Holy Grail Product!

Hi! I know I haven't blogged for a very long time, but I'm back! With my Holy Grail shower product! It's the Soap and Glory Smoothie Star Breakfast Scrub! 

Oh. My. Gosh. I cannot explain how amazing this smells. It's phenomenal. Soap and Glory have aptly titled this scrub, as it smells exactly like an incredible buffet breakfast! There's coffee, maple syrup, oats...every scent you would expect at a brekky for a sweet tooth. It's a sweet, but still very refreshing and crisp scent. I seriously can't tell you how delicious it smells!

It doesn't just smell great, because it's an exfoliating scrub it leaves my skin feeling super smooth. 

I seriously am obsessed with it and it's only $14 from Mecca Maxima in Australia. Which is super cheap for such a big tub of amazing product! 

I'm obsessed! 

x

Lauren

My [Not So] New Obsession

I have an obsession with sunglasses. I have far too many, so I don't know exactly why I bought this pair to be honest. My favourite pair was scratched on the lenses so much so that I found it difficult to see out of them (I still have them, by the way). However, I have so many additional pairs that I really didn't need to buy another one...but I did.

To be fair, they weren't expensive. They were only $10 (from Cosmetics Plus if you're looking). I love the gold-plated bits and the shape is a little more adventurous than some of my other pairs. 

This has become my new favourite pair. They're multi-seasonal, so I can wear them all year round and they do there job of blocking sun rays superbly.

♥

Matte Lips

With all the hype around Charlotte Tilbury's new Matte Revolution Lipsticks (and matte lips in general) I thought I would provide a cheaper alternative that I have absolutely been loving lately. :)

For a very long time, I have been a huge fan Rimmel Lasting Finish Matte Lipsticks by Kate Moss. These aren't a new product, and I know that every beauty blogger and their dog have blogged about them, even I've already blogged about them here. The colours are so ridiculously pigmented and absolutely beautiful. As you will know from my previous blog posts, I am a huge fan of matte lips, and I find that these particular Rimmel lipsticks are fantastic for achieving a gorgeous matte finish.

My most recent colour purchase is number 103, which is a pink shade that is natural, but also quite rich in colour...it almost has a light berry tinge. (I'm not too great at describing colours, so hopefully the pictures can give you a little more insight!) It leaves my lips feeling moisturised, which is a great feature for a matte lipstick. It's the perfect shade for an everyday look, but can double as a night-out lipstick as the tone is so rich. The colour payoff is fantastic and it is also super buildable.

The Kate Moss for Rimmel lipsticks come in so many other colours and are so inexpensive for such a great quality product. I would definitely recommend them if you're trying matte lipstick for the first time, or if you are looking for a matte lipstick that's a little less painful for your purse!

<3

P.S. From now on, I will be posting every Sunday :) Including this Sunday!

Mini Beauty Haul

 I recently had a mini beauty haul. I guess you could argue that the fact that it's a "mini" haul defeats the purpose of it being a haul...and you'd have a point. Anyway...

NP Set Eyeshadow Duo in Set 5 - Antigua:

Eye shadow duos make life so much easier. Your lid and crease colours are already matched for you, all you have to do is apply the product and you're good to go. This particular duo is really pigmented, and the colours compliment each other super well.

NP Set Crease Blender Brush:

It's soft. It blends the product. It does its job perfectly. 10/10.

NYX Lip Smacking Fun Colours in the shade 513:

My camera doesn't do the deep red colour justice (sorry!). I personally am a huge fan of matte lips, but I love the shine in this lipstick. I've never used a NYX lipstick before, so I am quite impressed with the results. Especially seeing as it was about $7.00!

Burt's Bees Ultra Conditioning Lip Balm with Kokum Butter:

So I finally jumped on the Burt's Bees train...and I am not getting off. My lips are so moisturised by this product. I am so pleased I bought this!

Rimmel London Lasting Finish 25 Hour Foundation in 103 True Ivory:

I am beyond impressed with this foundation. The tiniest amount gives me fantastic coverage and it really does last for 25 hours...or at least a really, really long time! Just a word of warning though, don't squeeze the tube. I squeezed the tube so lightly the first time I used it and ended up with foundation all over the back of my hand. I just dab it on the back of my hand a few times and enough comes out of the tube for my whole face. 

Rimmel London Scandal Eyes Mascara:

This is the only product I am disappointed with from my "haul" ;). It's just really clumpy and goes everywhere. However, I've found that applying it sparingly in coats gives the best results.

Rimmel London Wake Me Up Concealer:

Wow, there are quite a few Rimmel products...

I really love this concealer. It gives great coverage and lasts for a really long time. 'Nuff said.

<3

Laurenna Jade

Obsessed with O.P.I

Hello everyone! Okay, I just have to take a moment to express my love for O.P.I nail laquer. This stuff is amazing. There are so many different colours for all year round and the quality is incredible. 

The colour I always revert back to is Privacy Please. (Ah, nail polish colour names...you will never fail to amuse me). It's a really pretty, pastel pink colour that is very faint and very girlie. For me, it's the perfect colour for school, particularly a school where nail polish isn't allowed to be worn. 

This colour is also great if you're a nail biter (like me). It's so faint and nearly undetectable, so it's perfect for those in between phases when you've reverted to going back to biting your nails again. I'm not going to lie, I discovered this colour looking for something that was going to make me stop biting my nails...and it actually really helps. I tend to pick the nail polish off instead of biting my nails, so it gives my nails a bit of a respite before I get stressed or nervous and start nibbling away at them again. 

