Review: The Body Shop Honey Bronze Bronzing Powder

This honey-enriched pressed powder gives skin an even, bronze matte finish.

Last month when I was in Newmarket for the Benefit Lollitint launch, I popped into The Body Shop specifically to pick up the Honey Bronze Bronzing Powder (RRP: $32.50). I've been hearing nothing but good things about it, and decided that I had to check it out for myself!

It comes in a cute little compact with a mirror, and the powder itself is in this adorable honeycomb design. The colour I picked up was shade 02 Fair Matte, which I found out is actually the most popular colour they sell. And I can see why. Not only is this the most perfect shade for bronzing up the face, but it's an excellent shade for contouring!

What I've found with this is that it has the creamy smooth texture that you usually only get with shimmery bronzers - but is matte! It blends effortlessly and because it's such a great colour, it's easy to make sure you don't go overboard with it. 

Here's a swatch:

Overall, it has quickly become one of my favourite bronzers, and I can actually see myself hitting pan on this! It's the first makeup product I've got from The Body Shop before, but if this is any indication of what the rest of the range is like - then I might just have to check out more stuff!

Thanks for viewing!
oxo

Review: Benefit Lollitint Lip & Cheek Stain

Hello Lolli! Our Candy-orchid tint treats lips and cheeks to a "pop" of dreamy sweetness. It's the flirtiest flush you can get from a bottle... and it's smudge-proof, smooch-proof colour lasts from A.M to P.M. Talk about stain power!

I love Benefit products. I love the packaging, the cute names, but most of all I love that the products themselves are great quality. I'm not gonna lie, I get excited every time I hear that they're releasing something new - and whenever I visit the Benefit counter at Smith and Caugheys, I have to physically refrain myself from breaking out the credit card and buying everything in sight!

Since I'm already a big fan of Benetint, I was pretty thrilled to get Lollitint at the launch last month. Lollitint is the new "candy-orchid" tint and is a bit different in texture from Benetint. It is more of a gel-like consistency, which I actually prefer as I find it a bit easier to apply.

The colour is seriously gorgeous, it's a beautiful blue-toned pink that seems to be super flattering on everyone! I kid you not, every blogger was wearing this at the launch - and it suited all of us, even though we all have completely different skin tones. That's a winner in my books.

When applying to the cheeks, it's vital to do one cheek at a time. All you do is dot the colour on, and blend with a brush or your fingers - this stuff sets pretty quickly, and does not budge! Would be great for a night out, as it won't fade at all.
Don't do what I did and get so sunburnt that your face starts peeling and goes all dry though, as this can stick to those dry/peeling patches on your cheeks. Nothing that a good moisturise beforehand wouldn't fix!

Even though I absolutely love it on the cheeks, my favourite way to wear it is on my lips. The colour is absolutely beautiful! I have nothing else like it in my collection, and certainly don't have anything else that lasts as long as this does. Even after eating and drinking, I still had to literally scrub it off at the end of the day!
When first applied on the lips, it tingles a little until it dries. I would compare the feeling to that of a lip plumper - I actually like it! Once dry, you can't feel it on at all - I kept forgetting I was wearing it until I caught sight of my reflection.

The best thing though is it didn't actually dry my lips out at all, which is something that most lip products do and is why I always have a love/hate relationship with them.

Here's a photo of me wearing it on both the lips and the cheeks:

I love it so much! I would recommend it to anyone who is after a lip and cheek product that will last all day, without budging. It is available at Smith and Caugheys in New Zealand from 15th February and retails for $57 NZD

Thanks for viewing!
oxo

*pr sample

Review: Bobbi Brown Lipsticks

Bright, shiny and new - our much-loved Sheer Lip Colors get a polished update, now in a limited edition silver tube. This lightweight formula delivers an effortless wash of color plus nourishing shine (and pairs perfectly with the season's luminous looks).
Luxurious butters and oils improve the overall condition of lips, instantly and over time. Glides on smoothly and evenly for hours of feather-free wear.

I kind of have a bit of a love/hate relationship with lipstick. I love to wear it, and love the look of it. But more often than not, I hate the feeling of it! 
This is because I get really dry/chapped lips pretty much year round and almost every lipstick I try dries them out even more. It's really irritating!

