30 November 2012

Storing make-up in the fridge?

Hey beautifools! Waddup.

I instagramed a photo today on "storing all my lipsticks, cream blushers and lotions in the fridge" and a friend asked, "Make-up in the fridge?!!?". 


I'm sure many of you guys are aware that most skincare products should be stored in a cool place under 30 degrees.. so why not the fridge?! 

Skincare products -- I love storing my face masks and moisturisers in the fridge so it'll feel fresh and cool when applied in the morning! Not to mention that it also keeps the consistency of my cream moisturisers nicely thick.. I've also heard that cool-temp'ed eye creams can reduce swelling and puffiness. 

Right so that's for skincare products, but no one ever said that make-up can't be stored in a cool place? So in it goes too!

Lipsticks -- are cream based, so it is 100% possible for them to melt in hot and humid temperatures. Keeping them in the fridge will keep them cool and solid.

Cream blushers -- are cream based, so they're also prone to melting also.

Cream foundations or face products of thicker consistencies -- Like my Palmer's BB Cream. I whipped it out today and the consistency changed to be much more liquid-y... so in the fridge it goes!

Eyeliners/lip liners -- Leaving eyelining and lip lining pencils in the hot and humid can surely cause them to melt to a soft texture.. so leave them in the fridge for a 3-5 minutes prior to sharpening/using!

Now.. to the downfalls.. be careful that all your products are sealed unless you want lipsticks with a specialized durian (or fish or whatever you have in your fridge) scent! Oh god...

Anyways, that's all from me for now... but now it's your turn to share!

Do YOU store your make-up in the fridge? Would you?
Why/why not? 

28 November 2012

NOTD: Sweet & Sour Nails with Face Of Australia & Max Factor

So I was prancin' around on Facebook last night and saw a photo of one of the many nail trends -- different coloured nails on each hands. I then glanced at the comments where so many people said 'nay', mainly because it looked 'unfinished' and 'odd' and I whole-heartedly agree with them!

I'm not sure which company's or brand's Facebook page it was on.. wish I could find it to show you, but the photo used blue and yellow nail colours.. such a cute colour-blocking combo!

So I decided to give it a try with my own twist!


I used Face Of Australia's Easy Peasy Lemon Squeezy and Max Factor's Mini Nail Polish in Candy Blue.

Easy Peasy Lemon Squeezy is such a bright sunshine yellow on my hands! The consistency is perfect, but the formula wasn't anything impressive like the previous Face Of Australia nail collections... could just be the nature of pastel nail colours, but I thought FOA would've nailed it. Meep.


I had to apply 4-5 coats to get it this opaque, but I could still see the uneven blotches at a closer look... :(

On the other hand (punny!), Candy Blue applied perfectly. I think the short handle of Max Factor's Mini Nail Polishes makes it easier for me to apply. Love everything about this nail polish.. from colour to consistency and formula.


I applied 3 coats here... it's such a pretty blue! I can't wait to see how it'd look like with a matte top coat over! :D

So there it is! Two different nail colours with a twist...



What do you think? Would you ever wear two different nail colours?
How do you like the combination?


More stuff coming soon!

25 November 2012

Saturday/Sunday Steals #25: For just $27!

I'm back!! I'm finally done with my 2 weeks of practical work at the childcare centre. I've been busy dancing with 4-5 year olds to 'Gangnam Style'! Wa.. I miss them already and it's only been 2 days! Meep.

Tell ya something else I miss....... I miss awesome Sunday market hauls! That's what I miss! Why? Because good deals (like what I'll be showing you in this post) only comes around once in a looong while... actually, I probably should be thankful for that, because at least I don't hoard weekly... right?

Walked into the markets and just a few stalls in, I found these two brushes in a bag for $1! Whilst the flat brush don't look promising, the Chi Chi kabuki brush is impressively soft!


..and then two stalls down, I located all these AWESOME deals (where I stood around for 30mins to carefully choose, no joke)! 

Estee Lauder Signature Silky Powder Blush in Nude Rose -- $5! I purchased this because it was so cheap and is a natural 'flushed' shade that I don't have in my collection of blushers!


All items from here were only $2.50 each!

Australis Creme Colour for Cheeks & Lips -- Collecting items for an upcoming giveaway! 
Rimmel Colour Show Off Lipstick in Tell No One -- Check above.


