Shop My Stash #3

Whenever I reach a point of makeup saturation, I'm always encouraged to have a good rummage through my storage in an attempt to bring back to my attention products I've neglected or have long forgotten about. There's nothing quite like methodically working your way through the contents of each drawer (yes, including those decade-old eyeshadows, barely used palettes and that random blush from ALDI) to confront the reality of one's addiction and excesses. At the same time, I often rediscover items that deserve either a second chance, or the opportunity to shine and be loved once more. Here, I've pulled out seven things I hope to reignite my enthusiasm about and use more frequently in the coming weeks.

Benefit Ultra Plush Lip Gloss in Dallas
Out of the whole High Flyin' Glosses set, I remember Dallas surprised me the most. Named after the plummy-leaning blush, I didn't think the colour in the tube was anything inspiring. On the lips however, it's a different story. Firstly, there's no sparkle or shimmer, so it's more a tinted lip cream with a thin, glide-on consistency. The shade is a medium rosy nude with just the right mix of red and brown to remain flattering and sophisticated, rather than dated and mature-looking. The sheerness and the soft sheen that it leaves also make it super easy to throw on casually and reapply.

NYX Eye/Eyebrow Pencil in Dark Brown (903)
I originally bought this thinking it would be an excellent eyebrow pencil. And it very well could be, except I rarely ever fill in my brows. Hence this pencil is almost in a brand new condition despite purchasing it probably a couple of years ago. It seems like such a waste of a perfectly good product, so I've decided to give its other function a whirl and use it to define my lower lash line. It's a bit warmer than my usual brown/taupe picks and slightly red-toned on me, but it'll do the job just fine.

Bourjois Blush in Rose Coup de Foudre (16)
In retrospect, I probably could have stopped at 2-3 of these round pot blushes from Bourjois when I saw them on sale at Target, rather than madly grabbing 5. I find some of them to be virtually indistinguishable from each other when blended onto the cheek. Having said that, I remember getting home after hauling them, trying on each of the shades and feeling Rose Coup de Foudre was the definite standout. I loved the glow that it gave me and how I suddenly looked fresher, healthier, more radiant. Annoyingly, these blushes do seal and I have to comb the surface with a toothpick to release any pigment. I've effectively scratched off the top layer in anticipation of some proper wear very soon.

Embryolisse Lait-Crème Concentré
This French moisturiser has such a cult reputation that I was compelled to fork out $28 for a 75ml tube from Scotty's Makeup at the Spa & Beauty Expo. I found myself preferring to use it as a primer rather than moisturiser, or layering it over other moisturisers in winter, but I ended up abandoning it after a while mostly due to concerns about its mineral oil content. After experimenting with more "natural" products and not being entirely convinced about their superiority, I'm now a lot less bothered by mineral oil in my skin care. I want to give this moisturiser another go, if only to finish the tube since it's fairly old. Plus, the allure of a product purportedly used by models, makeup artists and celebrities can't be denied.

Laura Mercier Mineral Powder SPF 15 in Real Sand
My sole glaring issue with this mineral powder is the shade. Too light for me. Which might not even be that big of an issue for a liquid foundation, but a powder one? That's tricky. I'm determined to make this work though, because it's too good of a product to rarely ever use. Perhaps a light dusting of this all over using a soft stippling brush (Ecotools by Alicia Silverstone Finishing Brush comes to mind) as a final perfecting powder.

Rimmel Match Perfection Cream Gel Foundation in Soft Beige (200)
I know this is a favourite of Emma's and I can see why. If your skin is cooperating, this provides good coverage, blends easily, feels lightweight and cooling on the skin, sets quickly and dries to an almost matte finish. My main problems with it are the colour match (Soft Beige is a touch too dark for me), the fiddly jar it's contained in (I have to scoop out the product each time with fingers which seems unsanitary, even if they've been freshly washed) and the mostly matte, drier finish which at times looks quite flat on the skin. I also had a particularly bad skin reaction after using this foundation not long after I first bought it which put me off using it again. I did recently give it another go and felt it was a solid performing base. It does have better coverage than most of my other everyday foundations which are sheerer, dewier and more liquid in consistency, so I might also try spot concealing with it using a small brush like the Real Techniques Accent Brush.

