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

WIN: Living Nature Skin Minis

“It’s a new year, time for new beginnings, a fresh start and the opportunity to take a load off your body and mind by reducing your toxic overload.”  That’s the New Year message from Living Nature, New Zealand’s original certified natural skin care and cosmetics brand. 

Together with Living Nature, we are giving you the chance to win your very own Skin Minis pack of your choice!

All you have to do to enter is like both the Makeupper Facebook page and the Living Nature Facebook page then fill out the form below!


a Rafflecopter giveaway


Make sure you check out our reviews on the pack for Oily and Combination skin as well as the pack for Normal to Dry skin!

Thanks for viewing, good luck!
oxo

Review: Living Nature Skin Minis Normal To Dry Skin

Now, before I start this review I'm gonna give you all a heads up that I am a huge Living Nature fan. I've been using Living Nature Skincare for a number of years now and am completely sold on it. 

Christel and I pass the Living Nature factory and shop in Kerikeri every time we head up to the bach. I LOVE IT. 

Right, with that off of my chest, I can now start the review.  

The Skin Mini pack I received is for normal to dry skin. Unlike Christel, I've got pretty dry skin in places. Especially around my forehead and chin.
The pack included:

Vitalising Cleanser
Extra Hydrating Toning Gel
Nourishing Day Cream







The cleanser is fantastic for my skin type! It seems to spread my natural oils evenly around my face, rather than stripping it bare. It cleanses well and leaves my skin feeling fresh and not the slightest bit dry. 

The Extra Hydrating Toning Gel is exactly what you would expect from any toner. It tightens your skin as all toners do, however it doesn't seem to dry it out like some do. The smell however is a bit overwhelming first thing in the morning. It has the trademark Living Nature smell. For those of you who don't know what thats like, I would compare it to fresh cut flax and grass clippings on a hot day. 

The Nourishing Day Cream is perfect. Light, doesn't leave a greasy feeling afterwards and lasts all day. However, its extremely concentrated. I needed only a tiny amount of cream and it went a long way.

The only fault I can find with this pack is that it doesn't have a night cream! If Living Nature could include a night cream, it would complete your skin care regime. It's the perfect travel size. The bottles and labels are totally Living Nature, very simple and just cute! The pack also included a $10 Off voucher (for purchases over $50). Love it, love it, love it.

Oh, a quick note. Ive stopped using fLash altogether as the serum was causing my skin to turn brown where it was applied (as mentioned in my last fLash update). I have a feeling they should fade with time... I hope!

Camille xxx

Review: Living Nature Skin Minis - Oily & Combination Skin

Our New Year message encourages everyone to take a load off their body and mind and reduce their toxic overload by turning to Living Nature’s natural skin care solutions.

The perfect introduction to certified natural skincare - 3 x 30ml bottles to provide the ideal start to discovering the benefits of Living Nature's active botanical skincare. This pack contains Purifying Cleanser, Hydrating Toning Gel and Balancing Day Lotion - our base daily regime for Oily / Blemish-prone or Combination skin types.

I love Living Nature. Every time I start using their skincare again, I wonder why I ever stopped using it.

Included in this pack is a cleanser, toner and moisturiser which are the basic necessities that everyone should be using. The great thing about Living Nature is that all their products are certified natural, which guarantees that you won't be subject to as many as 168 chemicals that are in conventional skincare products. 

I don't know about you, but that scares me! I've had anaphylaxis reactions to chemicals in the past, I don't wanna be putting that on my skin!

This little kit has been used morning and night ever since I received it, and my skin has been loving it. As I suspected it would! It seems to react much better to these natural skincare products than anything else I try.

The Purifying Cleanser is great. Unlike a lot of other natural cleansers I use, this one actually foams up. It seems to get right into the pores and leaves the skin feeling deeply cleansed, without drying it out. It feels especially fantastic first thing in the morning, as it gets rid of all the excess oil that builds up on my skin overnight.

I'm not gonna lie, the Hydrating Toning Gel is the first toner I've actually used in a long time and I've really enjoyed it. The Harakeke Flax Gel in it tones and hydrates, while the Active Manuka Honey nourishes and helps maintain skin health. All you do with this one is smooth it over the face and neck, and wait about 30 seconds before applying the moisturiser. I find it makes my skin feel slightly tight, but doesn't irritate it in the slightest.

The Balancing Day Lotion is one of my favourite face moisturisers, ever. It's so light and smooth to apply, and it absorbs pretty much instantly. It's such a nice consistency, not too thick or rich, but not too thin where it doesn't feel like it's doing anything either - it's just perfect. The best thing though is that it looks great under makeup, and seems to create a really nice smooth canvas.

Overall I think this skincare set is a genius idea, and the products themselves are fantastic. For $39.90 NZD, these are great value and are a perfect introduction to the Living Nature skincare line.

The only thing that I'd change, would be to put an SPF in the moisturiser, and maybe include an eye cream. But still, I think this is great!

Thanks for viewing, be sure to check out Camille's review on the Normal to Dry Skin set!
oxo

Long overdue fLash update

Hey all, Camille here!

First of all, I'd like to apologise for my lack of updates lately. I went up to the bach with Christel and the family for the holidays. While we were up there, my dog Quileute, got hit by a car and passed away.
So, I've been a bit sad lately and trying to spend heaps of time with my one remaining dog, Chinook. He's slipped into a depression since Quil's passing, so we have all been chipping in to keep him happy.