But I have to say, this Sheer Lip Color lipstick feels so nice! It's formulated with Shea Butter, Murumuru Butter and Apricot Kernel Oils which rejuvenate and nourish the lips, all while actually improving the condition of lips overtime. It glides on super smooth, and doesn't seem to dry out my lips at all, leaving them feeling soft and moisturised.

The colour I have is Pink Gold from the Nude Glow Collection and it is a light shimmery gold. Normally I don't like shimmer in lipsticks, but this actually looks quite beautiful on. The first time I wore it I got asked what I was wearing about 6 times, I kid you not! That hardly ever happens with my lipsticks! 

Here's a swatch and closeup:

And here's a photo of me wearing it:

Now onto the new Shimmer Lip Color...

Bobbi Brown's iconic Lip Color is now available in new shades that combine high-shine emollients and light-reflective pearls for something completely fresh. Don't think metallic or frost - the effect is sheer and multi-dimensional. The lightweight yet moisturising formula glides effortlessly and evenly onto lips, leaving a thin veil of light-reflecting colour that  lasts for hours without feathering or drying.
Each shade is formulated with a unique blend of pearls for an effect that's intensely reflective yet soft and wearable; individual pearls have a smooth, flat shape and reflective, mirror-like quality.

Like I said above, I normally don't like shimmer in lipsticks - but there is something about these that is just gorgeous. Instead of looking chunky and glittery, these just have the most gorgeous shine. 

The colour I have is Berry Shimmer and it is a gorgeous neutral pink. These too are formulated with Shea Butter and Murumuru Butter, which leaves your lips feeling supple and conditioned. The colour payoff of this is actually pretty good considering that they are on the sheer side, and it really doesn't take much to get a nice opaque colour. 

It's not actually a shade that I would normally gravitate to, so it's taken me by surprise just how much I love this!
Here's a swatch and a close up:

And here's a photo of me wearing it:

Overall I am very impressed by both of these lipsticks. They feel great, more like a lip balm than a lipstick, and are both colours that I will get a lot of wear out of. These are both available now, at the Bobbi Brown store in Britomart.

Thanks for viewing!
oxo

Review: Maybelline New York Color Sensational Bold Matte

Kiss flat matte goodbye! Containing a unique, powderless formula, Bold Matte is packed with brighter matte pigments for the boldest shades. Enriched with honey nectar, new Bold Matte lipsticks give visibly moisturised lips and an incredibly smooth touch.

Maybelline lipsticks are quickly becoming firm favourites of mine. The formulas I have tried so far have been amazing, and the Bold Mattes are no different.

Matte lipsticks are notorious for making your lips really dry, but these actually moisturise your lips making them much more comfortable to wear. If you love the look of a matte lip, but hate the feel of it - then these are definitely for you.

The shade I have (and am obsessed with!) is MAT 5 which is a beautiful pinkish red. It is such a gorgeous colour that flatters my skintone perfectly. It glides on smoothly, and only takes a few quick swipes for it to become opaque.

When first applied, it can feel quite creamy and looks a bit glossy. But it soon settles down to a gorgeous semi-matte finish. No shimmer here!
It's not transfer proof, but it does last reasonably well throughout the day, only needing to be touched up after eating or drinking, and leaves your lips feeling soft and moisturised.

Here's a swatch of it on my hand:

And here's a couple pics of me wearing it:

I love everything about this lipstick. The colour, the formula... I even love the packaging! Retailing for $19.99 NZD, you can trust me when I say they are definitely worth it!

Thanks for viewing!
oxo

*pr sample

Review: Maybelline Colorsensational Stripped Nudes Lipstick

Dare to go bare with Maybelline New York’s newest nude collection, Stripped Nudes. 
Stripped Nudes ensure raw, born-to-be-naked colour for the most intense statement lips. Unlike classical nudes with a sheer, sparkly finish, this formula is not only free of shimmers and dilutants but saturated with raw pigments for the boldest naked impact.

Maybelline lipsticks are something I've never really had much experience with, and after trying this one and one of the Bold Mattes (review coming soon!), I honestly don't know why I didn't investigate them sooner!

