MAC Eye Shadow Swatches - Warm Browns

Time for some swatches! Whenever I am on the hunt for new eye shadows I find online swatches most useful so it's only fair to share the ones I have with you.

All up I have 4 palettes to show you, starting off with my most used one.

Tempting: Lustre - Sinfully rich coco

Patina: Frost - Taupe brown with golden pearl

Warming Trend: Veluxe Pearl - Frosty light taupe

Woodwinked: Veluxe Pearl - Warm antique gold

Go: Starflash - Dark brown with a gold shine

Bronze: Frost - Gold brown with gold-bronze shimmer

Mulch: Velvet - Red-brown with bronze pearl

Sable: Frost - Gold-plum with bronze pearl

Twinks: Veluxe Pearl - Deep plum w/pearl

Antiqued: Veluxe Pearl - Ash brown with bronze

Glamour Check: Starflash - Warm shimmery brown

Espresso: Muted golden brown

Romp: Frost - Matte - Chocolate laced with gold

Casino: Lustre - Copper with brown and gold sparkles

Have you got any of the above eye shadows? Love them? Hate them?

Which MAC eye shadows do you think are missing in my collection?

Nailene Artificial Nail & Polish Remover

Here is the thing… I love having pretty painted nails, I am somewhat indifferent to painting them, and I absolutely HATE removing nail polish. I tend to use up quarter of a bottle of polish remover, 10 cotton pads and afterwards my jaw hurts because I am clenching my teeth so much.

So when I read about the likes of the Boujoirs Magic Nail Polish Remover (which of course is not available in Australia) I went on a hunt to find a polish remover in a pot. And I found one at Priceline: The Nailene Artificial Nail & Polish Remover

Now, whilst this is in a pot it doesn’t actually have a sponge inside like other polish removers in a pot do. This one has little plastic bristles, which at first sight seems a bit intimidating.

But I’ll stop boring you now and I will show you photos of me taking off my Sally Hansen Grey:

After about 10 seconds of rubbing my finger up and down the bristles, not bad huh:

After another 10 seconds, pretty much gone:

Effective? Yes!. However also very harsh on your nails and skin:

You can see how dry and white the skin around my nails has gone? After slapping on some hand cream everything went back to normal, but this stuff can’t be good for you long term.

The verdict is: the whole mechanism of sticking your fingers in a pot is pretty genius. This particular one is too harsh but to be fair it is actually marketed for artificial nails. I would definitely like to try a pot with a sponge, shall I ever find one. Until then I will keep using this one, because it is indeed very effective, quick, non messy, and very good for my jaw.  Once I have used it up I will refill it with some other more gentle nail polish remover and I am hoping I will get the best of both worlds

This product retails for AUD 13.99

Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua

Wow it’s been months since my last post, I better make this one worth while.





If you have been following my Blog and/or Tweets for a while then you will know that I am loving the Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua foundation. I have literally just cracked open my third bottle of it, so I can give you my educated opinion on it.

So here are my thoughts. Let’s start with the least important, the packaging and work our way up to the question of all questions, “how does it actually look?”

Packaging:

This foundation comes in a lightweight sleek plastic bottle with a convenient nozzle. Personally I like that, because I travel a lot and it’s light, small enough to pack and won’t break. However, someone might argue that if you are forking out the $$ for Chanel you may want the luxurious look and feel that the typical glass bottles bring.



Scent:

Devine. To me anyway. The scent is quit strong and smells very florally. So if you don’t like fragranced foundations stay away.

Texture:

This foundation as the name might suggest is water-based and very light weight. You have to shake the bottle well before dispensing product otherwise you will get a watery liquid. It would describe the texture almost gel like but in a nice way.

Colour Range:

I am wearing B10 and it matches me perfectly. I have tried Vitalumiere and Prolumiere and the lightest colour in both of these foundations is probably a tick too dark for me. So it’s nice that they have come up with some lighter shades this time.

Application:

Probably one of the biggest pros of this foundation. It goes on so so easy and so well. I have used this with all sorts of brushes and fingers, and you really can’t stuff it up. I have never had it look streaky, nor cakey, nor any other undesired look. It’s just very low maintenance. Throw it on and go.

Appearance:

I would describe this as a light to medium coverage foundation with a satin finish. Some people say it is buildable but I disagree. This foundation is great to even out your skintone and give you some luminosity. To me it looks like my own skin but better. However, it does not cover up your skin and it’s not supposed to. It actually lets your skin shine through and that’s what makes it so lovely and natural looking. In summer I can see my freckles through this foundation.

