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Friday 31 October 2014

Australis Mix It Colour Correcting Foundation Review and Demo

Hey guys! I decided to review a gorgous luminizing foundation by Australis. It is a dupe of the Bourjois 123 Perfect Foundation, however instead of a matte finish it has a luminous finish. It also has great coverage! Here is a review of the foundation and a demo! I am in the shade Golden Tan which matches my NC35-40 skin tone perfectly and has just the right amount of yellow pigments. Anyway, hope you enjoy the video!




If you have any other questions about this foundation, don't hesitate to ask in the comments below!

Love,
Nur x

Tuesday 28 October 2014

NYX Cream Blushers Review - Tea Rose and Orange

NYX Cream Blushers Review - Tea Rose and Orange

Hello my loves!

I have always been a fan of cream blushers, especially in the Summer. They're easy to use, last a long time and blend into the skin easily. When I saw these blushers on sale, I knew I had to try them out! Retailing at $11.95 generally, I picked these up for a steal at only $8.36 a pop! Now the big question is, are these worth that amount?

I am pleased to say YES! I was so happy when I used these and they were really pigmented, smooth, blended easily and lasted all day! They gave my cheeks a natural flush and have a healthy satin glow/sheen to them which is so natural and flattering! I am in love with these and have used them everyday since I bought them. I find that despite the formula being silky smooth and the finish being a satin one, it did not fade off my oily skin during the day which is fantastic! They battled the oil and heat, so I know these are blushers I will be reaching for all of Spring and Summer!

NYX Cream Blushers Review - Tea Rose and Orange

NYX Cream Blushers Review - Tea Rose

NYX Cream Blushers Review - Orange

NYX Cream Blushers Review - Tea Rose and Orange Swatch

NYX Cream Blushers Review - Tea Rose and Orange Swatch

I am pleased to report that I have never tried a rubbish cream blusher before YAY! Hopefully I didn't just jinx myself! Have you tried the NYX cream blushers and did you enjoy them as much as I did? More importantly, have you ever tried a cream blusher that was absolutely rubbish before? Let me know in the comments below, I love reading them!

Love,
Nur x

Saturday 25 October 2014

NYX Makeup Haul! + Review of NYX Blotting Powder in the shade Deep

NYX Makeup Haul!

If you follow my blog or YouTube channel regularly, you should know by now how much I absolutely adore the brand! Target was having a 30% off sale on NYX so I HAD to pick up a few items! And by a few, I mean a whole face full of makeup! I'll talk about the items briefly then do a full review on the NYX Blotting Powder. So let's start this post with a lippie and one of my favourites of the brand, and a cult classic, the Soft Matte Lip Creams (which I swatched and reviewed in a video in the link provided). I already have 3 in my collection and decided to add a true nude shade from the collection. Cannes is a new shade released this year which I had been waiting to pick up but hadn't seen it in store yet, but as I saw it online I decided to purchase it right away!

I also bought some face products! I purchased four blushers, two of their infamous powder blushes in shades Mocha and Pinched as well as two gorgeous cream blushers in the shades Tea Rose and Orange. I also bought a matte bronzer in the shade Deep Tan and an illuminator in the shade Narcissistic.

I finally purchased the NYX eyeshadow base in the shade Skin Tone and an eye shadow palette! I chose to buy the Love in Paris Palette in the shade Je Ne Sais Quoi. I absolutely adore the warm gold and brown shades and the beautiful deep berry shade.

I also bought a darker shade of the NYX Above and Beyond Full Coverage Concealer. I already own the shade beige, but that unfortunately is a little light for my skin tone right now, so I purchased the snade Tan. I also decided to pick up the raved about Wonder Pencil in the shade Dark to tight line my waterline and possibly use as a spot concealer too.

I also picked up a back up of my favourite eyebrow pencil in Charcoal and retractable lip liner in the shade Nude Pink. It looks like the perfect nude for any complexion so I had to try it!

Lastly, I purchased the NYX Blotting Powder in the shade Deep. I LOVE THIS! I have only used it for over a day and it's fantastic! I like to blot with blotting paper before applying it. It keeps me matte for hours after applicvation and makes me look matte but not flat. The colour Deep looks much too dark for me in the pan but once applied, it is much sheerer and barely adds any coverage which is definitely what I like about it. I did feel like it gave me a bronzed look after the second application, but it wasn't anything strange, it was actually quite flattering.

