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Monday, 25 July 2016

Beauty Graveyard // Empties July 2016

My last beauty graveyard post was in March and I just couldn't put off this post any longer as my little bag of empties started overflowing! This post mentions everything from hair, skincare and makeup bits, so grab a cup of tea and get comfy.


Starting off with hair products - I'm so surprised I've finished so many hair products because I hardly do anything with my hair to be honest. Of course, it wouldn't be one of my empties post without a Schwarzkopf Ultime Biotin Volume Dry Shampoo. I go through this stuff like its going out of style, but it's my fave dry shampoo and I still have heaps of backups from the last Priceline 40% off haircare sale. Also from Schwarzkopf I've finish up an Ultimate Oil Elixir Serum. I really enjoyed this because it left my hair feeling super soft and incredibly shiny and I would usually use this before blowdrying my hair. I haven't repurchased but would consider repurchasing in the future.

I've also finished up some high-end hair care as well. I've been using the Michael Van Clarke 3 More Inches for the last couple of months and really enjoying it. I finished up both the shampoo and conditioner in travel sizes and since repurchased the full sizes. I do much prefer the shampoo as it is really clarifying but doesn't take all the weight out of my fine hair. The conditioner isn't my favourite however, as I feel like other conditioners leave my hair feeling much softer. Not too sure yet if I would repurchase the full sizes again, I'll probably try something different. Finally, I finished up the Bumble and Bumble Hairdresser's Invisible Oil Primer. I love this stuff as a heat protectant and isn't heavy at all in my hair. Already repurchased.



Next up are some body products. Nothing too exciting here, another Rexona Clinical Protect which is my favourite deodorant and of course I've repurchased. I also used up a Mitchum Clinical Deodorant, which I didn't mind at all in terms of its effectiveness but the packaging was so annoying and incredibly difficult to wind up so I will not be repurchasing. Finally, I've also used up a travel size of the Korres Guava Body Butter. This stuff is heavenly! Such a pretty, non-overwhelming scent and so moisturising. I did originally buy this as a hand cream to keep in my handbag, but it is a little heavy and takes a while to sink into your hands so I would recommend this more for the body. Haven't repurchased because I have too many body butters/moisturisers but definitely will in the future!

I've finished up a heap of skincare in the last couple of months! I'll start with the products from Origins. First is the High Potency Night-A-Mins Cream. This is a really beautiful night cream packed full of essential oils. It really does re-energise your skin overnight and leave it looking really fresh and bright, however, I had a bit of sensitivity to it because of all the essential oils and it left my skin really itchy. Next up is the Original Skin Renewal Serum. This serum was great at adding a little extra hydration to my skin, but to be honest I hardly noticed any difference when using it - and I went through the whole bottle, would pass. Finally, is the Never a Dull Moment Scrub and WOW I love this stuff. It smells delicious and I noticed such an immediate difference in my skin after using it. I usually leave it on my skin as a mini mask and let the enzymes work a little longer. Fantastic at leaving your skin super soft and glowing! On the most part I love Origins products and they work really well for me but I have decided not to purchase their products anymore because they are not cruelty free.

I've also finished up a deluxe sample of the Kate Sommerville Gentle Daily Wash which I absolutely loved using particularly in conjunction with my Clarisonic. It gave a really deep clean without being harsh or stripping. Would definitely consider purchasing the full size (when I don't have 7 different cleanser already!). Another sample size I've used up is the Korres Wild Rose Moisturising Cream, another product I loved. I loved the scent of this, how hydrating it was and how it absorbed really quickly as well as working wonderfully under makeup. Would consider purchasing the full size. So many travel sizes! I'm also finished with my Josie Maran Aragn Milk which I included in my May Beauty Favourites. I have purchased the full size of this because *love heart eyes emoji* - just obsessed! I've also used a Skyn Iceland Icelandic Relief Eye Pen which is probably the only eye cream I've been consistent with using because it works so well! Its really refreshing and gives a nice amount of hydration without being too heavy. Every other eye cream I have used in the past has been too heavy and given me milia under the eyes so I absolutely swear by this stuff! Already repurchased. And finally for skincare, I'm getting rid of my Clarisonic Acne Brush Head. I was kindly gifted this at a Clarisonic event last year and it is only just launching in Australia in the next month. I really loved this because the bristles were longer than the regular sensitive brush head which means you could get a deep cleanse without it being too harsh. I just repurchased the Sensitive brush head again to get me through but will probably go back to this one in the future.



