NEW | RIMMEL APOCALIPS LIP LAQUERS REVIEW + SWATCHES

I have previously done a swatch post about a few of these shades I managed to pick up off ASOS. I wasn't sure when these were going to release in Australia but was delighted to see that they didn't take too long! There are a few shades variations for us Australian's so I thought that I'd do a new post on all the shades available and a bit of a review of the actual products. 

Australia ended up getting eight shades with a few variations to those available in the UK. I was really disappointed to not see 'Big Bang' a gorgeous true red shade not come with the line however the face that these made it to Australia is so amazing!

These are marketed as a liquid lipstick that has the staying power and the shine. I think the concept of these is amazing and if you've read my blog for a while I'm sure you know that I'm a big fan of stains so these were right up my alley. 

The applicator on these is something I was super impressed with. It's not just a plain doe-foot applicator, instead it has a dip in the centre ensuring that plenty of product is applied and it means no dipping back in! 

Nude Eclipse | Stargazer | Phenomenon | Solstice | Celestial | Nova | Stellar | Apocaliptic 

All of the swatches above are with a single swiped. I don't think you could ever say that these lack pigmentation! They are super pigmented and thick but not sticky or tacky - I think they really nailed the formula. 

Nude Eclipse*: a pale nude I find doesn't wash me completely out - I think layered with a pale pink gloss this would look perfect with a smokey eye. 

 Stargazer*: probably the least favourite of the lot. It looks acceptable on the lips when worked in but if heavily applied it's a super shimmery golden shade which I found a bit strange. Would probably work better on a different skin tone.

Phenomenon*: another pale nude colour but this one has a peach undertone. I like this worked into the lips and not heavily applied, again with a gloss this would be perfect with heavier eye make up. 

Solstice*: this shade is gorgeous! It's a mauve neutral colour but I find with my natural lips it suits me really well! 

 Celestial: this is similar to solstice however this has a bit more pink in it. I find this is again one of the more wearable shades like Solstice. 

 Nova: easily my favourite and most worn of the lot. I recently featured this in a 'What's On My Face' post. I like this blotted out so it's not super glossy. It's the perfect shade for a bit of colour but not a total statement lip! 

Stellar: I was so happy that this shade made it to Australia because it's stunning! It's a coral pink that's super fluorescent and gorgeous! 

Apocaliptic: A super bright blue based pink. I. Love. It. 

What I like:

-highly pigmented and glide on

-the applicator 

-they aren't sticky at all and are really comfortable to wear 

-they wear well, just losing the glossy appearance and then slowly fading 

-the unique packaging

What I don't like:

-brighter shades can bleed but a lipliner fixes that

-can smear if you're not careful 

Overall

I know of people who feel as though they smear everywhere however I don't find I've ever had a problem with that. I usually blot the shades with a tissue so there isn't a glossy appearance and I find that I've never experienced 'smears'. Even when I've worn them with the glossy finish I haven't had any issues - I guess I'm just lucky! I can honestly say on a day-to-day basis these are one of my most reached for lip products in particular Nova, Solstice and Celestial which are all amazing shades for day time wear :)

I would recommend these to Aussie girls who aren't sure on whether or not to pick them up. All the shades are workable and I found I've worn them all... Except Stargazer but I'm going to try to make that work somehow! 

These are due to release on July 1st however I know a few girls have seen a few stands around the place already so keep your eyes peeled ladies! They'll retail for $15.95 however I know that Priceline usually does introductory offers for new releases so I'm sure in the next week or two you could get them at a good price :) 

Have you picked any up yet? What are your favourite shades? 

* shades were provided for consideration - honesty as always! 

PRICELINE SKINCARE HAUL + GOODIE BAG

If you're in Australia then I'm sure you're aware of the latest offer from Priceline from last week. It was a free gift bag containing skincare items from various brands. I wasn't going to take part however I gave in and placed an order online. I placed an order online because my local Priceline's shelves are always really underwhelmed with stock. I decided that it was best to place an order online so I got what I wanted rather than just random bits to make up the $60 spend required. 

So as I mentioned you needed to spend $60 on the participating brands in order to receive this bag. Now I didn't get the make up bag from earlier in the year so I decided that I could get this one. 

What I bought to qualify for the bag: 

Sanctuary Facial Cleansing Oil | Aveeno Stress Relief Moistursing Lotion | Sanctuary Polishing Hot Cloth Cleanser 

The brand Sanctuary is a new one too me so I decided to give two types of products a try that get hyped up - a cleansing oil and a hot cloth cleanser. I'm super excited to try these out! When I read Sarah's review from 'breathebeauty' I was really interested in trying out the Aveeno Stress Relief Moisturizer for relaxation - I'm planning on putting this beside my bed in hope I will moisturiser more.

 Palmer's Foot Magic | Palmer's Purifying Mask | Formula 10.0.6 Acne Blemish Treatment 

Recently Lily from What I Heart Today did a post about feet and it made me realise that 1. I have never owned a foot product and 2. I never really do much of anything with them. So I decided it was a perfect time to try out a foot cream. In Mishelle's Project Pan Update she spoke highly of the the Palmer's mask so I thought why not! The blemish treatment is me trying to find my holy grail spot treatment! 

