The Summer Makeup Favourites

My limited of computer skills and general attraction of bad luck has meant that every favourites video I had filmed for both December and January are still stuck in iMovie either edited and unable to be exported or half edited because I gave up. I still wanted to share with you my favourite makeup bits from the summer because when I find awesome products I always want to let you know about them! Yep - this will be a long one.

For the complexion I've been drawn towards products that will give me a natural and glowy look, while still staying on my face all day - yep, I have pretty high expectations for my makeup. The Chi Chi Super BB Cream was my go to for an everyday, long lasting base that was so easy and quick to apply with your fingers, a sponge or a brush. I definitely think I'll be pulling this one out again for when I go back to uni! I would pair the BB cream with my MAC Mineralize Skinfinish Natural in Light for a little extra coverage and the most flawless but natural finish. I thought a non-cakey powder was a myth until I found this one and I can see this becoming a HG product for me.

I've been fairly fickle with concealers in the past until I came across the NYX Above & Beyond Full Coverage Concealer* which I used exclusively through December and January. This product definitely surprised me because NYX is very hit and miss for me. I received this to try before NYX expanded their range in Australia and I think this is definitely one to try. It's a fantastic multi-task product for blemishes, redness and under the eyes that blends well and doesn't crease.

February, however, saw the return of my obsession with mineral makeup. I had a clean-out/organising sesh of my makeup collection and with nostalgia and fondness found the Maybelline Mineral Power Foundation which was all I wore throughout high school. I thought this was still on shelves but apparently it had been discontinued which I found out when Maybelline announced it would be returning to Australian shelves! Either way you can still find this and I would 100% recommend it as it is a beautiful foundation that is easy to apply and lasts well throughout the day.

For blush I've hardly reached for anything else over the Blush Up! Blush in Heat Wave from Essence. A gorgeous bright ombre blush, it is perfect for a pop of colour on the cheeks and certainly packs a punch in terms of pigmentation for its very reasonable price tag. I've also been loving a bit of bronzey glow - bronze glow...for summer? groundbreaking! - which is super easily achievable with the NYX Baked Blush in Ignite*. These blushes are pretty much a bronzer, blush and illuminator all in one and I love a good multi-tasker! However, these are really hard powders so you will go crazy if you just swipe your brush over the top trying to pick up pigment. I suggest scratching the surface with the back of a brush and then go in with your brush. Finally for face products, another favourite this month has been my NYX Blush in Taupe. The contouring trend is huge right now, but to be honest I have no idea what I'm doing and the amount of contouring palettes available is overwhelming. I pulled out Taupe which has been in my collection forever and it's just what I need to create a contour look I'm comfortable with.

Since I splurged big time of Tarte when Sephora opened in Sydney, their eye products have been my absolute favourites over summer. I have been rotating 3 of their mascaras I just can't get enough! Lights, Camera, Flashes is amazing for big, dramatic lashes with heaps of volume, Gifted gives a similar effect, but not as dramatic as the wand is natural fibre and gives more of a 'fluttery' effect and finally Light, Camera, Lashes gives amazing length, volume and separation all in one, reminding me a lot of my favourite Hypnose Mascara. However, I have to say my one true love this entire summer has definitely been the Amazonian Clay Eyeshadow Palette that was part of the Bon Voyage holiday set - yes, it is no longer available. The shadows are are the best I have ever used and I definitely recommend picking up the Tartelette palette which is available from Sephora NOW!

Surprisingly my favourite lip products from the summer are all very neutral. While I reached for a bold lip often, I absolutely fell in love with these three products. Swept up in the Kylie Jenner lip craze I became obsessed with the Rimmel Exaggerate Lip Liner in 063 'Eastend Snob' which I used to overdraw and then fill in my lips. I absolutely love the colour of this - its a pinky nude which suits my colouring and I got so many compliments wearing it, it became a staple for my everyday look. Secondly I came across the Australis Colour Inject Mineral Lipstick in 'Jive' for $3 in a bin a Priceline. Once I realised it was so cheap because it was being discontinued I scoured every Priceline in a 20km radius to pick up a backup. The colour is amazing - a cool toned pink that is my perfect everyday shade and is very similar to the other Australis lipstick 'Preppy' which has been a favourite for ages. Finally, I couldn't go through summer without having a coral gloss in my handbag. 'Bright Side of Life' from the Essence XXXL Shine Lipgloss range was my pick and I think I used up half the tube!

