Smashbox Summer School!

Sick of your makeup not looking as good as you want it to? Wanna learn all the pro secrets, but don't wanna sign up for a year long course?? Well, Smashbox are here to help.

They are launching an exciting new concept, The Smashbox Summer School! Running from the 16th February to the 16th March, every Sunday from 11am-2pm you'll be able to learn all the tips and tricks directly from the Smashbox Pro Artists.

Sam, one of the amazingly talented makeup artists at Smashbox will help you not only advance your makeup skills, but also teach you a few new ones! You'll leave knowing exactly how to apply your makeup like a pro!

To top it all off, you will also get all the products you need (including brushes!) to create the perfect base - what more could you want?!

If you're interested, make sure you contact the Ponsonby Concept Store on 0800 SMASHBOX to find out more and reserve your spot, as spaces are limited!

Thanks for viewing!
oxo

Best of Beauty 2013: Makeup Part 2

Welcome to Part 2! If you haven't already, make sure you check out the Skincare edition of this along with Makeup Part 1.

Concealer: Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Dark Circle Eraser Concealer

Yet to find a concealer that beats this. It gives great coverage and doesn't crease or move throughout the day. My Mum actually loves this too. My only problem with it is that it's near impossible to find in New Zealand. Seriously, where are you hiding!?

Mascara: Benefit They're Real Mascara

This was the one mascara that really stood out last year, so much so that I even have two backups of it... just in case. It is seriously great at making your eyelashes look longer and thicker, as well as doing a pretty decent job of holding a curl. It's not the perfect mascara, but I'm not gonna lie - it comes pretty close!

Liquid Eyeliner: Maybelline Master Precise Liquid Liner

I use this everyday. It is the best pen-style liquid eyeliner that I have used, hands down. Literally everytime I try a different liquid liner, I always end up going back to this. Nothing seems to be able to beat it. It's also the easiest liner to use if you are in a hurry, because the tip makes it so easy to apply. The only thing that bothers me about it is the fact that I feel like it's not quite black enough. But other than that, it can do no wrong!

Pencil Eyeliner: Stila Smudge Stick Waterproof Eyeliner in "Stingray"

Mum and I had asked my aunt to pick up some Stila Kajal eyeliners (which we adore!) from Sephora when she went to Hawaii for a holiday - but instead she brought some of these back, and it actually turned out to be a great mistake for me, because I love them!
I constantly break the kajal ones when I try to sharpen them, so I am stoked that these are the automatic wind-up type. They are really pigmented, and seem to stay put a lot longer on the waterline too. It's actually the only pencil eyeliner I seem to reach for these days. Keen to get some other colours!

Eyeshadow Primer: Urban Decay Primer Potion

It's been a favourite for years, what can I say? If it ain't broke, don't fix it. Literally use it every single day, and I can't even begin to tell you how many tubes I've been through...
Adore the new packaging, so much better than the old wand applicator one. Never fails to make my eyeshadow look bolder, and never creases - love it!

Eyeshadow: Urban Decay Naked Palette 1 and 2

Wowzer.. with all the eyeshadows I have it was so hard to pick favourites, but I managed to narrow it down to these two. The original Naked palette has been a favourite for years, but I only just got the Naked 2 palette a couple of months ago and I honestly haven't stopped using them both. They are perfect for everyday, and are such good quality eyeshadows. So smooth and highly pigmented, they are yet to be beaten!

Lipstick: Revlon Colorburst Lip Butter

Whenever I can't be bothered putting too much effort into my lipstick, I tend to reach for these. They apply like a balm, but have pretty decent colour payoff and seem to always look good! My favourite colour at the moment is "Cotton Candy" which is a beautiful pink that is perfect for Summer.

Lipgloss: NYX Butter Gloss 

Just want to make it clear that I am not really a fan of lip glosses. 9 times out of 10, they are usually horribly sticky and feel generally gross on the lips, so I tend to skip them. When I saw Shannon mention how much she loved these though, I figured I may as well give them a go - and I LOVE them. They feel great, aren't sticky at all and they even have amazing colour payoff! What more could you want?

Well that about sums up my favourites for the year 2013! I can only sit here and wonder what amazing finds 2014 will bring.

Thanks for viewing!
oxo

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

Best of Beauty 2013: Makeup Part 1

Now we're on to the real good stuff. Makeup has always been my biggest weakness and I can already tell that this list is going to be huge.. so we're gonna have to make this Makeup - Part 1!

Face Primer: Benefit Porefessional

I have never been that big on face primers before as they've all either broken me out or just felt plain disgusting on the skin, but this has really changed my opinion on them. It feels silky and light on the face and really does create a smooth canvas for foundation. Applying this is now a regular step in my everyday routine, and I certainly notice on the days that I don't use it!