The bottle lasts an incredibly long time. You may think that if I apply it and pick it off straightaway that I must go through bottles and bottles of the stuff. Nope! I haven't even been through one bottle yet. It lasts forever! 

xo Laurenna Jade

Which Eyeliner?

Hello there! I get asked a lot about the differences between types of eyeliners, so I thought I would share with you which eyeliners I use and what I find they are best to use for :)

Liquid Eyeliner

I absolutely love liquid eyeliner. I swear by it, although can be very tricky to use, particularly if you are new to makeup. However, it is much easier to achieve a nice, clean line with liquid, especially if you are doing a winged or cat eye. It has a nice, sharp look when applied that is perfect for both everyday wear or a night time event or party. Compared to other forms of eyeliner, it is definitely a lot easier to work with for those intricate flicky lines. 

Gel Eyeliner

I love gel eyeliner. For those of you who aren't familiar with gel eyeliners, they generally come as a little pot of gel and you use an eyeliner brush to apply it. Most gel eyeliners come with their own brush, but I find it easier to apply it with an angled or patented liner brush. It's a bit tricky to master a cat flick with this eyeliner (for me anyway), but it is perfect for a bold everyday look if you're just looking to line your eye and give it a bit more definition. It is also great for a night out, as you can easily apply a thicker, bolder line. I like to apply  gel eyeliner just in the outer corner of my top lid to open my eye a bit more for an understated, everyday look. 

Eyeliner Pencil

This is a staple. However, I find eyeliner pencils a bit temperamental. It takes a bit of hunting to find one that you really like. I have found that some pencils can actually be quite sharp, but I know there are brands that have amazing eyeliner pencils. I have heard only good things about Urban Decay's Glide On eyeliner pencils, but I have yet to purchase some for myself. If you are doing your waterline or you just want a light, subtle everyday look, eyeliner pencil is for you. 

Crayon Eyeliners

The first eyeliner I ever used was a crayon. Basically, you roll it up (just like a crayon) and then apply. I would recommend that if you're new to makeup, or you just want a really simple, easy to apply eyeliner, invest in a crayon eyeliner. You don't have to sharpen them, you just roll them up, and they go on really smoothly and easily. Simple!

xo Laurenna Jade

 

 

My Favourite Drug Store Lipsticks

Hi everyone! These are my top 5 favourite drug store lipsticks. If you have any suggestions of other lipsticks I should try, or that you think people should know about, please leave a comment below. :) xx
Oh, and these are in no particular order...although I like the Chi Chi one the best ;)

Maybelline New York Super Stay 14 hr Lipstick

When they say Super Stay, they mean Super Stay. If you're looking for a lipstick that lasts a ridiculously long time without smudging or bleeding, this is for you. I actually wore this to my school formal (or prom) and I was so happy with the results. It lasts forever, particularly if you use the Maybelline New York Super Stay 14 hr Lip Liner. A cool trick to make your lipstick last even longer is to apply your lip liner all over your lip instead of just around the edge. I have this lipstick in the colour Ravishing Rouge, which is number 065. It's a really bright, vivid red, which is very bold and perfect for a night out (or a formal!)

Maybelline New York Colour Whisper

Another Maybelline lipstick, and another goody. The colour whisper is nice and light and gives you a "whisper" of colour (get it ;) haha). I find that this lipstick is really great for everyday wear, particularly in the colour I have which is Mad for Magenta (number 95). It's a really pretty, girlie pink. This lipstick has a glossy finish, which I love. I usually like to go for a matte lip, but I just really like this lipstick. 

Chi Chi Viva La Diva 

I. Love. Chi Chi. I was introduced to them by a friend of mine who bought me a birthday present when I was thirteen or fourteen. It was a really cool beach set with a huge pink tote, a beach towel and a can of spray tan and I have loved them ever since. This lipstick is no exception. I could rave about the Viva La Diva collection for hours. The packaging is so cute, the colours are amazing and the lipstick is sooo good! I love You Had Me At Hello, which is a really bright coral colour. It's so vivid and every time I wear it, I'm complimented on it, which has to be a good thing haha!
It's sometimes hard to find these at drug stores, but if you can't find it, Target has a whole Chi Chi section :).

Mud

I don't really own anything else by this brand. I picked up this lipstick in my local supermarket for about $2.00 (don't quote me on that, but it was very, very cheap) and I really like it. It usually sits in my handbag for on the go touch-ups to my makeup. It's very similar to the Colour Whisper, in that it is perfect for an everyday look, but the Mud lipstick has more of a shimmer in it. I have it in the colour Crazed Candy, which is number 052. I really like this colour. Again, it's a nice fresh, flirty, girlie pink.

Rimmel London Kate

These lipsticks are amazing. I had an incredible hot pink one (I think it was number 20 or 25), but I've lost it *tear*. I used to wear it everywhere. I would honestly wear hot pink lipstick to go grocery shopping because I loved it so much. Every single colour is fabulous, except I find that number 113, which is a really pretty nude colour, goes on a bit chalky unless you put masses of it on. It also doesn't last very long and you have to keep reapplying every five minutes, which isn't very fun. But every other colour that I've tried has been absolutely amazing and I would definitely recommend investing in some of these. They are fantastic.

xo Laurenna Jade