Garnier BB Cream: First Impressions Review

I recently picked up the Garner BB cream for oily to combination skin at Priceline while it was 50% off! It usually retails for $13.99 but with all drugstore brands shop around at different chemists, supermarkets and department stores like KMart, Big W and Target because its bound to be on sale at one of them.

First Impressions:

The first thing I noticed when I started to apply this on my face was the smell of alcohol. I've never experienced this with a product before and was slightly shocked that the product could smell so strongly. I checked the packaging and alcohol is the third listed ingredient. I mean I know my skin is oily but I didn't think I would need this much alcohol to control it!

Despite there being an orange tint to the BB cream, the colour match was decent and the orange-ness blended away into my skin nicely. One layer definitely reduced my redness and smoothed out my skin overall but I was having a bit of a bad skin day and stubborn red spots around breakouts and sensitive areas were not hidden.

I added another layer which definitely improved the redness but I still went on and added concealer. I also felt this didn't do much to neutralise the puffiness/dark circles under my eyes. I know this is only a BB cream but I did have high expectations considering my Dr Dennis Gross CC Cream is really brightening under the eyes.

Garnier describes the finish as 'luminous matte'. There's nothing luminous about it to be honest which I prefer particularly since I didn't feel I needed to finish off with a powder.

Final Thoughts:

After a full day of wear, this product left me with a natural look for most of the day without a primer underneath. It wore away evenly and only really around my nose and mouth which I do have a habit to touch a lot. I really like the finish and was impressed with how natural it looked. However, it is a light coverage base and imperfections and redness aren't covered by this product.

This is not a bad BB cream, but not the best light coverage base I own and to be honest I'm quite skeptical about its claims that like a skincare product it will reduce pores, imperfections and dullness over time. The price is definitely reasonable though and considering I got it on sale for 50% off it was a fantastic deal and won't go unused. I will probably use this most if I want a little bit of coverage for work or if I need to leave the house in a rush. My word of warning for those with pale skin, even the light shade is likely to be too dark and for those with sensitive skin the amount of alcohol in this product probably won't do wonders for you either.

xx Catherine

Monthly Roundup: May

A very exciting month for my blog yet again! So many new readers - hello and welcome! - as well as a few very exciting opportunities which will unveil themselves in the next couple of weeks. Thank you to everyone who has read my blog and especially those who come up to me and tell me which posts you liked because it makes me unbelievably happy :)

Now onto my favourite products for the month!

Beauty Favourites

First up I've been loving the Covergirl 3-in-1 Outlast Stay Fabulous Foundation. This is my go-to foundation for nights out as it has a medium-full, build able coverage. I absolutely love the finish of this foundation and I get the most compliments on my skin when I wear it. Another favourite is the Beauty Blender which gives an absolutely perfect finish when used to apply the Covergirl Foundation. Both will now be staples in my foundation routine.

Secondly, A product I featured in my huge haul was the Body Shop Honey Bronzer and I have been reaching for it everyday since. It is such a beautiful, natural looking bronzer and it is perfect for adding a little bit of colour for everyday.

The Maybelline Baby Lips have been one of my biggest obsessions this month! I discovered the 'glow' versions which adapt to the natural colour of your lips and have been wearing it as my main everyday lip product to uni (and subsequently getting a few of my friends hooked on it too!).

Finally, for beauty products, is the Garnier Micellar Cleansing Water. I've become a complete convert from makeup remover wipes as I find the cleansing water is much more gentle for my skin. With just one cotton oval face round with a bit of cleansing water removes a whole face of makeup and even makes a good crack at eye makeup too!

Non Beauty Favourites

A few things I had to mention because I've been obsessed with them this month! I've been totally craving Sour Patch Kids (unfortunately I didn't have any to photograph because I have no self control! oops) all the time and which isn't helped by the fact that my sister insists I have some in the car whenever I drive her around! Another thing I've been loving is this super cute Hello Kitty sleep mask from Typo. I didn't even realise I needed a face mask but I picked this up and have been using it to sleep every night. Which brings me to my final non-beauty fave. I've been using the app Breathe2Relax for some breathing focused meditation before bed. It has really helped me to reduce stress before I got to bed and get a better night's sleep. It is available for free on Apple AppStore.