Models Prefer Soft Black Eyeliner -- I got this because it was so cheap! Giving it away to a friend!
Savvy by DB Eye Pencil in Brilliant Bronze -- For giveaway! I've tried this and it's a beautiful bronze shade with a soft and creamy texture!


Prestige Total Intensity Eyeliners Outrageous Emerald and Lively Turquoise -- I've heard enough about these! So excited that I found them at the markets! I really thought Australis' 10 Hour Wear along with Savvy by DB Eye Pencils were the creamiest that 'creamiest' can be... but holy golly, these Prestige eyeliners are even CREAMIER! 

Prestige Waterproof Lipliner in Diva -- Saw this and thought it was a beautiful pink! Looking into lip liners lately because I love wild and bold lippies! 


And then some swatches of the products I've been playing around with! Beautiful turquoise and emerald eyeliners!


And then finished Sunday markets off with some of my favourite body lotions by Pure Fiji (Coconut scented ones!).. all 4 for only $1... I really couldn't be any happier!


Yeap. All for $27!

Anyways, I hope you've all been well! I have some exciting reviews coming your way! So glad I'm back into blogging! I miss it (and you guys too!) SO much. Here's a sneak-peak photo for what's coming up in the next fewer posts!


Thanks for following through with me! Speak to you soon! ^_^

19 November 2012

I Love Drugstore Make-Up TAG!

Hi everyone! Sorry, I've been away from blogging. I've been doing practical work at a childcare centre and that calls for 8-4 shifts which are........ extremely tiring. Adding to that, I've been sick so to have children crying and screaming around me for 8 hours a day... what can I say? It really drives me nuts!

Not to mention that some even 'dobs' to me that another kid has been calling them "poo poo bum bum". LOL.. Seriously. Cute, but not when I'm sick ok?!

So I'm hoping to whip up a quick tag to share with you today! I've seen this tag by Jaci @ JaciWalker, I think!


1. What is your favourite drugstore make-up brand?
I LOVE Australis Cosmetics. I'm sure you've seen their products featured everywhere on my blog. I just love them as a brand. They're cruelty free, high quality but affordable! I also adore Face Of Australia!


2. What are your favourite face, cheek and lip products?
I absolutely need foundation in my life, so if I were to pick one foundation.. it'd be Face Of Australia's Lasting Looks Natural Foundation! I love the formula, it sits nicely on the skin without grabbing on my dry patches, nice and natural full coverage and lasts long! However, there's only 4 shades, so that's a shame.

For cheeks, I'm with BYS Blushers. They're quite underrated, in my opinion! I've tried 'Candy Floss' and it gives a very nice and naturally luminous finish!

Lip products... Hmmmm. I LOVE lipsticks and I do look for lipsticks which are mosturising, but stays so I'll have to go with Australis' Colour Inject Mineral Lipsticks! Second runner up is Sportsgirl Lipsticks (they are holy golly pigmented, but only has matte finishes and can be drying). I'd also say Face Of Australia Lip Quenches but their scents really sickens me! :(


3. Least favourite drugstore product?
Not sure if you'd consider this as a 'make-up' product.. Australis 3-in-1 Make-Up Remover wipes? I feel like I'm advocating for how crap their make-up wipes are, but it's true.

If not, I'd say Almay Smart Shade Make-Up... you can find a list of products that I don't like here.


4. Best drugstore bargain?
Big W sometimes have their $5 OFF Max Factor products sales... and that's when I hoard all Mini Nail Polishes available home for........... $0.79 a bottle. Yeap. You read right!


5. Favourite underdog product?
Waa.. I don't know! I really can't think of any! Skip!


6. Overpriced drugstore product?
I think Bourjois, Revlon and L'Oreal is pretty exxy. I think Revlon's foundations are holy golly pricey for drugstore products though... $35-$37 for a bottle of foundation. Thanks, but no thanks.


7. Best drugstore dupes?
I'm not a high-end girl so I have no idea how and what high-end products are like! The only 'high-end' products I own are Benefit's Powda Wowza and MAC's MSFN.
The fewer that I've heard/know of are:
*Revlon ColorStay = MAC Studio Fix Fluid (no surprise)
*Bourjois Blushers = Chanel Blushers (not sure from which range)
*Australis Fresh & flawless Press Powder = MAC Studio Fix Powder


Yeap! That's all! I hope you enjoy the tag and if you do get a chance to complete this tag.. don't forget to link me!

