Thursday, February 28, 2013

TOP TEN TIPS: AUTUMN/WINTER BEAUTY {GUEST POST}

Unfortunately, it's that time of year again when we are forced to say "so-long" to Summer and welcome the weather change of Autumn. I thought I would get in quick before the temperature drops too much to give you girls some time to prepare with these Top Ten Tips for Autumn and Winter beauty. We are all aware that with cooler weather comes dry skin, thirsty hair, cracked lips and makeup that just doesn't look or feel as perfect as it did in the Summer. In order to avoid these beauty catastrophes, our routine must be converted from Summer to Winter; everything from the lip balm we use to our foundation colour, we have to change to fit the season. 
Tip One: Foundation
I chose to put this as "tip one" because it's one of the most common mistakes that I see girls make and that is not changing your foundation colour from Summer to Winter! There is no escaping it that we loose our tan during Winter as it's reality that we aren't exposed to the sun as much as in Summer. It really does make a huge difference going a shade lighter with your foundation for Winter as bronzers look less "muddy" and blending is made much easier. If you are to change one thing in your makeup routine for winter, make it foundation! You will be able to tell a noticeable difference.

Tip Two: Body Moisturizer
Our skin, along with every other part of our body, becomes more dry in the cooler weather so it's important to change up the products we use on our skin from Summer to Winter. As we gravitate more towards lighter moisturizers and body lotions in Summer, it's crucial to swap them with a thicker and more creamy body butter for Winter. This ensures that our skin receives the extra moisture it needs in this more harsh weather.

Tip Three: Body Wash
For the same reasoning as "tip two" it's important to swap your shower gel for a cream wash product. Again, just ensuring that your skin receives extra moisture in every way possible to make up for the dryness due to the weather.

Tip Four: Eye Cream
If you don't typically use an eye cream, now is the time to start! Moisture around the eyes is great for many reasons, some including; preventing premature wrinkles, reducing the appearance of dark pigmentation and bags under the eyes and of course this all helps when it comes to applying your makeup as it creates a smooth surface for product to glide onto.

Tip Five: Lip Balm 
The most irritating feeling is chapped lips and they are hard to avoid in the cooler weather when the dryness and wind so easily crack our poor lips. The best way to prevent all this is by using a heavy duty lip balm or treatment in the morning, at night and all throughout the day. I recommend the Nivea Intensive Repair balm or Paw Paw Ointment.
Tip Six: Lipstick
It's always wise to think about our lipstick decisions but particularly in Winter when maybe some colours aren't as flattering as they usually are; like your favourite nude from Summer that now just accentuates the more visible cracks on your lips. Not only do I recommend thinking about colour choices but also the type of lip products you're using. I prefer tinted balms or glossy lipsticks as they are the most moisturizing and feel the best on our lips during the cooler weather.

Tip Seven: Shampoo and Conditioner
As with your skin and lips, your scalp also becomes more dry which can put you at risk of nasty things like dandruff so it's always a smart idea to change your shampoo and conditioner to a more moisturizing range and don't forget to deep condition often.

Tip Eight: Darker Colours
Use Autumn and Winter as an opportunity to experiment with darker colours in relation to beauty; whether that be a darker hair colour, more rich shade of lipstick or rocking black and oxblood nails. Go a bit darker than you normally would because it's the short period of time in Australia where you won't look out of place.

Tip Nine: Sunscreen
Now I wanted to touch on this because you all should be wearing sunscreen everyday but sometimes girls only feel the need to do so in Summer. That is a huge "no-no" as sunscreen is important all year round and your skin can still get damaged by the sun in Winter even though it isn't as visible as in Summer.

Tip Ten: Perfume
I put this tip last because not everyone is like me and enjoys changing perfumes with the season but I think it's definitely something fun and fresh to do that helps with keeping things different and new (wow did that kind of rhyme?!).
 Enjoy the change in season but if you are feeling down in the dumps because of summer ending, don't forget to look for the beauty in Winter; Summer will be here again before you know it.

Saturday, February 23, 2013

MAC VS. AUSTRALIS: PRESSED POWDER COMPARISON

I love a good pressed foundation but I also enjoy saving money so thought it would be worthwhile to compare a reputable but expensive product over a more affordable version to see if it's really necessary to fork out the extra cash. To do so I'm comparing the MAC Studio Fix to the Australis Fresh & Flawless against a range of criteria to see which one comes out on top.

