First Impressions: L'Oreal Brow Artist Plumper

I only picked up one product in the Priceline 40% off sale (talk about restraint!) and it was the L'Oreal Brow Artist Plumper in the shade 'Dark Brunette'. I was looking for a tinted brow gel and heard that the L'Oreal was a good affordable alternative to the Benefit Gimme Brow which has been a favourite of mine for a while. So, how does the L'Oreal compare?

Unfortunately, my first impressions of the L'Oreal Brow Artist Plumper weren't that great. When I first applied the brow gel I noticed that the formula is extremely wet and because the brush isn't as small as the brush on the Benefit Gimme Brow, it got a bit messy. Even after using it a few times, I still find application quite messy; especially when you try to build up the product. I also wasn't a fan of how 'crunchy' the gel was and that I could feel it on my brows all day.

I have continued to use this product because I really like the shade. 'Dark Brunette' isn't too warm and it's definitely pigmented enough to wear on its own for a natural brow look. I also like how it has fibres that give the brows a 'real' textured look, so even though my brows felt crunchy, they didn't look like they were.

Overall, unfortunately from my first impressions, I can't recommend this product. L'Oreal is really overpriced in Australia and while some of their products are worth the money, I don't think this is one of them. I will definitely be going back to my Benefit Gimme Brow in the future.

xx Cat

What's In My Makeup Bag? Shop My Stash Edition

Earlier this year I went through my entire makeup collection so I could organise everything and remind myself that I really don't need another foundation or mascara or lipstick...
Not only was I able to organise everything and make things more accessible I came across some long lost favourites that were hidden at the back of the draw and forgotten to new releases. I pulled out a few things and popped them in my everyday makeup bag so I could get some more use out of them and in some cases, try to finish them up!

The best rediscovery for me was definitely the Maybelline Mineral Power Powder Foundation and the Finishing Veil from the same range - you've probably seen these products pop up in a few of my FOTD posts recently. I forgot how much I loved to wear mineral foundation as it leaves such a flawless, velvety finish and it is a much welcomed addition to my everyday routine. It's also since been re-introduced to the Australian market after being discontinued - woo!

I also rediscovered the Kate Sommerville CC Cream which should never have been neglected considering how much I paid for it! This CC cream gives what I like to call "instagram face" i.e. it looks like your face has been smoothed and filtered in real life and I have been using this when I want a bit more of a glowy look. This used to be stocked at Mecca but it is unfortunately no longer on their website.

A few other complexion bits I pulled out and put in my makeup bag were the Benefit Erase Paste concealer and Maybelline's Fit Me Concealer. I love Fit Me and had just been trying out another concealer which is why it got a bit neglected. I am glad I pulled it out because it just last so well whether I'm using it under my eyes or over spots. The shade I have of Erase Paste is a little too dark for me but I have figured out I can use it to correct darkness under my eyes if I use another concealer on top. A bit of extra effort but I'd like to use this up so it doesn't go to waste.

I am pretty good at getting use out of all my blushes but my Youngblood Crushed Mineral Blush in Sherbet has been neglected for a while. This is probably the oldest makeup item in my collection and there's only a little bit left so I'll try and finish it up. It is a gorgeous pinky coral shade with a beautiful fine gold shimmer. Whilst it's a pretty blush my preferences are now a little less subtle and more....clown like.

Finally are a few eye bits which easily get neglected because again my mascara and eyeliner collections are a little out of hand. For mascara I decided to get some use out of Maybelline The Falsies Big Eyes which has the little wand for the lower lashes. The Falsies formula is my favourite from Maybelline but I do prefer the original brush better. For liner I picked an old Elizabeth Arden Eye Pencil in 03 Bronze which is nearly finished and for some reason I have 5 bronze eye liners that look exactly the same.

I've also switched up my everyday brow products to get some use out of some old favourites. Pulling out my Essence Eyebrow Designer in Blonde I remembered how frickin' amazing this product is for its $3 price tag. I am also endeavouring to finish up an old Manicare Clear Eyebrow Gel. This stuff is seriously crunchy but does the job so I won't waste it (I am desperately missing my Gimme Brow!!).

Hopefully this posts inspires you to go through your collection and pull out some old favourites!

xx Catherine

Follow me!

Bloglovin' 

Instagram @_cat.mac

Twitter @cathsintents

Youtube

Brow Envy: Perfect Brows in 3 Easy Steps

The trend for brows this A/W season is to elongate brows rather than making them too defined. If your brows are naturally arched draw attention to that and add a highlight on the brow bone. Getting perfect, on-trend brows is super easy and you'll be creating brow-envy with these three easy steps.