I will busy until next week, so I will see you in about a week's time! Stay in touch with me via Twitter or Facebook Page!

Stay safe everybuddy!

11 November 2012

#BB How To: Edit out Nail Wrinkles (Photoshop)

It's been a long time (very long!) since I've whipped up a Photoshop tutorial, in fact, I think the last time I posted a Photoshop tutorial was.... 1.8 years back?

Anyways, I'm taking you on a quick adventure today (because I'm in a rush!).... to save your nail polish swatch photos free from nail wrinkles... Yux.


Dem nail wrinkles!


Method 1: Clone Stamp Tool

Note: This is done ALL on the same layer (Window > Layers).

1. Open your image via Photoshop (I'm using an older version, Photoshop CS2). 

2. Select the 'Clone Stamp Tool'. To use the Clone Stamp Tool: hold down ALT + select the nearest 'wrinkle-free' area that you would like to 'clone'. 


3. After selecting the colour, let go of ALT and then start stamping. The (+) symbol shows which area it's cloning from, and (O) symbol is where the tool is cloning to. Play around with the areas, tool size and opacity until you're happy with your nails!


To adjust brush size -- right click.
To adjust the opacity -- for me, it's located at the top.



4. Ta-da! No more wrinkles on my ring finger!

Finished!


Method 2: Airbrushing method with Gaussian Blur

This method is for when the Clone Stamp Tool can't be used in the area due to a variety of reasons such as:
  • There are too many wrinkles in the area that there are no wrinkle-free areas for the Tool to clone from;
  • The photo of the nails has too many complicated tones due and all that other stuff. Meh.

1. Use the Eyedropper Tool to select the colour of the area you'd like to airbrush.

(I'm selecting this area so it can brighten up the redness around my cuticles too)

2. Create a new layer (Layer > New.. > Layer).

3. On the New layer, use the Paintbrush tool and brush on the colour (you've just selected in Step 1) onto the wrinkles like so...



4. With that New layer, selected Filter > Blur > Gaussian Blur.



5. Play around with the Radius (pixel) slider until you get a nice, natural finish like this...

(Perfect natural finish on ma pinky!)


6. Because you've blurred it, the blur spreads and extends over areas around it too (in this case, the nail colour) so on the same layer, use an eraser to go over on the places it extended to. You'll need to do this because as the blurred layer extends over, it can lighten the true colour of the nail polish that you're swatching.



The finished look -- rollover for the original, unedited photo.


Yay for wrinkle-free nails! I hope you found the tutorial helpful. Let me know if I've missed anything or if you have any questions!

P.S. Pretty sure you can do a better job than my rushed photos! ^_^"

09 November 2012

Some Outstanding Sales (9 Nov 12): Big W, Priceline, Target, Myers, Chemist Warehouse

(For Australia)

Hey there! SOS series are back! You know what that means.. it means after you finish reading this post, your cash/credit card will be calling for help.

I kidz. I haven't posted about this recently because there's not really any 'outstanding' sales. But now I'm back with some great sales to share! A bit late, so please note the end date per sale!


1. PRICELINE: 'Buy 2 & save 30%' on Revlon! Doesn't sound much, but if you pick up 2 Lip Butters, their prices drops down to a good $15.40 per lip butter! Ends 19 Nov 2012.

2. PRICELINE: Spend more than $19 on Bourjois Paris & receive a free gift set (while stocks last). Ends 19 Nov 2012.


3. PRICELINE: Some interesting beauty packs that I thought I'd include..

Models Prefer Nail Pack $20

Revlon Pack $29.95

Revlon Pack $24.95


4. BIG W: $4 OFF Maybelline. Excludes Baby Lips & Nails. Ends 19 Nov 2012.

5. BIG W: $3 OFF Covergirl. Ends 19 Nov 2012.

6. BIG W: $3 OFF Face Of Australia. Gogogo! Pastels collection, wipes, make-up removers, lip quenches! Ends 19 Nov 2012.

7. BIG W: 2 for $45 on Revlon ColorStay range -- includes lipglosses, foundations, eyeshadow quads, whip cremes! Ends 19 Nov 2012.