Finally I wanted to share some skincare favourites and other body bits! An absolute essential for me has been the Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Face Sunscreen. I got the matte look version which is fantastic for under makeup and I'm happy to say I'm in the habit now of wearing sunscreen every day. Whilst I was being very conscientious about sun safety I still wanted a bit of colour so when I wore shorts and skirts people wouldn't be blinded by my white legs. I did quite a bit of research on self tan products because self tanning is a little terrifying to me. I ended up try the Jergens Natural Glow Daily Moisturiser. I am so so impressed by this product, not only because it builds a really natural tan but it is so moisturising and using it every day has made an incredible difference to my normally dry and flakey skin. A completely non-scary tanning product I'll continue to reach for even as summer slips away.

So there are all my favourites from the whole of summer. Sad to see summer go but it doesn't look like the weather is going to cool down any time soon anyway! What have been some of your favourites from the last month or so?

xx Catherine

* These products were provided to me for consideration. Honestly as always!

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Sweat-Proof Summer Makeup

It's gets pretty hot during summer in Australia. I'm not talking just warm enough to walk around in pretty dresses or cute shorts, but an average day usually includes being drenched in sweat as the wall of heat hits you. This is definitely not good news for the longevity of your makeup. Luckily there are a few great products that make wearing makeup wearable during the hottest times of the year and also actually stays on your face.

The worst thing I could possibly think of on super hot day is wearing a thick layer of stuff on my face, which is why a light weight foundation is a great option for warm weather. I like the Chi Chi Super BB Cream [$22.95] which gives decent coverage and evens out the skin tone. Another great option is MAC Face and Body Foundation [$49.00-$60.00], which is practically undetectable on the skin, has an amazing finish and can be built up for a fuller coverage without the cakey-ness.

Oh and of course a primer underneath your foundation will also help extend the life of your makeup look. I like Benefit's Porefessional [$53.00] to fill in pores and Laura Mercier Foundation Primer [$45.00] to lock in moisture.

Although I do prefer a fresh, dewy glow for a summer look, I definitely don't want to look either oily or sweaty. The line between 'glowy' and 'sweaty' is a fine one so setting your base with a powder is a must. My favourite this summer has definitely been MAC Mineralise Skin Finish Natural [$49.00]. This does everything you want from a setting powder - gives a flawless finish, sets your foundation in place and doesn't look cakey or powdery at all.

For the eyes, again a primer will help colour stay on your eyelid and not migrate into the crease. The NYX Jumbo Eye Pencil in Milk is a great base for powder shadows to stick to. However, I usually opt for a cream eyeshadow like the Maybelline Colour Tattoos which are also really easy to apply. And if you're looking for a long lasting blush, something like the Benefit Cheek Stains will stay on all day, or if you prefer a powder the Tarte Amazonian Clay 12-Hour blushes, really do last well, even in the heat.


xx Catherine

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Stay All Day - Long wearing makeup look

With uni starting again next week, I'll be back to the daily grind - attempting to juggle study, work and social commitments. This usually means long days, many hours in the car and maybe physical activity (although pretty unlikely tbh...) and I need my makeup to look fresh and last all day. I actually wore this look for a law revue rehearsal, dance class and then all night long when I went out clubbing.

Review: Vaseline Intensive Care Spray Moisturiser

Its very rare that a new moisturiser will get me very excited. I've probably only used two different moisturisers in the last two years just out of habit. Unlike my face which is super oily, the skin on my body is really dry and as such I've become moisture obsessed - probably moisturising three times a day. When I heard about the new Vaseline spray moisturiser when watching Lauren Curtis on YouTube I knew I had to have it. First of all, it came in a cocoa scent which is my favourite for a moisturiser or body lotion and the fact that it was a SPRAY?!?! This was particularly exciting because everyone know the most annoying thing about lotion is it takes forever to soak in. Being a spray it is really light weight and after rubbing it in absorbs super fast into the skin.

There are three different varieties - so if you aren't a fan of cocoa scents don't worry! - and currently they are on introductory offers at both Woolworths and Priceline for AUD$7.99, while the regular price is $9.99.