BB Cream: Garnier Miracle Skin Perfector for Oily/Combination Skin

Until I finally caved in and bought this, I had never had any luck with BB Creams. They always just looked weird on my skin, and never provided enough coverage. Some didn't even blend out nicely. This however is completely different, it blends effortlessly, has great coverage and lasts all day on the skin without looking weird or melting off. Definitely the best BB Cream I have tried thus far, and will no doubt be using it a lot this summer.

Foundation: Maybelline New York Fit Me Foundation Stick

Now I literally have only had this for a few weeks, but I am already hooked on this! I absolutely love the matte finish, which isn't actually too matte - it just looks like skin, but better! It also wears really well and lasts all day, and that's without even really setting it. The colour I have (115) will probably end up being too pale for me by the end of summer, but I can always warm it up with a bronzer. Otherwise though, this can do no wrong as far as I'm concerned!

Face Powder: Rimmel Stay Matte

I actually can't believe I waited so long before buying this, what was I thinking?? This stuff is amazing. Doesn't look cakey at all, and because I have it in the Translucent shade I don't have to worry about adding colour anytime I need to touch up - which to be honest, isn't very often with this! Definitely recommend buying it from ASOS if you are in New Zealand though, it's a fraction of the price.

Blush: Tarte Amazonian Clay 12 Hour Blush in "Thankful"

This blush is absolutely beautiful! The colour is amazing, and the payoff is fantastic! It is so pigmented that a little goes a long way. And it really does last 12 hours, it seems to stay put right up until you want it to go away. I want to collect them all!

Bronzer: Bourjois Bronzing Powder

I now understand why this is such a popular bronzer, it's beautiful on the skin! I'm not a huge fan of the scent, but luckily for me it doesn't last long after applying it. It has a very subtle shimmer in it, so subtle in fact that it tends to look matte on the skin - which I prefer, especially since I use this predominantly for contouring. Love it as an all over bronzer too... I just love it in general!

Highlighter: Hourglass Ambient Lighting Palette

Hands up if you saw that one coming, hahaha. I'm pretty sure anyone who was lucky enough to get one of these palettes hasn't stopped using it since! I absolutely adore it and use mine everyday - whether it be to set my undereye concealer, as an actual cheekbone highlight, to add a bronze glow or as an all over setting powder. It's probably my favourite thing that I purchased this year to be honest. Love it!

Look out for part 2!
Thanks for viewing!
oxo

Best Of Beauty 2013: Skincare

For the first part of the Best Of Beauty series I thought I would concentrate on skincare. I have been fortunate enough to discover a few new brands last year, so lets see what made it onto the list.

Face Cleanser: Lush Aqua Marina

When all face cleansers were wrecking havoc on my skin, this was my saviour. It eliminated redness, got rid of dry patches and cleared up any acne I had going on - all without irritating my oily, sensitive skin. Have run out of it completely, but will definitely be repurchasing!

Face Cleanser: Antipodes Gentle Grace Cream Cleanser

I absolutely love using this at night to remove makeup! It is so soothing, yet deep cleansing enough to remove all traces of my face makeup. It leaves your skin feeling velvety soft, which is just perfect for at night. This, along with using Aqua Marina in the morning, ensured that my skin felt as clean and flawless as possible.

Face Mask: Lush Love Lettuce

Nothing will ever feel as refreshing and deep cleansing as this face mask, it is seriously amazing. Gentle enough to not irritate sensitive skin, yet exfoliating enough to make your skin unbelieveably soft and smooth. You won't stop touching your face after using this one!

Face Moisturiser: Olay Total Effects 7-in-1 Day Cream

This is another product I have run out of completely - and seriously need to replace! This is by far the best Day Cream I have used. It looks perfect under makeup and didn't break me out at all. I love that it contains an SPF as well, which means I don't have to worry about applying an extra product.

Face Moisturiser: Trilogy Ultra Hydrating Face Cream

I swore by this in winter when my skin was getting excessively dry, and I still love to use it now and then when my skin feels dehydrated. Not as good as Olay for using as an everyday cream, but whenever my skin needed that extra moisture this was here to help. I love using it as a "treatment" and only applying it to the really dry areas of my face - works great!

Body Wash/Soap: Lush Honey I Washed The Kids Soap

I love this. Everytime I use it, I fall in love with it again. I love the smell, the way it lathers up so nicely and I love how clean it makes me feel! Lush just know what they're doing when it comes to soaps... and almost everything else it seems!

Body Lotion: Lush Dream Cream

So far, nothing comes close to this. It is the best stuff I have used, hands down. I get dermatitis on my legs, but I kid you not, this stuff has pretty much gotten rid of it! It completely calms and soothes the skin, while still being deeply moisturising. My skin has never felt so soft!

Well that sums up the skincare portion of my Best Of Beauty. You may notice that I haven't included a toner or eye cream - it's just that I haven't really discovered anything that's THAT good, there's always this year!

