Tuesday, July 2, 2013

June Favourites

June was a month of indulgent spending and not one I care to repeat any time soon. I basically lost my mind trying to acquire one particular item of intense lust, bought an expensive lip balm for no reason (despite an acute awareness of the ridiculous number of lipsticks I own) and decided that I was now interested in skin care. It wasn't all about new acquisitions though — I did fall back in love with a phenomenally good brush and reverted to an old favourite after coming into possession of a backup thanks to a fellow blogger's generosity.





NARS And God Created the Woman Eye Palette
Let's begin with the most exciting favourite of June. The limited edition NARS And God Created the Woman Eye Kit (which includes a mini primer and #3 brush) first made an appearance on the Mecca Maxima Facebook for a mere $95 back in March. Even at that laughable price, it was sold out on their website. I thought I might be able to inspect it in person at Mecca Cosmetica, but one the assistants there swiftly put an end to that hope. After many nights spent trawling through blog/YouTube reviews and searching for places I could buy it online, I finally caved one night and ordered it from Sephora (where it retails for US$59) and had it shipped to me via Price USA. Incredibly, while waiting for my package to be delivered, I spotted just the palette on a local blog sale. A second palette for hoarding/potential gifting/insurance purposes wouldn't go astray...

Putting aside my mortification at how much I'd spent on it, this palette is everything I hoped it would be. Everything about its compact size, portability, shade selection and the quality of the eyeshadows delights me. While all the shades are delicious, I'm especially smitten with Kalahari. It's easily become one of my favourite eyeshadows ever, to the extent that I'm contemplating buying the original duo. I just needed to find the right brush to apply it as it can be a bit sheer and chunky. I'm using the Ecotools Petite Eye Shading Brush from the Bamboo 6 Piece Eye Brush Set to gently pat the colour on my lid. I've previously derided this brush for being too small to be useful, but it's come in handy recently so I take it all back.



Lancôme Baume in Love À La Folie, Cherry (130)
I confess I bought this for two reasons: a) the packaging b) it was on sale. I'd always wanted one of the Rouge in Love lipsticks but they were a little out of my price range. The Baume in Love comes in identical packaging but instead of a lipstick inside, it's a tinted lip balm. The colour that I bought (known as Midnight Rose in the US) seems to be the darkest of the four shades available. I thought the plummy, rosy pink might be similar to a very sheer MAC Plumful. It has a relatively thin texture and feels more like an balmy barrier on the lips than anything super hydrating, but it's comfortable enough, smells faintly of caramel, provides a subtle, flattering wash of colour to the lips, and did I mention it looks good in my purse?



Sukin Certified Organic Rose Hip Oil
One day, I was struck by an overwhelming need to buy a rose hip oil. I was originally going to get the Trilogy one, but I saw that Chemist Warehouse was having 30% off all Sukin products. I figured how different could the two possibly be? I ended up bringing the Sukin home and I've been really pleased with it. Next to Josie Maran Argan Oil (which I've almost run out of ... sob), I think this rose hip is my favourite face oil. I usually mix 2-3 drops in with my regular moisturiser, morning and/or night, and smooth it all over my face. In the mornings, it injects a subtle glow to my complexion and provides instant, soothing hydration. In the evenings before bed, this is a simple but effective serum/treatment to help improve the condition of my skin and leave it looking plumper, smoother and clearer in the morning.


Ecotools by Alicia Silverstone Finishing Brush
This gem came in a brush set that I purchased ages ago when I was first getting into makeup. It's a duofibre/stippling brush that is perfect for mineral powders or anything where you need to evenly buff powder all over your face. I use it to apply my Laura Mercier Mineral Powder — I think it works better than the Real Techniques Buffing Brush which is too dense and more suited to liquid foundation. It's also the only brush I have that can apply bronzer all over my face to darken my skin tone if the foundation I've put on is too light. It works amazingly well for a more soft, seamlessly blended contour along the cheekbones and sides of the face. It's also great for powdering in general, either to mattify the skin or to set your makeup with an illuminating finishing powder. It's one of the softest, if not the softest brush I own. I wish this brush was sold individually, but it came from a limited edition set so it's definitely one to treasure.


