Recently Chloe Morello announced her collaboration with Ciate London - the Pretty, Fun & Fearless Beauty Haul Makeup Set (which retails for AUD$70). I had never tried anything from Ciate, I understood them to be a nail polish company and had not even tried their polish, but I am a big fan of Chloe Morello and knew I had to have her collaboration, especially after having watched her swatch video. 

Basically, this beauty haul is a selection of hand-picked (by Chloe) products by Ciate. Chloe selected a number of existing shades that she adores and are obviously best-sellers for Ciate, together with a number of shadows that she had the pleasure of curating. It also includes a best-selling mascara and liquid lipstick that really compliment the shades of the palette itself. 

image courtesy of www.sephora.com

The palette is gorgeous, deep purple, shiny, thin & travel friendly and has 15 shades enclosed with a magnetic-close function. It comes with a mini liquid lipstick, a mini womderwand mascara and is housed in a beautiful rose gold, deep purple/navy makeup bag! 

The mascara is the Wonderwand Mascara in Black Magic, it is not too wet and not too dry and coats your lashes evenly, leaving them blackest black and full of volume. I usually apply two different mascaras to my lashes to get a really full effect, but this mascara is perfect for every day as I only need to use two coats to really volumize my lashes. 

The liquid lipstick is the "Liquid Velvet Moisturising Matte Liquid Lipstick" in Pin Up which is a soft, nude pink. This does not dry matte, and does not last as long as your typical liquid lipstick. It does however last longer than your typical lipstick. It is very moisturising and does feel velvety which is where the name comes from. If you can push past the 'matte' part, this is a lip product I think compliments the palette very well. 

image courtesy of sephora.com

There are fifteen shades in the palette, and this is absolutely a warm-lovers' palette dream! The colours are extremely warm with soft browns, deep browns, light purples and deep purples with beautiful shimmer shades. The colours all compliment each other and if you watch Chloe Morello as much as I do, you'll know this palette absolutely screams her! I will list the colours below with some swatches of them as well.

Skinny Dip - light brown matte
Unconditional - soft terracotta matte
On Fire - burnt brown matte
Queen Bee - deep chocolate brown matte
Shine Bright - bronze/brown shimmer
Vaycay - golden shimmer
My Tribe - linen matte
Be Sassy - soft pink matte
Jet Setter - light rose/mauve matte
Happy - deep taupe shimmer
Dainty - pale peachy shimmer
Fierce - cranberry shimmer
Flirt - cranberry matte
Day Dream - deep wine matte
Own It - deep purple shimmer

The shadows themselves are very pigmented, quite comparable to the Too Faced Original Chocolate Bar Palette (which is my all time favourite palette) and are very buttery. They blend into each other extremely well and have a great staying power, even with my oily eyelids. You can make a tonne of different looks using this palette and it is perfect for travel as it is so slim and well packaged.

Have you used this palette? What do you think? Let me know in the comments below!


Where to Buy?

Australia
Mecca Cosmetica $70.00

USA
Sephora $49.00

The Shaaanxo palette by BHcosmetics was one of those products that every person who follows/ed Shannon Harris, just had to have. Shannon is one of the top youtube beauty bloggers currently out there, she is warm, funny, genuine and down to earth with content to boot. When the palette was first shown on her youtube channel, the excitement from her followers was obvious, myself included. 

BHcosmetics is known for its affordability and decent product; this collaboration was for everyone - not just those who had money spare to purchase one of these sought-after products. The best thing? Australians and Americans could purchase the product at the same time at the same price (bar the exchange rate) and the shipping was so, so prompt considering they were probably inundated with orders! 

I've split this review into two parts - eyeshadows and lipsticks. 

The eyeshadows are highly pigmented, blend so easily and are creamy, considering this product is 'drugstore' and affordable, the product within is definitely up there. The best thing about this palette is that the colours are so wearable, but also a little out-there too depending on your general look. Shannon and BH definitely combined the best colours within this palette, and it just screams for use. There are a few 'highlight' shades, beautiful transition colours, and some darker colours to really amp up a look for the night-time (or day, you do you!). 

