Tried & Tested: Glam Glow FlashMud Brightening Treatment

I had my eye out for this latest release from GlamGlow ever since I saw Jaclyn Hill sing its praises in one of her monthly favourites video. I've tried out the GlamGlow masks before and have really enjoyed how they worked for my skin but never thought I needed to invest in one. My main concern with my skin at the moment is uneven skin tone including pigmentation and acne scarring so I really wanted to give FlashMud a go after hearing rave reviews!

Unlike the other GlamGlow masks, FlashMud is almost translucent on the skin after applying a thin layer - it also smells great too! It does have exfoliating particles and is recommended that you apply the mask in circular motions, exfoliating your skin before leaving the mask on for 20 minutes so as the product can penetrate deeper into the skin. The exfoliating particles aren't too harsh and on my skin I didn't experience any tingling or discomfort at all.

After washing the mask off after 20 minutes, my skin feels incredibly soft and smooth. It is recommended when you first start the treatment to use the mask 3 days in a row. After the initial three days I definitely noticed an improvement in my skin. Not only was the texture of my skin smooth and even but my complexion was brighter and I also noticed that some of my acne spots had faded.

Overall I am very impressed with the GlamGlow FlashMud especially since I am getting exactly the results I was hoping for. After the initial three days of use, I now use the mask around twice a week and I am super happy with how even my skin tone is looking!

KEY INGREDIENTS:

• White Jasmine Flower
• Willow Bark Salicylic Acid
• White Birch Leaf

GlamGlow FlashMud retails for $86 and you can purchase in store at Mecca Cosmetica, Mecca Maxima or online at mecca.com.au

Cat
xx

Tried & Tested: Models Prefer Contour Collection

I don't know why I purchased this product to be honest. I feel knee deep into the hype of the Australis Contour Kit and have used it about three times in total - I even included it in my recent post about products I regret purchasing! So why did I go out and buy another drugstore contour kit?

Contouring is definitely not a necessary part of my everyday makeup routine so I have never felt compelled to invest in a high end product and after hearing some positive reviews of the Models Prefer offering, especially in comparison to the Australis, I thought I should definitely at least give it a shot.

First off, the packaging is nice and sleek. It comes in a sturdy plastic which clips firmly shut and also houses a fantastic sized mirror inside. On the back of both the packaging and the palette itself are some instructions and diagrams showing how to use the different shades to create the most flattering contour for your face shape. Also included in the packaging is an incredibly thorough guide which goes through all sorts of tutorials on determining you skin tone, face shape and skin type.

The palette has 6 shades in total - 3 highlight shades and 3 contour shades.

• Highlight 01 is neutral-pink tone matte shade and could be used as a setting powder or to blend out your contour.
• Highlight 02 is a yellow tone matte shade.
• Highlight 03 is a neutral-pink tone shimmery highlight with a gold reflex. This shade doesn't swatch too shimmery and leaves more of a nice sheen finish to the skin.
• Contour 04 is a neutral-warm contour shade with pink undertones. It looks warmer in the pan than it does swatched. I find this shade to be the most flattering for my light-neutral skin tone.
• Contour 05 is a cool tone contour shade with grey undertones. This shade would be perfect for those who prefer to use a grey or taupe shade to contour with. I find this shade a little too ashy for my skin tone.
• Contour 06 is a warm, red toned bronze shade and is significantly warmer than shade 04. This shade would work well as a bronzer for medium-dark skin tones.

So how does the product actually perform?

I'm happy to say this palette is definitely more impressive than the Australis counterpart. I found I could use the contour shades to give nice definition to the face without the powders being too hard to blend or looking muddy on the face. I have quite fair skin but could definitely get use out of both shades 04 and 05, however 06 is too dark and too warm for my skin tone. The highlight shades also performed well. The powders are soft and blended well.

I think Models Prefer did a really great job here and where it really excels, particularly in comparison to the Australis palette, is that the shades are wearable and the powders blend out nicely. I also loved how the pigmentation wasn't crazy, so the shades are much easier to use and build up, rather than leaving an obvious line down your cheekbones (I would still use a light hand!).

Overall, I don't regret the $16.99 I spent on this and I have already been pulling it out to use on a regular basis!

Models Prefer is exclusive to Priceline and you can buy the Contour Collection here.

xx Cat

Beauty Graveyard: Empties & Products I'm Throwing Out

I had a huge bag of empties, as well as some other products I was keen to get rid of, taking up space in my room that I thought it was finally time to do a round-up post and review a random selection of products I really loved and others...not so much.

Let 's get into it!

First up are some of my daily essentials:

• ELF Daily Brush Cleaner

I picked up the ELF Daily Brush Cleaner from Kmart which I think was around $8. I really liked this and reached for it a lot, especially when I wanted to clean eye brushes so I could use them with different coloured shadows. I probably wouldn't pick it up again, however I definitely still recommend this product!