8. BIG W: $3 OFF Rimmel London. Ends 19 Nov 2012.

9. BIG W: $5 OFF L'Oreal Paris. Excludes nails. Ends 19 Nov 2012.

10. BIG W: $3 OFF Australis. What I recommend? Their nail polish removers! Ends 19 Nov 2012.

11. BIG W: $5 OFF Max Factor. Gogogog! Mini nail polishes only goes down to 72c each! Ends 19 Nov 2012.

12. TARGET: 2 for $20 on Rimmel Foundation, Powder, Blushers, Bronzers and Concealers! Their liquid foundations retails up to $19.95 a bottle so this is a really good deal! Anything under $12, you may want to purchase from Big W as they're having a $3 off Rimmel which runs cheaper for you. Ends 14 Nov 2012.

13. CHEMIST WAREHOUSE: Avene Thermal Spring Water -- 2 for $20! Ends 11 Nov 2012.

14. MYERS: Revlon pack gift with purchase on $39+ across Revlon range. Excludes Nail Bar service. Ends 24 Nov 2012.



Time to do some Christmas shopping!! Can't wait! ^_^


Disclaimer: Images courtesy of retailer's online catalogues and offers. I am NOT affiliated with any of the retailers, stores and/or brands mentioned above. This post was purely compiled for your reading convenience. 

08 November 2012

The perfect orange nails for Halloween?

Okaaaaaaay. I know Halloween has passed so this post is quite late, but forgive me! However, if you're still on the hunt for a perfect orange nail polish, I got it!


I've never liked carrot to pumpkin orange nail polishes! Corals are cute, but anything towards carrot-like oranges are no-go's for me. It's just too weird to wear on my nails, so I'm not quite sure how I feel about Rimmel London's Lasting Finish Nail Polish in Tangerine Queen yet.


Despite its name 'Tangerine Queen', I feel like it's closer to a carrot and/or pumpkin orange more than orange tones of tangerines!  


It goes on really nicely with a glossy finish. I can't remember how long it lasted, but it was really nothing extraordinary that left me going 'wow!'.


What do you think?

Are you a fan of carrot/pumpkin orange nail colours?
What do you think of 'Tangerine Queen'?


To be honest, I'm not sure if I'd wear this colour again... it's just so..... strange. A strange carrot colour, I'd call it!

06 November 2012

My take on LipstickCake's Nail-Polish-a-Day Challenge!

If you follow me on Instagram, you would be familiar with the hashtag #lipstickcakepolishaday throughout October!

Basically, Lipstick and Cake was hosting an Instagram challenge where you can show off your manicures throughout October! You could paint daily, weekly, fortnightly or monthly! Whenever you do, just snap and tap!

And being the nail polish lover I am, I had my gears ready... so here's 'what's on my nails' throughout October..

Day 1: Starting the challenge with my fave Mirenesse Bullet Proof Nail Lacquer in Charleston Me -- posted about it here.
Day 2: OPI's Black Cherry Chutney -- meh, not a fan of dark vampy's and the purple tone was really hard to see! Meep!


Day 3: Layed over Inglot Flakie #202! Been waiting to use this since I've bought it at IMATS the month before! Breath taking!
Day 4: Then Amanda told me a matte top coat looks really good over Inglot Flakies so here I am with Inglot Matte Top Coat.


Day 6: My favourite sandy beige colour -- Jordana's Chiffon ($3 at CosmoCosmetics!)
Day 8: Matte top coat over that thing! Beautiful matte beige nails!


Day 14: Suddenly fast forward to Day 14 (lol, I'm a lazy bum!) when I attempted gradient nails... which turned out to be disastrous by the way!
Day 18: Not my nails, but my friend Wynona recreated this manicure by Cosmetic Cupcake for Face Of Australia! Looks pretty cute on her nails, yes?!


Day 19: OPI Tickle My France-y! Didn't really like ittt.
Day 20: Tried some triangle nail art with OPI The One That Got Away (Katy Perry collection) which turned out looking like beanies/Santa hats! :(


Day 21: On the other hand (punny!), I did some whack stuff. Not sure what it is really... just a simple quirky design.
Day 23: Whipped out Sportsgirl's Iceberg, finally!