At first glance, I was a little worried about a couple of the colours, I am very neutral and don't tend to really deviate from neutral, warm colours, but once swatched I realised these colours were not scary at all and could really make a look. I often go straight for the reddish / teracotta colour and wear it alone which really makes for a different look, but totally wearable. 

The best thing?

You have the best travel palette, as it comes with beautiful eyeshadow shades, AND lipsticks for every occasion! 

There are a variety of lipstick shades to choose from, from neutral nudes to dark plums and cherry red/pink. I have not yet dared to try the brilliant pink or orange shades, but am very fond of the nudes, light pinks and berry tones. The best part of this palette, is depending on your mood and overall makeup look, you can choose from 9 different lip colours to really finish your look, and is (as I said above) perfect for travelling for this very reason - I never carry 9 lipsticks with me when travelling and only pack my 3 favourite nudes and pinks, until now! 

 

Shannon and BHcosmetics have absolutely out-done themselves with this palette. The eyeshadows are pigmented, the lipsticks are pigmented, each shade compliments another and really complete a look for the most affordable price. This is my new travel companion and an absolute go-to for me. Anything that has Shannon's name against it, is well worth the money and hype. Outstanding.

Where to buy?

Online
BHcosmetics Shaaanxo Palette $22.00 shop here 

After hearing a lot of positive comments about this little beauty, I forked out the money, bit the bullet and purchased it from my local David Jones store. The Soleil Tan De Chanel is a creamy, light and airy gel formula that glides onto the skin effortlessly for a natural, sunkissed bronze-glow. You can use under foundation, over foundation or alone for a natural finish. 

Upon opening it, you expect a beautiful chocolate-y scent (I mean, look at that swirl, it looks like melted chocolate!) however (and slightly disappointing to me, since I am in love with the Too-Faced chocolate range) you are left with a soft, gentle perfume-y scent. Swatching this product was so hard, because I didn't want to ruin the swirl. 

The product is a natural, bronze colour with a creamy-gel radiance. Paired with a dense brush the finish is amazing, whether alone on bare skin or on top of foundation, it truly looks as though you have just been in the sun during the summertime and have natural, radiant colour to your face. 

The product packaging itself feels so luxurious, of course it's Chanel so you couldn't expect any less, with its iconic Chanel logo. 

I do think this product is very pricey and I do think there are other products out there which probably do the same thing, but sometimes high-end products just cannot be beat, and this in my opinion, is one of those products. 

Where to buy?

Australia
David Jones Soleil Tan De Chanel $69.00 shop here 

Amercia
Nordstrom Soleil Tan De Chanel $50.00 shop here 

The much hyped about Jaclyn Hill x Becca Cosmetics face palette finally reached Australian shores and I knew I just had to have it. I already had the original Champagne Pop highlighter compact and use it on the regular, it leaves a beautiful highlight wherever it is placed, and after having seen so many US customers rave about the face palette, I was always going to get it. Unfortunately this collaboration was marred with negativity due to the eyeshadow palette of which I cannot weigh in due to not having had the chance to purchase or try it - Australia never got this palette at all. 

The one (and only) negative to this whole collaboration is the fact that America gets all releases first, despite this company starting in Australia - it often feels as though the company's Australian roots are long forgotten in the overall success of their business. Especially when it comes to the price, it is almost 70% more expensive in Australia compared to America. Needless to say, I can be a proud Australian knowing that this hugely successful company came about from another Australian, not to mention that it means anybodies dream can be a reality just as long as the effort and desire is there.   

The moment you pick up the product, it feels high-end and luxurious. The packaging is heavy and a beautiful golden colour - of course a reflection of the product inside! Once you open the packaging and slip the well packed palette out into your hands, the luxuriousness absolutely increases. The palette itself is heavy, it's got a beautiful clasp, and it is clean and crisp. When you open it, the mirror is huge and the palette itself is golden and reflective. It truly is a well-made, well-thought out product, just screaming for you to swatch it. 

