Thursday 28 November 2013

Priceline 40% Off Beauty Sale & Sportsgirl Fashion Haul

Hello! How is everyone today? I've got a fashion and beauty haul for you guys today because last week on Tuesday and Wednesday, Priceline decided to have a 40% off sale on all cosmetics and wreck havoc on my pay packet. That, and I recently got a job at one of my absolute favourite Australian stores, Sportsgirl (!!!) *cue fireworks, dancing on the street and confetti cannons* and I needed some new threads to wear to work.

So without further ado, here is what I picked up! Plus they're all fairly new releases so I've decided to add links to everything. I figured that some of you might want to check some of these things out or buy yourself a cheeky early Christmas present ;)

Priceline


Ever since I heard Missglamourazzi on YouTube rave about this, I've wanted to try it. I normally stay away from lip products that come in a pot for hygiene reasons but I really needed a new lip moisturiser as my previous fave (Carmex's Moisture Plus Ultra Hydrating Lip Balm in "Peach") had run out. This stuff smells SO GOOD (just like the white chocolate Lindt balls) and I've been using it every night before I go to bed and I end up waking up with lovely soft lips. Only thing is it goes on very white like sunscreen, so I wouldn't wear it out. 


The Baby Lips balms are pretty awesome in my books–they moisturise, smell delicious, provide sheer colour and are small enough to keep in your wallet. I've gone through about six of these all in different flavours, so I think that speaks for itself!


I've wanted to try this for months but kind of chickened out every time. Sometimes my cheeks can get a little dry (thanks to my combination skin, grr) and I think this spray will not only help set my makeup on days that I don't want to wear powder that will dry out my skin, but also to provide a little extra moisture. But disappointingly, this spray doesn't actually work! And by that, I meant it doesn't actually spray! I think mine must be faulty, so I'm going to exchange it for another one. 


One thing I really love about Rimmel foundations is that their shades are universal; I now have three Rimmel foundations (Match Perfection, Wake Me Up and Stay Matte) and I'm "200 Soft Beige" in them all! So convenient! Anyway, I've tried the old formula of the Stay Matte and I really didn't like it, so I'm hoping this new version is a lot better! Once I start using it I think I'll post a review here on it :)


My eyebrow pencil from Sportsgirl just ran out (it's right down to the nib haha) so I was definitely in need of a new brow product. I've always seen the kits from Benefit Cosmetics but they're so expensive, so I was so excited to see that Models Prefer had released an affordable version! The pocket-sized kit includes a mirror, brow gel, brow powder, mini tweezers and an angled brush. The shade I bought (medium to dark) suits my hair colour perfectly and my brows stay put and shaped all day, which is awesome.


Find me a cheaper eye cream, I dare you! I was so shocked when I saw how much this costed because my old eye cream (a Lancome one) probably costed upwards of $50! I already use the Beauty Essentials Night Cream and it's quite good so I figured I'd give this one a go. It's not 'wow' exactly, but it does the job, doesn't irritate my eyes and moisturises the delicate skin around my eyes pretty well.


The story behind this one is pretty boring–basically I ran out of clear topcoat (I feel like I'm always buying topcoats...) and just needed a new one haha This is my favourite because it's quick to apply thanks to the wide brush and quick to dry.


Anna Sui Pocket Mirror
I know this technically isn't from Priceline, but my aunty visited from China and gave this to me as a gift and I wanted to share it with you guys :) I've adored the Anna Sui collections forever for the gorgeously ornate packaging so I feel really lucky that I now have one to call my own. I'm going to treasure it. 


Sportsgirl


I already own a really similar jumper that I wear a lot, but I can't wear that to work, so since that one is getting old I decided to upgrade to this lil cutie. I love wearing high-waisted bottoms, so this cropped cut is absolutely perfect for me. Plus the torso is a bit baggy while the sleeves are fitted, so it gives a really cool, casual vibe. Ahhhhhh I just want to wear this 24/7!


