Too Faced Peach Perfect Foundation First Impressions

Hello Beauties! Welcome to another post. You might have noticed that I didn’t post on a Friday last week, I’ve had a busy few weeks with house renovations and I just didn’t have the chance to write something worth reading. So today I’m posting a quick first impressions.

I recently went to a Mecca Maxima store to have my makeup done. I’ve been wanting to try out a new foundation for summer so I thought I’d get colour matched in the Too Faced Peach Perfect Foundation ($52AUD for 48mL available at Mecca). It’s definitely heating up here in Australia and we’ve already had a few days over 30°C so I was wanting something that was matte, long lasting and sweat proof.

I have dry skin so I was advised to use this with a really hydrating and/or illuminating primer to avoid looking like the Sahara desert. Which I have to say, was a great tip. It’s described as a “comfort matte” foundation so it isn’t terribly drying, but on my skin it could be. I was shade matched to the colour Light Beige which is slightly darker than I normally wear, but I’ve been self tanning lately so it’s a perfect match for summer.

I find this foundation best applied with a flat top kabuki or buffing style brush. It may work well for others with a sponge but I prefer the finish with a buffing brush. I’ve been using it every day since I bought it and I’m loving the finish. It’s almost skin like, doesn’t settle too much in my fine lines and lasts. All. Day. I’ve been outside in disgusting heat, sweating up a storm and it doesn’t slide off my face or look ultra shiny. On days where it’s a little cooler I use a Hourglass powder to set my face but on warmer days I use the Mecca Max Banana Powder.

(Natural Lighting)

I only use one pump of the foundation, it’s definitely possible to layer it and build up the coverage, but I prefer a more natural finish. What’s the point of having flawless looking skin if it’s so thick it’s cracked in my smile lines and around my forehead?

(With a ring light)

I’m so glad I tried this foundation, everyone told me it wouldn’t be suitable because of my dry skin but I think summer is going to be much more comfortable this year now I’ve found something that lasts through the Australian heat.

Have any of you tried this foundation? What were your thoughts? Let me know in the comments below.

Until next time, Beauties xx

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YesStyle Haul

Happy Friday Beauties and welcome to another post! Today I’ve got a small haul from YesStyle to talk about. I’ve been hearing and seeing others try and review products from this site and I thought I’d give it a try.

About the Company

(Image Source: http://www.yesstyle.com)

I will say, the sheer volume of products available is overwhelming. It’s one of those sites where you can get sucked into the rabbit hole, emerging 3 hours later with a $200 shopping cart and no recollection of how you got there. I decided to focus on skincare and then within that, serums/essences/masks. I got 8 products totalling $99.43AUD. I did have a code to use that I received upon signing up so the total may differ to the individual prices listed. I also received a free product with my order.

First up I got 2 of the Litfly Reusable Silicone Mask Cover (one for me and one for a friend) listed as $4.59AUD each. These are supposed to be used to either keep your sheet mask in place so you can move around whilst wearing it, or to use over masks that sit on the skin and are washed off after a certain period of time.

(Image Source: http://www.yesstyle.com)

Next is the Laneige Sleeping Care Kit ($8.94AUD for 2 pieces). This kit contains the Water Sleeping Mask (15mL) and the Lip Sleeping Mask (3mL). I’ve enjoyed this kit so far, the lip mask leaves my lips feeling really soft and smooth, while the sleeping mask is a lighter moisturiser that isn’t as heavy as a night cream but still provides a great dose of hydration. I’ve found this to be a good compromise for night as it’s starting to warm up here and sometimes it’s too hot for heavier creams.

I also got a Farm Stay Grape Stem Cell Wrinkle Lifting Essence ($22.57AUD for 50mL). I quite like this essence. It dries down while still leaving the skin feel hydrated. I haven’t noticed and lifting properties to it, but I have also only been using it for a week, so who knows.

Next is the Benton Snail Bee High Content Essence ($17.95AUD for 60mL). I haven’t tried this one yet as I opened the above one first, but the reviews on it are great so I’m looking forward to using it once the previous one is finished.

Another product I haven’t tried yet is the Pyunkang Yul Essence Toner ($26.59AUD for 200mL). I’ve heard great things about this toner, from the reviews and YouTube videos. I’m waiting until my current toners are finished before I open this one up.