Wear:

This is definitely not a long wearing foundation but for me it holds up a working day quite nicely. I have normal skin so it might be a different story if you have oily skin. I don’t tend to powder this foundation either, because I don’t want to take away the lovely finish by powdering over it. I also wore this every single day on my honeymoon in Barcelona last year and it wore well in the hot and humid climate.

Price tag:

Aha, now this is the biggest con of this foundation. In Australia this retails for AUD 77, in the US you can get it for around US 40. I have been buying it duty free in Europe for only EUR 35.



Have you tried this or any other light weight foundation? Please do tell me about it in the comments! Btw this is the first time I am taking photos with my light box – let me know what you think!

Hair Oil Comparison–Moroccan VS Dove VS L’Oreal

Over the past 6 months or so I have been trying out and comparing three different hair oils. My hair is short, straight, fine and bleached. So my main concern is usually dryness and breakage, as well as getting volume.

1. Moroccan Oil

The first oil I have been trialling is the probably most famous one in the market that has started the hype of oils..

Moroccan Oil says:
Moroccanoil Treatment’s versatile, nourishing and residue-free formula can be used as a conditioning, styling and finishing tool. It blends perfectly with other products and even speeds up drying time. This treatment for hair completely transforms and repairs as its formula transports lost proteins for strength; fatty acids, omega-3 oils and vitamins for shine; and antioxidants for protection. It absorbs instantly to fill gaps in hair created by heat, styling and environmental damage.
Beeneelicious says:
I like it. In fact I like it a lot. Firstly it smells really nice, a little sweet. You only need to use the smallest amount and it will instantly smooth out your hair and get rid of any knots and tangles. It makes your hair manageable and I also find it protects your hair from drying out when working with heat. Most importantly though it doesn’t weigh your hair down and make it look all greasy like some hair oils used to do in the past. And what’s left on your fingers can be used on your elbows or any other dry skin patches. Only downside of this product is the price…
The price of this product varies a bit but I found it online at http://www.salonstyle.com.au/ for AUD 52.50 for 125ml

2. L’Oreal Mythic Oil

The second oil is the L’Oreal Mythic Oil which was kindly supplied to me for consideration.
L’Oreal says:
Enriched with a special blend of avocado and grape seed oil, this lightweight oil cares and pampers all hair types. Nourishing even the finest hair, the formula leaves hair looking shiny, feeling nourished and supple.
Beeneelicious says:
I am somewhat undecided how I feel about this product. I like it, but I don’t love it. I will definitely use it up but I don’t think I would repurchase. I feel that out of all three hair oils I have tested this one is the heaviest one, and if you are not really careful with the amount you are using then it can leave you looking like a grease ball. I think this would be more suitable for someone with thick hair. It does smell divine though.
The Mythic Oil retails for around AUD 38 for 125ml

3. Dove

I was lucky enough to be given this Oil Serum as one of the first people in Australia to test. It has now hit shelves and is easily available through places like Priceline.
Dove says:
This new wonder serum treats 99% of roughness and frizz and is clinically proven to be as good as the current market leader, Moroccan Oil, yet is only a fraction of the price.
Formulated with both Coconut and Sweet Almond Oil, Dove Nourishing Oil Care Nutri Oil Serum will turn dry and unmanageable hair into soft and silky, finger-runnable hair within minutes. The hair shaft is deeply nourished by fine and easily absorbed oils, leaving no greasy residue.
Beenelicious says:
Well not much else to say really – I agree with everything that Dove says. I love this product – it works just as well as the Moroccan Oil. I find it is slightly runnier and lighter. I also like that the pump bottle is a lot smaller than both the Moroccan Oil (full size) and the L’Oreal Mythic Oil – but this is only a personal preference because I have been travelling a lot and taking it with me. No matter how crappy the hotel hair dryer – if I use this oil after washing my hair and before blow drying it then I am pretty much guaranteed to walk out the door with a lovely hair do.
The product retails for AUD 9.99 for 40ml

Summary:

If we set money aside for a moment then my winners are the Moroccan Oil as well as the Dove Nutrive Therapy Nourishing Oil Care Nutri Oil Serum (even though I think the name is ridiculously long). If we do take price into consideration then Dove is my winner without a doubt.
Have you tried any of these three hair oils and what is your favourite? Let me know in the comments below. X

Best Eye Brushes - MAC, Sigma, Royal & Langnickel, Coastal Scents

Here is part 2 of my best brushes featuring eye brushes.