Stay tuned for Part 2 which will feature makeup. Exciting!
Thanks for viewing!
oxo

Review: Sukin Purifying Body Scrub and Hydrating Body Lotion

Sukin is an environmentally conscious, natural personal care company from Australia. They are proud to be 100% Vegan, 100% Carbon Neutral and do not test on animals.
I've always wanted to check out their products, so was happy to receive this duo pack containing both the Purifying Body Scrub and the Hydrating Body Lotion.

With micro particles of bamboo extract and ground walnut shells to purify combined with aloe vera, chamomile, rose hip, jojoba and sesame to hydrate skin.

This full body scrub gently polishes and refines skin texture leaving clean, radiant skin. Enriched with aloe vera and chamomile to soothe skin and rosehip, jojoba and sesame to replenish and revitalise.

I have been on the hunt for a decent body scrub for the past couple of months, and until now haven't found anything that I truly liked. At first, I thought I wasn't going to like this either, because it didn't lather up like some body scrubs I've had in the past. Once I got over that, it turned out to be my favourite of the two! I really love the way it makes my skin feel. The little micro particles are great, not too abrasive but still get the job done. And it is seriously moisturising. So much so, that after using it my skin was so soft and smooth that it actually felt like I had already applied body lotion!

An aromatic body lotion designed to hydrate the skin and lock in moisture.

Restores the skins moisture balance by deeply nourishing to help soothe dry skin. Enriched with an infusion of aloe vera, nettle, horsetail and burdock combined with rosehip, avocado and jojoba oils to hydrate thirsty skin and improve skin elasticity.

To me, a great body lotion has to absorb rapidly, provide long lasting hydration and smell good. This definitely ticks two out of the three boxes, it absorbs really quickly and makes my skin feel soft and smooth all day. The only thing I'm not too fond of is the smell, it's a little too strong for my liking and would most likely give me a headache IF it lingered on the skin for too long - but it doesn't! The strong smell fades quite quickly down to a much more subtle scent on the skin, which doesn't seem to bother me at all.

When used after the Body Scrub, my skin definitely feels it's best. It's soft, smooth and stays like it all day. I imagine these would be fantastic to use before self-tanning, as they would definitely provide a silky smooth base.

Overall, I am very impressed with both products and would recommend them to anyone who's looking for smoother, healthier looking skin. You can get them from Health 2000 both in-store, and online.

Want to win one of these duos for yourself? Make sure you head over to Health 2000 to enter! 

Thanks for viewing!
oxo

Top 5: Beach Essentials

It's Summer time here in little old New Zealand, and chances are you've got yourself sorted with all your beach must-haves... or have you? I'm here to share my Top 5 Beach Essentials that you may not have even thought of yet!

Lifeproof Case for iPhone

Sand gets everywhere. It's just bound to happen, and I've accepted that and moved on. But I literally can't afford to get my iPhone wrecked by sand, so I invested in a Lifeproof case. It was around $80 NZD but I've seriously got my money's worth out of it. Not only does it stop sand from getting in, but it's also drop-proof and waterproof - perfect for the beach!

Large Beach Towel

Ok, so a towel is a bit of a no-brainer. But what I'm talking about here is a towel so big that it can double as a blanket! These are actually not as easy to find as I thought they would be, but I tracked down this one at Cotton On. I got it for $25 with any purchase, but they retail for $39.99 on their own. Love it.

BB Cream

BB Creams can be pretty hit or miss, so doing your research can definitely help narrow down one that's suitable for you. My favourite at the moment is the Garnier Miracle Skin Perfector BB Cream for Oily/Combination skin. It provides great coverage, lasts all day and most importantly for this time of year - it has an SPF!

Deodorant

Whether it be a spray or roll on, deodorant at the beach is a must. After swimming and laying in the sun all day, you can be pretty sure that the deodorant you freshly applied in the morning has long since worn off. It's always a good idea to keep some in your beach bag, just so you can enjoy the rest of your day while smelling good.

Poncho Cover-up

I love this Seafolly one from North Beach, I actually have one like this in a mint colour

When you've had a bit too much sun, the best thing you can do is cover up, and something Camille and I swear by are these "poncho-ish" ones. They're loose, comfy and best of all they can protect you from those harsh UV rays. They are perfect for throwing on after you go for a swim, and are so nice and cool that you can pretty much live in them.

So those are my beach essentials. Wishing everyone a safe summer, remember to Slip, Slop, Slap and Wrap!

Thanks for viewing!
oxo

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!

Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas!! I hope you all have a fabulous day and get to spend it with all the people you love. 

Also wanted to say a huge THANK YOU to all my readers, it still amazes me that people actually read all my blog posts - I seriously can't thank you enough. 

And to all the people I have collaborated with this past year, your ongoing support and encouragement just blows me away. Looking forward to working with you all again in 2014!

Have a very safe and Happy Christmas,
Christel oxo