I’ve been on the hunt for a new sunscreen for the face, just to have options so I thought I’d try the Missha All Around Safe Block Aqua Sun Gel ($15.91AUD for 50mL). This claims to have SPF 50+ and apply as a lightweight moisturiser. I used this for the first time yesterday and I was stoked with it. Not only did it apply like a really thin moisturiser, but it didn’t smell of sunscreen, it didn’t leave my skin greasy in ANY way and it didn’t sting my eyes like some sunscreens do. I feel like this one will be a continual, in bulk repurchase. My only complaint is that it’s only a 50mL bottle and in Australia, that would only last a week or two, depending on your lifestyle.

The last item I purchased was a Litfly Head band ($5.22AUD, grey colour). Mainly because it was cheap and I needed a new one. I really like it for the fact that it doesn’t move around my head, isn’t so tight it causes a headache and doesn’t mess about with my hair.

(Image Source: http://www.yesstyle.com)

The free product I received was a Skinfood Beauty In A Food Mask Sheet ($3.32AUD each). There are 23 “flavours” to choose from. I received the Green Tea flavour, which claims to contain vitamin C and catechin to make stressed and fatigued skin comfortable and healthy.

I’m pretty happy with YesStyle. I did find some things cheaper, elsewhere online, but I liked the convenience of getting multiple brands and products on one site. Shipping took about 2 weeks,not a huge deal considering it ships from Hong Kong, but anything longer than a week still annoys me. I’d definitely use YesStyle again, especially if these products end up being fantastic.

Have you tried YesStyle? What are you favourite products? Let me know in the comments below.

Until next time, Beauties xx

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Mecca Cosmetica Pro Beauty Case Review

Happy Friday Beauties! You may (or may not) have noticed that I didn’t put up a post on Tuesday just gone. I’ve had a lot on my plate recently and decided to commit to only one post a week. I might find the time to post more frequently now and again but for now, it’ll just be a definite once a week, on Fridays.

Today I wanted to do a bit of a shout out to a product I found recently and that I think is bloody awesome. It’s the Mecca Cosmetica Pro Beauty Case ($99AUD available at Mecca). My sister actually bought one and showed it to me on a recent trip away. I was struggling to keep all my skincare and makeup in my travel bag and she had so much room for activities!

(Image Source: http://www.mecca.com.au)

At first I thought it was an excessive amount of money for a cosmetics bag but it’s really practical and HUGE! It has 7 spaces for brushes, along with a cover that is lined in a PVC type material so that the brushes don’t dirty the bag.

(Image Source: http://www.mecca.com.au)

Inside is a removable zip up mesh bag, which is perfect for storing a small pack of makeup wipes, a micro fibre cleaning cloth and/or a headband.

(Image Source: http://www.mecca.com.au)

The best part of the entire thing though, is the bas of the bag. It’s quite deep and has adjustable compartments, so you can fit everything in, how you want it to fit in! I’ve included a photo below filled with my makeup, from primer to setting spray and everything in between.

Overall, I’m really impressed with this bag and I’m so glad I got it. I’m looking forward to seeing just how much I can fit in it the next time I go away. It’s also a great alternative to storing makeup if you don’t have a huge collection and want somewhere clean and compact to keep it.

What are your favourite types of travel cosmetics bags? Let me know in the comments below.

Until next time, Beauties xx

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Winged Liner Stamp?!

Hello Beauties and welcome to another post. Today I’m trying out a winged eyeliner stamp because, let’s face it, I suck at winged liner. I’ve tried gels, pencils and pens. I can’t seem to make them sharp enough, let alone even. I’ve tried the tape method and stencils and nothing seems to work. I’ve read and heard great reviews about today’s product so I thought I’d give it a try.

The Quick Flick is essentially an eyeliner stamp. Each set comes with 2 pens, one for the right and one for the left, that have a stamp on one end and a pen tip on the other to fill in the rest of your eyeliner. There are 3 sizes available

  • 8mm Petite
  • 10mm Modest
  • 12mm Grand

Each size is available in 2 colours, Intense Black and Hot Fudge. Black is obviously black and hot fudge is a chocolate brown. They retail for $34.99AUD per set or you can buy multiple size packs ranging from $59.99 – $89.99AUD depending on which pack you purchase. My only negative to this is that each value pack is listed product, meaning you can’t customise it. I’d like the option to be able to buy the same size in the two colours personally.

I purchased the 10mm Modest set in Intense Black. I happened to see a code on Facebook that gave me 10% off so my order was a total of $31.50AUD. Shipping within Australia is free if you choose standard shipping or an additional $5AUD for express shipping. International shipping starts from $5AUD for standard or $10AUD for express but doesn’t include any fees that may incur once it arrives in your country. My order was placed on 25/08/18 and arrived 03/09/18. The packaging was minimal but well presented, which I really liked.