• Daiso Puff & Sponge Detergent 

This is such a great product for the price and is absolutely fantastic for washing brushes and sponges. It's also only $2.80 which is very affordable! I would definitely purchase again in the future but there isn't a Daiso store close to me so it's not as convenient as grabbing a bottle of baby shampoo from Priceline. If you do find yourself in a Daiso store - stock up! 

• Mario Badescu Glycolic Acid Toner 

I love the Mario Badescu skin care range for no-fuss, affordable and effective skincare. The Glycolic Acid toner is a great way to add in a gentle exfoliation into your everyday skincare routine and it made such an improvement to the texture of my skin. I've already repurchased this one from Mecca Maxima for only $26!

•  Garnier Micellar Cleansing Water

Probably one of my favourite multi-task products ever! I've gone through many bottles of this and will continue to repurchase. 

Next up, some of my most used skincare:

• Origins Make a Difference Plus + Rejuvenating Moisturiser

One of my favourite daily moisturisers which is super hydrating but still sits really well under makeup. I've reviewed it here and I've definitely repurchased.

• Sukin Hydrating Mist Toner

My collection of complexion mists has expanded to include some more high end selections but the Sukin Hydrating Mist Toner is still my favourite. It's really hydrating and doesn't leave a sticky residue. This is definitely an essential coming into summer so I have picked up some back ups. 

• Origins Drink Up Intensive Overnight Mask

Another great product from Origins. I recently reviewed all of my Origins masks here. After finishing this deluxe sample size I bought the full size straight away! 

• Philosophy Hands of Hope Hand Cream

I really liked this hand cream and this is about my third tube I've finished up. It didn't have an overly obnoxious scent and was super hydrating. It is quite expensive thought so I wont repurchase unless I find it on sale again.

• Mario Badescu Drying Lotion

One of the best spot treatments on the market! I had to pick up a new bottle as this one, which I've had for around two years, wasn't working as effectively and there was hardly any alcohol left either. 

I also finished up a few of my most used makeup products:

• Bare Minerals Mineral Veil

My absolute favourite setting powder! This was a smaller size which came with one of the Bare Minerals starter kits but I have since bought the full size. This powder is great for setting your foundation if you prefer a transparent powder than leaves a natural, smoothing finish.

• Anastasia Brow Wiz in 'Soft Brown'

The Brow Wiz is a hugely popular product, however for me, it didn't really live up to the hype. I liked the precision you could get from it however, the shade wasn't the best match for me. Overall, the Brow Wiz didn't overly excite me and I won't be repurchasing.

• Rimmel Exaggerate Lip Liner in 'Eastend Snob'

East End Snob is my go to lip liner to wear under almost any nude lipstick. I love its mauvey-pink shade, how it applies so smoothly and that it lasts well either by itself or under another lip product. I've definitely repurchased - I can't imagine being without this lipliner!

And finally, after a big clean out of my collection, here's some products I decided to get rid of:

• Maybelline Colour Tattoo in 'Audacious Asphalt'

The Colour Tattoos from Maybelline are some of my favourite eyeshadows from the drugstore. I didn't get much use out of this colour though and it has dried up quite badly. I'm not sure if this shade is even available anymore. 

• Beauty Blender

As you can tell, this Beauty Blender needed to be thrown out really badly. And yes, I have definitely repurchased.

• Real Techniques Stippling Brush 

Unfortunately my RT stippling brush has reached an early end after some serious shedding. I haven't experienced this with my other RT brushes which were all purchased at the same time and washed/looked after the same way. I did enjoy using this brush with cream products and I'm not sure if I would repurchase only because I've got other brushes that do the same job. So far my only disappointing experience with RT.

• Maybelline The Falsies Mascara

An old fave drugstore mascara, The Falsies if perfect for giving the lashes length, volume and curl without clumping or flaking. Unfortunately for The Falsies I am head over heels in love with the new Lash Sensational from Maybelline so I won't be repurchasing (also I've got WAY too many mascaras on the go - oops!).

• Jordana Best Lash Extreme Mascara

I was pretty disappointed with this mascara, considering the hype. When you first open it, the formula is very very wet and tends to get everywhere. After a while, the formula is much easier to use but then it flakes and leaves smudges under the eyes. I did like how it made my lashes look, and I'm sure it was under $5. However, I wouldn't repurchase because I didn't get much use of it.

• Clinique Redness Solutions Foundation

I have always loved Clinique foundations and the Redness Solutions was no exception - great coverage and finish on the skin and is so easy to apply and blend. I have had this one in my collection for a few years and it was almost as if the colour had oxidised inside the bottle. I may consider repurchasing in the future but I have more than enough foundations to go through at the moment!

• L'Oreal Nude Magique Eau De Teint

I have had this in my stash since it was released in Australia but I haven't reached for it in over a year so it's definitely time to move on. I didn't mind this foundation and it had a nice natural coverage and was comfortable to wear. However, I always had trouble with the shade being too dark.

Well done if you made it all the way to the end! What products have you finished up recently?

xx Cat