Savvy by DB Luxury Liner in Brilliant Bronze
When the very sweet Tram thoughtfully sent me a brand spankin' new one of these discontinued pencils (along with a Revlon ColorBurst Lip Butter in Creamsicle and an adorable hand-written card!), I finally felt I could go back to using my existing one which I'd been saving and rationing so I wouldn't finish it up too quickly. I find it warmer and richer in colour than the Australis 10 Hour Waterproof Eye Pencil in Bombastic Bronze that was my previous go-to, and it just edges out the Australis in staying power as well.




Antipodes Reincarnation Pure Facial Exfoliator
I didn't touch this exfoliator for a long period of time after I initially bought it, but this month I made a concerted effort to pop this in my shower caddy and use it regularly. It's a truly gorgeous product. Since I always use this in the shower, it can lose its creaminess and get a bit watery if diluted, but it feels soothing, calming and nourishing, and leaves the skin cleaner and never tight or dry. Exfoliation is essential to any skin care routine, and without any chemical exfoliant to play around with at the moment, this Antipodes is serving me well. It's extremely gentle (you can barely feel the jojoba beads on your skin) so it can be used daily, though I prefer to use it every second day. The mild sweet orange scent is super nice and I love the fancy toothpaste packaging as well. Every time I use this, I think to myself ... would I pay $42 for this? I scored this as a gift with purchase for spending $39 or more on an Antipodes skin care set at David Jones late last year. It would've been absolutely crazy to me to spend that much on an exfoliator, but the more I use this, the more I entertain the prospect of repurchasing.

l-r: Lancôme Baume in Love in 130, Savvy by DB Brilliant Bronze, NARS Kalahari

55 comments:

  1. Really nice favourites :) I love the look of the NARS palette - it is beautiful! Sush a shame it is limited edition xx
    http://xtouchofbeautyx.blogspot.co.uk/

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  2. Your favourites are amanzing!
    I've been really curious about NARS products, even more after getting two amazing blushes from them. I'm really working on getting more products from this brand.
    EccoTools brushes are also a brand that I wanted to try. I have a special love for synthetic brushes <3

    Please Take Care, Kissu*

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  3. That nars palette is beautiful! It's great that you were able to find a better price because $95 seems pretty crazy!

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  4. always enjoy your favorite posts!! the lancome lipstick looks surprisingly sheer! it looks like something I'd wear on daily basis. :D
    I had my eyes on the NARS eye shadow palette since its launching day but since I can only get NARS online, I didn't want to spend so much money on something I can't see live before. Now it is sold out everywhere and I regret that I didn't give it a go T.T

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  5. I've been wanting to try rosehip oil for a while. I'll definitely check out this one!

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  6. That NARS palette looks very pretty! Can you do a Real Techinques review? I have their Expert Face and Blush Brush, but I would like to expand and buy more, however I would like to see which are actually worth purchasing. I hate how most of them come in sets, and you can't buy them separately. :(

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    1. Which brushes do you have your eye on? I've done a few Real Techniques posts, not sure if you've seen them before or might find them useful:

      http://sleepandwater.blogspot.com.au/2012/05/new-real-techniques-brushes.html

      http://sleepandwater.blogspot.com.au/2012/04/thats-enough-brushes-for-now.html

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  7. OMG this post will help me alot :)

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  8. I'm in love with Kalahari, too! Such a gooorgeous shade!

    xo runbarbierun.com

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  9. that NARS palette looks amazing!! I want it so bad lol

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  10. Nars Kalahari is beautiful, oh how I wish I had that palette, I wonder if that single eye-shadow can be purchased separately.

    So incredibly keen to try Antipodes here :)

    Amy xx
    A Little Boat Sailing

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  11. Oooooh, so many goodies. You're really tempting me with that NARS palette. It's pretty much sold out at the Sephoras here but I still see a few tottering around here and there. I'm not the biggest fan of NARS shadows and hardly need another neutral palette, but there's something about it...