Like all MAC products, the Studio Fix pressed foundation doesn't come cheap costing $49AUD for 15g of product, costing $3.25 per gram of product. Australis is quite an affordable Australian brand so the Fresh & Flawless is very reasonably priced between $8-$11.50AUD depending if you catch it on sale or pay full price. The compact contains a little less product than the MAC with only 12g but Australis still works out better value for money because it costs just less than $1 per gram of product.

Shade selection is quite important because if you are unable to find a colour which suits your skin tone then you obviously can't use the product. MAC has a really impressive colour selection based on your undertone and colouring with just under fourty shades to find your perfect match! Australis on the other hand is disappointing in this aspect as it only has three shades to choose from, making it less likely for you to find your perfect colour.

Accessibility is also an important factor as you don't want to be in the situation when your all out of product and it's difficult to repurchase, especially with something like a pressed powder where you rely on it daily. Like most other deluxe brands, there are only a few specific places you can go to get MAC including David Jones, Myer and MAC stores. Australis however is much easier to get your hands on as most places including chemists, Kmart, Target, Priceline and even supermarkets carry the brand.

Comparing the actual product itself, I really can't tell any difference between the two as they both have the same pigmentation and velvety texture as well as they both mattify and are long lasting. Not to mention, the Australis packaging is definitely heavily inspired by MAC so they are both in very similar compacts. 

For both products, I use one of two brushes; my Real Techniques blush brush or my Sigma Kabuki. Both these pressed foundations work equally as well with both of the brushes and there is no difference in application. 

Ultimately, there is little difference between the actual two products apart from the price. The Australis Fresh & Flawless is much better value for money because although it contains a little less product than the MAC, it is still not only much more affordable but also more accessible. The only downside to the Australis is that there isn't much variety in regards to the colour selection but if you can find a colour out of the three that will work for you then definitely give it a go!

Wednesday, February 20, 2013

WHAT'S IN MY PURSE?!


Watch to find out what's in my purse!

Saturday, February 16, 2013

BATTLE OF THE BB CREAMS

If you don't know what BB Creams are by now then you have probably been living under a rock but basically BB stands for beauty balm or blemish balm. It's an all in one facial cosmetic product to replace serum, moisturizer, primer, foundation and sunblock. It's designed to use as a regular foundation, often underneath powder depending on the desired coverage and finish. I am going to be comparing the three BB creams that I own to let you all know what I think about them and which one I recommend most!
So the conclusions I have drawn from my comparison are;
* Garnier is better in regards to price and coverage
* Although Skin79 contains more product, Garnier is still better value for money
* Maybelline provides the best colour selection
* Garnier provides the best coverage and is the most build able
* Garnier and Maybelline are more accessible than Skin79
and the consistency/finish depends on your preference so that is not a deciding factor.

With all of these BB creams I like to use a brush to apply the product, either my Furless Stippling Brush or Real Techniques Buffing Brush. Of course you can definitely use your hands if that's what you prefer, just make sure that they are clean!
So my overall favourite would have to be the Garnier Miracle Skin Perfector BB Cream because...
* The price point is just right
* It's like the never ending tube of BB Cream, it lasts ages
* It has impressive coverage
* The consistency is easy to work with
* The light shade suits my skin tone really nicely
* It has an incredible matte finish, perfect for oily skin
and it's really easily accessible so you can find it anywhere!
Watch my "Battle of the BB Creams" video above!

* The Dream Fresh BB Cream was gifted to me by Maybelline and the Skin79 BB Cream was gifted to me by mybbcream.com.au. However, all opinions are honest and my own.

Thursday, February 14, 2013

VALENTINES DAY MAKEUP TUTORIAL!

♥ A pink and purple eye look perfect for Valentines Day ♥ 

Products Used:

NYX "Strawberry Milk" Jumbo Eye Pencil
MUA Immaculate Palette
Maybelline "Pink Persuasion" Eye Studio Palette  
Essence Gel Eyeliner
Maybelline Cat Eyes Mascara
Ardell Demi Accent Lashes
Essence "Me & My Icecream" Stay With Me Lipgloss

HAPPY VALENTINES DAY!!

* I am a Maybelline Beauty Vlogger so all of the Maybelline products were gifted to me by Maybelline. However, all opinions are honest and my own.

