points:

-It fades red marks left by old blemishs mega/really/super FAST. A particularly nasty red spot on my cheek has nearly disappeared, and I’m amazed.

-It makes your skin glow like nothing else. Truly radiant and I find myself using half the illuminator I used to.

-My skin is so so plump after it has been absorbed. As bouncy as a jumping castle.

-I rubbed it in to my boyfriends fine line around his eyes, and they disappeared for two days. Two.

–It’s only $20 dollars. Yeah.

If you are a fence-sitter like I was, I seriously suggest you get your hands on a sample or pinch some from a friend. It’s improved the condition of my skin greatly, and I’d love to gain members to the ‘I Love Rosehip Oil’ club. (We meet Tuesdays, but I’m totally flexible as I am currently the only member…I know of)

Warning: I got a friend to try my rosehip oil the other night, after rattling off all the benefits as above, and she totally agreed and loved it for the first 12 hours… and then broke out in a rash. Shit. Didn’t expect that! So do a test patch on a thinner patch of skin (eg. underside of arm) first before applying to whole face to check for any allergic reactions. As we all should before starting any new product I suppose, but it’s one that slips the mind.

UPDATE: A few days later, I remembered I had put a second product (Natio’s GLOW face cream) on my friends face the morning of the mysterious rash breakout. This was welcome news to my friend, who after having the glowing results for a few hours before the rash popped up, was a little bit shattered her skin wouldn’t get to experience the benefits of rosehip again.

So, we did a patch test with the two products on the inside of each arm, and a day later, it turned out the Natio cream was what she was allergic to! Huzzah!

But still, do a patch test before using, as a red rash isn’t welcomed by most.

Review: Jurlique Jasmine Hand Cream

Image courtesy of Primped

Firstly, how amazing is the scent of jasmine? It’s right up there in the flower smells for me, possibly battling with gardenia, which I think is an influence of both my mother’s and Nan’s favourite scents.

I was first introduced to Jurlique’s Jasmine range by buying Nan the body wash and body lotion, (both of which are just as divine as the hand cream) and was planning on passing the hand cream over as well…and then just couldn’t. I love it too much! (Sorry Nan, maybe for your birthday?)

The creamy, thick texture of this hand cream is beautiful, and after after waiting a minute for it to sink in and work its magic, it’s non-greasy and supremely hydrating.

It’s like that old saying (which I’m pretty sure I just made up..) lead a horse to water and it will realise it was thirsty. My hands being the proverbial horse. Man, this stuff is addictive! I’ve become so used to the soft, silky texture of my hands after applying the cream and that once it wears off after a few hours, I’m like a junkie looking for my next hit!

It also had a surprising second use. One day I had forgotten to apply my daily spritz of perfume (gasp!) so after rummaging around in my bag looking for the little sample bottles I usually have floating around in there, I came across ol’ Jasmine. Hrmm, smells good on my hands, why not me?! I rubbed a little into my neck and wrists and was greeted with a soft, subtle Jasmine scent that followed me around for hours. Saviour!

I love the minimalist old-style metal tube, which gives it a vintage medicinal feel. Be careful about how you squeeze it out though; if you squeeze too tight near the top then you may risk the metal bending and cutting off the rest of your creamy jasmine supply!

This is definitely on my list to buy when it runs out, and also on Nan’s birthday list.

I received this hand cream as part of the PRIMPED VIP package. To read what other members are saying, click here.

Beauty Memoirs from Paris

An extract from the blog I kept while living in Paris in 2008…

I went to Sephora today (massive amazing department store JUST for beauty, makeup perfume etc – heaven!) I stopped at the massive Lancome counter, which really took up half the store’s wall, and was looking at a mascara when the salesgirl girl said in her adorable French accent, “Oh can I help you?” I replied that I was just looking, but then she started showing me the new mascara that had a little bit of sparkle, and suggested strongly that I should try it. I started to hesitate, then she said “Come on on the chair!”

Hoping she didn’t have her heart set on me buying anything (financially struggling au pair remember!) she hesitated before she put it on and said “Oh don’t you want some eyeshadow first?!” So eyeshadow and liner was applied, then the fancy mascara. I think it must have been her translation, but in English it didn’t come out so well …. because every time she would do something she would smile and say “that’s better!” Um, thanks?
So my eyes were all made up, and paused, squinting, before saying “Non, non you need the skin done!” So after a few more “Yes that’s better, that’s better” (with little nods by the way) I was all made up (little too much blush for my liking, but oh well just got my makeup done free!) and trying to act like I was contemplating a purchase, then said I’d like the foundation number on a card so I could come back another time…maybe.  Many merci beacoups were shared and I was out, parading my new “better” face down the Champs-Élysées!

KORA by Miranda Kerr Organic Rich Body Lotion

This Tiffany-blue baby came as a part of the PRIMPED VIP Goodie Bag and I’m glad it did. Not having the most extravagant beauty budget means my body moisturiser tends to come from the Nivea & Co price range.  Which is fine; they do the job well and there’s no complaints so far. But the opportunity to try a higher price range ($44.95) was welcomed with open palms. (Where do you squirt your cream?)

The Organic Rich Body Lotion’s label states ‘Organic Jojoba, Cocoa Butter, Sandalwood & Macadamia’ My first thought was ha! Jojoba!  There’s that tricky word no one told me you actually pronounce with a h. No, I jest. My first thought was ‘Well where’s that fancy Noni juice stuff she’s always bangin’ on about?’ A quick flip to the back for the ingredients lists confirms, ‘Aqueous extract’ of the noni berry and leaf. Good one, Kerr.

Who else wants to get their hands on some of that noni stuff if it has the promise of making ourselves resemble Miranda Kerr? I know I do.

