Weekly Beauty Edit #7

My weekly beauty edit is one day late as I had a bit of a moment yesterday and wrote something I'm very passionate about. If you haven't read it you can find it here.

In the last week I blogged every day as part of my Winter Beauty Edit and having a little bit of extra time to play with makeup has reminded me of some of the amazing products I have in my collection. This weeks #WBE is all about old favourites and new discoveries. Also I've just signed up to twitter so I'd appreciate if you could follow me @catherineintents :)

1// Wet n' Wild Colour Icon Eyeshadow Trio in 'Walking on Eggshells'

I have been so obsessed with this little trio it is absolutely perfect for every occasion. It takes approximately 2 minutes to complete a simple eye look that is perfect for everyday makeup or even a great neutral option if you're wanting to go with dramatic eyeliner. The shadows are so soft and buttery and blend like a dream! The colours are absolutely gorgeous too, I've been reaching for this pretty much every day. I love the formula of these so much and they are so affordable at less than $4 so I've ordered two other trios from BeautyJoint!

2// Maybelline The Falsies Mascara

I have too many mascaras open at the moment that sometimes I can forget some of my old favourites. As well as that I find that sometimes it takes a while to get used to a mascara and so I won't get the best use out of it if I'm only using it every now and then. I love the formula of this mascara as it is amazing at holding a curl! The slightly curved wand is great at getting those outer lashes and adding heaps of length. This is my no.1 pick of mascaras from the drugstore.

3// Herbal Essences Naked Shampoo & Conditioner

These hair products were additions in my June Bellabox and I have been absolutely loving them! My hair is really fine and these were amazing and giving my hair a deep clean but still leaves it feeling light and with some volume. These are definitely products I would repurchase as I have a lot of trouble with shampoos and conditioners weighing down my hair. Also they smell so fresh and fruity!

4// Maybelline Colour Elixir Creamy Lip Lacquer in 'Blush Essence'

Another product from Maybelline that I'm absolutely loving! A relatively recent release into the Australian market, I didn't think I needed another lip product until Priceline sent me a $5 off voucher to my email. The formula of this is amazing! From the way it feels amazing on the lips, the super soft applicator and amazing smell I just always want to have it on my lips. 'Blush Essence' is a really cute neutral pink shade with small glitter particles. They have an lovely glossy finish, are pigmented and last quite well on the lips for a gloss product. The only downside is that I think the $17.95 is slightly ridiculous.

5// #mtaphotoaday

If you follow me on instagram you will have noticed that I have been taking part in the More Than Adored photo challenge. If you want to get involved search #mtaphotoaday on instagram. Here are some highlights.

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The power of makeup, the power of YOU

Today was one of those days where my Facebook timeline was filled with interesting articles and links to explore and having a free afternoon meant I was able to catch up on some of the things that are going on around the world.

I stumbled upon this article about Colbie Caillat's new song 'Try' all about embracing yourself, finding confidence with your natural appearance and featured a series of beautiful women removing their makeup and revealing their bare faces.

Earlier this year the #nomakeupselfie phenomenon swept over Facebook and saw lots of people taking selfies without makeup, apparently raising awareness for cancer. While the debate of whether selfies are real activism or effective in any way is a different issue, there is this idea that going without makeup is 'brave'.

I absolutely believe promoting confidence and self love for everyone is really important however, I resent these types of campaigns because I don't want to be told what the best way to feel beautiful is. Of course if you check out the comments there are lots of "they all looked better without makeup" and "women are always more beautiful without heaps of makeup" which just makes me want to scream!

The idea that makeup is used to trick people or hide your real appearance is ridiculous. I use makeup as a form of expression. For me, putting on my makeup and creating a look is such a fun, creative experience and a skill that I am constantly looking to improve (because I'm a perfectionist not because I'm trying to cover my face!)

I try to be confident within myself because I know there are things I am good at, I want to value and take care of myself and also because I know I deserve to be happy. This is what makes me confident and I think that promotion of a more whole approach to self confidence is so much more important than pushing people to be 'brave' and take of their makeup.

We live in a society where women are told to meet certain expectations. Whether we are consciously aware of this or not, it is part of an inherent culture and we see it not only in the media - the obvious culprit, but within our education system and workforce, our social interactions and family structures. I am a true believer of not expecting any person to behave a certain way and in that way I resent these types of campaigns telling me to take off my makeup. I love wearing makeup and that's my choice and whatever you want to wear should be your choice too. You have the power to define your own beauty and how you want to present that.

