Natio Blushers Review

It seems like ages ago that I purchased these blushers. I bought them to receive a GWP (as you do).  I really enjoy Natio products; their skin care smells so good.

The first one is the Blushing Rose Palette. It is made up of four different blushers in quite distinct shades (though two are a bit similar). They have a smooth, creamy texture and look great on your skin. They are very buildable to meet your intensity needs. My favourite is the third, purple-y colour.  It's really different to the other blushes that I own.

The second one is a single blusher in Rosewood. The formula for this one isn't as creamy as the palette, but the colour is stunning. It felt a bit dry as I was trying to swatch it today, but I don't recall it being that way before.

Swatches: L to R-- Blusher Palette and Rosewood

I really like the packaging of both of these products.  The exterior of the palette looks amazing.  (I adore stars.)  The large mirror on the palette is awesome and a pleasant surprise as you open it. I highly recommend the palette.

Have you tried any Natio blushers?

Bellabox November Edition

This is a bit late, but this week has been so full out.

So, I really like my Bellabox this month. I think I got the better of the two main boxes circulating. I did not want the glitter eye liner and I didn't receive it, yay!!

Anywho, this was what I received. Since I have had the box for a few days, I have been able to test out some of the products.

1. Bioderma Sebium H2O Cleansing Water- I haven't tried this yet, but I am super keen to (just haven't worn any makeup yet).

2. Skimiso Pore Beauty Nose Pack- I enjoy using pore strips though I don't think that they too much, so we'll see how these go.

3. Dr LeWinn's Facial Polishing Gel- I used this last night and I really liked it. It's quite gentle, but smells really nice and feels good on the skin.

4. Dr LeWinn's Skin Perfect Primer and Dr LeWinn's Skin Perfect Foundation- I haven't heard too much about this, but I will definitely give it a try.

5. 4me Nail Polish Remover Pads- I used these and really like them. They will be fantastic for travelling and I would definitely consider purchasing them again.

6. Swisse Hand Cream- This smells fantastic. The formula seems a bit thick, but it soaks in nicely.

7. Palmolive Mango Body Butter Wash- yuck, mango. I will be sending this to my mom.

8. B by Bloom Colour Cheek Tint in barossa valley. I don't mind this. I am not a big fan of cream blushes. However this colour is pretty sweet and it blends in well.

What did you think of this month's box?

Mirenesse Surprise Gift... Short Stack??

So, I ordered a lip gloss during the week of Halloween from the Mirenesse website because it came with four mystery gifts. They were certainly a surprise. A Short Stack emergency 'pak' (how annoying they couldn't add the 'c').

In the pack was a lip gloss, mascara, a black eye shadow stick, and black eyeliner. I probably won't use this (not a huge fan of black eye makeup nor of Short Stack) so you may see this again in a future giveaway.

Has anyone used these products before?  Or received a ridiculous mystery gift?

NOTD: Mirenesse Bullet Proof Nail Laquer

As most of you are aware, Mirenesse had teamed with Woman's Day to bring us some sweet GWPs. I picked up some nail polish in Blood Red (after failing to find the silver one).

I used it a few days ago and it is holding up quite well. The formula is really smooth and two coats was all I needed. I would pick up a couple more if they weren't that expensive.

I paired it with an OPI 'I have a herring problem' accent nail.

For those of you who have tried the Mirenesse nail polish, what did you think?

Review: Benefit Box o' Powder in Sugarbomb

Here is a review for Benefit's box o' powder blush in Sugarbomb. I got this a few weeks ago off the Benefit website. It came with a deluxe sample of Posietint (which I haven't been too impressed with, but more on that later).

The brush is really soft and feels good on your skin

The colours are quite bright and when blended together they create a very peachy glow on the cheeks.
As with most other Benefit products, the blush does have a fragrance. It is really subtle and pleasant to the nose.

The four colours

It takes a few swipes to get a decent amount of pigmentation, which could be a drawback for some. However, I think it is worth a try. It looks amazing on the skin.