Again, a cute little crop! I don't normally wear t-shirts (I have broader shoulders) but this suited me really well, which was so unusual for a tee! The black and white stripes mean that it's a really versatile piece so it should suit whatever bottoms I decide to pair it with at work. Plus the material is super soft!


I seem to go through skinny belts really fast! I think it's because I only ever own one at a time and continuously wear it until it wears out haha I had this really nice leopard print one from Mink Pink, but I wore it so much that the leather just wore out until it came away in pieces... So I needed a stronger upgrade and I loved the gold chains on this belt. I wear it with my high waisted skinny jeans but I think it's meant to be worn on the hips, so I'll have to make another hole so I can tighten it to fit my waist.


Beach Sandals in "Black" and "Clear Glitter" $19.95
In case you're wondering, I did actually get a pair in each colour, not just one shoe! I'd been debating whether or not to get jellies for the longest time (will they suit me?/but they're so cute!) and I eventually caved and bought them in two colours. This is really unusual for me; I'm not the sort of person who buys multiples of the same thing! But I figured the black would be great for everyday go-with-everything wear, while the glitters would be adorable with frilly socks (yes, socks and sandals!).


Jezabel NL $29.95
(not listed on the Sportsgirl website but it's available in store)
There's something about mint green, teal and turquoise that is so appealing in the warmer months; maybe because it reminds me of the ocean? I couldn't resist picking this up to wear at work, it's a chunky statement piece that is adjustable (thanks to that extra little clasp), so you can wear it long or around your collar. Two necklaces in one? Done!


The sorts of necklaces that sit around your collar are my favourites because I tend to wear tops and dresses with a higher neckline, as well as collared shirts. So these sorts of shorter necklaces sit perfectly and again, I couldn't resist that minty green! 


What's something you're itching to buy but waiting until it goes on sale? Let me know in the comments below!

Disclaimer: Even though I now work at Sportsgirl, everything was bought with my own money (with a staff discount) and all thoughts, opinions and words are my own.
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Friday 22 November 2013

Tutorial: Super Glittery Nails

Everybody needs a little bit of sparkle every now and then.

But while we don't want to end up looking like Ke$ha (sorry Ke$ha, but you know what I mean) covered in glitter, we can still have a bit of subtle shimmer to fit the bill.

At the moment I've been loving glittery nails, either on all 10 or just on one accent nail; it just adds that little something extra to a night out!



But the thing I find with glitter top coats is that it's just clear polish with glitter added in; so you need four to five coats to get the desired effect.



Ain't nobody got time for that to dry! So here is my pictorial on how to easily get super opaque glitter nails in way less time!

Taken By Surprise Tutorial - Super Glittery Nails




And that's it!


It looks a little lumpy here in the photo but it's just the light; your top coat will smooth everything out in real life :)


There we go, you can see that here!

What colour glitter would you use for this nail look? Let me know in the comments below!
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Friday 15 November 2013

Gold, Silver and Bronze Metallic Eyes Tutorial

Think your normal brown smoky eye but BETTER. This look is super shiny and eye-catching (ha) and suits any eye colour. Win-win-win, right?








Plus, it's really puuuuuuurty :) It's the kind of eye makeup that will make people ask to have a closer look and looks absolutely stunning every time the light hits your lids.

Taken By Surprise Tutorial: Gold, Silver and Bronze Metallic Eyes


1. Prep those lids for colour by applying an eyeshadow primer on your lids, lower lashline and inner corner. I wouldn't normally put primer along my inner corner on a daily basis, but it really does help the colour we're going to apply there look super bright. I used the Urban Decay Primer Potion in "Original".

2. Using the pad of your ring finger, apply a bronze creme eyeshadow all over the lid. Take care not to go too high above the crease.