I’ve swatched each side of each pen, as you can see below and while it feathered a bit on my hand it didn’t on my eye. Once it dried it didn’t smudge or move but it was easily removed with micellar water.

Below are pictures of my first ever attempt at using this method for eyeliner. Personally, I’m stoked with the outcome, it’s the closest I’ve gotten to even winged liner in my life. They’re at slightly different angles, so definitely not perfect, but I feel confident I could do this easily in a short period of time with a bit of practice.

Overall, I’m really impressed with the Quick Flick and I’m so glad I gave it a try. I feel like if I got confident using it, I’d get better at free handing with a pen or using gel liner because I’d know at what angle to best place the wing. I’m so happy I got this product to try out and I’m looking forward to using it often. I’ll update you all on my progress so we can laugh at my attempts together.

Do any of you struggle with winged liner? If you have any tips feel free to leave them below, I’d love to see them!

Until next time, Beauties xx

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Microblading Healed – Again

Happy Friday Beauties! Today is going to be my full review on my Microblading experience. You can find my other posts about my Initial Results and my Touch Up Appointment via the links. The reason I wanted to do this was because during my months and months of research I devoured blogs, videos and Instagram accounts looking for reviews that contained a lot of photos of the healing process. I found some, but not a lot, so I thought I’d add one more to the interwebs.

So firstly I’m going to show you a few photos of the healing process after the first appointment. It took exactly 2 weeks for my eyebrows to completely heal. The first 5-7 days they didn’t change much other than to get so intensely dark I felt like I looked like Bert from Sesame Street. Then they started to peel. And it looked like I’d allowed a toddler to fill in my brows. That was the only really frustrating part of the entire process, I could deal with super dark eyebrows, I couldn’t deal with patchy, flaky eyebrows. The first photo is of the night of my my initial appointment and the last is about 3 days before they’d fully healed.

Next up are the photos of them healed, prior to the touch up appointment and then now.

The second time around took about 3 weeks in total to heal, however they never got really patchy or flaky. They healed a lot more subtly and they didn’t get as intensely dark as the first time. I’m in love with my new brows and so happy that I decided to take the plunge and get Microblading done.

When I wear makeup I do still use a pencil for some little spots that just didn’t take, a risk when getting the procedure done, and a gel to keep them in place. With the Microblading though it so easy to fill them in because I have the perfect guide, I don’t need to try and make them match. Without makeup though they look amazing. It’s so nice to be able to go out without makeup on and not feel self conscious in that aspect.

Overall I’m really pleased with my results and will continue to get my brows microbladed. I would recommend seeing Chloe because of the wonderful experience I had with her and I’m looking forward to seeing her again in 12-18 months.

Until next time, Beauties xx

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Mecca Max Beauty Queen Eyeshadow Palette

Happy Friday Beauties! Today I’m writing about my first impressions on the Mecca Max Beauty Queen eyeshadow palette, complete with swatches and a look I did using it. My photography skills are nothing to write home about so the look I’m showing doesn’t do it justice but hopefully the swatches do.

This palette is available from Mecca and retails for $38AUD. It contains 15 shimmer shades and has a product total of 30g. The colours are beautiful and can be used as eyeshadow, blush and highlighter. Mecca is also a 100% cruelty free and vegan brand so another win!

For the swatches I’ve stuck to my usual, using the Mikasa Beauty Quick Change Brush Cleaner, the ELF Eyeshadow Brush and the Smashbox Photo Finish 24 Hour Eye Shadow Primer. Let it be known that this eyeshadow primer is bloody amazing!

The palette doesn’t have shade names so I’m just going left to right, top to bottom row. Please be aware, the arrow on the first pic indicates the shadow is the last in the row, I’d just underestimated how much room I’d need for my swatches. Insert an eye roll here. The shade with the heart underneath is my absolute favourite. Another thing to note is that the brush was dry, so imaging how popping they’d be if you used a wet brush!

There has been no fallout so far with this palette which is effing amazing considering how inexpensive it is compared to the amount of product you’re getting. As a comparison, the Urban Decay Moon Dust palette contains 5.6g (8 shades) and retails for $80AUD. So for less than half the price you’re getting 5 times the amount of product.

The shades themselves are highly pigmented and really easy to work with. They don’t blend out to nothing, they aren’t patchy and I find them to work really well for a total look, not just on the lid. I haven’t taken the plunge and used them as blush or highlighter but I could see myself using some of the shades for highlighter at the very least. Below is a look I did with the palette, using the orange shade, middle row, second from the right.