The powder itself is also beautiful to apply. It is really smooth and finely milled and easily glides over the skin. Because it is really finely milled it is very soft and crumbles easily so I do suggest being gentle with the powder.

NYX Blotting Powder in the shade Deep

NYX Blotting Powder in the shade Deep

NYX Blotting Powder in the shade Deep - Swatch

Alright guys, that is the end of my first review! I will be following this post with reviews of all the other products over the next couple weeks.

Love,
Nur x

Sunday 19 October 2014

L'Oreal Voluminous Miss Manga Mascara Review!

L'Oreal Voluminous Miss Manga Mascara

Hello loves!

I had heard many beauty bloggers from the UK rave about this mascara and how gorgeous it makes your lashes look, so I had to try it! Being from Australia - where we are behind on every trend whether it be beauty or fashion - it was obviously impossible to get my hands on this! I had to search far and wide and finally took the plunge and purchased it off ebay.

When the package arrived, I was stoked! The packaging of this falls under the bracket of MEGA CUTE! The little pandas put a grin right on my face! However, when I opened the packet, I was a little less impressed. The mascara felt cheap. The packaging looked cute but the hollow, light plastic fell short compared to the cardboard packaging. I know what you're thinking - almost all mascaras are in plastic packaging, what are you going on about Nur? But let me assure you there was just something about this specific plastic they used that just did not feel right. All that aside, at least the mascara had a pretty pink metallic lid and a black tube which looked nice.

L'Oreal Voluminous Miss Manga Mascara

I purchased the waterproof formula, as those are my favorite kind, and I have to say, the formula of this is quite pleasant. I felt it made my lashes look long and full and it didn't clump them up easily which is always a plus. It applied smoothly, stayed on all day and held my curl nicely. I was definitely impressed by it, and as the name claims, it did give off a 'Manga' effect.

My only peeve about the mascara is the brush... I've seen photos of what it is supposed to look like, and mine looks nothing like it. I think I received that one in a thousand brush that came out wrong. Seriously there aren't enough bristles on it, and the front of the brush is barren. I honestly think I would love this mascara more, had I received the proper brush for it, but I didn't.

L'Oreal Voluminous Miss Manga Mascara Brush

Disregarding the crappy brush I received, I would still recommend this mascara based on formula alone. If you want a good lengthening mascara which doesn't add fibres to your lashes - but still makes them look longer and fuller, then this is one for you. I still prefer my Maybelline Volum' Express Falsies Everlasting Mascara as it truly makes my eyes POP, as well as the Maybelline Full 'N Soft for those truly natural thick and long lashes look. That said, I still like this one as it does give that wide doe-eyed look which is cute for those days out with the girls and summer picnics. It is a mascara that is pretty and makes your eyes look great without looking over the top. Have you tried this mascara yet and if you did, was your brush weird like mine?

Love,
Nur x

Tuesday 14 October 2014

Nip + Fab Haul and Mini Review!


Hello my loves!

Nip + Fab are a fabulous brand which create innovative skincare and makeup items. I was casually on ASOS when I saw these babies being sold in packs at a discount price. I immediately wanted to pick some up, specifically from the Glycolic Fix range which I have heard so many great things from!

First up I bought the Nip + Fab ASOS Exclusive Glycolic Fix Trio which retails for $28.85. It features three items from this gorgeous range, the Glycolic Fix Body Cream, Glycolic Fix Cleanser and Glycolic Fix Pads. This range is supposed to reduce pore size, wrinkles and fine lines as well as purify the skins texture! This set contains all the essentials, however feeling this wouldn't be enough I also opted to buy the Nip + Fab Glycolic Fix Serum which retails for $28.85 for 30mls.

I also really wanted to try a cleansing cream. I haven't tried one before so I was intrigued by the
Nip + Fab ASOS Exclusive Deep Cleansing Fix & Frown Fix Set which retails for $19.23. This set contains (as the name suggests) the Deep Cleansing Fix Cream Cleanser and the Frown Fix Serum. I don't really care for the serum but seeing as the cleanser on its own is around the same price, I figured, why not?