Finally onto makeup bits! Firstly I had a big mascara clean out and got rid of all the mascaras that has been floating around in my collection for way too long and just ready to give me some sort of eye infection. The Tarte Lights, Camera, Flashes Mascara was nice and gave heaps of volume but it had a plastic bristle wand which I don't really like. Won't repurchase. Next up, Lancôme Grandiôse Mascara, god I hate this stuff which is such a same because I'm a huge fan of their other mascaras. Again, its the plastic bristle issue but I find this just makes my lashes so clumpy, obviously will not repurchase. Another, plastic bristle brush, the Maybelline Lash Sensational is one I actually really love. I really liked how this made my lashes look, added heaps of length and separation. Will not repurchase though as Maybelline tests on animals :( Finally the Josie Maran Black Oil Mascara, again quite nice but is quite natural and didn't give me the length that I like from a mascara. I think this would be better suited for someone with longer lashes. Will not repurchase.
I'm finally getting rid of the L'Oreal Brow Artist Plumper. If you read my review on this product I was less than impressed with this product. Maybe you would like it if you like your brows to feel hard and crunchy. Not even going to link this product because seriously you don't want to buy it. Moving onto some of my favourite products ever, first is the NARS Smudge Proof Eyeshadow Base. This is my favourite eye primer ever because it allows you to blend shadows really easily over the top, which I sometimes have trouble with if I use either the UD Primer Potion or Too Faced Shadow Insurance. This tube lasted me about a year too, so it's great value and I've already repurchased! I also loved the Kevin Aucoin Precision Brow Pencil and much prefer this over the Anastasia Brow Wiz. Will repurchase once I finish my current brow pencil. I also used up a Kat Von D Tattoo Liner in Trooper, which I didn't warm to immediately but it's definitely my favourite liquid liner now I've got the hang of it and I love that it is so intensely black. I've already repurchased. Finally is the NARS Larger than Life Long-Wear Eye pencil in Rue Bonaparte. A product I constantly rave about its a perfect beige shade for the waterline, repurchased of course.

So glad I can finally throw out all of these products!

Let me know in the comments if you use any of these products and if you like any of the ones I didn't!

xx Cat

Friday, 22 July 2016

What always happens...Life

Illustration by @bymariandrew

I don't really use this blog as a platform much anymore. It was my outlet to talk about beauty and now my job is to talk about beauty and being busy with uni and work and life its hard to keep a regular schedule. I do still like to share things with you guys and I thought I would do a little life update before uni starts back again.

The last two months I've been on break from uni and to be honest I wish I had done more exciting things but most of the time I spent picking up extra shifts at work, spending the money I had made picking up extra shifts at work on makeup and many solo netflix and chill sessions (sad I know...at least I didn't start playing Pokemon).
***

Apart from being super lazy I also really got into listening to podcasts. This American Life is my absolute favourite and I've been going back to earlier years and listening to their back catalog. The best way to listen to new episodes is to subscribe through iTunes but if you want to search and listen to past episodes you'll need to download their app. I also went to see the live show Three Acts, Two Dancers, One Radio Host - which was Ira Glass, the host of This American Life, telling stories from the show combined with dancing and it was fantastic and so hilarious. I also listened to every single episode of Starlee Kine's podcast Mystery Show, which surprise surprise, involves solving mysteries. I would highly recommend and Starlee Kine is so interesting to listen to. You can download on iTunes.
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Unfortunately I didn't get to read as many books as I wanted during the break, in fact I only finished one and it was Jennifer Niven's All the Bright Places. I didn't realise it was YA when I started reading it, but I continued to read because it was a nice and easy way to pass the time on train rides. I did enjoy it in the end and despite being YA it was really emotionally challenging as it touched a lot on mental illness and suicide. I thought overall the characters were written quite well and were interesting to read which definitely kept me engaged despite the gross teenage love plot. It also had heaps of literary allusions, particularly to Virginia Woolf, which I really appreciated being an English major and Woolf being my favourite author so overall would definitely recommend.
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I just wanted to reflect a little on the picture I included at the top of this post (make sure you check out the artist @bymariandrew on instagram her illustrations are amazing and so relatable!). Something really struck me about her drawing because I feel like it reflects what my life has been like for most of this year. In March, my four year relationship ended. Being single has been really strange for me, especially after so long and to be honest I'm really struggling to be by myself. Of course there has been some great things to come of it and most importantly for me I have never been so motivated to be social and work on my friendships. I was reminded of how many amazing, beautiful and supportive friends I have in my life who make me feel valued and confident. I still struggle with being by myself and having thoughts that I need to be in a relationship (which I know I don't need to). But Mari Andrew's drawing made me realise that love is just one piece in the big picture. In the last couple of months I've been able to still enjoy my life and have adventures and spend time writing and being creative and hanging out with my mum and dancing to Destiny's Child as I wash the dishes. I hope over the next coming months I can become even more confident in myself and truly believe that I don't need a romantic relationship for my life to be fulfilling.