Friday, February 8, 2013

6 PRODUCTS I COULDN'T LIVE WITHOUT


The 6 beauty products I couldn't live without!

1. Pressed Powder- Australis Fresh and Flawless
As someone who prefers a matte look over dewy, pressed powder is like my best friend if my BB cream is a bit more glowy than I like. 

2. BB Cream- Garnier Miracle Skin Perfector
Ever since I found the Garnier BB Cream I have stopped using foundation pretty much all together. I just don't feel like I need something with that heavy of coverage especially in summer. A BB Cream for me is a must because it acts as my sunscreen while still evening out my skin tone and covering any problem areas.

3. Mascara- Love Alpha Micro Fiber Duo
Mascara is one of those products that makes such a dramatic difference as you appear much more awake and your eyes are more defined with just one coat. 

4. Eyebrow Pencil- Maybelline Master Shape
I have naturally very light eyebrows so filling them in makes a huge difference and since your eyebrows frame your face this can really pull a look together. 

5. Gel Eye Liner- Essence Gel Eye Liner 
Gel eyeliner is one of those versatile products that can create so many different looks whether it be a thin line to frame the eyes or a huge cat eye wing. It can really transform a look into something completely different.

6. Lip Tint- Dior Color Reviver Balm
A little colour on your lips can brighten up and bring so much more colour to your face. Not only does a lip tint give a little colour but it also have moisturizing aspects to keep your lips nice and soft.

* The Brow Pencil was gifted to me by Maybelline and the Love Alpha mascara's were gifted to me by Body Rapture Cosmetics. However, all opinions are honest and my own.

Monday, February 4, 2013

AMAZING BLOGGER ALERT: AMBER'S FASHION AVENUE!

I want to introduce you all to Amber, AKA the sweetest girl I have ever met and my long lost sister! Not to mention she has an absolutely fabulous fashion blog and YouTube that you all need to definitely go and check out! She seriously deserves way more followers than she has and I'm sure she would appreciate it if you had a look at her blog and videos. 

Similar to myself she is a uni student from Brisbane who studies Journalism and Fashion, aiming towards becoming a fashion journalist! I love seeing girls who are really passionate about what they do and Amber is definitely someone who is enjoying what she does. She inspires me a lot as we are on a similar journey with myself aiming to be a beauty journalist. 

I don't write about as much fashion as I do beauty on here so if you girls are ever looking for some fashion inspiration and other related posts, Amber's blog is definitely a must to check out!
 Click here to check out Amber's blog ♥
Click here to check out Amber's videos ♥
 

Saturday, February 2, 2013

MNY VLOGGER HOW TO: SIX STEPS FOR LOOKING FLAWLESS-FAST!

Achieving a flawless and quick makeup look using only 6 products.
I love this as an everyday look mainly because the Dream Fresh BB Cream achieves such a natural base.

The 6 Products used: 
Dream Fresh BB Cream
EyeStudio Master Shape Brow Pencil
EyeStudio Hyper Diamonds Eyeshadow in Berry Diamonds
EyeStudio Lasting Drama Gel Eyeliner
Illegal Length Fiber Extension Washable Mascara
Baby Lips Pink Glow

 Watch the video below for a How To tutorial using these 6 products!

* I am a Maybelline Beauty Vlogger so all of these products were gifted to me by Maybelline. However, all opinions are honest and my own.

Friday, February 1, 2013

FIRST IMPRESSIONS: SKIN79 PRODUCTS


I loved trying out this product and I found that it's a great lightweight and dewy substitute for foundation. With an SPF of 30 to protect your skin and all the other benefits of a beauty balm, this is less harmful for your skin than foundation.

This is such a great liquid eyeliner! The precise brush applicator and how black the product is makes it a pleasure to use and helps achieve a flawless winged eyeliner look.

Kick It Side Look For Me Tint (Attention) 
I choose to try out this product because it is the coolest orange colour ever. I tried this out on my lips and cheeks and loved how it turned out both ways!

Kick It Side Spider Mist
This mist is very comparable to the Australia Finishing Spritz and it is a spray designed to set your makeup and help it last longer. It smells amazing like oranges and dries really quickly so I think it's definitely a good setting spray!

Watch the video for more info and to see how the products apply!

* All of these products were gifted to me by mybbcream.com.au. However, all opinions are honest and my own.