I was happy to find this video on Tumblr which sums up what I believe about self confidence in a humorous way and is guaranteed to make you smile.

I hope this post made you think about the way we promote self confidence.

xx Catherine

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Winter Beauty Edit: Winter Fashion

When I have events to go to in winter I always dread figuring out what to wear because I can't possibly bear the thought of wearing a pretty dress and strappy heels when the temperature is probably going to be in the single digits.

I usually opt for pants because I know they will be the warmest. If the event is more casual, I'll wear my high-rise black skinny jeans from Levi's which are super flattering and comfy or if the event calls for something more formal, my pair of black trousers from Sportsgirl are perfect.

If I'm going dancing I like to wear a skirt and I found this fantastic black asymmetrical skirt with leather detail from Target for only $15! And of course paired with some black stockings - or even some patterned ones if I'm feeling adventurous.

To be honest, finding a nice, dressy long sleeve shirt or blouse is not that easy and a lot of them seem to be for a more mature market. I did however find this really nice purple shirt, again from Target that crosses over and drapes across the front giving a relatively low neckline thats a little bit cheeky and perfect to pair with a long necklace. I also love long, button up shirts with peter pan collars and have seen so many lately with some cute designs on them which would be a nice way to dress up a pair of black trousers.

My shoe of choice is always a black, heeled boot - not only super chic, but will dress up jeans and are a comfortable option. And of course, this amazing black coat I purchased from Myer with the leather detail on the sleeves just goes with everything!

As you can see be winter wardrobe is fairly monochrome - I prefer to wear black or dark colours and add a pop of colour with a bright matte lip. I'm absolutely loving pink and orange at the moment.

I hope this inspired some winter outfit ideas and you have enjoyed my winter beauty edit this week!

xx Catherine

Winter Beauty Edit: New Winter Releases

I absolutely love the limited edition collections that are released from both Essence and Face of Australia and was super excited to see the winter releases were absolutely perfect for the season!

Top photos sourced from: triedandtestedblog.wordpress.com, bottom photo sourced from: faceofaustralia.com.au

From the Essence Dark Romance collection I picked up the cream highlighter as well as a velvet mousse blush in True Romance which looks really interesting - I haven't got anything in my collection like it! Whilst all the nail polishes looked absolutely amazing I knew that I wanted to pick up some of the Dark Side Nail polish collection from Face of Australia so I restrained myself! Essence also released their 'Be Loud' collection which will be stocked at Target since Dark Romance is at Priceline. I've been stalking all the Targets in a 15 km radius but haven't been able to find it yet. I will let you know when I see it in store.

The Dark Side collection from Face of Australia is inspired by all our favourite villains from movies and TV which I think is a fantastic idea! All the shades are on the darker side including burgundy, purples as well as some jewel tones and glitter top coats. I picked up 'Wicked Witch of the West' as well as 'Magneto' and will probably go back to get 'Maleficent'. I was really impressed with the formula of the Screen Siren collection so not only is this collection really exciting but wear really well on the nails too. Face of Australia is currently 25% off at Priceline until the 16 July so get in quick to pick up these polishes for less than $4 (i.e. buy them all !).

Apart from these exciting limited edition collections, in the last week or so the Maybelline stand at my local Priceline has had a significant upgrade and there are so many new releases to the Australian market. The product that I picked up as soon as I saw the display in store was the Big Eyes Mascara which came with a bonus Big Eyes Liner. Both products are dual ended so even within one product you are getting a variety of uses.

The mascara in particular is great because one end includes a lower lash brush making it really easy to get those smaller lashes. This is ALWAYS an issue for me and I usually skip this step because I end up with mascara smudged all over my face! I've found the smaller brush to be really effective and I have definitely found it easier to coat my bottom lashes with this product. As part of The Falsies mascara range, I'm fairly sure the formula is the same as other Falsies mascaras which I really like - the brush for the top lashes does take a bit of getting used to but it is great in creating a wide-eyed doll like lash look.

The liner is also pretty good, but to be honest, I wouldn't have picked it up if it didn't come as a bonus with the mascara. I love wearing a cream coloured liner in the water line to brighten my eyes but was hesitant about how stark the white would look. I was pleasantly surprised at how effective this pencil was at brightening the eyes and giving me that 'wide-eyed' look without looking too unnatural. Although the staying power is so-so and not the creamiest pencil I've used.