I have got a few beauty related posts all ready to go so look out for those in the next week or so!

xx Cat

Friday, 3 June 2016

Best of Beauty // May 2016

 Welcome back to the blog! I've been stuck in a bit of a beauty rut for a while but in the last month I've been trying some really great products and wanted to share them with you.

On my search for some awesome cruelty free products to add into my collection I purchased a few products from Josie Maran. All Josie Maran products are based off 100% organic argan oil that is also sustainably harvested and pressed. I've used some of Josie's colour range before and her highlighters are my absolute favourite! In the last month however, I've really been loving her Argan Oil Hair Serum as well as the Pure Argan Milk Treatment. The Argan Hair Oil has been amazing for keeping my hair silky soft as well as reducing frizziness. I have really fine hair and the oil is light enough that it gives heaps of hydration without weighing down my hair at oil. The Pure Argan Milk is something I've been wanting to try for ages and grabbed because I was on the hunt for a new serum. The texture is really thin and feels similar to a facial oil on the skin. I really love it because it is super hydrating and gives your skin a noticeable glow straight away. I would definitely recommend adding this into your nighttime skincare routine, especially as we enter the colder months.

My first makeup favourite this month is a lipstick I've had in my collection for a while but have re-discovered and I just haven't wanted to wear anything else! The Lipstick Queen Lipstick in 'Nude Sinner' is the most beautiful deep nude shade that pulls almost terracotta on me - absolutely perfect for autumn! The best thing about these lipsticks is the beautiful formula. They are super creamy and opaque with a matte finish that lasts incredibly well on the lips. Lipstick Queen is the brand of Aussie Poppy King and is completely cruelty free.

My next makeup favourite is a fairly new release. Hourglass has recently added to their Ambient Lighting collection with three new Ambient Amplifying Primers that give you the same particular lighting effect as their powders, but as the first step in your routine. My favourite has been 'Mood Light' which is a soft pink shade that is evens out the skin tone (which you can see in the photo below) and gives the skin a subtle glow. I found the primer also really smoothing on my skin and did give some extra longevity to my makeup.
Left: No makeup. Right: Ambient Amplifying Primer in 'Mood Light'















My final favourite for May is also from Hourglass. Hourglass is one of my all time favourite brands and their Ambient Lighting Palette is one of the most special makeup products I own. The palette has three shades of Hourglass' famous Ambient Lighting powders which give the skin a beautiful, soft focus glow - Dim Light is great for using all over the face to set foundation, Incandescent Light is a gorgeous highlighter shade and Radiant Light is a light bronze shade that I love to use around the edges of the face for a bit of warmth. I've been reaching for this palette almost every day during May and every time I use these powders I love the way my skin looks! In particular, Incandescent Light has been my choice to create an beautiful strobing effect.

If you are interested in cruelty free makeup I would definitely recommend checking out Hourglass. Hourglass is the most luxurious brand with beautiful packaging and incredibly high-quality products.

That's all for this month!
xx Cat

Tuesday, 29 March 2016

Beauty Graveyard // Empties March 2016

Today I'm reviewing a whole heap of products I've completely used up over the last couple of months or so and let you know whether or not I liked them enough to repurchase!

Skincare, Body & Hair

// Lacura Micellar Cleansing Water
I am a huge fan of micellar waters, as you probably already know, and so when I saw that Aldi had one I decided to give it a go. Unfortunately, its one of those limited edition products Aldi brings out so it's not part of their regular line. This was okay, but I still prefer the Garnier one. Most annoyingly the lid broke after like a week so I had to be careful not to spill it everywhere. Would not repurchase.

// Lancôme Tonique Douceur
I absolutely love this toner! A bit pricey, but a little goes a long way. It's alcohol free and I find it great to help remove any leftover makeup after cleansing and also leaving my skin feeling really soft and refreshed. I also find it helps with balancing out the oiliness in my skin - I recommend a toner for anyone with oily skin! At the moment I'm still using my Mario Badescu toner but will definitely repurchase after I finish with that one.

// Trishave Shave Créme
This stuff is a complete life saver and I can't believe I've only discovered shaving creams in the last six months or so it actually has made my life so much better! It contains rose and tea tree oils to hydrate the skin and also help prevent shaving rash, itchyness and ingrown hairs. I would recommend this to everyone and I'm never going back to shaving without it. Already repurchased!