Last but not least, I purchased the Nip + Fab CC Eye - Complexion Fix in shade Medium, which retails for $19.23. If there is a product that can be befeficial to my eye area and help conceal my dark circles - I want in. This promises just that so I definitely wanted to try it!

So far, I have tried everything but the Frown Fix and CC Eye Cream. I have to say I am absolutely loving it all, especially the cleansers and glycolic serum! I saw a huge reduction in pore size after the second day of using it and my complexion was much brighter. The body cream also helped lighten my post-sunburn tan which was fantastifc! I'll give you a full detailed review once I have tried it a little longer, but all in all, I am definitely impressed by this range!

If you are looking to try these, I highly recommend them! I also recommend purchasing them off ASOS if you are from Australia. Some of the Nip + Fab products are also stocked at Target but I feel it is much more over priced here so I wouldn't recommend it. Plus if you're a student, you get 10% off at ASOS which is great if you're looking to purchase anything from the range at a more reasonable price.

Love,
Nur x

Tuesday 7 October 2014

First Impressions Review Of The New Models Prefer Limited Edition 'Shadows' Holiday Eyeshadow Palettes 2014 (Party Glam & Day to Night)


Hello everyone! I have finally finished renovating my room so I am back on track with posts from now on! YAY! Anyway, I was on Facebook when I saw a post saying there are new holiday makeup items out at Priceline, and one was a Naked Palette dupe from Models Prefer. So I was at work on Saturday and straight after, I rushed to Priceline to check it out. When I got there, there was a wall FULL of new Models Prefer Holiday items for sale. I navigated straight to the eyeshadows and to my surprise, there were three limited shadow palettes available! Each of these retail for a cheap $10 at Priceline in Australia! Upon choosing what to buy, I actually skipped on the original Naked Palette dupe as the colours looked a little light for my liking. As you can see below, many of those would be too light on my tanned skin so I was not really interested in buying it. It still looks like an absolutely gorgeous palette though!

Models Prefer Limited Edition 'Shadows' Holiday Palettes 2014 - Nude

The palettes I purchased were the Party Glam Palette and Day to Night Palette. These seemed to be the most suitable colours for my skin tone and ones I would actually use. The packaging of the palettes is really nice, an exact dupe of the Urban Decay Naked 2 Palette to be precise - from the aluminum casing, the name detailing, right to the dual ended eyeshadow brush. The casing itself is very sturdy, secure and also looks really nice. There is also a large mirror in it, so I am very pleased! The brush included is also quite good at blending to be honest, which is always a plus, and definitely much more preferred over a sponge applicator. I would say this is a REALLY good palette to own if you are a beginner at eyeshadows and are not sure if you'll like them as the brush will give you a real feel on how to use the eyeshadows and will make it easier to follow tutorials without the need to purchase a set of brushes, and the eyeshadows themselves are also pretty good in quality.

Models Prefer Limited Edition 'Shadows' Holiday Palettes 2014 (Party Glam & Day to Night)





Models Prefer Limited Edition 'Shadows' Holiday Palettes 2014 (Party Glam & Day to Night)


Models Prefer Limited Edition 'Shadows' Holiday Palettes 2014 (Party Glam & Day to Night) Brush


My first impressions of the eyeshadows are that they are quite pigmented, smooth and a few of the shades are buttery whilst some are a little chalky. They are all still comfortable to use and blend easily, which is always a plus! The Day to Night palette has some matte, satin and shimmery shades whereas the Party Glam palette has satin and shimmery shades. I didn't swatch all the colours but I swatched a variety of dark and light shades for you to see. As you can see below, the colours included in the palette are beautiful and nicely pigmented, whether the shades are in the dark or light spectrum.