Swatch: Starting with the Orange-ish colour and going anti-clockwise.  The final swatch is the four blended

I have a sample of Bella Bamba which I haven't had the chance to try.  I also have the Hervana and Dandelion blushes on their way (they're Christmas presents) and I will certainly review those during the holidays!

What is your favourite Benefit blush?

A Rave and a NOTD- Wedding Colours

I am getting married next year and this week marks the day I got engaged a year ago. In honour of that, my partner suggested my nail combo this week....our wedding colours (a blue mint colour and yellow).

L to R: L'oreal 602, OPI Save Me, OPI Candlelight

Most of you know the wonder of OPI, but I also wanted to make sure you knew about the brilliance of L'oreal Colour Riche nail polish. It has a built in top coat which is actually really good. The formula is really smooth and I found it opaque in two coats. It does hold up really well. I have two colours; the one for my NOTD is 602 Perle de Jade.

I paired it with OPI Save Me ( which I love) and Candlelight from the So So Skullicious Collection.

The final product

GA-DE Lipstick in English Rose

A couple of weeks ago Oz Sale had a lot of different beauty brands for sale (Revlon, Almay, China Glaze, Zana, Bellapierre, and GA-DE).  As usual, there were some pretty good deals, which I took advantage of.  As a result, I am on a spending ban for the rest of year.

Friday, I received my first parcel from Oz Sale and it contained the GA-DE lipstick I ordered.  I had never heard of GA-DE, but their packaging was really appealing.  From what I have gathered, GA-DE is a really popular cosmetic company based in Israel.

I ordered a lipstick in English Rose:

Beautiful Packaging

The packaging is really cool.  To open the lipstick, you push the bottom up, then it pops out.  I don't have any lipsticks with packaging like this.  

Closed: You can see the bottom is flush with the container

Open

The colour is a really nice pink with glitter in it.  The formula is a tad bit gritty due to the glitter.  It is definitely not creamy, but still not unpleasant.

Swatch

Artificial light/ No Flash

Although, there were some negatives to this product, I believe it was definitely worth the $9 I paid.  If you see GA-DE on Oz Sale, definitely check them out.

Have you tried any GA-DE Cosmetic products?

Rave: Benefit She's So Jetset

A couple of weeks ago I received my She's So Jetset from my Benefit haul (found here).  I love it!  I have asked for more Benefit products for Christmas; I really think they are worth the price.  The American price that is, totally not the Australian price.

1. POREfessional  I love this product!  I included it in my October Favourites (found here).  It leaves your skin really soft and makes it look way smoother.  Here are some before and after shots:

Before

After

2. Eye Shadow Palette These are fantastic eye shadows.  They have a creamy texture, great colour and shimmer.  I am a sucker for nudes and these certainly impress me. 

Colours: Champagne Please, Gold Card, Pretty in Mink and Elegant Expresso

L to R: Champagne Please, Gold Card, Pretty in Mink and Elegant Expresso

 Champagne Please and Pretty in Mink are my top picks of the four, but I use all of them.

3. First-Class Face Powder  The box doesn't provide any information as to the names of these two shades.  They are quite subtle and create a peachy look on skin.  They have a pleasant smell and texture, but I would prefer a bit more pigmentation.  With that said, you can just layer the blush to create a more vibrant look.

The brush is pretty nice for one coming with a kit. 

L to R:  Colours blended, Lighter (L) and Pinker (R)

 4.  Life on the A List Lip Gloss   To start with, I must say I prefer lipstick to lip gloss; however, the formula of this one is quite pleasant.  It's thick, but not sticky and feels nice on your lips.  The colour is very sheer, light pink.  It adds gloss, but that is about it.  If you're looking something with more body, this isn't your colour.  Yet, it still may be nice to have in your collection.

As you can see, very sheer.

 5.  They're Real Mascara  This was also listed in my October Favourites.  See here for photos and review.  This is a must have mascara.

I would definitely recommend this kit!  It's fantastic for value ($34 from the Benefit website).  The packaging is really cute and I will definitely be taking it with me on trips!

Have you tried any Benefit products?

