Birthday FOTD!

I turned 18 today!  Yay.  Too bad I'm in the middle of my finals so I can't party.  I'm just going out for dinner tonight with my lovely mother and brother.  I'm so exciting like that. :P  Can't wait to have my first (legal) drink though.  I will be so disappointed if they don't ID me!

This is what I wore today, and will probably just darken it a little to go out. Please ignore my silly faces that I like to pull.

(Just so you can get a better look at my eyeshadow)

Face: Revlon Colourstay foundation, Covergirl Clean pressed powder, Bourjois Healthy Mix Concealer, Chi Chi burning up blush. 

Eyes: MAC paint pot in painterly, Chi Chi pressed shadow in Paparazzi Princess, Bourjois eyeshaow in marron glace, Bobbi Brown's gel eyeliner, Maybelline's The Colossal. 

Lips: Only a balm - I'm not a big lip colour girl unless I'm going out. 

Kinda considering dyeing my hair now that school's over?  

In a fantastic mood!

NOTD: OPI.

This is Barefoot in Barcelona, and it's my all-time favourite OPI polish.  I only have a few but this is I love, because I'm hugely into nude polishes.  I like to have more natural colours on just for day to day (not that this is "natural"...) and so I wear things like this mostly.

I used three thin coats, but two would do if you're lazy like I normally am.

I probably should have neatened the up before taking a picture but whatever, I don't care.

This was so hard for me to do without my drip dry. :(

Spotlight: OPI drip dry. :( RIP.

After a painfully long process of removing nail polish to re-paint then, I hopped to the bathroom to pick a polish, collected one, a top coat and drip dry, and promptly dropped all three.  The polishes I dropped are fine, but drip dry broke clean in two, and went everywhere.  It's an expensive product, which is sad to waste, but it's also so valuable to me from a time saving point of view!  I can never sit and wait for polish to dry normally, I'm too impatient.  So, I figure now is as good a time as any to review this product.

What they say: Dries nails to touch in one minute, completely in five, with just one to two drops. Soothes cuticles with jojoba.

What I think: This is a must have product for me.  When I first used it, it was a break through moment.  I love painting my nails but I literally cannot wait.  It does what it says.  The only con is that it feels kinda oily which I don't like, but it washes away easily after it's dried.  I love this, there's not much else I can say.

RIP. 

Verdict: I love it, I will repurchase and be careful in the future!

4.5/5.

There's a drop left in the dropper, and I will use it!

FOTD.

:) Off to school I go.  I've graduated, but I have revision to do!

Face: Revlon Colorstay, Napoleon Perdis pressed powder, non-descript blush.

Eyes: NP eyeshadow palette in Atlanta.  I used all the colours (review of the little trios to come sometime in the future), Bobbi Brown gel eyeliner, Maybelline's The Colossal and CoverGirl Lash Blast.  

Lips: MAC tendertone in Tender Baby - I only used this lightly to moisturise.  

40 beauty questions.

I got this from http://pearlsandpolitics123.blogspot.com. :)

1) How many times do you wash your face daily? In the shower in the morning, then again at night. 

2) What skin type do you have? (dry, oily, combo) Combo.  I have an oily T-zone, but I get dry patches.  

3) What is your current facial wash? I use Lush's coalface. 

4) Do you exfoliate? Yes, I'm trying out another Lush product - Ocean Salt. 

5) What brand do you use? Ahaha, as above!

6) What moisturizer do you use? A Clean and Clear one. 

7) Do you have freckles? Not on my face, only my limbs. 

8) Do you use eye cream? No. I should start. 

9) Do you or did you have acne prone skin? I did have bad acne, but now I just get the odd break out. 

10) Did you ever have to use Pro-activ? I used it for about a year or so.  

MAKE-UP
11) What foundation do you use? Revlon Colour Stay and a Napoleon Perdis powder.  

12) How about concealer? A Rimmel one. 