Models Prefer Limited Edition 'Shadows' Holiday Palettes 2014 (Day to Night)

Models Prefer Limited Edition 'Shadows' Holiday Palettes 2014 (Day to Night)





Models Prefer Limited Edition 'Shadows' Holiday Palettes 2014 (Party Glam)

Models Prefer Limited Edition 'Shadows' Holiday Palettes 2014 (Party Glam)




Models Prefer Limited Edition 'Shadows' Holiday Palettes 2014 (Party Glam & Day to Night) Swatches

Models Prefer Limited Edition 'Shadows' Holiday Palettes 2014 (Party Glam & Day to Night) Swatches

Alright so that is my first impressions of these palettes! I will do a full review of each individual palette once I have had more time to play with them. I just wanted to give you a quick first impressions review of them so you can have a feel for what they're like and whether they are worth the pretty penny or not. I certainly feel they are, especially for eyeshadow beginners as I mentioned above. If you are interested, get them at Priceline before they run out as I do believe they are limited edition and only cost $10!

Anyway that's all for today. Have a great week guys!

Love,
Nur x

Friday 3 October 2014

Urban Decay Afterglow Glide On Cheek Tint in Bang and Crush

Urban Decay Afterglow Glide On Cheek Tint in Bang and Crush

Hey guys!

Today we're talking Urban Decay. Totally awesome brand with totally awesome products! The Urban Decay Afterglow Glide On Cheek Tint is one that is an absolute hint! It is a silky soft cream blusher that spreads on so smoothly and evenly and is pretty much impossible to mess up! It is so smooth and sheer that you really cant go wrong. So for blush noobs or people new to cream blusher, this is one that you should definitely check out!

I purchased two shades awhile ago, 'Bang' and 'Crush'. 'Bang' is a stunning corally/orange shade and 'Crush' is the most gorgeous rosy pink. In the pan 'Bang' appears to be a really bright deep orange that pulls slightly red whilst 'Crush' appears to be a bright deep hot pink shade. But as they say, don't be fooled by whats in the pan! They do appear way too crazy to put on the face, but trust me, these come off to be totally different and wearable shades that anyone can pull off really. I chose them as I feel they look stunning on tanned skin.

The packaging of the blushers is also lovely. The signature Urban Decay purple covers the sturdy plastic packaging. The cover also has a snap closure and a small mirror inside which makes it travel friendly and super easy to carry around as it is lightweight! Alright with that said here's the products and their swatches!

Urban Decay Afterglow Glide On Cheek Tint in Bang and Crush

Urban Decay Afterglow Glide On Cheek Tint in Bang and Crush
 
Urban Decay Afterglow Glide On Cheek Tint in Crush

Urban Decay Afterglow Glide On Cheek Tint in Bang

Urban Decay Afterglow Glide On Cheek Tint in Bang and Crush Swatches

Urban Decay Afterglow Glide On Cheek Tint in Bang and Crush Swatches

These truly are absolutely gorgeous blushers that truly give you that healthy lit from within glow. They can be sheered out and blended even more than the picture above if you're after a more subtle look! If you're looking for a simple to use cream blusher I definitely recommend you give these a try!

Love,
Nur x

Wednesday 1 October 2014

Michael Todd Chronicles: Week 10 - Final Thoughts and Product Reviews

Michael Todd Skincare Regimen - Oily/Combination Troubled Skin

Hello lovelies! My apologies for the lateness on this post. I have had a very long and frantic week and couldn't get around to writing up this post until now.

As you all know, I had adopted a skincare regimen by Michael Todd in the hopes the organic and very expensive skin care brand would improve my skin texture, reduce the oiliness of my skin and reduce the severity of my breakouts. At the end of this post you will see a before and after shot of my skin, and you can be the judge, has my skin seen a drastic improvement through using Michael Todd products? Before we get to that, I will do a review on each product and tell you which ones I recommend, and which ones I don't.

Michael Todd Charcoal Detox Deep Pore Gel Cleanser, Jojoba Charcoal Facial Scrub and Organic Lemon AHA + DMAE Toner

Let's start with the cleansers and toner I used in the range. The Charcoal Detox Deep Pore Gel Cleanser does the job. It cleanses, but that is pretty much all it did, there was nothing special about it. It cleansed, removed makeup ok, didn't tighten the skin too much and wasn't irritating to my sensitive skin. As for oil control and reducing breakouts, I would say that I believe it contributed to reducing them, but not to an extent where I would turn to it to control those problems. It is a very basic cleanser, one that is similar to many of the drug store cleansers I have tried. Although this has charcoal and those didn't, I feel they did the same things for my skin, and the charcoal did not make a difference. So yes, I would recommend this product and would repurchase it, but really what is the point when there are drugstore cleansers that can do the same thing for half the price?