I think this palette is fantastic for anyone who loves shimmer shades and even people who don’t use them often, you can’t beat the value for money. The quality of the shades are worth a lot more in my opinion. Have any of you tried this palette? What are your go to shimmers? Let me know in the comments below.

Until next time, Beauties xx

*Some links are affiliate links and I may earn a small commission if utilised

**Feel free to use code BEABELL25 for 25% off your order at Mikasa Beauty if you’d like to save some money

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Urban Decay Backtalk Palette Review

Good Morning Beauties! Today I’m talking about my take on the Urban Decay Backtalk palette. I’ve had this for about 6 weeks now and I’ve been meaning to write a post about it for awhile but I keep pushing it aside for other posts so today it finally gets a turn.

I bought this from Mecca and it retails for $78AUD. It contains 8 eyeshadows and 4 cheek products. 3 of the eyeshadows are matte, 2 are satin and 3 metallics. The cheek products are broken up into 2 blushes and 2 highlighters.

(Image Source: http://www.mecca.com.au)

I’ve really been enjoying this palette for a more girly look. It’s a lot more cool toned than a lot of popular palettes at the moment and each look turns out very soft and pretty, in my opinion. The highlights work perfectly and the blushes are beautiful too. I’m more inclined to use Cheap Shot as an eyeshadow, mainly because I’m so fair and it’s quite a shimmery blush. I love that the palette can be used as an either or and it would be great for travel to have a few options if this colour scheme is up your alley.

Another thing I love about it, is the detachable mirror. I can have the palette flat on my vanity or makeup table and still hold the mirror at the angle and with the lighting I want. Also another bonus for travel. The shadows blend really well and the pigmentation is great. The shimmers and metallics aren’t as intense as other shadows I’ve used but they work well with a wet brush or applied using your finger. If you use a dry brush it makes a great everyday/work look. Below are a few looks I’ve created with this palette.

Have any of you tried the palette? What were your thoughts? Let me know in the comments below.

Until next time, Beauties xx

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Microblading Touch Up Appointment

Happy Friday Beauties! Today will be another short post. I wanted to write a quick post about my touch appointment with the lovely Chloe from The Lotus Institute. My appointment was last Friday, the 20th July.

The appointment was loads different from my first one. Not only was it shorter but it was almost zero pain compared to the first. My eyebrows had healed quite well so only a few spots were needing to be filled in or added to.

Here’s a photo before the appointment

One thing I noticed straight away was the fact that I didn’t have any residual pain that evening like I did the first time. I’ve also noticed that they haven’t intensified in colour either as they’re healing and they’re much less itchy.

Here’s a photo a few hours after my appointment

I’m going to do a more in depth post once they’ve healed again with photos of the first 2 weeks as they healed initially. I haven’t taken daily photos this time as they haven’t changed from that evening, I will though if they do start to look vastly different.

As it’s advised not to get your eyebrows wet for about 5 days, I haven’t washed my face properly since Friday and I feel gross, so I’m now off to give my face a good scrub and wash my hair.

Have any of you taken the plunge yet? Let me know in the comments below.

Until next time, Beauties xx

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Go Explore Makeup Subscription Box Review

Happy Tuesday Beauties and welcome to another post. I have to say I’m equal parts excited and nervous about this post. Excited because it’s my first post reviewing a product I’ve been sent specifically to blog about and nervous because, well, it’s the first post reviewing a product I’ve been sent to specifically blog about.

I was contacted by the company Go Explore Makeup a couple of weeks ago asking if I’d be interested in reviewing their subscription service. I’ll admit, I was sceptical. I have a very very small following so I didn’t understand how I would be a suitable candidate for this specific post. I messaged back and forth with Gemma from Go Explore Makeup and felt pretty comfortable with the situation so I decided to go ahead with it.

My most important question to her was “Am I able to be 100% honest about the products?” You see, I was receiving this month’s subscription box for free in exchange for writing a blog post, I didn’t want to be restricted in what I could or couldn’t say regarding anything about it. I like to think that, while I don’t bash brands, I do explain what I don’t like about a product or why it doesn’t work for me. I wanted to continue being able to do that, even if I was receiving a product in exchange for a blog post. I was given the go ahead and here we are. So already, huge props to this company for being confident enough in their product and service that I could be honest!

About The Company and Service

Go Explore Makeup is an Australian based company. They’re located on the Gold Coast and currently only ship to Australia. Each month a box of 3-4 full sized items, made by more underground/indie brands, is sent right to your door with an average value of $48AUD. There are 3 different options to choose from;

  • a trial box (one month only) for $34.94AUD + $5AUD postage
  • a monthly box for $29.94AUD + $5AUD postage per month
  • a 6 month service for a once off fee of $179.94AUD with postage being free.