Beauty goals: update

I've put together my perfect makeup storage solution which you can check out in my full post here:

• My new makeup storage

Hope you've enjoyed my monthly roundup for May and I wish you all a beauty-filled June <3

xx Catherine

Empties - What I'm Throwing Out #1

If you don't read many beauty blogs or watch beauty videos on YouTube you might find it strange that I'm showing you my rubbish! However, I love these posts because after finishing a product you can really get a sense of how it works and give a really good review. So here are all the products I've used up in the last couple of months as well as products that were so bad I had to throw them out anyway!

// smartskin Moisturising Facial Cleansing Wipes
The smartskin wipes are my most used because they are only $2 from Woolworths. To be honest I can't justify spending more than that on wipes and these do the job particularly as I have a pretty thorough cleansing routine after I take off my makeup anyway. I use these for everything as well, wiping up spills, cleaning makeup bottles, getting lipstick off surfaces - so these are cheap and multipurpose!
Repurchase: Definitely, already have a few back ups!

// Purex Visage Daily Control Facial Cleansing Wipes
These were ok, fairly similar to the smartskin wipes but perhaps had a little bit more moisture to them. They were thinner though and I found myself putting my fingers through them often. I'm pretty sure my mum bought these online and I just took them from her bathroom.
Repurchase: No, I wouldn't know where to get them anyway

// wotnot Facial Wipes for oily/sensitive skin
I got these as a sample and wow these are very luxurious! Amazingly soft, so moisturising and the wipes themselves were so big - I liked having the extra surface area when removing my makeup.
Repurchase: I loved these, but to be honest I don't think I will purchase them, mainly because of the price.

// Sukin Hydrating Mist Toner
I've already talked about this heaps on my blog! Check out my review from my Monthly Roundup.
Repurchase: Already have!

// Sukin Revitalising Facial Scrub
I have really enjoyed the skincare from Sukin and this scrub was no exception. It is a really gentle scrub that uses natural ingredients like bamboo and walnut shells that work really well to exfoliate the skin. While I found this worked well to maintain my skin, It didn't have any outstanding effects. However, if you have normal skin and don't experience any breakouts or other skin concerns this is a fantastic gentle scrub.
Repurchase: Possibly in the future, I'm keen to try some other scrubs out though.

// Natio Antioxidant Face Moisturiser
Again, another product I have already reviewed and you can check out that review here. My favourite night time moisturiser!
Repurchase: Already have!

// Kosmea Rosehip Oil
I was so happy I received this sample in my David Jones sample tote and adding rose hip oil to my skincare routine has made a huge difference. It is fantastic in adding moisture to your skin and for me I have found its smooths my skin, reduces pores and adds a little extra glow as well! 
Repurchase: Definitely. I already purchased some more rosehip oil but from Trilogy.

// Revlon Age Defying Face Serum
This was a sample and it was ok as a serum and worked particularly well in the summer months when my skin was more oily than it is now. To be honest, I used this without much thought as it was a sample and I know I'm not looking for any anti-ageing products so unfortunately this review isn't very helpful.
Repurchase: No.