13) Do you know your undertone color? No. :S  Yellow? I dunnooo.  I'm just very pale.

14) What do you think of fake eyelashes? I love playing around with them, but I don't wear them regularly.  

15) Did you know that you are suppose to change your
mascara every 3 months? Of course.

16) What brand of mascara do you use? I switch it up a lot, but right now I'm using Lash Blast by Covergirl. 

17) Sephora or MAC? We have no Sephora in Aus, so MAC.  

18) Do you have a MAC Pro-card? Nope.

19) What makeup tools do you use in make up application? Brushes for my eyes and powder, and blush and stuff, but I use my hands for foundation always.  I have a lot of foundation brushes, but I hate them all!

20) Do you use make-up base/primer for the eyes? Painterly Paint Pot! 

21) For the face? Yep, I use an Australis one. 

22) What is your favorite eyeshadow (color or neutral shade)? I'm a big neutral girl for day to day.  I couldn't give you one favourite... 

23) Do you use pencil or liquid eyeliner? Gel! But pencil for lower waterline.

24) How often do you poke your eyes with an eyeliner pencil? I would say monthly, haha. 

25) What do you think of pigment eyeshadows? I'm wayyyyy too messy for that.

26) Do you use mineral makeup? I have, but not currently. 

27) What is your favorite lipstick? MAC cremesheens, in prettyyyy much any colour. 

28) How about lipgloss? I like my Napoleon Perdis ones, better than MAC or any other I have tried.  

29) What is your favorite blush to use? Napoleon Perdis, yet again.

30) Do you buy your makeup on ebay? No.

31) Do you like drugstore makeup? Sure. 

32) Do you go to CCO's? (cosmetic company outlets) We don't have them around here, but I'm sure I would.

33) Did you ever consider taking make-up classes? I wouldn't mind for fun, but I'm not an artist and just like having fun.

34) Are you clumsy in putting on makeup? Only with pigment. :S

35) Name a makeup crime that you hate? People who don't blend their foundation make me want to poke my eyes out. 

36) Do you like colorful shades of makeup (lipstick, eyeshadow) Sure, but not for everyday. 

37) Which celebrity always has great make up? Lady Gaga. :P

38) If you could leave the house using just ONE make up item, what would you use? Something I could double as a lip colour and blush, I think. Or concealer. 

39) Could you ever leave the house without any makeup on? Yes, but I prefer not to.  I do if I'm just running to the supermarket. 

40) Do you think you look good even without any makeup on? No, not really.

NOTD: Collection by Bloom.

Today I'm wearing a Bloom polish in Mykonos.  I got this to match my grad dress but I love the blue/purple colour.  :)

It's opaque after two coats, goes on smoothly and is pretty inexpensive.  I got this for $15 at Target, in Bloom's range there.

I have a few other Bloom polishes so expect to see some more of this kind of post soon!

Spotlight: Chi Chi blushes.

I have two of these, and in comparison with the eyeshadow I have... they're made of win!  I love them both.
I have the blush powder in Burning Up, and a "Sheer Colour Cream" in Va Va Va Voom (this is code for a cream blush).

Price: I paid 4.95 for both, because it was buy one get one free and already on clearance. I wouldn't have paid anymore, at all.

What I think: These are great.  The powder blush is small, only as big as their eyeshadow which are a good size for an eyeshadow, but small for a blush.  It comes in the same square plastic compact, and this is disadvantageous as it's hard to pick up a lot of the colour.  It's pretty sheer, but that's okay because I'm a bit heavy handed.
The cream blush is sheer too, but they've named it that for a reason I suppose.  It's a bit shimmery, but not too overpowering.  It has good staying power and is build-able which I like.  However, it's only 1.7g of product, and it does contain paraben which is a huge no.

Blush in Burning up.

Cream blush in Va Va Va Voom. 

Burning up (top) and Va Va Va Voom (bottom/left) swatches.

The packaging feels cheap on the cream blush, and as I mentioned before, it is only 1.7g.  The powder is 3g like their eyeshadow. 