A quick run down on the cream:

Impressive bits:

-Subtle yet really pleasant scent, which would come from the sandalwood.
-Totally non-greasy
-Lasting moisturised results
-Beautiful packaging

Less than impressive bits:

-Not for girls in a rush (which usually most of us are) as it takes probably a few strokes too many to rub in completely. I enjoy a more instant-ish absorbancy of creams.
-Due to the thickness and the time it takes to rub in, I would suggest keeping this cream to the winter months only, as it may be too heavy for summer.

Has anyone tried the KORA Organic Rich Body Lotion? Do you agree with me?

Lessons In Liquid Liner, Part 2

So, the party has come and gone, (as has the Sunday morning headache) and I am ready to judge my efforts in recreating the Vintage Hollywood Glamour look.

‘What’s the big deal?’ you may be asking. You’re right, it’s not really, but here is some background reading for you (Part 1) to get you up to speed on my liquid eyeliner aversion.

After the PRIMPED Look Book Event at David Jones, I visited the Revlon counter to ask about what they had to offer in the liquid liner category. I was shown the Revlon Colorstay Liquid Liner ($24.95), which the make up artist explained was easy to apply due to the stiff, tapered (yet still flexible enough to bend with the contour of your eye) applicator. Muchos better for a beginner. Yes please!

And here is the result:

**Please, please excuse my horrendo eyebrows…I apologise to your eyeballs, this will be remedied very soon.

And a close up:

As you can see, next time (maybe when I have more than 10 mins to complete the technique!) I’ll need to work on creating a line that’s more fluid; less jolt-y and blunt at the tip.

I am actually thinking that my eye shape doesn’t suit liquid liner… This is something that L’Oreal Paris Head Makeup Artist Rae Morris said at the LMFF beauty event that she hosted. Apparently, if your eyes turn down a little bit, they won’t work with liquid eyeliner as the liner needs to follow your top lid and then flick out. I could understand what she meant as I was applying it – hang on, how am I meant to now flick up once I’m all the way down here!

I chose to go for a thicker, filled in triangle technique, as the single flick wasn’t as effective as I hoped. Plus, it was a dress up party, which requires extra drama of course! Apart from making it up as I went, during the week I had found this tutorial, which gave a clear and easy to understand demonstration on how to master the look. I possibly should have given it a few more reads…

Some things I learned (aka do the opposite of what I did):

-Thinking you’ll just wing it (ha!) on the night and attempt it until it looks alright is not practice.

-Caffeine of any form should not be consumed in the hours preceding the application.

-Ideally, one should have a time-frame that allows for calm, slow and leisurely application. For example, not half an hour for hair and makeup. This results in hyperventilation and a lot of swearing.

So, how do you think I went? I’m definitely not as scared of liquid eyeliner anymore, and hope to become much better at it!

Unrelated awesomeness: How totally bangin’ are these stockings?!

Childhood dream of wearing seamed stockings: tick!

PRIMPED A/W ’10 Look Book Event

PRIMPED Look Book  -noun
1. A gorgeously designed and conveniently handbag sized bi-annually published mini-magazine showcasing all things beauty; seasonal trends, new ‘prodz’, tips and tricks. Chock-a-block with and information, pretty pictures and the perfect amount of fun. Wheee!
2. What, you need another definition? Go pick one up from David Jones and find out for yourself!

A/W '10 Look Book

I attended the first ever Look Book event held last year, which was fantastic, so with a taste of what to expect, I was more than excited for the Autumn/Winter ’10 offering.

The ever-effervescent Zoe Foster, Editor-in-Chief of PRIMPED, was our hostess for the event, guiding us through the David Jones beauty floor (like the pied piper of beauty!) and the newest beauty trends for the season.

Zoe explaining the benefits of Ultraceuticals Retinol range.

Once we were seated again, it was Q&A time – a chance to pick the brain of one of the best beauty editors out there, not an everyday occurrence, and a few girls (including myself – red based vs orange based red lipsticks, and tips for the perfect liquid liner) raised their hands.

Our session over, a friend and I took the chance to thank Zoe for the event and get a picture. Major groupiez? Us?

Beth, Zoe and I.

Oh, and see that huge white bag cutting into my arm almost to the point of amputation? Yeah, that’s the INSANE IN THE MEMBRANE goodie bag we got. More than ‘goodie’ bag – freakin’ awesome bag! This picture may help illustrate just how insanely amazing said freakin’ awesome bag is:

If this was an audio file it might sound something like this: "EeeeeeeeeeeEeEEeEeEEE omgzzz wooooooooooooooo"

A huge thanks to PRIMPED, Zoe, and David Jones’ George (for photo-taking and organising goodie bag) for a wonderfully fun and informative night, I look forward to the ones to come (and the goodie bag…)

A Visit to Very Miss Coca

Well, isn’t this exciting news!

The ever so lovely Lauren over at Very Miss Coca has started up a monthly segment, ‘Stars of the Blogosphere’, of which I am the first blogger to be featured. Chuffed? Sure am!

Very Miss Coca is a snazzy lookin’ blog with a wide range of articles that focus on social media and marketing, pop culture, films and fashion. Miss Coca presents new technology and social media tools in such a readable, fun and interesting way, even Nanna could get it.

Another unique aspect is the weekly JobOps post, which features all social media/digital marketing jobs available in Melbourne and Sydney, from all the major job seeking sites in two handy little lists! Couldn’t be easier, Miss Coca has done the work for you!

I am thrilled to be Miss Coca’s first ‘Star’ (being interviewed is actually one of the things I meant to put on the ‘How do you know when you’re ‘there’?’ list) and really look forward to reading about the forthcoming month’s Stars.

You can read the full interview here.

A huge thank you to Very Miss Coca!