Benefit Creaseless Cream Shadow in Birthday Suit
Ahhh, Birthday Suit. I wanted to love you bad. But it just didn't work out the way I hoped. I'm not ready to give up entirely though. Maybe I can find a way to accept you for who you are and work with it. In a nutshell, Birthday Suit is a light chrome base with gold shimmer. Honestly, not the best on sallow, yellow-toned complexions, especially those with an olive tinge. While it might not be my dream eyeshadow, I think it works well for quick, casual and fuss-free makeup, like on weekend coffee dates with friends. Something similar in function to my beloved Essence Eye Soufflé in Pas des Copper, which I rarely wear on weekdays while I'm at the office, but I frequently reach for at all other times (weekends, days off, holidays) for the speediest one-wash look that adds sparkle and definition without ever going overboard.

Taking a Shine to China Glaze

Following on from my Essie nail polish collection, I thought I'd dedicate a post to my smallish stash of China Glaze polishes. To the best of my knowledge, I don't even think China Glaze is stocked in any major Australian stores or chemists. I personally have only purchased my polishes online (Luxe and Lush, IV, It's a Trap-eze!), from Paddy's Markets (Stellar, Snow Globe, Techno), or random discounted pro nail stores (Swing Baby, For Audrey). If they weren't so hard to find and buy, no doubt I'd have a lot more.

l-r: Techno, For Audrey, Luxe and Lush, Swing Baby

Techno
This was one of the first crazy glitter polishes I bought, so back then when the concept was still fairly novel, it was absolutely irresistible to me. Techno glimmers and dazzles like a billion-faceted disco ball in the bottle. On the nail however, it's a bit less exciting. Pedestrian, even. It's basically small holographic, hexagonal glitter, with holographic normal glitter in a clear base. I've previously paired it with Revlon Blue Lagoon, and while the density of the glitter grabs your attention, it's all a bit too much. With Techno, I think less is more. I'd be more inclined now to paint just one coat over a creme base for added festivity.

For Audrey
Probably among the best known China Glaze shades (if not the best known), and a polish on my wishlist for a considerable length of time before I managed to get my hands on it. I already have an entire post on For Audrey here, and my thoughts haven't changed much since. If you like the idea of wearing the iconic Tiffany & Co. blue on your nails, this is the polish for you.

Luxe and Lush
When swatches of the The Hunger Games Capitol Colors Collection started popping up, the only must-have for me was Luxe and Lush. At the time, the idea of a shredded flakie was completely new to me, so it opened my eyes up to a whole new world of layering possibilities. I tried it with a black base but the shards of glitter appeared predominately yellow, green and orange, which I didn't particularly like. I much prefer glitter/flakies that flash more pink, purple and opalescent, or at least a mix of everything. I think I might try it over a light blue base like Sinful Colors Cinderella next, as demonstrated by Jen. I find the glitter in Luxe and Lush to be very dense, almost to its detriment as it can get slightly lumpy and chunky, especially with its thicker formula.

Swing Baby
Back when I was obsessing (literally, not figuratively) over Orly Rage, I looked up reviews online and read that Swing Baby was similar. Naturally, if I frustratingly couldn't source Rage anywhere, I needed the next closest thing (because, you know, Revlon Crème Brûlée, Chi Chi Go Go Girl and Ulta3 Envy didn't cut it). Now that I have both Rage and Swing Baby, I can say that Swing Baby isn't even that close. Rage is lighter, more of a warm gold, with rose gold tones. Swing Baby is darker, more taupe and pewter, with a distinct greenish tinge to my eyes. It's not really the kind of colour I normally go for, so it now just sits in the nail polish category "Failed Polishes I Bought to Fill the Orly Rage Void".

l-r: Snow Globe, Stellar, IV, It's a Trap-eze!

Snow Globe
One of the most delicate and whimsical glitter concoctions I've encountered and very aptly named. Undoubtedly one of my favourite nail polishes ever. Snow Globe can simply be described as beautiful, though I summed up the colours I see in it before: "turquoise, peridot, amber, peach, cornflower blue, lavender". The base isn't completely clear, it's more slightly milky and white, which makes it even more reminiscent of an actual snow globe.

Stellar
I picked this up on a whim almost two years ago along with Techno and Snow Globe, and to be honest, I think I've only worn it once since. This is a nude/beige shimmer with a silver fairy dust overlay. It's not super reflective though, the overall effect is more subdued despite the metallic sparkle. I like how it looks next to IV, so I think I might incorporate the two polishes next time, perhaps in an attempt to replicate this gorgeous manicure by Ashley.

IV
I saw this on a colleague's nails one day, asked her what polish she was wearing, and pretty much ordered it off BeautyBay right after. IV is a soft pinky coral that I find really complements my skin tone. It's described as a carnation pink creme, but it leans quite peachy on my nails. According to Reika, it's very close to Chanel Morning Rose (IV is just missing the gold shimmer). A shade that I genuinely look forward to wearing and one that I'm happy found its way into my collection.