3.5/5.

Spotlight: Chi Chi eyeshadow singles.

I have these in various colours, and I have varying opinions on them.
What they say: Chi Chi claims these are "only tested on family and friends" which I found rather cute.  I'm all for not testing on animals.

Price: These usually retail about 16.95 (I think), but I never buy them full price and often see them on clearance.  I paid 4.95 for each of these, but two I got "two for one", which was even better.

What I think: They're okay... Only one that I have is really highly pigmented, the rest are a bit meh.  One, in Paparazzi Princess, I use really often as a lid colour.  Like, I'd say three times a week.  The others I do use sometimes but very rarely.  I'll insert some pictures of them and swatches.

Style Stealer

Delusional

Paparazzi Princess

Hot Stuff, which swatches soooo orange.

Funkadelic, which swatches almost non-existent. 

Paparazzi Princess is the top one, which is the only one worth buying.  Below is Style Stealer, then Hot Stuff, then Delusional, then Funkadelic, which is totally rubbish.

They're all 3g which is great I suppose?

Verdict: With the exception of Paparazzi Princess which I'd have paid triple the amount for, they all really let me down and I wouldn't even have called them worth the 4.95.

2/5.

:(  At least they were cheap.  

Spotlight: Benefit's creaseless cream eyeshadow/liner.

I have this in "birthday suit", which is an ashy golden brown colour, with shimmer.

What the say: "Our do-it-all cream shadow lines, shades and contours eyes with its alluring crease-proof, smudge-proof formula. Go as sheer or as dramatic as you like with buildable color. Either way, these shadows stay put!"

Price: I paid about $25 for this.

What I think: This is a great colour base.  I don't wear it on its own because it's a bit pale and odd for me as a total lid colour.  I think I would love this a whole lot more if it was a different colour, but I say it's a good colour base because it gives great shimmer and brings out colours a lot more, and alters them in a way I like.  It still needs a base under it.  It's no good as a total eyeshadow base, it's just a good base for the colour.  Why?  It creases.  Yes, it's called creaseless, but it does crease towards the end of the day.  I've never used it as a liner, mostly because the colour I have is too light.  The packaging, of course, was no let down though, and I do use this often.  It also is as buildable as they suggest.  Texture wise, it's very smooth but almost a bit oily.  It dries to a powdery finish though, for sure.  

Birthday suit.

Swatch on my very pale hand.

The lid, lovely as ever.

(Excuse my naked nails!)

It's 4.5g btw.  

Verdict: It doesn't do what it says.  It does crease.  It's no good like a paintpot for a base.  It does, however, hold its place in my collection and I do use it.  

3.5/5.

Spotlight: Benefit's Bathina "touch me and then try to leave" cream.

What they say: "a sexy body cream".  On the bottom of the tub, it says: "The name says it all.  This irresistibly scented body cream sumptuously softens from head to toe.  Go ahead... Overindulge."

Price: This was $30, but I was given it free when I spent $70 at Benefit.

What I think: This is frighteningly moisturising, in a good way!  I don't have overly dry sky, but I do like to moisterise nonetheless, and this really hits the spot.  I wasn't planning to buy this, or anything, but I went to Benefit to pick up something else and they threw it in.  It is so thick and luxurious I seriously do feel like I'm overindulging when I use it:

And it's really beautifully packaged, as is everything from Benefit.  They're such a treat to buy from:

(It has a plastic cover that goes between the cream and the lid, which you can't really see, but is great)

It's 140ml which is pretty standard to tubs like this I think, but still, it feels generous and I certainly haven't used it too quickly because a little goes a long way.  It also says it has cocoa butter and sesame seed oil, so that's a plus.

The scent is amazing, and I honestly think it would be such a holy grail for someone with dry skin.  

Verdict: I would repurchase when/if I run out.  I love it.  Smells great, does what it says it should, and worth the $30 in my opinion.

5/5.