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  12. I want the NARS palette so badly but I would not be able to justify the purchase at this time because I have too many eyeshadows already for someone who doesn't wear eyeshadow on a daily basis.
    xx

    Celina | The Celution

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  13. I've been eyeing that palette!

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  14. At least you got the Nars paltte a lot cheaper :) I must say though, despite the original price it is a gorgeous palette with such great, wearable shades! I've never tried anything from ecotools before but it sounds like a fab brush, might just have to add that to the July wishlist ;)

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  15. The Lancome lip balm and the Nars pallette look gorgeous! I will be hunting ebay for a similar lip balm now ^_^

    Jodie x
    www.retrococktail.co.uk

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  16. Nice picks! I've been anxiously awaiting for some rosehip oil I ordered online to arrive and I also just picked up Kiehl's Midnight Recovery Oil.

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  17. A gorgeous set of favorites as always!! SO jealous of your And God Created The Woman palette (though not so jealous of your experience haha I can't believe that tweet you linked); I never treated myself to it and probably never will ;__;

    ♥Cassie
    thriftthick.blogspot.com

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  18. I have that Ecotools Alicia Silverstone brush too, and use it everyday for powder blushes - it picks up just the right amount of color and blends like a dream!

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    1. I've never tried it for blush - gotta do that soon! :)

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  19. That oil looks interesting! I've been looking for a face oil because my coconut oil is not keeping my skin hydrated enough!

    -Lisa
    The Lovely Memoir

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  20. I NEED THAT PALETTE SO MUCH D; I NEED IT!

    Sarah
    morethanadored.blogspot.com

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  21. I have Corail in Love and it is one of my favourite lipsticks EVER. I too love Lancome's Rouge in Love range. x

    Shang J.| The Feminine Crusade

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  22. I love this favourites post of yours! Couldn't agree more on the NARS palette and I'm really intrigued by the Antipodes offering! :)

    http://jemaroons.blogspot.com

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  23. Fab set of favourites. The Nars And God Created the Woman Palette is such a beaut. I really wanted to pick it up for myself but since I already own both the Naked palettes, I really didn't another neutral palette. If only I was a rich girl eh? ;)

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  24. I think everyone who has that NARS palette has given it a lot of love. I can't possibly justify spending money on e/s since I own an extortionate amount already. Antipodes looks so fun. I really want to try out their skincare bits. Glad to see you are enjoying skincare!

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  25. Great favourites! I'm very envious of that NARS palette. I'm hoping (fingers crossed) I can manage to find one when I am in Hawaii next week.

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  26. I had quite the exorbitant month too - far too much spending on beauty and skincare! I love these picks of yours. I'll have to whittle down some favourites for a post as well :)

    life-etcblog.blogspot.com.au

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  27. I've wanted to try that Sukin oil for so long, but I have oily skin and I'm too freaked out to! I know it doesn't add to the oiliness, but the whole idea just freaks me out! Haha!

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  28. Love the Lancome lip balm! The color from the tube looked intimidating at first, but the swatch is absolutely beautiful <3

    xoxo
    Jenny @ Geeky Posh

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  29. The NARS palette looks beautiful! Even for its ridonkulous price, I guess it was worth it, huh? I'd wanted one of those Rouge in Love lipsticks too...but yup, the price is hard to swallow. The balm you got looks great though! Love sheer lipsticks like those. And I'm sure it looks good in your purse hahaha.

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  30. The Lancome Lip balm is such a gorgeous colour!
    Loving the Sukin rose hip oil!
    Great post!

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  31. I LOVE the colour of that Lancome lip balm, and the Nars palette looks incredible. Nice favourites! xx Meagan
    http://withasideofbeauty.blogspot.com.au/

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  32. Omg, that eyeliner is amazing! I really need a shade exactly like that in my life! That as well as more eco tools and real technique brushes! Thanks for sharing!

