beauty, makeup, review

Empties and reviews – January to June 2013!

This is my FIRST EVER empties post!  Most people have monthly empties, but I can’t seem to finish products that fast. So I’ve been saving up my empty products since the beginning of the year.  I only have 9 even after 6 months! After I took these photos, I had a great time throwing all these bottles in the recycling bin!

So, in no particular order, here are my empties!  Links to buy products are at the end.

1. Pond’s Cold Cream

Pond’s Cold Cream is the best makeup remover there is.  It is just a beautiful cream that is magic.  You do need to wash your face with a cleanser afterwards, but for makeup removing it can’t be beaten.  And I’ve tried lots of things!  Luckily my mum bought my a new tub for my birthday last week.  These tubs are huge but I certainly go through them!

2. Simple Clear Skin oil balancing exfoliating wash

This is a pretty average, normal cleanser.  The exfoliating beads didn’t do much for me, they dissolved quickly and didn’t scrub very hard.  A nice cleanser though!  I bought this because I wanted to get some pimples under control, and it does not help with that at all.  I probably won’t buy this one again.

 3. Palgantong Vita White Bb Super Cover

The first BB cream I bought.  I got this in Japan in like 2010, and it is a perfect colour match for my skin.  I’ve never had a product so exactly my colour!  The only probalo is that it makes my face look a bit powdery and dry.  I’m going to experiment with mixing this with moisturiser or a more dewy foundation.  I mostly use this for spots, and it works great. I just bought myself a new one on ebay.

4. Palmer’s Cocoa Butter formula Night Renewal Cream

This is supposed to be anti-aging, but who knows.  I just really like the product as a night time moisturiser.  It’s thick and creamy and feels nice on my face.  The smell is pretty too.  If I put a good dosage of this on at night, my face feels soft and supple in the morning. I’d totally get this again once I’m finished some other stuff.

5. Rosken Bio Serum

This is a cheap knock off of Bio Oil, and I think it’s exactly the same stuff.  Nice as a bedtime moisturiser, but if you wear it in the day it looks weird.  I’m not sure if I’ll keep going with the bio oils.  They’re supposed to reduce scarring (I have quite a bit from pimples on my forehead and around my mouth) but I can’t notice any change.

6. Natio Ageless Lifting Day Cream

I love this moisturiser!  It smells like musk sticks!  It’s a pump action bottle which is nice for hygiene but annoying because you can’t get the last bit out of the bottle.  This is a nice light cream which is absorbed pretty quickly and leaves your face feeling smooth for makeup. I love the feel and the smell.  Mmmm musk sticks.

7. Bobbi Brown Corrector in Light Bisque

My Bobbi Brown corrector is that product I can’t live without.  I don’t step out the door without it on my face.  I’m pretty sure this is my second jar, and I’m nearly done with my third already!  Love it.  My only problem is the packaging, it somehow gets bits of fluff in it.

8. Face of Australia Gentle Make-Up remover

Well this does work as a makeup remover, but it’s nothing on the Pond’s.  It’s made of two parts which you shake to mix.  This worked at removing makeup but left my face feeling dry and left with a residue.  I always washed my face after using this.

9. Garnier Roll-On Anti-Dark Circles… stuff.

I put this stuff over my Bobbi Brown to even out the skin tone.  This is more yellowish.  I can’t believe how long this tube lasted me!  I think I got it over two years ago, and used it literally every single day.

Where to buy!
1. Pond’s Cold Cream from Chemist Warehouse
2. Simple exfoliating cleanser from Ebay
3. Palgantong Vita White Bb Cream from Ebay
4. Palmer’s Cocoa Butter night cream from Amazon
5. Reskin Bio Serum at Amazon
6. Natio Ageless Lifting Day Cream from Beauty Heaven
7. Bobbi Brown Corrector from Bobbi Brown
8. Face of Australia Makeup remover from Priceline
9. Gariner Anti-Dark Circles Roll-On  on Amazon

dresses, review

High-end vs. Low-end fashion

Recently I had to do an assignment for CIT where I compared two similar garments from a low end and a high end brand.  It so happened that I had two *very* similar dresses, one from Modcloth and one from Review.  I know, I’m predictable.  I almost bought another similar one recently!  Stopped myself just in time.

1. Fireside Glow dress from Modcloth.  Stock photo
Worn.


2. Dress from Review, stock photo.
 
Worn – sorry with a cardigan.

The point of the assignment was to look at construction and fabric of each dress.  Here’s my results.

Modcloth Fireside Glow dress
Price: $49
Fabric: 96% polyester, 4% spandex
Made in: USA
Seams: Overlocked together, 4 sts per cm.
Hems: Folded over 1cm twice
Waist finishes: Bodice joined directly to skirt, pleats at top of skirt to add fullness.
Interfacing: Fusible web interfacing on collar only
Zip: 50cm invisible zip
Lining: No.
Details: Contrasting collar
Comments: Sleeve holes way too big, the whole thing is a bit floppy.

Review dress
Price: $182 (down from 259)
Fabric: Outer: 100% polyester.  Lining: 97% polyester, 3% elastine
Made in: China
Seams: Overlocked raw edges separately, pressed open.  5 sts per cm.
Hems: Enclosed in lining at sleeve, enclosed in contrast fabric at hem.
Waist finishes: Bodice joined directly to skirt
Interfacing: None.
Zip: 60cm invisible zip
Lining: Yes fully lined
Details: Contrasting collar, contrasting bottom band, side belt loops and detachable belt.  Button closure at collar.
Comments: The fabric snags and pulls easily.  Print is an Australian flora design.