1// Benefit Brow Bar

My visits to the Benefit Brow Bar in Myer Sydney City are always so fantastic that its the only place I will go to get my monthly brow wax and the occasional brow tint. Although I really like my natural brow shape and it suits my face well I definitely find it necessary to have them waxed to keep them looking neat. I've also started getting my brows tinted which is a great way to add a warmth of colour into my brows where I've found products that have warm tones tend to look orange/red and definitely does not suit me. I've gone on about it many times but the staff at Benefit are beyond wonderful and I will be going there always!

2// Essence Eyebrow Designer Pencil

The best brow pencil I've ever tried and for $2.50 a must have! The pencil isn't too creamy so you can create really natural looking brows and because it is quite waxy, will hold all those stray hairs in place. I use the shade 01 Blonde which is the only lighter shade I've found that doesn't look red! Such a fantastic product and a must-have in my everyday routine.

3// Benefit Gimme Brow Tinted Brow Gel

Benefit do brows well and the Gimme Brow tinted brow gel is, in my opinion, the most revolutionary brow product on the market. It is the easiest way to keep your brows neat and tidy on an everyday basis. The fact that the gel is not only tinted but has fibres so its a great way to fill in sparse areas on your brows. The little brush which is used to brush the product through your brows resembles something of a tiny mascara wand and is perfect for creating a really natural brow look.

Cara Delevingne brow queen

xx Catherine

$20 Makeup Challenge

I have been planning this post for a while and am so excited to finally share it with you! The $20 Makeup challenge is pretty self explanatory - create an entire face of makeup with products that cost less than $20 combined. It is definitely harder than it seems, especially in Australia where its difficult to find a drugstore foundation for $20 or less. However, there are quite a few affordable options available in Australian stores and I have chosen products from four different brands to showcase them. I've got little reviews for all the product as well!

What's on My Face? #2

Weekly Beauty Edit #3

Hello beautiful people! Unfortunately last week I didn't post my usual weekly beauty edit as I was sick and very uninspired in terms of beauty. I have organised to have regular posts on Monday, Wednesday and Friday as well as a Weekly Beauty Edit or other special post on a Sunday. This doesn't mean that I won't be posting on other days but you can be sure that new posts will be uploaded on those four days. Enjoy all my favourite beauty things from the last week and look out for my upcoming March Monthly Roundup!

1// Celebrity Makeup Tutorials
This BuzzFeed is the best makeup tutorial master list I have ever seen!  Featuring some of my favourite beauty Youtubers like Lisa Eldridge, Shannon Farrell, Tanya Burr and Pixiwoo this will give you so many makeup ideas to try.

2// Revlon Matte Lip Balms
One of the most anticipated new lip products has finally hit the Australian market. I recently picked up four shades at Priceline where they are currently 2 for 1! I definitely recommend them so get down to Priceline and try them for yourself. I have a full review and swatches coming up this week,

3// Benefit Brow Bar
Finally visited the Benefit Brow Bar again for my way overdue eyebrow wax. As always I had an absolutely amazing experience and although their services are quite expensive there is no one else I trust with my precious brows after being burnt numerous times.

4// Chatting with Chloe Morello
Probably the most exciting part of my week was getting to have a good chat with Australian Youtuber Chloe Morello at her recent YSL beauty workshop. While I didn't attend the actual event I was at Myer for the Autumn Racing Fashion Showcase but went past the YSL beauty stand before I left and Chloe was still there and chatting to people. I was so happy to get a chance to talk to her and tell her how much I love her videos and appreciate her efforts to make beauty inclusive for all. She was so sweet as usual and remembered me from when we met at the Benefit Lollitint event! We also chatted about the YSL Rogue Volupte lipstick I bought in No. 1 which she said was one of her favourites. Chloe is definitely such a role model for me and its so fantastic that she does events and gets out from behind the camera. Check out her Youtube channel here.

5// Maybelline Fit Me Concealer
I'm absolutely loving this concealer I picked up from the Priceline 40% sale. It is fantastic under the eyes to conceal dark circles as well as highlight without noticeable creasing. I've been wearing this on an everyday basis and is super creamy and easy to wear. Check out my guide to concealer here.

xx Catherine

What's on My Face?

Flawless Base; by Benefit

Another weekend, another trip to Benefit! Mum and I visited the Brow Bar for a wax and tint and then headed over to the beauty counter where some of the lovely staff treated us to a mini makeover/makeup lesson. I absolutely love visiting the Benefit counter because the staff are always so amazing and friendly.