Day 24: A better attempt at gradient nails this time! I used a darker blue/green by Sportsgirl called 'Mermaid'! It really is a beautiful colour!
Day 28: Finishing off the challenge with a perfect orange by Rimmel London called 'Tangerine Queen' for Halloween!


Yeap! That was all! I painted my nails 13 times for the month!!! Record!

Did you participate in #lipstickcakepolishaday Instagram challenge?
Which manicure from my overview do you like best?!

I really love the Inglot Flakies. I could literally sit and stare at my nails all day long. Not even kidding ya!

04 November 2012

October Empties -- 10 products and counting!!

As I've decided to go on a beauty ban (conditions apply: unless things are ridiculously cheap), for the past month I've been trying to finish as many products as I could. Make-up are takes hella long to finish so I decided to quickly use up all the small and easy ones first like skincare samples that have been piling up in the corner.


Biore Gentle Make-Up Removing Wipes -- I really liked in comparison to their Deep Pore Cleansing one that I reviewed recently. No fragrance, didn't irritate my skin and worked really well!

Australis Make-Up Remover Wipes -- Disappointing. Reviewed it here. Driest make-up wipes everrrrr. I've tried the Lacura ones from Aldi which works ever better at 1/3 of the price I believe.

Dermal Masks in Cucumber, Platinum and Seaweed -- All worked well. Nothing over the top. Provided adequate hydration. If they're cheap, I'll definitely purchase them!


Avene Gentle Milk Cleanser -- Hell ya it's gentle! But not moisturising at all.

Kosmea Hydrating Rosewater Mist -- Meh. I didn't like this. It stung my eyes and didn't help my skin at all. I think it even made my skin feel tighter...

Pure Fiji Hydrating Body Lotion -- LOVE this scent! Smells like vanilla cupcakes! The body lotion is ok. Good if you're after preventing dry skin or have little dry skin. Already have two larger travel sized bottles :)

Revlon Beyond Natural Eyelashes in 91148 Defining* -- Didn't get a chance to use this. Told my sister to use 1 pair and she ended up screwing up one of the lashes so she used 3 lashes altogether leaving me with an awkward one side of the lashes. It looked amazingly natural on her though... in length and style. Must search for a similar style or wait for this to go on sale!

Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser -- Gentle. I like it. But I'm after something more hydrating like a cream.

Nivea Daily Essentials Light Moisturising Day Cream -- It was okay. Lightweight and moisturising, but I'm after something heavier for the stupid dry patches on my cheeks.

Heronia Snail Face Mask -- Yeap. You read right. Snail face mask. Amazingly hydrating. I've yet to blog about it.. expect one soon :P


QV Body Cream -- Had this for 2 years now. I've finished it a while ago, but only found the packaging recently LOL! It's a good, moisturising body cream and I'm glad they have it in a squeeze tube form.

Sukin Hydrating Body Lotion -- Not hydrating enough, but is super lightweight. Not for me :(

Sukin Facial Moisturiser* -- Hydrating. Feels quite heavy when applied but eventually sinks in to be lightweight. Love this!! Doesn't have SPF though which means you can use it at night, but will have to fork out for a SPF product.

Sukin Hydrating Mist Toner -- Didn't think I needed this when I was using it, but I figured I couldn't live without a mist anymore. I loved using this after a freshly cleansed face as my skin would feel so tight after.. meep!

Nak Aromas Conditioner with Argan Oil -- I'm not a hair person, so I found this okay. Made my hair smooth and silky, but I don't think it's available locally, so no.


Olay Definity Illuminating Cream Cleanser -- I really don't know where I got this from, but it's not a true cream cleanser... more like a milk cleanser with exfoliating beads which is a no-no for dry skin. I didn't like it and not to mention, I didn't see any brightening effect after finishing it.

Original Source Lime Shower Gel -- Smells a-m-a-z-i-n-g!! I loved this stuff! It's so bright and it smells straight up like limes/lemons!

Organic Spa Cream Cleanser -- Awkward last sample. It had a funky scent, but worked good. I liked it, but it's not easily accessible so.. I'll wait till I see it around (maybe International Spa & Beauty Expo next year?).