So what is my extra $133 paying for in the Review dress?
– one more stitch per cm.
– a tiny belt
– lining
– contrasting fabric at border
– print
– button closure

But I’m still not getting a dress made from natural fibres (or at least a blend), made in Australia, which is what I’d expect from a “high end” Australian brand that charges that much.  I don’t expect that the dressmakers in China are being paid much more than minimum wage, which depending on which province it’s made in, can be very little indeed. Review dresses do generally have a lot of beautiful details (this dress is very plain compared to their other dresses), and probably have a much smaller run than the Modcloth dress.  So perhaps this exclusivity is part of why it costs more.

I’m not making a judgement – I love both of my dresses and I’d have bought them whether or not I knew this stuff at the time.  But it’s worth thinking about in future when buying clothes.  

What do you think?  Are you surprised at the comparison between these dresses?
lipstick, makeup, review

Maybelline Lipsticks – review and swatches.

I shall now share with you my favourite lipsticks!  I havefour Maybelline lipsticks in Shocking Coral, Pink & Poper, Pink Peony, Juicy Bubblegum.
I really love their square shiny tubes.

As you can see, my Pink Peony one is the most used.  


Juicy Bubblegum
When I first got this one, it seemed to be really sheer. But as I used it, it became more pigmented. I think maybe there was some coating on the lipstick when I got it that made it less pigmented at first.
It’s a kind of light mauve-pink. Very cute!  This lipstick is shiny without being shimmery.  I’d almost use this one as a gloss.



Pink and Proper
This is my latest addition.  It’s a lovely warm pink with a bit of shimmer to it.  I know it’s not really *fashionable*, but I love shimmery lipsticks as they don’t emphasise cracked skin and you can afford to be a bit messier with them.  I wear this colour a lot!

Pink Peony
I’ve had this one the longest and I love it to bits!  It’s very similar to Pink Peony, only a little darker and more sultry.  Beautifully pigmented!

Shocking Coral
So when I got this I was confused by the name because this is really a HOT pink. Not really coral.  However, this lipstick is amazing!  Extremely pigmented and a gorgeous colour.  I wouldn’t have normally picked this colour (remember I thought I was getting coral), but I adore this lipstick and wear it on weekends quite a bit!  The pigment is so strong it stays for hours even through eating.  It kind of stains.



All of these lipsticks have proved to be quite pigmented (especially the Shocking Coral), beautifully moisturising, non-irritating, and pleasant smelling.  My pictures really don’t do them justice!  I really love these lipsticks!  Can’t wait to expand my collection.

cardigan, dress, earrings, OOTD, outfit, review

As promised, Modcloth package and review!

I’ve been patiently waiting for two weeks for my Modcloth package to arrive!  It finally arrived yesterday afternoon!  Exciting!
“How do you open this thing?”

 The box was super cute and had writing on the inside.  One side says “So what shall we do together?” and the other says something about how we’re all unique and we should tell each other about it on the website.

Cardigan!  YES
This is the Classic Remixed Cardigan in pink.  Everyone on the website reviewed this cardigan saying it was too small.  It fit me just right!  I bought the small size, against everyone’s advice 🙂 Snug but comfy and roomy enough.  I love the sparkly silver dots.

Tights!  AWESOME!
These are the Tights for Every Occasion tights in Teal and Wine.  They have heaps of other colours too!  They’re very stretchy, soft, and comfy!

Dress!  ZOMG!
This is the Luck Be A Lady Dress in Dots.  They also have this dress in a lot of other colours.  I already have this dress in blue dots, which I adore to bits and I frocktober’d here.  I loved it so much I bought this pattern too!  Apparently they’re not stocking the blue dots one any more.  This dress fits me like a glove (well a glove that fits really well) and flatters beautifully.

Earrings!  Super rad!
These are the Bouquet Brilliance Earrings.  I just love them to bits.  All the gems are just so shiny and gorgeous.

Outfit!

 The best bit about this dress – POCKETS YOU GUYS

 The cardigan does up fine, no fit problems at all!

 The skirt has a nice amount of flare and I already received two compliments wearing it today!

The earrings are kind of big but not heavy for their size.

Pattern close up.  Looks kind of like Aboriginal dot paintings doesn’t it? And the belt is lovely, can’t wait to wear it with other things too.

All in all I’d have to say that this is my best Modcloth order yet!  I wish their things weren’t so pricy, but  it sure is fun getting things in the mail, especially when they’re super cute and awesome!

lancome, makeup, review

Beauty review – Lancome Genifique

While I was in California recently, I visited some Sephora shops.  They always give you little free goodies at Sephora, and one day I was given a tester pack of Lancome’s Genifique.  It was a one-week sample with little foil baggies for each day of the week.  I thought I’d give it a shot, as obviously I need it.  Right?  That’s what I took from the experience.


 It said to apply every morning and night after cleansing, and before using your normal moisturiser.
The stuff itself is a clear liquid which is slippery to touch, and then is absorbed (or evaporates) really quickly.  When it’s been absorbed it feels like there’s nothing on my face.  It was a good canvas for makeup as it evened out my pores a little bit.

Since I don’t have a giant head, I got about 3 applications out of every packet, meaning my trial went for around 10 days instead of 7.


The result:

My skin feels a tiny bit more “velvety” or smooth/soft.
There is no difference in my fine lines.
The serum did not make me break out, nor did it make my pimples go away!
Would I buy it again?
No.  I’d try a few other anti-aging serums before getting this one again.  The results were not noticable enough to be worthwhile.  It costs around $100 depending on where you shop!

Interested in other’s thoughts?  Here is the Makeupalley review page for the product.  It received 3.5 out of 5.