Overall I think its an exciting new product. I really like the idea of the spray and being able to moisturise really quickly and the fact that it absorbs in seconds. However, I do prefer a more intense moisturiser because I do have dry skin, so I wont be able to replace my current moisturises, but it is a good addition to my skincare routine.

xx Cat ^.^

Pink for the Faint Hearted

I always envy girls who have the confidence to pull off bright pink lips and lust over gorgeous pink shades of lipsticks, blushes and eye shadows whilst thinking that I just couldn’t pull it off! With my hazel, greeny eyes I’d always stuck more with purple shades but with as we start to get into summer I decided to be bolder in my makeup choices. I’m definitely not one to ever have worn bright pink (or even pink at all!), especially since I’m super pale. However,  was inspired by the beautiful shade 'Peaches and Cream" of the NYX butter glosses and wanted to create a pink look that put me out of my comfort zone. I think this would be perfect for a daytime summer party, or if you are going out at night, instead of contouring your eyes with browns, at a bit of sparkle with silver or smoke it out with some grey or black shadow.

For the Face:

I used Clinique 'Redness Solutions' foundation in 01 Calming Alabaster - applied with a paddle foundation brush this gives AMAZING coverage, especially if you have trouble with redness like I do, particularly around the cheeks and chin. However, I prefer a matte look and the Redness Solutions makeup is more to the satin/dewy finish which just doesn't work with my oily skin. I always apply a power whether its a translucent finishing powder, or for a little extra coverage Australis' 'Fresh & Flawless' pressed powder in Natural. For blush I used the shade on the far left in my NYX 'Butt Naked' palette which is a beautiful peachy/pink with little gold specks, similar to NARS 'Orgasm' blush. I also used the bronzer on the far left and the more golden highlighter on the far right (all shades in palette pictured below.)

For the Eyes:

For a pop of pink colour of the eyes I used a shade from my Australis Paparazzi Perfect Eyeshadow in 'Frock n Roll' but to really make the colour stand out I recommend using an eyeshadow base in a white or beige colour. I used the NYX jumbo eye pencil in 'Milk'. 

I am absolutely OBSESSED with my eyelashes here - I have never made them look so long and full! I used Lancome's Hypnose mascara first to create length and then from the same range the Hypnose Drama to add volume. The shapes of the brushes in the Hypnose range are all very interesting and different and along with a fantastic formula are great for creating different looks.

For the Lips:

This is a very NYX inspired look from all the new products I have tried recently! Firstly I used the shade 'Tokyo' of their soft matte lip creams which is a beautiful, bright light pink and then to add a glossy texture and even more bright pink the butter gloss in 'Peaches and Cream'. I am absolutely obsessed with the beautiful colour, pigmentation and glossy texture of the butter glosses and can't wait to get my hands on some more. Very excited I can now just pop down to my local Target and pick some up!

Finished Look:

Hope you enjoyed this look!
Cat ^.^

Summer Beauty Essentials

Summer is here! I love everything about summer; the warm weather, beach holidays, uni break, my birthday and Christmas! Summer is also a fantastic time to revamp your beauty routine and try bright, fun colours. My favourite trends for summer are bright lips and corals. I also really love light coverage and dewy finishes for foundation, as there is nothing better than frolicking around in the sun with beautiful glowing skin. What I also love to create a beautiful dewy, glowy look is cream blushes which add a little extra glow to the cheeks and help make your powder blush go that little bit further to give you that sun kissed glow.

Of course, if you’re pale like me, and also live in Australia where the sun is unrelenting, the most important thing for summer is to be using high protection sunscreen – definitely with SPF 30+ or higher.

My every day summer essentials are:

Face:

•   Bourjois Bronzing Primer
•   Kate Somerville IllumiKate CC cream in no.1 ‘Fair’ à this product is SPF 50+ !!
•   Stila Convertible Color dual lip and cheek cream in ‘Lillium’

Lips:

• Rimmel London Apocalips Lip Lacquer in no.501 ‘Stellar’ à Fantastic for a night out
• Maybelline Color Sensational Lipstick in ‘Vibrant Mandarin’ à A beautiful bright coral which is right on trend for summer
• NYX Butter Glosses à My favourite right now is ‘Peaches and Cream’ but the entire range is so beautiful in terms of colours and now NYX is available in Target!

Bright Nails:

• Maybelline Color Show Nail Lacquer in no.190 ‘ Coral Crush’

Keep checking for updates, as the next few posts will have some of my summer inspired looks!

Cat ^.^