My beautiful Quil, love you always

Now, onto my fLash update!
It has officially been three months since I started using this product. I have definitely noticed a difference. My eye lashes have grown quite a bit. On the other hand, I have just noticed that the area where I apply the serum has become a bit discoloured. Its slightly browner than the rest of my eyelids. (Christel actually pointed this out to me today. Thanks Sis!) One eyelash in particular really seemed to soak up all the serum and has grown WAY more than the others. It's quite hilarious actually!!

Can you see the crazy long eyelash on my blue eye (shown on the right!)?

So now I am at the point in my fLash treatment where I apply the serum only twice a week. I can't help but wonder if the company has recommended this because of the discolouration...

Hope you all had a lovely summer break!

Camille oxo

P.s Check back tomorrow for my review on Living Nature Skin Minis!

January Favourites!

I'm going to try and remember to do monthly favourites again this year! I often get so caught up with all the other posts I want to do, that I forget to do this one. Oops. To kick the year off, lets get started with my favourites from the month of January!

Lorac Pro Palette

I have used this almost every single time I've worn eyeshadow this month. It is just so easy to grab and the colours are fantastic for everyday wear. The formula of the eyeshadows is pretty perfect too, making them very pigmented yet easy to blend. I will be posting a full review of this, including swatches, very soon so make sure you come back and check that out.

Benefit Dandelion & Gimme Fever Blush Duo - Groovy kind-a love kit

I am starting to get slightly obsessed with this little duo, it is so pretty! The mix of both gives such a pretty glow, without looking too shimmery. It's more like a beautiful sheen on the cheeks, which is a bit different from what I usually go for in a blush. I wish I had it in a larger size as I'm pretty sure I will end up hitting pan on it!

MAC Mineralized Skinfinish in Perfect Topping

This was Limited Edition from the Sugarsweet collection that came out years ago.. but it's truly gorgeous! And considering I've had it for so long, I haven't even started to make a dent in it. Mineralized Skinfinishes are great as highlighters, and that's what I use this for. It's a swirl of pinks, peaches and creams and honestly looks so nice on - I can't get enough of it!

Living Nature Skin Minis - Oily & Combination Skin

I've been using this for a couple of weeks now, and it's becoming a firm favourite in my skincare routine. The set includes a cleanser, toner and moisturiser and would be perfect for travel! Full review on it will be up tomorrow. 

Lush Bubblegum Lip Scrub

Love this!  Because my lips get so ridiculously dry, this is perfect for me. It makes lip balm absorb much better after using this, and together they provide the perfect canvas for whatever lip product I decide to use. I think this is the third lip scrub I've gone through in about a year, and I will continue to buy it when I run out, can't live without it now!

Maybelline Baby Lips Color Pink Lolita

I love using this on days that I really can't be bothered wearing much makeup, and in summer I have quite a few of those! In saying that, this actually looks pretty good with a full face of makeup too - so it's a win/win really. It's not the greatest lip balm, but it is pretty moisturising and feels quite nice on, and it's coloured which is awesome! I've just found myself reaching for it time and time again.

YSL Babydoll Mascara

This came in my Lash Stash that I got before Sephora decided to stop international credit cards, grrr. Can you tell that still bothers me? Hahaha.
Anyway this mascara is great, its the first one I've used from the pack and it's really nice. Volumizes and lengthens all while holding a curl. If this is anything to go by, then I'm super excited to try the rest in the pack.

That sums up my favourites for January! 

Thanks for viewing!
oxo

Review: Antipodes Delight Hand & Body Cream

Escape the everyday with this high-performance creamy moisturiser with a sweet fragrance of vintage gardenia that will lift you to holiday dreams and make your spirit sing. Silky macadamia nut oil hydrates and leaves your skin cushiony smooth. Marigold flower oil helps soften the most parched areas, and revolutionary Vinanza Grape will free your skin from dryness. The perfect all-over cream for most skin conditions.

If you remember my review of the Gentle Grace Cream Cleanser, then you'll know that I pretty much fell in love with Antipodes products. They're one of those brands that you just have to like, because their products actually DO what they say they're going to.

Delight Hand & Body Cream came at the perfect time for me. In Summer, I tend to get really dry skin - most likely due to too much sun exposure (oops!) and sure enough, after attending the Kumeu Hot Rod Show my skin was in dire need of some hydration. 

My legs were peeling like crazy after getting sun burnt, and I'm not gonna lie.. it looked pretty bad. Dad even started making jokes about Leprosy. Thanks Dad. 

Nothing seemed to moisturise enough to actually make my legs look normal and smooth, and what did work lasted about an hour or so and then my legs went straight back to being dry, scaly and patchy.
Then I started using this. I'm not saying it worked miracles on my legs, because they are still peeling, but it certainly made a huge difference! My legs actually stayed moisturised almost all day and unlike some creams I've had in the past, this didn't irritate my skin at all.

As well as using it on my legs, I of course used it on my hands too and honestly, it's been one of the best hand creams I've ever used. My hands stay soft and smooth, even after washing them! I really love how quickly it absorbs too, it never leaves a greasy film on the skin. 

Surprisingly enough, even the smell doesn't bother me, and you know how I am with smells. It's a little strong when first applied, but dies down to a much more subtle scent once it settles in. It hasn't given me a headache, so you know that's a good sign!
The packaging is just gorgeous too, as you'd expect from Antipodes. They really know how to make products that look just as luxurious as they feel.

Overall, I really love this and would recommend it to anyone who's after a really good hand cream, that can double as a body cream. You can find it at Health 2000 both in store and online.

Thanks for viewing!
oxo

*pr sample