Finally, if you're a Maybelline fan there are so many other new releases to check out! The Colour Tattoo pigments have hit our shores as well as new look eyeshadow quads, a heap of face products and a really interesting eyebrow mascara. Let me know if you've tried any of these new releases!

Images sourced from: priceline.com.au

I hope you enjoyed this post and have been inspired to check out some of the very exciting new winter releases. Tomorrow is the last day of my winter beauty edit so don't forget to come back to check it out!

xx Catherine

Winter Beauty Edit: Everyday Makeup Look and Eyeshadow Tutorial

It's day 3 of my WBE and I will be sharing with you my go-to everyday makeup look for winter. In the colder weather I prefer a medium coverage foundation that gives a velvety matte look paired with shimmery neutral eyeshadows and a bold lip. Check out my video tutorial on how to create my eyeshadow look as well as tips and tricks to remember when doing your eyeshadow.

Products Used

Face

• Laura Mercier Foundation Primer
• Laura Mercier Oil Free Supreme Foundation in Blush Ivory
• Maybelline Fit Me Concealer in no. 15
• Rimmel Stay Matte Pressed Powder in Transparent
• The Body Shop Honey Bronzer in no. 1
• Milani Baked Blush in Luminoso

Eyes

• Elf Eyelid Primer
• Maybelline Colour Tattoo in Bad to the Bronze
• Chi Chi Nudes Eyeshadow Palette
• NARS Larger Than Life Eyeliner in Rue Bonaparte
• Maybelline The Falsies Mascara

Lips

• MAC Rebel Satin Lipstick

I hope you've all been enjoying my Winter Beauty Edit and make sure you come back tomorrow and Friday for the final instalments.

xx Catherine

Winter Beauty Edit: 50 Shades of Winter

Today's instalment of my WBE is all about the trending winter colours. From lips to nails its all about opposite ends of the spectrum - deep berry shades and sophisticated nudes.

In the nude

For nights out I've gravitated towards a dark brown smokey eye and the perfect pairing for that is a classic nude lip. My favourite nude lipstick is the Australis Go Long Lipstick in Preppy. This is a gorgeous, easy to wear nude shade in a matte finish and probably one of my most worn lipsticks. The Maybelline Colour Sensational Lipstick in Tantalizing Taupe from their Stripped Nudes collection is a another nude lipstick I've been gravitating towards because I absolutely love the formula. This is definitely more of a true nude than the Australis one but is surprisingly easy to pull off, even with my fair skin tone. I suggest checking out the Stripped Nudes collection from Maybelline if you're not sure what kind of nude will suit you. Finally for the lips is the NYX Butter Gloss in Creme Brulee. One of the best gloss formulas out there, Creme Brulee is perfect to layer on top of any nude lipstick to add that extra shine.

For the nails, I cannot go past a nude as they just look so sophisticated and elongate your hands. From the Rimmel London Salon Pro Range, Oh, Mr Darcey! is such a unique grey/taupe colour that is perfect for winter. You can't go past the formula of these polishes either - they are virtually indestructible. Finally, for a lighter, more girly nude I've been loving the Formula X for Sephora shade in Invincible. While you will need a couple of coats to get an opaque look, this is such a pretty shade again in a long wearing formula.

Berrylicious

Whilst keeping it subdued on the lips for night time looks I love wearing a bold lip during the day with flushed cheeks and a little bit of shimmer on the eyes. I've been leaning towards shades which are more red based with a purple undertone and with berry shades on the lips I prefer to keep in more on the matte side in terms of finish. Firstly, I have absolutely been loving the Bourjois Rouge Edition Velvets for a bold, matte lip. The shade Ole flamingo! is a gorgeous bright magenta shade and the formula is unbelievably long wearing. For another more pinky shade, the Shanghai Suzy Miss Melissa lipstick is a great, wearable bright berry pink with a long wearing formula. Finally, for something a little bit darker and with a bit more shine, this wouldn't be a 'Shades of Winter' post without mentioning Rebel by MAC. In the MAC satin finish, it makes your lips look full and intense and is very on trend for winter. Check out how I created a ombre lip with Rebel here.

Top - Bottom: Miss Melissa, Rebel, Ole Flamingo!

• Check out how pigmented these lipsticks are - they still stained my hand even after scrubbing them off!