The subscription is not a contract and can be cancelled at any time, however they do not accept returns on products.

This Month’s Box

The box I received was presented really well. The actual packaging is all recyclable so isn’t going to impact the environment if that concerns you. I messaged Gemma when I received it to comment on how great I thought the presentation was. Inside was 4 x Stilazzi branded products. I received a

  • Gel Eyeliner in Tiger’s Eye
  • 2 x brushes; the Angle Mini S203 and the Color Blend L211
  • One set of ChiChi Collection lashes in the style Strip Show

I was a little hesitant when I opened the box. I don’t usually use a lot of liner or wear lashes but I was determined to give it a go. I did a lot of research on the brand Stilazzi and discovered that their liners could be used as shadows or shadow bases as well. They have 6 different colours available. The Gel Eyeliner I received is in the shade Tiger’s Eye and described as a Copper Brown Pearl. It contains 5g of product and retails for $11USD. It’s a really gorgeous colour, subtle enough that while I’m still learning to do a wing it isn’t as obvious if I make a mistake but still strong enough to give a wing effect and I’m excited to try it out as a shadow itself.

Here’s a look at the eyeliner in the pot with a small swatch;

The brushes are super soft and easy to use. The Angle Mini is a synthetic brush and retails for $5USD. It was great for attempting a sharp line without being too stiff. The Color Blend brush is a natural brush (using Goat Hair) and retails for $11USD. It blended everything well and I was really impressed with it. For those of you that prefer to use synthetic brushes there are a multitude available, not just the liner brush.

The ChiChi Collection lashes are really nice. They retail for $10USD and are made of synthetic hair. They’re described as an extreme lash but I didn’t find them to be over the top and they looked great, in my opinion. I got a lot of compliments on my eye makeup the day that I wore them. They didn’t feel heavy at the end of the day and were easy to clean after I took them off. My only criticism was the lash band itself is black and a little bit more thick than the few styles I’ve worn in the past. As I wasn’t wearing a black liner that day, it made it a little more obvious. However that doesn’t mean they looked bad or wouldn’t look fantastic with a black liner. You’re also supposed to get 10-15 wears out of them but I think if you treated and cleaned them with care you could probably stretch that out.

Below is a few different angles, with different lighting, of the look I created (with the help of a friend since I’m still learning wings and lashes) using all the products. I’m really impressed with each product and was pleasantly surprised.

Overall, I’m really impressed with this service. It’s hard to find subscription services that either ship to Australia or don’t require a small loan to afford each month. Using the current exchange rate, this month’s box value is $49.95AUD. I think for the products I received and the price of the box, it’s a great deal. Especially because everything worked! I’m definitely considering signing up for it and seeing what other products and brands I discover. My overall experience so far has been fantastic, from the customer service to the products themselves.

Have any of you tried a subscription service? What were your experiences? Let me know in the comments below.

Until next time, Beauties xx

*Prices and conversion rates are correct at time of publishing and may have changed*

**As I received free product, this post is considered sponsored, however all opinions are my own**

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Maybelline MasterChrome Metallic Highlighter Review

Happy Friday Beauties! Today I’m off to get my Microblading touch up appointment done so this review will be a little shorter than normal. Let’s be honest, a highlighter either works or it doesn’t, there’s not a lot you can elaborate on past that.

This highlighter has been available in the US for awhile now. In fact it has multiple shades available, but here in Australia we have only had this one for a couple of months and have the original shade; Molten Gold. It contains 6.7g of product and retails for $19.95AUD at Priceline.

Off the bat, I thought this would be too dark for my skin tone. It’s a proper gold, but I’ve read and watched such great reviews online that I wanted to give it a try. The first time I used it I hadn’t even swatched it so I wasn’t sure of the texture or how powdery it would be. When I first went in with the brush there was quite a bit of fallout, I was worried. I thought this was going to just look like straight glitter on my face.

I applied it to the cheekbones and cupid’s bow and thought holy hell what have I done. However, after buffing it in with the brush I was really impressed. It looks, in my opinion, really nice and almost natural. Instead of being a strip of glitter across my face it gives that sheen, almost like a wet look. Upon reading the directions to apply on the back of the packaging I discovered that you are in fact supposed to buff this in, so for the 274658373rd time in my life, I should have read the directions first *eye roll*

Below is a picture without any filter in direct sunlight through a window. I’m loving the effect it creates.

Have any of you tried this highlighter? What were your experiences? I’d love to know in the comments below.

Until next time, Beauties xx

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