The colour I have is "Coffee Craze" and it is a brownish nude. It applies very smoothly, and the pigmentation is so great that it seems one swipe is all it takes to get a nice opaque colour! Very impressive! The colour itself is definitely one that would flatter almost any skintone, and I'm happy to report that it's definitely not one of those ultra nudes that can make you look a little zombie-like.

Here's a swatch of it on my hand, taken in natural light

My favourite way to wear it is with bold eyes, as shown in this photo from Instagram where I paired it with a soft purple smokey eye

But it also actually looks real good when paired with a more natural eye look (also from Instagram)

Overall I'm really happy to have this colour in my lipstick stash, and will definitely be keeping my eye out for the other colours in the Stripped Nudes collection. They retail for $19.99 NZD - which is a bargain if you ask me!

Thnaks for viewing!
oxo

Review: Hourglass Ambient Lighting Palette

From left to right: Dim Light, Incandescent Light and Radiant Light.

A limited edition palette featuring three shades of Ambient Lighting Powder, the high-tech, soft-focus finishing powder that features state-of-the-art technology to recreate the most exquisitely flattering types of light. Palette includes one new limited edition shade, Incandescent Light, and two existing, Dim Light and Radiant Light. Includes a 5ml Veil Mineral Primer to create the perfect canvas for your look.

Every now and then a product comes on the market that is an absolute must have. The Ambient Lighting Palette is one of those things.

I first saw the Hourglass Ambient Light Powders on Youtube and fell in love. But I could never decide on what colour to buy, so when they released this palette, it was a no brainer. I had to have it!

The palette contains three beautiful shades, one that is limited edition and two permanent ones. The greatest thing about this palette is that it has multiple uses, which in my opinion makes it much more useful and far better value for money!

Dim light is a neutral peach beige powder than blurs imperfections and highlights a radiant complexion with the perfect balance of warm and cool tones.

This is the one I use all over my face in place of my usual setting powder to give an all over subtle glow. It's also great to use under the eyes to set concealer.

Incandescent light is the limited edition shade and is a pearlescent powder that highlights the cheekbones and brightens the complexion with a celestial glow.

This one I use as a straight out highlighter. It's great on the cheekbones and browbones, and even looks great in the inner corners of the eyes!

Radiant light is a sun-kissed golden beige that enhances the overall complexion with believable, subtle warmth, and also extends a summer glow.

I tend to use this one in place of my bronzer to warm up my complexion, it especially looks good when applied over top of blush. I probably wouldn't use this all over my face, just where the sun would naturally hit.

I managed to order mine off Sephora before it went out of stock, and used Youshop to get it to New Zealand. Doing it this way ended up saving me so much money, as it was a fraction of the cost that I would've paid for it here!

Honestly, this is amazing. If you can get your hands on it, then I urge you to buy it! You will not be disappointed.

Thanks for viewing!
oxo

Over on nzgirl: Rimmel Stay Matte Long Lasting Pressed Powder

 

This has quickly become my favourite setting powder! It's the one that I constantly reach for, because I know that when I use it, I hardly ever have to touch it up. 

It's also the cheapest one I have bought (by far!) Check out the review and find out where I mangaged to get such an awesome deal, by clicking here.

Thanks for viewing!
oxo

Review: Senna Brow Book

Brow expert and Senna founder, Eugenia Weston, designed this super skinny, refillable magnetic palette as the ultimate pro tool to master perfect brows on everyone. 

I’m ashamed to admit it, but I neglected my eyebrows for years. And I really do mean years. I didn’t even get them shaped til I was like 20. That’s blasphemy! The only reason that I think I managed to get away with it for so long, is because my eyebrows are so sparse.

These days, I’m happy to tell you that I take much better care of them. Not only do I regularly pluck them, but I also fill them in religiously. When I realised how good they look when I maintain them, I never looked back!

I swear by my Senna Brow Book when it comes to filling in my brows. It has 9 colours in the palette, which makes finding your perfect match incredibly easy. It’s also great for someone like me who occasionally does freelancing, because there literally is a colour to suit everyone.

Left to right, top to bottom: Ash, Auburn, Platinum, Ebony, Taupe, Flaxen, Noir, Espresso, Brunette

As well as the actual brow colours, it also includes Browlite – which is a soft matte brow highlighter, and a Brow Pomade – which adds texture and fullness.