My favourite shade of nail polish of the winter has to be purple as it is my favourite colour. Because I've been loving the Rimmel Salon Pro polishes so much I picked up Urban Purple which is a beautiful dark red shade with purple undertones. However, my favourite purple nail polish has definitely been Essence Break Through. Essence have the best colour range for such an affordable brand and I absolutely love this one so much!

I hope you found some inspiration to warm up your winter looks and again, don't forget to check in tomorrow for a super exciting addition to my Winter Beauty Edit.

xx Catherine

Winter Beauty Edit: Skincare

Today is the first day of my Winter Beauty Edit and I'll be covering a topic that I think is the most important during the winter months. As the temperature drops and the wind picks up I've found that my skin has had a lot of trouble adjusting to the cooler weather. As my skin went through some transitions I found it harder to maintain as I was used to a skincare routine that focused on controlling oil rather than targeting dryness. After suffering from some really bad breakouts I decided to completely revamp my skincare routine. These are some products I've been using to really clear my skin and fight the winter weather.

To cleanse

You may have heard my rave review of the Pristine Oils Custom Cleanser and hands down this has been my holy grail skin care product to help my skin's crazy reaction to the change in weather. Check out my full review here.

Why is it good for winter?

As an oil, this cleanser is not only fantastic for really cleaning your face but is really moisturising and another way to inject the moisture that is drawn out of your skin from the cold, dry air.

To exfoliate

During the warmer months I would use a really intense face scrub to exfoliate and help balance out a lot of the oil on my face. As my skin became more dry I found that I still needed to exfoliate and remove some of the dry, flaky spots on my skin, but I didn't need something as deep. The Natio Detoxifying Face Scrub with Jojoba Beads is perfect for a gentle exfoliation.

Why is it good for winter?

This gentle scrub is perfect for a gentle exfoliation to remove dry skin and smooth out the skin without creating any irritation. As part of Natio's Acne range it also helps control breakouts. I use this scrub a couple of times a week.

To moisturise

My holy grail moisturiser is the Natio Antioxidant Face Moisturiser which I use as a night cream. Not only is it really moisturising but the antioxidants work so well to brighten and smooth the complexion. Another option for added moisture is the Trilogy Certified Organic Rosehip Oil. I love this rose hip oil because the smell isn't as intense as some other rose hip oils I've tried. Its really moisturising and is absorbed really quickly. Finally I've introduced the Benefit's It's Potent Eye Cream into my routine.

Why are they good for winter?

The cold, dry weather as well as not spending as much time outside in the sun can leave the skin looking sallow and thin. The Natio moisturiser really brings life back into the skin. I absolutely love using a face oil and in particular rose hip oil has helped so much in reducing the pigmentation from acne scarring. Again, another fantastic option for injecting moisture back into the skin. Adding an eye cream into my routine has been great to brighten under the eyes and add the the overall healthy look of my skin.

For the body

As I used to be a competitive swimmer and spent a lot of time in chlorine I know exactly how awful dry skin can be all over the body. While my skin doesn't get quite as scaly as it used to I definitely notice it becoming drying during the colder weather. I've been using the Dirty Works Buttery Salt Scrub as well as the Aveeno Stress Relief Lotion to moisturise.

Why is it good for winter?

The Dirty Works scrub is perfect as a deep exfoliation to remove all the dead skin from my body which just seem to build up so much more in the winter. I also love the Aveeno Lotion because in the colder months my skin gets a lot more irritated and this one is perfect for calming my skin and moisturising as well.

I hope you enjoyed this post and don't forget to check in tomorrow for another addition to my Winter Beauty Edit.

xx Catherine

Winter Beauty Edit

I am very excited to announce that starting tomorrow, Monday 7 July, I will be posting every day this week as part of my Winter Beauty Edit!

I have so many exciting winter themed posts to share including everything from skincare to beauty and fashion that I thought I would do a week long winter special. Keep an eye out for a few video posts as well.

Hope to see you back every day this week :)

xx Catherine

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Monthly Roundup: June

I can't believe we are now half way through the year and this little blog has been getting so much positive feedback in the last six months. Thank you to all my wonderful readers it is always so fantastic to hear your thoughts. You might want to make yourself comfortable this will be a long one!

Beauty Favourites

MAC Matchmaster Foundation

I've rediscovered my love for this foundation this month because of its absolutely gorgeous velvety finish which I think is perfect for winter. It is super easy to buff into the skin and I prefer using the Real Techniques expert face brush or my Shiseido foundation brush. It is a perfect match for my skin, lasts ages and just looks absolutely beautiful! I can't say enough about it and if you're looking for a light, medium coverage foundation - check this one out.