The Jajoba Charcoal Facial Scrub was by far the most disappointing product I tried from the range. I feel like it didn't improve my skin at all. It did nothing for oil control or reducing breakouts. It was just a grainy exfoliant. I prefer having very small, fine exfoliating beads in my scrubs. The beads in this were big and rough and not a pleasure to use. I really tried to love this product but I just couldn't. This is why I do not recommend it and will not repurchase it, unless of course Michael Todd improve the formula.

As for the Organic Lemon AHA + DMAE Toner, I LOVED the smell of this! It refreshed me every morning and did not tighten the skin too much. It was basically a very refreshing and soothing toner. It didn't feel like it contributed much to reduce the oil in my skin, but it did feel nice to apply when my skin was particularly troubled. A big plus about this toner is that it really brightened up my skin and helped reduce the darkness of my scars faster. Overall I recommend this product and would repurchase it.
Michael Todd Kaolin Clay Detoxifying Facial Mask and Avocado and Mango Hydrating Facial Mask

Onto the masks. I overall liked both the masks. The Kaolin Clay Detoxifying Facial Mask was nice to apply and made my skin feel smooth and my pores look smaller. I felt it did help reduce the amount of oil in my skin, and although the effect didn't last long, it was still nice to have.  The Avocado and Mango Hydrating Facial Mask smelt AMAZING and did help hydrate the drier areas of my skin. Both masks did as they claimed and had a nice texture which was creamy and easy to spread. I definitely recommend both masks and would repurchase them both.

Michael Todd Moisture Lite Non-Oily Hydrating Lotion and Hyaluronic Acid + C Antioxidant Moisturising Serum

Last but not least, lets talk moisturisers! I'll start with the bad of the two, the Moisture Lite Non-Oily Hydrating Lotion. This moisturiser was neither hydrating or oil controlling. Other than the slightly pleasant lemon aroma, this moisturiser was just boring and didn't do anything for me. It was the other GIANT let down of the lot. I was really hoping it would control my oily skin, but it didn't. It also did not mask my dry patches under my makeup. I pretty much used it for a few weeks and just left it out completely. I feel like I wasted my money on this, so I will not be recommending it or repurchasing it, unless of course the formula is completely changed.

The Hyaluronic Acid + C Antioxidant Moisturising Serum was a nice step in my night time routine. It was light, non-greasy, moisturising and I believe that it helped my scars lighten faster. It also had a herbal scent which bothered me at first, but after a couple of uses, I actually became fond of the scent and found it soothing. I definitely recommend this and would re-purchase it. I do wish there were a few more benefits to it and it was a little more hydrating.

Alright guys so there is my final thoughts on the products. The packaging of all the products is lovely, as expected with all high-end brands. I do think Michael Todd has a few clear winners in his range but there are also a few duds. As to whether I would repurchase the winners on a regular basis, probably not, they are too expensive for my current budget. Maybe I will when I have a little more money to spend! Besides, my skin got used to the products relatively quick, so much so they weren't benefiting me anymore. I would probably buy a couple of the stand out items and mix and match them with some cheaper alternatives to ensure my skin does not stop seeing their benefits. Now lets see the final before and after shots! What do you think? Is there an improvement in my skin?

Michael Todd Skin Care Regimen Before and After

I feel as though my skin has improved in texture, my skin is brighter, my scars are lighter and heal faster and my breakouts are less frequent since Michael Todd. Despite my final picture where you can see a few little scars on my forehead which are from my skin freakout a week or so ago - those actually healed quite quickly for me - you can still see the improvement. If you compare my skin from week 3 and 4 on the regimen, my skin is far better then, than what it is right now. Clearly, once I mix and match the products, my skin will not get too accustomed to them so the effects will remain evident. I actually have a lot of the Michael Todd products left, so I will be getting right on that! I loved how my skin looked during those weeks and I am sure I can get that back soon.

Anyway, that is all my thoughts on the Michael Todd skincare regimen. To those of you who followed the Michael Todd Chronicles from week 1, I hope you found my experience helpful and my reviews helped you decide on whether you want to invest in Michael Todd products.

Until my next post!

Love,
Nur x