The Flat Shader : Royal & Langnickel MD Eye Shader C411-S
I love this shape of brush for packing eye shadow onto the lid. To be honest any brush will do, the one I have photographed is just a representation for this type of brush. What I do like about this particular one however is that it has synthetic bristles which makes it a great brush for using cream shadows such as MAC Paint Pots. Approx $10


The Fluffy Blending Brush: MAC 224
I can’t really blog about brushes without mentioning the MAC 224 which has its own cult following. This is a real hair fluffy brush that I like to use for under eye concealer or blending out eye shadows. RRP $54


The Other Fluffy Blending Brush: Royal & Langnickel Crease C430
This one is a more recent purchase but definitely worth mentioning. A fluffy soft crease brush but with a very tapered top which makes it perfect for blending out colour. RRP $7.50
 

The Tapered Blending Brush: MAC 217
Another brush that has its own cult following is the MAC217. A densely packed soft blending brush that his great for a soft wash of colour or like the name suggests: blending. RRP $37

The Pencil Brush: Coastal Scents Large Pencil Crease Black/Silver
What makes this brush special is how tapered and dense it is. It also has a very long handle which is somewhat different. I like this brush for precisely placing eye shadow in the crease and for smudging out eye liner. RRP $3.95


The Small Angle Brush: Sigma SS266/E65
This type of brush is my HG for grooming my eye brows. Any brush will do, this Sigma brush is just a representation for small angle brushes in general. RRP $9


The Eyeliner Brush: Coastal Scents Synthetic Fine Liner Brush
This is the best flipping eye liner brush I have ever tried and it’s almost ironic that it only costs 2 bucks. What makes this brush so special is how thin it is but it is still stable enough to let you apply gel liner in perfection. I have lined it up next to the Sigma eye liner brush so you can see how small it really is. RRP $1.99


The Small Smudger: Royal & Langnickel Mini Flat Smudge C402
This type of brush is great for applying eye shadow to your lower lash line. Any brush will do, that’s just the one I have. Approx $6


The Definer: Royal & Langnickel Eye Detailer C470
I love this brush for applying a highlight to my inner corner. It is also nice for precise spot concealing. Again any brush like this will do, but that’s the one I had on hand. Approx $6


The Big Blending Brush: Royal & Langnickel Super Eye Fluff C448
I didn’t actually realize how many Royal & Langnickel brushes are part of my favourites but there you go, another great example. This big fluffy eye brush is great for generously applying eye shadow but also for blending out harsh edges. Approx $10

Best Face Brushes - MAC, Sigma, Royal & Langnickel and more

I think that everybody has a vice – this one item that they own enough (too many) of and yet they still hunt for more wishing to find something even better.
For me this vice are brushes. I have a ton of them, but I still get excited when I see new brushes and get an anxiety attack fearing that I may be missing out if I don’t have them all.
The bad news is that I obviously have a problem and should be seeking professional help. The good news is that I have tried an awful lot of brushes and can now share my wisdom with all of you.

The Big Paddle Brush: MAC 134

Out of all my brushes (all 593 of them..kidding) this is my absolute favourite. I love this brush for its quality and versatility. This is a very big, very soft, yet quite dense real hair face brush. I use this for loose powder, pressed powder, bronzing and blush. It’s my favourite brush for powder and bronzing. RRP $105, however I bought this for about $65 online.



The Synthetic Kabuki: Sigma F82

I have given Sigma a hard time in a recent review because I have had some pretty poor experiences with their brushes. However this brush I adore. Let’s hope it lasts. This is an extremely dense, yet soft, synthetic brush. I use this almost every day to apply my foundation. RRP $16



The Concealer Brush: Sephora Pro Concealer Airbrush

This brush looks different to your standard concealer brush but let me tell you, it is oh so good. I had to get someone to buy this for me in the US as I could not find this anywhere online (let alone in Australia). This brush is actually quite comparable to the above synthetic kabuki, just a lot smaller and absolutely perfect for under eye concealing. RRP $24



The Blush Brush: MAC 168

A dense and soft blush brush that does what it’s meant to do. I use this for blush (who would have known) and also contouring. I have also tried the Sigma version of this but there is comparison. RRP $65



The Big Fluffy Blending Brush: Coastal Scents Pink Blending Brush

This brush is extremely fluffy and for my taste a bit too big for my eyes. But I do love this for applying highlighter on my cheeks. RRP $1 (!)



The Big Fluffy Face Brush: nude by nature Application Brush

This brush is extremely soft and I mainly use this for applying loose mineral powder such as the Laura Mercier Mineral Foundation. RRP $14.95



The Powder Foundation Brush: Coastal Scents Kabuki On A Stick

How best to describe this brush? Umm.. it’s a kabuki on a stick! I love this for applying pressed powder foundation to achieve full coverage. RRP $5.95





The Big Fat Foundation Brush: Royal & Langnickel Super Foundation Brush BC142

This is a dupe of the Coco Beau Big Fat Foundation Brush. It makes applying foundation a breeze – super quick and easy. It actually gives a very similar finish to the Sigma Synthetic Kabuki brush. RRP $16