Maybelline Colour Tattoo in "Bad to the bronze"
3. Taking a metallic bronze eyeshadow, gently pat the colour on top of the creme shadow using a flat shader brush. You want to press the pigment on to the creme shadow, rather than "wipe" it on. We want that pretty colour to stick and sit on top of the creme.

Urban Decay NAKED2 Palette in "YDK"
4. With a dark brown colour and a fluffy blending brush, apply a tiny amount to your outer corner and blend into your crease using a gently windscreen wiper motion. Gradually bring the colour out towards your brow bone and smoke it out. Using the same dark brown shade and flat angled eyeshadow brush, line your lower lash line.

Urban Decay NAKED2 Palette in "Snakebite"
5. Taking a matte black eyeshadow (a VERY small amount! A little goes a long way here!), apply to the outer corner and softly blend the shade into the outer third of the lid to create dimension.

Urban Decay NAKED2 Palette in "Black Out"
6. For a pop of colour, apply a pigmented gold shade wet to the inner third of your lid with a flat shader brush.
Urban Decay NAKED2 Palette in "Half Baked"
7. For bigger and brighter eyes, apply a shimmery champagne gold shade to the inner corners. Bam, instant wide-awake peepers! (Rimmel London Glam Eyes HD "English Oak" Shade 1)

Rimmel London Glam Eyes HD Palette in "English Oak" Shade 1
8. To further define your eyes, apply a black eyeliner pencil to your tight line and a nude or white pencil liner to your waterline.

Rimmel London Scandaleyes Waterproof Kohl Kajal Eyeliner Pencil in
"005 Nude" and "001 Black"
9. With a brown liquid liner, create a very thin line along your top lash line and draw a small flick at the outer corners. The liquid liner should only enhance the thickness of your lashes, not be too obvious.

Maybelline Hyperglossy Liquid Liner in "Brown"
10. Then just finish off by curling your lashes and applying a volumizing mascara!

Maybelline Great Lash Lots of Lashes Mascara



And that's it!






Crazy eyes mwahahaha

What event would you wear a makeup look like this to? Let me know in the comments below!

Ps. sorry if some of the photos are blurred. For some reason Blogspot has been acting up and is somehow blurring my normally sharp photos :/ I hope it wasn't too distracting!
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Tuesday 5 November 2013

CrownedByFlowers featured in the short film Lucid Dream

Do you ever have those dreams where you feel like you’re really alive, can completely control your body and make your own decisions? You know the ones; you wake up the next morning and feel as if you can remember every detail?

That’s what’s known as a ‘lucid dream’ and that is the concept behind Initial Thought’s latest short film. Which, by the way, my flower crown business CrownedByFlowers was very proud to be a part of!

If you’ve been reading my blog for a while and read one of my posts a few back, you’ll know that Initial Thoughts is a film production team that are creating a three-part series inspired by the concepts behind my flower crown designs.

To catch you up, Initial Thoughts filmed an interview with me about my design process and from there they set out to create three videos about the ideas they formed about my flower crowns.

You can watch the video interview and the first video in the series here.

Their final piece is a short film called ‘Lucid Dream’ and it is a gorgeously shot psychedelic and mysterious story about a girl who wakes up in a forest.

The film features the CrownedByFlowers “A Walk In A Japanese Garden” flower crown and it was amazing to watch it really blossom (heehee) in this film.



The second video in their series is a little different, but is just as hypnotizing to watch. Initial Thoughts said they were inspired by how each CrownedByFlowers design is a one-off creation, so they set out to create a film that reflected that ‘uniqueness’. As a result, they put together this enchanting film about the unpredictable patterns ink make in water. It’s addictive to watch!



It was rad being a part of your video series Initial Thoughts and thank you so much Lupita, Danni and Jessica for wanting to work with me! It’s extremely humbling to see how my flower crowns contributed towards the inspiration for your amazing project and it was an absolute pleasure collaborating with you!

Show these three talented girls some love by visiting the Initial Thoughts Vimeo to watch the entire series.
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