QVS Micro fibre Hair Turban

I received this in a discovery bag from Beauty Heaven and have continued to use it ever since. Basically it is a fancy towel that absorbs the moisture from wet hair. You tie it around your hair which is also great to keep wet hair from dripping everywhere after you hop out of the shower. I've found it is such an efficient way to dry your hair particularly if you shower shortly before hopping into bed as the material is highly absorbant.

NARS Larger Than Life Longwear Eyeliner in 'Rue Bonaparte'

This is something I've been using daily for the last couple of months and am finally including it in my favourites. This is such an amazing liner that glides on smoothly, is super creamy and pigmented and does budge all day. I use this on my waterline with basically every makeup look to brighten up my eyes. This is a pricey pencil but probably the most used makeup item in my collection.

MAC Plumful Lipstick

My go-to lipstick this month, I just cannot get enough of Plumful. It is the perfect shade in-between a purple and pink, the lustre finish is beyond gorgeous and makes your lips look full and plump. This has definitely been a staple in my handbag.

Beauty Subscription Boxes

I received my first beauty subscription box this month and have been really enjoying trying the products I got in my June Bellabox. I have also subscribed to Violet Box so I can't wait to receive that in the mail too! Check out my review here.

Non-Beauty Favourites

Loose leaf tea

Recently I've decided to cut down my coffee intake and took a trip into T2 to see what delicious teas I could supplement for my morning hot beverage. My favourite has been the Chai tea from T2 which I love with a little bit of milk and honey. I have always loved loose teas, particularly herbal teas and have really enjoyed trying out these new flavours.

Reality TV

If you know me you'll know I love a good trashy reality TV show. With a month full of exams I needed something to procrastinate take my mind off things! I enjoyed watching When Love Comes to Town on Channel 9 which was definitely a new low for me as well as my usual favourites Keeping Up with the Kardashians and Dance Moms.

Source: realitytvgifs.tumblr.com

Life

June was a bit of a crazy month with the end of semester for uni and everything that comes with it - assignments, exams, stress etc etc. I was so happy to see the end of the semester and finally have a well deserved break. I spent a few different nights celebrating with friends which is always so much fun because I never go out much during the semester.

Another exciting thing to happen in June was that I entered the Girlfriend Model Search. I have always wanted to enter a model search since I became obsessed with America's Next Top Model but since I'm way too short I never did. When I heard about the Girlfriend Model Search I immediately decided to enter because there were no height restrictions. I know I don't have what it takes to model and its definitely not something I will pursue but I've always just wanted to enter for fun. The experience was also something I'm really proud of because I proved how confident I am with myself and that I'm at the stage where I really love and accept myself and can put myself out there. The day was super fun and I got to meet Lauren Curtis and I also received a HUGE goody bag from Rimmel London which was very exciting. Thanks to my amazing girlfriend Maddy for waiting with me all day even though it was super boring and always supporting me in the crazy things I want to do.

So that was June! I hope you all enjoyed my roundup for the month and stayed tuned for an exciting July :)

xx Catherine

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Tutorial: Ombre Lips

Ombre lips have been a huge trend this autumn and winter season! Its such a fun way to add a little extra dimension to your lip look that is still super wearable. I decided to create a really fun vampy lip with an ombre effect by following this really easy tutorial from boohoo.com.

To create my look I lined my lips with Essence Lipliner in no.5 'Soft Berry'. Using a clean lip brush I carefully smudged the liner towards the centre of the lip. Then using the lip brush again I applied MAC's 'Rebel' lipstick to the middle of my lips. To finish, I used Creme Brulee Butter Gloss from NYX to highlight the very centre of my lips - simple!

My tips for creating an ombre lip are:

1. Choose a colour scheme: I went for dark berry shades, but pick a liner that is a darker colour than your lipstick. For reds, you might want to go for an orange or pink shade of lipstick.
2. Make sure your lip liner is sharp: blunt lipliner is going to get messy!
3. Use a lip brush: Using a lip brush to apply your lipstick will allow for much more precision and dabbing your lipstick on will add the the ombre effect.

I hope you enjoyed this post and let me know if you try the ombre lip as well!

- Also please excuse the faded foundation around my mouth - It is inevitable while doing lip swatches all afternoon!

xx Catherine

* This post was not sponsored.