The colour I use is Brunette, and it is perrrfect. It looks so natural, that people don’t even realise that I’ve basically had to draw my eyebrows on. Hahaha. The pigmentation is great, which means you don’t have to spend ages building up the colour. 

The Browlite highlighter is alright (nothing too special!) and the Brow Pomade isn’t nearly as good as the Smashbox Brow Tech wax, so I rarely ever use it. 

Overall, I think this palette is great and would recommend it to anyone who has a hard time finding a good match for their brows, and it is especially awesome for makeup artists. I bought mine from Camera ReadyCosmetics, but you can also find it on the Senna website.

Thanks for viewing!
oxo

 

Review: Lush - Emotional Brilliance

Spin the Emotional Brilliance Color Wheel to get a personalized color reading – choose the three colors that stand out the most and they will uncover certain words that reveal a little bit about your current state of mind. Then wear the color to feel the word, you word-up!

Introducing a brand new concept matching psychological needs to which color cosmetics one should wear.

This range – consisting of lip colors, eyeliners and eyeshadows – is less about wearing make-up that’s in-season or on-trend and more about wearing colors that shape your mood. Emotional Brilliance is a way to wear color that’s designed for you. Choose colors, each with a corresponding word such as Confident, Take Control or Glamorous, and they will be significant to your needs at that time – wear those colors and you truly wear the word. It’s the power of suggestion – if one believes enough in something, there will likely be a change in behavior.

When I got invited to go into Lush Queen St to get an Emotional Brilliance reading done, I wasn’t exactly sure what I was getting myself into! I didn’t really know anything about Lush’s makeup range, so I was eager to find out more.

When I got there I was greeted by the lovely Kendra, and then our Emotional Brilliance adventure began!
First of all, I had to close my eyes and think of something that was happening in my life (I was thinking about work), then open my eyes and pick the first three colours on the Emotional Brilliance wheel that appealed to me. She then proceeded to tell me what those colours meant.

Left: My reading, Right: Camille's reading

1.      Your Strength or Weakness: In Charge – Take Control

Whoa! What a fabulous strength! So many things to be IN CHARGE of: your job; your situation; your bank account; your life. If you have felt you have been a little too free and easy lately and let others rule, then pack it in. Get back IN CHARGE or keep IN CHARGE, but whatever you do, take control!

Damn this is good. I’m quite often feeling like things are out of my control at work, which is hard for me because I like to feel like I’m in charge of every situation.

2.      Your Subconscious: Passionate – Feel Strongly

Uh oh! What is going on here then? Subconscious giving you a little reminder that you need to be souping up the PASSIONATE side of your nature? Are you without an aim at the moment and need to find something to feel strongly about? Do you need to be showing and feeling more Passion for something already in your life? To be PASSIONATE and feel strongly is energising. Buck yourself up you!

This one was even more surprising. Kendra made me realise that if I concentrate more on things I’m passionate about, like my blog, then the things bothering me (like feeling out of control at work) will fade into the background.

3.      Your Aspiration: Independent – Stand on your own two feet

Perfect! Feel INDEPENDENT and stand on your own two feet in a beautifully positive way. This is what will make all the difference to whatever is going on in your life right now.

This is honestly so true! The whole experience made me feel more at ease with things and I actually felt like I understood myself a little bit better. Thank you Kendra!

The lovely girls at Lush gave me three Emotional Brilliance products to try: Believe, Vibrance and Ambition.

Without flash: Believe, Vibrance, Ambition

With flash: Believe, Vibrance, Ambition

Believe

Vibrance

Ambition

For review purposes, I applied them with the little applicators they came with so please excuse the wobbly lipline! Hahaha!
Believe is definitely my favourite out of the three, and Vibrance is the one I find hardest to wear on it’s own but actually looks gorgeous when mixed with other lip colours. I also love just dabbing them on and wearing them as more of a stain rather than a full on bright lip.

Overall I think the whole concept behind the Emotional Brilliance range is awesome and a lot of fun! It also helps that the products themselves are actually gorgeous and very well pigmented. Head along to Lush Queen St or go online and check it out for yourself!

Thanks for viewing!
oxo