It's a Trap-eze!
Featured recently in my March Favourites and with a whole post dedicated to it here, there's not much further I have to say except that there's been no dip in enthusiasm. I'm lamenting I didn't receive this as a full bottle, because the prospect of running out is already giving me anxiety. A unique, playful and incredibly well-executed glitter that I never want to be without.

Lipstick Limit, Part 3

My Revlon lip crayon collection is getting out of control. Totally makes sense then to purchase not zero, but four of the new ColorBurst Matte Balms during my latest trip to Priceline (someone please, impose a life ban on me from entering that store). Four seems to be the magical number of lipsticks that I tend to haul whenever lipstick fever overcomes me, after which I'm left feeling uncomfortably aware of my problem. At the very least, these were purchased for half the retail price of $17.95 each, as Priceline are currently having a buy one, get one free promotion on the newly launched (in Australia, at least) Matte and Lacquer balms.

l-r (top row, then bottom row): Complex, Elusive, Showy, Unapologetic

l-r: Complex, Elusive, Showy, Unapologetic

While both the Matte and Lacquer balms were on offer, I tried on a few of the Lacquer shades that caught my eye, but they all shared the same glaring problem: extreme glitter. The kind that still sticks to your lips in a shimmery mess when you try to take off the product. That was a huge no-no, so I promptly moved on and set my sights firmly on the Matte Balms only.

Predictably, I settled on two "daytime"/"wearable" colours, and two brights. The only colour I was certain I needed was Unapologetic (Cassie, Coco and Alix convinced me), though I was increasingly warming to Showy (mainly thanks to Emma, who likened it to Revlon Matte Lipstick in Stormy Pink, a shade I've been close to purchasing a few times, but doubts about the drying, patchy formula stopped me). Complex seemed promising, with quite a bit of coverage from ViviannaDoesMakeup and Amelia Liana, and Elusive looked so perfect on Christine of Temptalia that it was worth closely investigating. The best, most comprehensive overview I've found of each of the Matte Balms is from Emma of milkteef, whose face pictures of all the shades were super helpful. The bright coral Audacious was definitely in the running, but in the end it was too similar to Unapologetic to justify buying both (notwithstanding the multiple similar colours I have at home).

Complex is a light-to-medium nude, quite brown but with a peachy/orange tone. Elusive is a medium, warm, rosy pink with a touch of brightness. Showy is a bright, strongly blue-based pink. Unapologetic is an incredibly vivid, almost neon coral red with a watermelon pink tinge. This was the only shade that I found slightly staining, the rest of them could be removed almost completely with a tissue.

The formula of these were surprisingly good, though not completely uniform. Complex was clearly the most drying and patchy, with Unapologetic being the most creamy, smooth and pigmented. In general, these feel more hydrating than most matte lipsticks I've encountered, with a creamy but still lightweight texture that applies effortlessly onto the lips with no tugging or resistance. The colour payoff is impressive and on par with the NARS Satin Lip Pencils.

Overall, I'm pleased with the four shades I selected and I'd struggle to find anything negative to say about these lip crayons. They do have a faint peppermint smell and sensation when applied that might bother some, but I don't find it very noticeable and I personally enjoy anything minty/menthol in my lip products. If you have an extensive lipstick collection, then you probably already own very similar colours and could pass on these. If I had to recommend just one, I'd probably say Elusive. I find warm, everyday, medium pinks hard to come by, and there's a slightly dusty, retro vibe that makes it that extra bit girly and complexion-brightening.

March Favourites

March was barely distinguishable from February, with the only difference being I officially turned a year older. There was no shortage of cheesecake this month, partially sabotaging my attempt at a "lifestyle change" by eating more cleanly and trying to get in some exercise (and by exercise, I mean run on the treadmill 1-2 times a week while feeling close to puking, and random made up floor exercises in the comfort of my own room). In terms of beauty products, there was a bit of a mixed bag this month, but more items than usual. I had not one, but two favourites for foundation, nail polish and moisturiser.