// Girlz Only XXL Volume-Plus Dry Shampoo
This is a fantastic dry shampoo and its only $2 at Target! I definitely recommend this version over the original as it gives a more intense clean as well as having a nicer scent. As it is marketed to, it definitely adds extra volume to your hair so a great option for those with fine or limp hair.
Repurchase: Definitely! I do have a few dry shampoos going at the moment though, so not right away.
// Garnier Body Intensive 7 Days Repairing Lotion
My favourite body lotion, this is a really light moisturiser that has a thin consistency which makes it super easy to apply and is fast absorbing. My skin gets really dry and this is the perfect moisturiser for everyday to lock in the moisture and the thin consistency makes it perfect for everyday application - just slap it on and go. 
Repurchase: Already have ! This time in mango flavour mmmm
// The Body Shop Pink Grapefruit Shower gel
I absolutely love this shower gel mostly because the smell was so fresh and fruity. It was a foaming showergel which meant the easiest way to apply it is on a soft sponge or loofa. I definitely recommend these shower gels and this scent in particular is great if you love citrus.
Repurchase: I don't tend to buy these kind of things for myself so probably not.
// Dove Clear Touch Roll On Deodorant
I have been converted to roll on! This deodorant is amazing because there is no residue left behind and my fears of roll on feeling wet and gross were all gone after finding this one. This doesn't have a notable scent which I prefer but there are others available in the range. I find I keep dry and fresh all day so this is definitely a great deodorant to try if you struggle with perspiration.
Repurchase: Already have!

And on to the products that I couldn't bring myself to use anymore...

// Simple Eye Make-up Corrector Pen
While the idea of this is appealing, unfortunately it doesn't work. I found it just made things messier, the tip got dirty and I couldn't clean it and in the end you can use a cotton bud with a little bit of makeup remover on the end and it will do a much better job at cleaning up little mistakes.

// Essence BB Cream
This is just one big orange mess! It provides little coverage, is so difficult to blend out, smells awful and worst of all is the most unflattering doritos-orange. Its so bad I am upset about the $3 I spent on it, which is a shame because Essence have some really fantastic affordable products.

// Revlon Nail Art Nail Polish 
I had two of these and have had to throw them both out. The formula of the nail polish is awful and is so hard to apply without having so many streaks. Also because of the double ended packaging when stored standing up, one end is going to get stuck in the lid and go all gloopy. I don't know I just really didn't like this product and think its a bit gimmicky.

I apologise for the extremely long post but I hope you found some of these reviews helpful.
Have a beautiful day,
Catherine xx

My Everyday Makeup Bag

//For Touch ups

• Benefit Hello Flawless Powder

I love this one because it is so finely milled and is the perfect colour for my skin tone, which I normally have difficulty finding in powders. It is perfect for touching up on the go and also super convenient because it comes with a little brush and sponge so there's no need for me to carry around another brush!

• Essence Tribal Summer Blotting Papers

I always like to use blotting papers before I re-powder my face as it makes sure product isn't building up on top of oil and create cakiness. These ones are very convenient and affordable. I'm sure Essence stock blotting papers in their normal range as well.

//On the Lips

• Maybelline Baby Lips

Lip balm is an absolute staple and I love the Baby Lips range from Maybelline. I always carry a tinted one as well as a regular one just in case I've forgotten to pop the lippy I'm wearing into my bag so I can still pull my look together with something on my lips.

• Revlon ColourBurst balms

I'm absolutely obsessed with these and have both the matte and lacquer balms in my collection. I like carrying these around because they are so easy to apply without a mirror and are also quite moisturising on the lips. At the moment I have the lacquer balm in 'Coquette', a gorgeous bright pink and my favourite matte balm in 'Elusive' which is one of my favourite everyday shade.

//Just in Case

• Garnier SOS Repairing Hand Balm with Shea Butter

Hand cream is an absolute must and this one is my favourite as it smells great and has the thickness and intensity I need. My hands often get very dry so I like to keep them moisturised a lot and it also helps keep my nails long and healthy.

• Nail File

I'm a bit obsessive with filing and shaping my nails, so of course I carry a file with me at all times! This is one I just picked up from the supermarket.

• Hair elastics and bobby pins

I'm one of those people that always has the hair tie you need in times of crisis. Mostly it makes me feel good and I like to be prepared.

p.s. How cute is this little makeup bag from Benefit?! It has one of the Benefit girls saying 'I know more about makeup than you because I grow the stuff!' I'm obsessed :)

What beauty items do you like to carry on a daily basis?

xx Catherine