//Rexona Clinical Protection Deodorant 
The Rexona Clinical Protect Deodorants are absolutely the best option I've found in terms of deodorants. They not only control odour but actually help a lot with wetness as well. I was really keen to get into natural deodorants but they weren't nearly as effective as this one. Already repurchased.

// Clarisonic Sensitive Brush Head
Just like a toothbrush, with the Clarisonic brush heads you know when it's time to get a new one. The bristles get a little bit soft and splay out in all different directions. I usually use my Clarisonic once a day after removing my makeup so I found my brush head lasted about five months. I definitely found using my Clarisonic really helped improve the quality of my skin and my skin has been consistently clearer since using it to cleanse my face. I'm using a different brush head to this one at the moment but would definitely go back to repurchasing the sensitive brush head in the future.

// Philosophy Purity Cleanser
I love Philosophy's Purity Cleanser and have been using it for around six months now. It's great at removing makeup, including eye makeup without stinging your eyes, and it works well with my Clarisonic. I have already repurchased, especially considering that the 480mL is such awesome value!

// Schwarzkopf Biotin' Volume Dry Shampoo
I've tried my fair share of dry shampoo over the years but this one is hands down my favourite! It actually feels like it cleans my hair properly as well as giving it heaps of volume. I've definitely repurchased (and I have about four backups too)!

 Makeup
Another BB has met its end thanks to mould :( Can't live without though so I have already repurchased. 

One of the most surprising discoveries of 2015, I absolutely fell in love with Urban Decay's All Nighter and never miss it in my makeup routine. I find it makes such a difference to how well foundation sits on the skin and also helps prevent foundation from breaking up on the skin. I also find it is really great at extending the wear of blush and bronzer too. Although it is quite pricey, the bottle lasted me around 9 months so I could definitely justify the spend. Already repurchased.

I absolutely love Tarte mascaras and this one was no exception! Its really build-able but never gets too clumpy so you still get a really pretty fluttery effect. It didn't give me as much length as I wanted though and I found towards the end of the tube as it dried out it started getting super flakey. I do have a backup of this mascara but I will probably give it away since there are other mascaras I enjoy more.

When it comes to luxury products, Hourglass does it so right. Their mineral veil primer is probably the best primer I've ever tried and during Sydney's humid summer its the only product I can rely on. I have repurchased, but stuck with the travel size because I don't use it all the time and wow this stuff is expensive.

The Gimme Brow is one of the best brow products I've ever tried. It has little fibres and a tinted gel that fills in the brows really nicely. I really like how it has a really little brush so you don't get product everywhere. I haven't repurchased yet and probably won't in the near future because I have a few brow products on the go already.

The YSL Touche Eclat gets a fair amount of hype on the internet and I definitely believe that it deserves the hype. It has the most beautiful, thin formula that blends like a dream and it fantastic at brightening under the eyes. It doesn't provide much coverage so I like to apply a corrector under my eyes first. Would definitely repurchase (just haven't gotten around to it yet because it's so expensive!!)

I didn't actually finish this product but it was a little dried up and had heaps of glitter in it so it was getting impossible to use. I love this formula for doing winged liner because it has a nice matte finish as well as being long-wearing. I have repurchased. 

What are some of your most repurchased products?

xx Cat

Tuesday, 22 March 2016

Tried & Tested // *NEW* Bobbi Brown Eye Opening Mascara


When it comes to mascara, there are a few important things I look for. I want my mascara to give me lots of length, hold a curl nicely and give me enough volume so that my lashes still look natural but nice and fluttery. I have been in a long-term, open relationship with the Lancôme Hypnôse mascara for a while now - sometimes seeing the Tarte Lights Camera Lashes mascara on the side and occasionally the Maybelline Lash Sensational too. So when the Bobbi Brown Eye Opening Mascara entered my life, things were already a bit crowded in my mascara draw.

However, I have to admit that it was love at first application with the new Eye Opening Mascara from Bobbi Brown. Although initially I was a little bit put off by the jumbo sized wand I was surprised to find that I was able to coat my short, little lashes easily without making a mess of mascara all over my eyelids!

Immediately I noticed how well the mascara pushed up my lashes and curled them as well as how intensely black the formula is. The formula is really unique in that it contains kaolin, which is what helps the lashes hold a curl.

Image Source: http://www.sephora.com/contentimages/pdf/BB_EyeOpeningMascara.pdf

And of course at the end of all this hard mascara testing, I was pleasantly surprised at how easily it washed off at the end of the day with a little bit of warm water, especially considering how well it lasts without smudging or flaking!