Rimmel Scandaleyes Waterproof Kohl Kajal in Taupe (004)
I dismissed Taupe the first time I picked up one of these eyeliners (in Bronze) because it seemed so similar to Maybelline Color Tattoo in Tough as Taupe, which I never use. But with Priceline's most recent 40% off cosmetics sale, I was suddenly inspired to give Taupe a go. I've been reaching for it almost exclusively this past month to define my lower lash line instead of my usual bronze eyeliners. What I like most about it is that it's quite hazy and soft when it's applied, and it wears in much the same way. The lasting power is impressive, but even when it's faded by the end of the day, it doesn't look patchy like some metallic eyeliners can. The overall look is more understated and natural because the colour is matte, very neutral and not as harsh as a black.

Rimmel Wake Me Up Foundation in Soft Beige (200) + CoverGirl Outlast Stay Fabulous 3 in 1 Foundation in Buff Beige (825)
These two mixed together (usually half and half) have been working really well for me. At first, I combined them out of necessity because the Rimmel is too dark and the CoverGirl too light. Sometimes in the morning rush and with less than ideal pump control, I get the proportions out of whack and my face doesn't match my neck, but the freedom to customise your own shade remains one of the biggest perks of having too many foundations. The creamy, thick consistency and occasional over-dewiness of the Rimmel is tamed by the CoverGirl, which has much superior coverage but a drier, more satin finish and runnier, lighter texture. Worked in with my Real Techniques Buffing Brush, this drugstore foundation duo ticks most of the boxes: good coverage, radiance-boosting, sets properly and doesn't overly transfer, excellent lasting power, oil control ... and shade match (when I get it right).

LUSH Snow Fairy Limited Edition Shower Gel
I know this is a popular product from LUSH, especially around Christmas, but despite hearing constant raves, I hadn't tried it until recently. At first, I wasn't blown away (it just smelled of banana lollies to me), but after squirting generous amounts on a shower puff and lathering it all over a couple more times, I saw the light. Yes, it's extremely sugary, but somehow not in an overwhelming, sickly way. I think it might be tamed by the musk in there, but whatever it is, the unbridled burst of edible sweetness is an absolute pleasure. It honestly feels like I'm bathing in lollies. In the past month alone, I've used up about two thirds of my tiny 100g bottle and I'm now majorly regretting not buying a larger one when I had the chance.

China Glaze Nail Lacquer in It's a Trap-eze!
I wore this over Nails Inc. Porchester Square for a whole week, which is almost unheard of when you're as fickle about nail polish as me and frequently change nail polish daily. It's a Trap-eze! is a glitter masterpiece. The overall effect is more speckled egg than bling overload, so it's perfect for any upcoming Easter-themed manicures. Still annoyed BeautyJoint shipped me a half-used bottle though.

Australis Nail Colour in K-Pop
The nail polish colour du jour seems to be Essie Splash of Grenadine (popularised by Estée), which reminded me of this gem from local brand Australis. As soon as I saw K-Pop on the stand, I knew I had to have it. It's such a unique, eye-catching colour (also very fitting with the Pantone Colour of the Year "Radiant Orchid") and the formula is close to impeccable. Here's a shot of the colour on my nails. I like that it has this injection of neon which makes it a bit fresher and more youthful than similar colours that are darker and more dusty.

Trilogy Rosapene Night Cream
I've tried a few products from Trilogy and I can't say my skin has loved everything, but this night cream is a definite winner. I have a mini 25ml jar from the Rosapene Day and Night Collection which I bought during Priceline's 40% off skin care sale around Christmas. This is essentially the evening version of their Vital Moisturising Cream, in that it's slightly thicker and more hydrating. I think the texture is an improvement (closer to Antipodes Vanilla Pod Hydrating Day Cream), it absorbs well, instantly comforts and adds moisture to the skin and smells pleasant and soothing. Dare I say I prefer it to the funky-smelling Antipodes Avocado Pear Nourishing Night Cream (of which I have a small 15ml tube from the Anti-Ageing Minis set)?

Jurlique Arnica Cream
I was fortunate to receive this as a birthday gift and immediately incorporated it into my skin care routine as my daytime moisturiser. The smell reminds me of slightly off, sweet yoghurt and it has a thick texture that requires a tad more effort to spread onto the face, but this stuff sinks deep into the skin and provides amazing hydration and softness. I used to struggle with dry patches, especially around my nose, which would be apparent when I applied my foundation, but since using the Arnica Cream, I don't have those issues anymore. It serves as a perfect base for my foundation because it provides a smooth, richly moisturised platform, but it's not greasy or slippy on the skin. It's almost matte in texture when absorbed. It also doesn't begin to seep through your foundation, emerging as an oily mess a couple of hours later. Yes, there's a bit of shine, but it's positively restrained compared with other products, plus blotting with a tissue ensures the skin is sufficiently mattified for the remainder of the day.