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  33. I'm smitten with the NARS God Woman palette too. It was not a LE fad, I still use it as much as when I first bought it which is why I think it's such a great palette x

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  34. Super jealous that you have a Lancome balm! It looks so great - the sheer color is perfect for everyday wear! Nars Kalahari though, looks so beautiful! x

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  35. I'll give the Sukin Rosehip oil a second chance- I must be doing something wrong with these facial oils! The NARS palette is gorgeous! Which blog sale did you see it on? (Though undoubtedly it would have been sold by now. How sad.) How much did PriceUSA charge you? I was thinking of doing a parcel forwarding thing- how did they handle your purchase?

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    1. This one! https://sites.google.com/site/muablogsalebroken/

      They charged me like under $20? It really wasn't cheap but I guess they need to make a profit with their business model so it really is all in the shipping charges (they also multiply the price of the product at a lower exchange rate so it's more expensive). You fill out the form on their website and they email you a quote about how much it'll be. You then decide to accept the quote or not - if you don't by silence/no reply, they'll email you again in a couple of days with an updated quote and ask you to provide feedback about why you didn't accept the first time (I feel this is probably what hooks most people who are still on the fence about buying - it certainly did for me). You start off paying a deposit which for me was $50ish. Then they have the stuff shipped to their "USA partner"'s address and once it arrives, they bill you the rest ($30ish here). Then you just wait for it to arrive. I HATED how mine was packaged - it was stuck to some flimsy cardboard and I had to rip the box out. The sticky tape ruined the outside packaging of my palette. The box also had some liquid leak on it which made the contents stink of rotten fruit or something. I was so not impressed, but at that stage I was really just grateful for it to have arrived so whatever :p

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  36. The NARS palette is perfection! The Lancome tinted lip balm has such a luxe packaging design. It looks like such a great shade for winter. Good choice! :)

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  37. Gah, that palette, so pretty!!!
    I love that I'm not the only one who rations products you can no longer get, or are ridiculously expensive!

    xoxo

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  38. The palette is really beautiful, I can see myself using all the colours ^^ I'm slowly getting into oils for my face. I've been using very esporadically the Nuxe one but haven't yet commited to it full time. Great favourites Lena <3 xx

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  39. Why is it that everytime I hop onto your blog I add more and more items onto my wishlist?!?! Ahhhhh. Great favourites, the NARS Palette has definitely caught my eye, such a shame it is limited edition though!

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  40. No way! The NARS palette is $95?! =O Lucky you like the colours!

    I'm thinking of buying a face oil too. I've always heard good things about rose hip oil but am a bit scared that it'll be too intense for my face and clog pores? Which is a ridiculous fear considering how dry my skin is! That's it, I'm going out to get me a bottle tomorrow!

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  41. The Nars palette looks so beautiful, if I wore eyeshadow more I would totally get it right now! <3

    Jennie xo | sailorjennie.com

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  42. I am SO regretting not picking up that NARS palette when I had the chance, always the way isn't it?! I also had a crazy desire this month to purchase a rosehip oil and went for the A'Kin one, so far, so good :) x

    Evelyn @ We Were Raised By Wolves

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    1. Terrible feeling, that! I know it all too well (why oh why didn't I buy Dior Amber Diamond when it was $44 on StrawberryNet?)...

      Oooh, which A'Kin one did you get? Is that the rose hip oil with a bit of rosemary or something or other in it as well?

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  43. I loved the look of the NARS palette but I have way to many eye shadows as it is and I've been wearing such neutrals lately that all my other ones are getting overlooked, I can't blame you for getting it though, it's so gorgeous. I'm dying to try some Antipodes products, I've heard nothing but great things!

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  44. I really love the look of that Nars palette, I wish I had've seen it on the blog sale >< I seem to have misplaced my Lancôme Rouge in Love lipstick and I am very frustrated as I have been wanting to wear it. That Antipodes exfoliator is such a lovely GWP, great value!

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  45. I have the original nars kalahari duo and I love it!

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  46. Nice favs. I have to try Sukin's rose hip oil now since I'm also a huge fan of the josie maran argan oil. I can't live without my sukin's purifying facial masque, it is the BEST, you have to try it if you havent already.

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