The palette has three blushes and two highlighters - although the first blush has a beautiful shimmer to it as well and would be called a luminous blush. The colours in the swatches above are listed from Top-Bottom, Left-Right: Rose-Spritz, Amaretto, Pamplemousse. Champagne Pop, Prosecco Pop. The colours all scream summer, and are just absolutely beautiful. They are highly pigmented, glide onto the skin and look so gorgeous when layered on your skin. Each product compliments each other and works so well with one another.

Amaretto is definitely one of my favourites, it is so earthy and neutral and is all that I want in a blush. Whilst in some cases I love a pinky bright blush, lately I have been all about the bronze, neutral and earthy colours. It is winter at the moment, and I think I am just craving the warmth of a bronze, earthy blush. When applying, definitely tap your brush and only apply the smallest amount (unless you are after a strong blush, then you do you) - as I said above, these are highly pigmented which is absolutely what you want in a high-end product. There is nothing worse than a product that lacks any pigmentation and is a pain to blend. 

This palette is limited edition, so if you want to add it to your collection, you best be quick before it sells out! 

Where to buy?

Australia
Sephora Becca x Jaclyn Hill Face Palette AU$89.00

America
Sephora Becca x Jaclyn Hill Face Palette US$52.00  (sold out :( sorry)


If you have this product or can weigh in on the eyeshadow palette, I'd love to hear from you - leave a comment below xo

I am a pale girl.. I basically have a "moon tan" (it's a sweet description?!) all year round, no matter if it is summer or winter, which is both unfortunate but also not that big-a-deal. I love my pale skin, even if it is slightly red and blotchy when I have been out in the sunshine. Occasionally you may have a special event coming up, or you just want to have some bronzed up skin to make yourself feel fresh and summer-y and that's where sunless tanning comes in! I highly recommend never going out in the sunshine without suncream slathered all over you, it's just not good for you or your skin and the pain when you're burnt is just not worth it, I've done it enough times to learn this!! If you're the lucky type who still tans even when slathered in suncream, well, I am just so jealous and you should let me know in the comments below just to rub it in (pardon the pun)!! 

There are so many sunless tanners out there; I was a bit overwhelmed when looking for one to be honest, the shelf was packed full and they all claim the exact same thing, if you're stuck just ask someone for assistance - it's their job to help after-all! Otherwise, before you even head to the store (or buy online) just google the brands because there are so many reviews/videos out there! I decided to go through with buying "St Tropez" in the white bottle, not the black bottle. I am not used to being super dark and don't want THAT much of a change, so I wanted something lighter and more 'natural' for me! 

First things first, as basically every review and / or video about how to apply fake tan mentions, skin preparation is the most important step in this process - and confidence if you're a first-timer! I suggest starting a few days before you want to apply the tan, so you can exfoliate and moisturise your skin as much as possible before tanning which means you have a soft, supple canvas for the tan to glide on and sink into seamlessly! I also suggest shaving your legs the day beforehand so the pores can close back up so the tan doesn't go spotty! Okay, having said that, let's say, one day before, exfoliate, shave and moisturise your entire body, I love using this "Clean Slate" coffee scrub (which you can purchase here) I got this for my birthday from one of my best friends, and it's similar to the Frank Body Scrub. It also has the best coffee smell (if you like that sort of thing!) and leaves your skin so, so smooth! I then shave with any regular razor, and I shower as normal. Then, before I get dressed I put on some moisturiser, I love this Vaseline spray, it is so easy to use and has no scent (this is important!) and really sinks into your skin rather than leaving a 'film' ontop of your skin. 