Yippee!! I've finished 10 full sized products, 7 samples and 4 face masks! *pats self on the back* If I could keep this up, maybe 120 products a year? *Day-dreams.


How many products have you finished this month?


I can't wait to see how many products I finish next month!! Yippee yay!

Disclaimer: Products marked with (*) were provided for review consideration.

01 November 2012

Drugstore Cosmetics Launches for Australia -- November 2012

Wa I'm so excited for today's post! So many new and exciting products to share with you guys, so let's jump straight into it!

Let's talk BB.


Palmer's Eventone BB Cream -- I've posted about this 2 days ago, with swatches and my first impressions! It is described to be an all-in-one oil-free beauty balm, which 'primes, perfects and protects' the skin.

2 shades 'Fair/Light' and 'Medium/Dark | $9.99 | Chemist Warehouse & My Chemist 


Palmer's Eventone Dark Spot Corrector -- is what it is. It delivers 'a concentrated dose of advanced ingredients to target age spots, dark spots, post-acne scars and sun damage, revealing a more radiant and uniform compexion'.

$19.99 | Chemist Warehouse & My Chemist




Rimmel BB Cream -- A 9-in-1 skin perfecting make-up! Yeap. That's all I know about it for now, but hey.. it's new! :P

RRP $12.95




Face Of Australia HD Eyebrow Kit -- always excited for FOA new launches! Face Of Australia presents to you their new High Definition Eyebrow Kit which contains grooming tools and a set of colours to shape and define your brows to perfection!

RRP $9.45





Ulta3 Nail Art Stickers -- Yeap. Aussie's #1 Nail Polish brand has released nail art stickers in 6 spankin' new designs! Each pack comes with easy to follow instructions, a nail file, 8 different sizes in a total of 16 stickers!

Available in 6 designs | RRP $5.00 | For stockist information, call 1800 181 040.



Last, but not least.. Bourjois will be introducing to us two new products for the eyes -- mascara and khol kajal [eyeliner] for the Queen Attitude range!


Khol kajals are generally eyeliners in bullet forms which are very popular in South Asia (for thousands of years now, I believe). It's a very hard product to find in Australia, but not anymore! :P Bourjois presents to you their new Queen Attitude Khol Kajal, which is described to be:

  • free of parabens
  • very soft in formula
  • intensely pigmented 
  • of a powdery finish
  • incredible comfortable to wear
  • easy to apply

RRP $19.00



Bourjois Queen Attitude Volume Mascara -- 'designed to make the most of your eyes with a look inspired by Queen herself, Cleopatra'. Bourjois states that the formula offers 'intense volume and extreme length' with its brand new brush!

RRP $22.00



Now that's all for November, but I'd like to share with you some launches that I missed from October, just incase you weren't aware!


Ulta3 Get Your Glam On Glitter Nail Polishes -- Ulta3 and their nail polish collections! I've been looking into glitter nail polishes lately so this will be perfect for meee! 'Over the Rainbow' looks alot like Australis' Fairy Bread, doesn't it?!

Available in 6 shades | $2.00 | For stockist information, call 1800 181 040.




Australis Cosmetics (my favourite brand!) has introduced some new nail colours to their collection from mid-October, I believe! From left to right -- Acid Rain, #TotesAmaze and Rose Tattoo.

RRP $7.95






..and new additions to their special effects range too! From left to right -- Tweet Me (crackle), Duck Duck Goose (crackle), Shimmy Shake (glitter) and Eureka (glitter).

RRP $8.95




...AND their brand new Mineral High Lights Highlighters!! I'm super excited for these........ although I'm on a ban. Meep... I'm gonna self-promote, but have you check out my guide on how to highlight? :P

Available in 2 shades 'Gold' and 'Pearl' | RRP $14.95



That's all for mid-October to November! Such exciting products, right?!


Which products are you looking forward to try?


I've checked out Australis' High Lights in 'Gold' which is gorgeous, but I don't feel like I need it [yet]! Besides that, I can't wait to review the Palmer's Eventone BB Creams!


Disclaimer: I am NOT affiliated with any of the companies/brands mentioned in this post. This post is compiled purely for your reading convenience. I am not reimbursed for this post in any ways. All opinions stated within this post belongs to myself and remains uninfluenced and unbiased.
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