You can purchase the Bobbi Brown Eye Opening Mascara anywhere there's a Bobbi Brown counter for $44. I grabbed mine from Mecca Maxima.

xx Cat

Tuesday, 1 March 2016

Best of Beauty // February 2016

My favourite blog posts to read and beauty videos to watch are monthly favourites so I want to try and do a better job at wrapping up my favourite beauty products each month and share with you what I've been loving! It's definitely been a month of re-discovering some old favourites and cult classics.

A fairly well loved foundation, I have been reaching for the Covergirl 3-in-1 foundation a lot throughout the month because I've found my usual favourite, the Urban Decay Naked Skin, wasn't giving me enough coverage. I have loved this foundation for a while because it is just so reliable - if I want something long wearing, full coverage and my skin to look flawless - i'll reach for this. Especially during the humid days of February this foundation has been a life saver. It's also really affordable and available from chemists and even the supermarket. 


Another affordable product I've been loving throughout the month is Real Technique's answer to the Beauty Blender. I love the Beauty Blender but lately they've been getting mouldy so fast and I've been going through them quicker than usual. I still had a RT sponge in my collection and decided to start using it instead of spending another $27 on a BB. The RT sponge surprised me because I had forgotten how soft it was! It applies foundation just as well as the Beauty Blender and washes well too. So far I haven't had an issue with mould either!



A classic cheek duo from NARS has been my absolute go-to throughout Feb because it just goes with every look! Laguna is the most gorgeous gold-toned bronzer and adds the perfect amount of definition and warmth to the face. Orgasm is the prettiest peachy-pink shade with a super flattering gold shimmer throughout. Two cult classic shades that are 100% worth the hype and great for all skin tones.



I've been using Stila Kitten Eyeshadow all month as my highlighter for absolutely everything - cheeks, brow bone and inner corner. It is the perfect champagne shade with such a creamy formula, this versatile product is a must have in any beauty lover's collection.

I'm completely useless with my styling my hair and will usually just let it air dry and hope for the best. The Bumble and Bumble Don't Blow It is amazing because you don't need to do anything just pop it in your hair and let it dry! I usually like to add in a bit of a sea salt spray, twist my hair into little buns and once my hair is dry Don't Blow It has worked its magic to add a little bit of texture and volume to my hair. It's perfect for getting that messy textured look with little to no effort!

// Neutrogena Beach Defence Sunscreen

Finally, as summer comes to an end I have to mention the best sunscreen I've ever tried! Beach Defence has an SPF 50+ and best of all smells great, isn't too thick or greasy and sinks into the skin while actually having a moisturising effect. I've been saved many times from potentially painful sunburn thanks to Beach Defence.

What products have you been loving lately?

xx Cat 

Tuesday, 23 February 2016

First Impressions // NARS Velvet Matte Skin Tint


Today, Mecca launches a whole range of exciting new products and the NARS Velvet Matte Skin Tint is one that I am the most excited about. As an oily-combination skin girl I love my matte finish foundations and couldn't wait to try out this new release from NARS. I've been giving it a good test run over the last week and wanted to share my thoughts so you can decide if you want to pick it up!

For reference, I matched myself to the shade Light 0 Terre Neuve which is a perfect match for my skin tone. The bad news is those with very pale skin may find it difficult to find a shade light enough.

//The Claims

  • Oil-free skin tint that wears comfortably and controls oil throughout the day
  • Soft matte finish
  • SPF 30

//Application
At first I thought I would try applying the product with my fingers however, I found that left the product looking quite patchy on the skin and I had to go over with a beauty blender. After a bit of trial and error I found the best method of application was with a brush and to buff the product into the skin. The Velvet Matte Skin Tint leaves a really beautiful smooth, soft matte finish on the skin that still looks natural. In terms of coverage, for a skin 'tint' I found the coverage to be light-medium and I could definitely build it up with a second layer.

//Wear
My immediate love for this product was based on how well it wore throughout the day. The soft matte finish remained throughout the day without excessive oiliness shining through, even on my t-zone. As a glasses wearer, I constantly struggle with foundation rubbing off my nose but this is the first product I have tried that didn't rub off from my glasses which impressed me so so much.

// Cruelty free?
NARS does not test on animals and does not use any other suppliers to test on their behalf. Some NARS products do contain animal derivatives like lanolin.

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After wearing this product for the last few days I can definitely recommend it as a great everyday base for anyone with oily-combination skin. It applies easily with a brush, sits beautifully on the skin and lasts really well throughout the day. It is also great to wear everyday as it has an SPF 30 and with 50mL of product it is great value.

The NARS Velvet Matte Skin Tint retails for $68 at mecca.com.au as well as in store at Mecca Cosmetica and Mecca Maxima.

xx Cat