The day of tanning, I get back in the shower first, wash off any perfume, soaps, moisturisers etc with water - this will help the tan stick better on your skin, and not be patchy or blotchy. You can also exfoliate again if you feel like it! Then, hop out the shower, pat your skin dry and let it air dry for a little bit. Grab your moisturiser, put some on your hands, knuckles, wrists, elbows, knees, feet, ankles and anywhere else you don't want the tan to be too 'strong'. Once you've done that, you're ready to go! Take your tanner bottle, shake it up slightly and spray some onto your mitt (this is something that I think is an absolute must to get a seamless finish!). Make sure you use the same number of pumps / amount of product each time you spray it out, otherwise you could look uneven. Then, just buff (or rub / spread) it into your skin in circular motions - this tanner has a colour, so you can see where you have put it, ensuring you don't miss any spots. You can also let it dry and then apply some more if you feel like you want to be darker in any areas, like your legs for example. 

Then, the waiting begins. Depending on the product, you may have to wait 4-8 hours or if it's an express, just 2 hours. This means you shouldn't do anything that will make you sweat, you also shouldn't get in a pool or a shower or go in the rain until the tan has developed, otherwise you could end up with a streaky finish. The best time to do a tan is in the evening, before bed, that way it can develop overnight and you can jump in the shower in the morning and be ready for the day! You don't have to wait for the full 8 hours either and if you go slightly over the timing that's totally fine too! It's basically just a guide-line and you do you, as always! 

I am not a huge fan of the smell of this product, so I wouldn't go out in public without having washed off the guide colour first and getting rid of the smell. I applied my tan in the early afternoon as I was just lazing around the house and had a shower before bed and when I woke up my skin was bronzed, radiant and I felt super summer-y! 

Have you used St Tropez? What do you think? What sunless tanners do you recommend? Let me know in the comments below! 

I want to start this post by saying that I had wanted to get the Anastasia Beverley Hills contour kit so much, but as I live in Perth the only way is online (or fly to Sydney to visit Sephora) and I just never got around to getting it online. I ended up flying to Sydney around the middle of this year on a business trip (that's for another post) and whilst there, I went into Sephora to make the purchase almost exclusively, and sadly they had no stock :( it just wasn't meant to be!! I did load up on heaps of other products though, obviously!

Anyway, I pushed that out of my mind and when I got back to Perth I headed into our local Priceline (drugstore) for some other things and got my hands on this palette - the AC On Tour Contouring & Highlighting Kit by Australis which is a much more affordable option than ABH and to be honest, I am glad I did. 

As always with makeup, new lines of the same product are always being released and as soon as I had bought this palette, they released three different palettes: light, medium and dark. The website says clearly that this palette offers a healthy, natural glow for any skin tone, but I still don’t know if I entirely agree.  If I could go back and wait, I would definitely purchase the light palette, as I am quite fair skinned and feel this option would have suited my skin tone better. I am heading across to Melbourne at the end of the year and I was told there will be a Sephora opening there beforehand (fingers crossed it’s open!), so I will be visiting that store and getting my hands on the cream contour kit in light by ABH as its high up on my wish list and I LOVE cream products, especially for summer (I’ll do a post on my favourite cream products soon!). 

Sorry, I digressed there, back to the Australis palette…

Firstly, the kit is very, very, very pigmented. I cannot even stress that enough. Before you lather your brush in product STOP! Lightly press the brush in the product and TAP ANY EXCESS OFF YOUR BRUSH BEFORE APPLYING! Please! I am only thinking of your face! Either way you only make that mistake once so go for gold!

There are three ‘highlight’ shades and three contour shades. On the top row from left to right, there is a light (almost translucent) powder, a yellow ‘banana’ powder and a shimmery, peachy highlight powder. I love each of these shades the same (it’s a lot of love) the first powder is a setting powder for your face and I find it does a great job at setting my t-zone. The yellow powder is great for setting concealer under the eyes whilst highlighting that area – I have heard it has flash-back but I haven’t experienced that so can’t comment on that (sorry!). The highlight shade is so natural and adds just the right kind of peachy highlight to my cheekbones; it is shimmery (I can’t think of another word) but not overwhelmingly so and catches the sunlight perfectly leaving your skin with such a natural glow. 