NOTD: Fly and Lights

I am loving OPI The Living Daylights so much that I kept it as my feature nail.  I have exchanged Rimmel's Wine Not with OPI Fly (from the Nicki Minaj collection).

Fly is a vibrant teal and I adore it!  The formula definitely requires at least two coats, but the colour is beautiful.

Are you loving a particular nail polish/colour at the moment?

October Favourites

Here are my favourite items from this past month.

1.  Witch Blemish Stick: I'm loving this stick.  I don't have too too much trouble with blemishes, but this has made my skin better.  At the first signs of a spot, I put this on and it really does reduce redness and helps it heal faster.  It's not immediate, so I'm still open to other products.

2.  CEDEL blow dry faster heat protector:  One of the things I hate is blow drying my hair; however, if I want to wear it down, I do have to dry it.  This product radically reduces the time it takes to dry while leaving it smoother and shinier.  I will definitely buy this again!

3.  Kosmea Radiance 24/7 Youth Boost: I received this in my Lust Have It! Eco Box.  My first experience wasn't too pleasant--I put too much oil on my skin.  Learning from that, I have grown fond to this product.  It makes my skin feel really smooth and has made it more vibrant and radiant.  I use it at night because I do find it to be a bit heavy.  I'm hoping it lasts a long time!

4.  OPI The Living Daylights:  I adore this nail polish.  It really is fantastic.  See a quick review of it here.  Be sure to get this while you can!

5.  Swisspers Blot-Off Oil Tissues:  This are a fantastic way to touch up your skin during the day.  Having combination/oily skin, I can use these to absorb the oil my face creates during the day.  They're easy to use and come in a cool carrying case.
 
6.  Benefit POREfessional:  I got this travel size tube in my She's So Jetset kit and to say the least, I love this primer.  I find it really does reduce the size of your pores.  It's not a perfect reduction, but far less visible.  If you're looking for a miracle product, this may not be for you.  I will have some before and after pictures as soon as I can.

7.  Rimmel Kate Moss Lipstick in 16:  I really like these lipsticks.  I now own 4.  This colour is a bright pink.  I am looking forward to wearing it a lot this summer.   

Eye without any makeup

The amazing They're Real Mascara Brush

Eye with One Coat of They're Real and Benefit and Bourjois Eye Shadow Pot in 10

8.  Benefit They're Real Mascara:  This also came in my She's So Jetset kit (I highly recommend the entire kit).  I am completely in love with this mascara!  It is excellent!!  I love how it lengthens and curls.  I don't have anything close to it and I have quite a few mascaras.

9.  Bourjois Eye Shadow Pot in 10:  This is a beautiful eye shadow in a glittery champagne colour.  This is my go to colour of eye shadow and I love the shimmer this one possesses.  Totally worth a purchase if you don't mind glitter.

What were your favourites this month?

OOTD: Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Day)

Being American, I love Halloween.  Taking three plus years of Spanish, I love Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead).  Living in Australia, I don't really get to celebrate either.

For Halloween, I dressed up as Amy Pond (again); however, this time I the correct jumper (which I absolutely adore).  For Dia de los Muertos, I wore an outfit of black and orange.  I really like this time of year and I want to hold on to some of my traditions.

Shirt: Op Shop (super find!)

Skirt: Cue (I adore this company)

Tights: Gloss

Shoes: Rubi

NOTD: Wine and Sparkle

I bought OPI The Living Daylights from the new Skyfall collection and I've been dying to try it out.  It's an amazing glitter polish that immediately caught my eye.  I've received several compliments on it (and I've only been wearing it for a day and a half).

I used it for my feature nail.  I was really happy with the formula.  It applied really smoothly, much better than Australis Fairy Bread which I tried out a while ago (review here).

On my other nails I used Rimmel's Wine Not.  I wasn't as happy with this polish.  It was far too runny for my liking and it was messy to apply.  The colour is nice though...

Each nail has two coats of polish with a top coat.

I am tempted to try some other polishes in the Skyfall collection.  Any suggestions?