I wanted to focus on complexion and try some products to create a really flawless base. The product I tried on my face was the Play sticks 3-in-1 foundation, concealer and powder. WOW! Just with one layer applied with a paddle type foundation brush it created the most flawless, full coverage base that looked liked it just melted into my skin but didn't feel like I was wearing such a full coverage product.

Look how much a difference a brow tint makes!

Since I just bought a new foundation last week, and the Play sticks are on the more pricey side, I decided to buy the Hello Flawless pressed powder instead since I was desperate for a new pressed powder! I have been using the Australis Fresh & Flawless and I was surprised that it didn't work for me considering it is widely reviewed as a great product, but even the lightest shade was way too dark and orangey for me. This shade is "I Love Me Ivory" which is a much better match for my skin tone. This is also beautifully finely milled and just takes the shine off without looking cakey - everything you need in a powder!

Although you're paying a little extra for Benefit products you're definitely getting a fabulous quality product in cute, sturdy packaging (I love how they close with a magnet) and it even comes with both a little brush and a sponge which is a really nice touch!

Overall another amazing experience at Benefit. I was super impressed with the products that created a truly flawless base. The Play stick has definitely gone on my wish list and I'm thinking of ordering it on the Benefit website to save some money.

xx Cat ^.^

OOTD: Uni

I really love wearing something different to uni everyday - from pretty dresses, classic jeans and tshirt combo or just throwing together some of my favourite pieces. I've had this skirt for so long! I love the pattern, length and its so easy to wear with heaps of different tops and shoes.

outfit

• Top and skirt by Cotton On
• Sandals and bag from Sportsgirl
• DKNY watch

I've been loving wearing mineral makeup lately because I find it so much more comfortable to wear in hot weather than liquid foundation and I don't get nearly as much oil coming through when I wear it. I also like that its a bit lighter in coverage which is perfect for wearing at uni - also much quicker to apply in the morning!

face

Benefit Haul and Lollitint Launch

I was really excited the other day to go along to the prelaunch of Benefit Cosmetic's new tint the 'Lollitint'. As I said in one of my previous posts, the launch was held at the Benefit counter in the Sydney City Myer.

My Favourite Beauty Tools

Long before I started really exploring the world of makeup I was always interested in beauty in general. I liked to keep my eyebrows waxed and shaped, hair and skin healthy and enjoyed doing my own manicures and pedicures. Here are a few of my must have beauty tools to keep you looking fab all the time. Its so easy to do things like pluck your eyebrows and do your own manicures in between seeing a professional, extending the life of your beauty treatments and making your money go that little bit further.

My absolute favourite beauty tool EVER is the La-Tweez Professional illuminating tweezers. After experiencing a horrific burning incident when getting my eyebrows waxed a few years ago resulting in awful blisters all over my eyes I swore to never get an eyebrow wax again and learnt how to shape my own eyebrows. I am so lucky I found these tweezers because I really wouldn't have been able to keep my eyebrows in acceptable condition without them. The best part is the little light that is positioned really well in between the two arms of the tweezers, giving the perfect angle and brightness of light onto your eyebrows making it super easy to see all the little hairs that you wouldn't be able to see in natural light. They are available online from a variety of different sellers, so your best bet would be to search around for the best prices and shipping options to your part of the world.

I always have a hairbrush with me wherever I go and am definitely one of those people who obsessively brush their hair. Something that I only got my hands on very recently but have already fallen in love with is the Tangle Teezer Compact Styler and it and has made my life so much easier as I don't have to carry around my full size brush in my bag! It actually is so fantastic at detangling hair without any pain or discomfort at all and definitely doesn't make you feel like you are pulling your hair out of your head. In Australia you can purchase the Tangle Teezer range from http://www.tangle-teezer.com.au/.

This is more of a novelty item, but just makes doing my own manicures at home so much more fun! The Sportsgirl Mini Nail Dryer is a mini fan that you place your hand under and when you press down the fan starts and dries your nails! I love using this especially if I'm a little bit rushed because it saves me flapping my hands about and looking silly! Although its sold out online, I have seen it in stores recently and you can pick it up for $14.95 AUD.

Finally, for my pedicures, I like to keep my feet nice and smooth with the Scholl Velvet Smooth Express Pedi. I was absolutely so excited when I received this as a gift because I never need to go to a salon to get a pedicure again! It works really well to buff away the hard skin on the bottom of your feet leaving them so smooth and it doesn't hurt at all - way easier than an old school pumice stone. You can purchase this from Priceline for $49.99 AUD.

xx Cat ^.^