On the bottom row from left to right, there are three contour shades. The first is a combination warm/cool toned colour, the middle is an ashy colour and the third is a warm colour, slightly bronzer than the first two. This is where you can have a problem with MUD. The first time I used the contour colours I lathered my brush up with the product, tapped a little bit off and applied it to just under my cheekbones – DISASTER! I had muddy looking cheeks and I had a little freak out because I was already late to work– I was NOT expecting that much pigment!! 
Anyway, the product is really easy to blend out and I managed to blend it out enough to wear during the day, instead of washing my face and starting again (can you imagine! I’d have been so much later for work! I really shouldn’t try new products when I’m late but what can you do!). I like to use the first and third colour on my cheeks, forehead,  nose, jaw-line and just under my chin as a general “bronzer” and then I use the middle colour to lightly contour under my cheekbones to add some more definition and a bit more of a 'contour' rather than bronze.

Anyway, on mornings when I have decided to go all the way and have highlighted and contoured (or evenings) I step away from the mirror and feel nicely shaped and I feel great about my face, especially with my nose, which I have a love-hate relationship with. I'm a little camera shy, so won't upload a close up of my face, but hopefully I get more confident and will be happy to do that! Also, now that summer is almost here, it will look a lot more appropriate (I don’t often wear fake tan so I’m pale as the moon and my face is usually super bronze and glowy and it just doesn’t really go with the rest of me!). I love this product, I reckon I will continue to love this product and hope you all give it a go if you haven’t already, I’ve only heard good things!

Let me know what contour and highlight palette (or even just individual products) are your favourites in the comments below, I love trying new things and would love to know what you use! Also, let me know if you’d like a post about my favourite bronzers/highlighters too and I’ll give it a go!

V x

  

Mimco & Mac, the two M's.. 

I lusted after this wallet for a long time before I bought it and managed to get the last one at David Jones when it was on its way out, which means I got it for a real bargain, love sales! It is the first wallet I have ever bought myself and it was worth every penny, especially because of the quality. It has a beautiful leather smell and soft feel and it just looks so beautiful! 

Mimco & Mac, the perfect M.

The second M. I wanted a soft, sweet highlight that I could wear on my eyelid, inner corner and as an eyebrow highlight, but didn't want it to be an obvious, glittery highlight like Mary-Lou by theBalm, so I bought "Mylar" from Mac. At the same time as wanting something to softly highlight, I also wanted something I could swipe on my eyelids for a quick, pretty pink look, so bought "Expensive Pink" which is a beautiful, soft, glittery pink. The thing I love about Mac eyeshadow's is how pigmented they are and what a beautiful wash of colour they give.

Mac is on the higher spectrum money-wise, but is worth every penny, and I am so lucky I don't have a bad reaction to the eyeshadows, because I cannot touch a primer from Mac without breaking out in a red angry rash! Do you have any thoughts on Mac eyeshadows or any colour recommendations for me? Leave me a comment below xoxo

Mylar and Expensive Pink

So pigmented and pretty

On the weekend I bought some make-up products that were not needed, but I have this problem where I can't walk past the makeup section in any store without buying at least one thing.. Any one else have the same problem? 

This post is going to be about the pretty pink lipstick. It is from Maybelline and is from their "Colour Sensational, The Shine" line. I have never owned any of their lipsticks before and I am not sure why as this one is beautiful! Their website says these products have a 'mirror-like colour from micro-mirror pigments' with a 'creamier feel from nourishing honey nectar' that come in ten different colours. It is very creamy, but not thick and doesn't run into the little lines around your lips. It feels like you're wearing a nourishing, pink lip balm in how nourishing and sheer it is, but the colour can be built up to a pigmented pink colour and the packaging is really pretty too. It lasts well on the lips, but does not stain them and will need reapplying after eating or drinking. 

When I swatched it, I had to have it. The name was just the icing on the cake, it's the cutest name! I would say that the swatch below is pretty true to how it looks on your lips, sorry for not having a swatch of it on!

I love this lippy and will definitely be getting some other colours. You can get these lippies from any pharmacy / drugstore / target etc or online!

Let me know if you have tried any of these, or similar, and what you thought!

Maybelline Colour Sensational The Shine: 140 - Juicy Bubblegum

Pink swatch, true to life