 The contents of the bag: 

Dove Visible Beauty Body Lotion | Vaseline Total Moisture Dry Skin | Beauty Essential Sorbolene Cream 

Formula 10.0.6 Down To The Pore Strips | Dermalex Repair | Palmer's Daily Calming Facial Lotion 

Aveeno Positively Radiant Eye Illuminator | Puretopia Purify & Revive Clay Mask | Sanctuary Body Scrub

Biore Steam Activated Cleanser | Nude by Nature Healing Moisturiser | Avene Thermale Spring Water

Swisspers Cucumber Facial Wipes | Sample of Palmers BB cream | Chapstick 

Nivea Lip Balm | Palmers Lip Balm | Skinvitals Cloth Mask | Yesto Blueberries Cleansing wipes

I was so impressed with this bag compared to the make up bag that was on offer earlier in the year. I'm probably most excited about the Sanctuary Spa brand products like the cleansing oil and hot cloth cleanser.

If you see any products your like to see reviewed just leave them in the comments so I can start using them :)

ROUND UP: SUIGO HAIRCARE

When I seen these circulating on a few blogs that I follow I was intrigued because nobody really had a bad word to say about the line. When I was contacted by Suigo I was delighted to give the products a try.

I received three products from the 'volume control' line which at first I was a little bit wary about. I have tried volumising products in the past and hadn't really been impressed - all they seemed to do was build up in my hair however with the raving reviews in my mind, I wanted to give these products a fair go. 

Ultimate Control Shampoo and Conditioner 

With shampoo and conditioner I find it really hard to find products that work for me. They are either to thick and weigh down my hair, strip my hair and make my roots dry or build up in my hair. As you can imagine it's not a good time. But the silver lining is that after the first use I know whether I'm going to enjoy the shampoo and conditioner or whether I'm not. With these - I knew it was going to be a good time. 

What they say: 

'...smoothes and softens your hair, eliminating frizz and fly aways...' 

'...special intensifying formula, this product can strengthen hair, helps prevent hair from breaking, mildly nourishes the scalp, strengthens hair follicle, repair hairs elasticity...' 

What I say: 

First off on the volumising front I found that these made my hair feel full and thicker at the roots but I didn't experience any product build up. The scent of all the products isn't too strong it's just a super clean scent. They were easier to work with, the shampoo lathered well and the conditioner was excellent at smoothing the hair. I can't say 'ooo my hair is so much stronger' but  do think that these are both amazing products. I usually get quite frizzy hair after a wash but these I don't experience that when using these. These make my hair feel closest to salon hair then any other shampoo and conditioner has.  

Absolute Volume Keratin Volumizer Treatment 

Masks I usually will use whatever is on sale and if it doesn't weigh down my hair I like it.

What they say:

'Designed to smooth, strengthen and moisturise hair, leaving hair more manageable and beautiful. Nourishment penetrates into hair finer, leaving your hair stronger and silker' 

What I say:

The directions of these mask is too apply to towel dried hair after shampooing and then heat for 20-30 minutes which I usual do with a shower cap rather then glad wrap. I found it really hard to find the time to use this mask in the directed way however I found the benefits were more noticable when I used it as directed (surprise surprise). When I used it in the shower for 5-10 minutes and rinsed it out it definitely contributed to extra fullness, softness and silkiness but when used as directed those benefits were more long lasting. I'm going to try to use it for the longer duration more because it's really worth it! 

Overall 

I'm so glad I got the chance to try out this brand because it's so amazing. I love the way it cleans my hair, doesn't strip it and leaves it feeling thicker. I would recommend these to anybody who is in the market for a new shampoo and conditioner. As for the mask it is a fantastic product I just need to find the time to use it properly more often :)

You can visit the Suigo website here for more information

Don't forget to enter my giveaway here if you haven't already! 

*products were provided for consideration - honesty as always 

WHAT'S ON MY FACE #2

I'm actually stuck home still feeling sick after having a horrid week of feeling like crap. I thought I'd show you the look I've been wearing quite frequently for work and on a day-to-day basis. It is a really quick easy look that is low coverage, defined eyes and a pink lip that isn't too bright. This has been my go-to look a natural look that still defines my features. 

 For this look I wanted to keep it pretty the base natural and defined eyes. For foundation I used the Eles Mineral Liquid Powder Foundation in Linen*. Usually I would apply a primer however I'm currently testing out this foundation so I didn't today. I applied this with my fingers as it's a new foundation and I find that for the first few applications I prefer to apply it this way. I was surprised by how pigmented this foundation! I managed to sheer it out to a lighter coverage 

and then go in with my Savior Faire Concealer Duo for blemishes or discolouration that was still peeping through and my Maybelline Dream Lumi Concealer for brightening under the eyes. 

For eyes, I started off the lightest shade from this Eye Of Horus Trio* sweeping it right across the base of the lid. I then worked the third colour into the crease and outer third of the eye, followed by taking some of the deep purple shade on a fluffy brush and blending that through the outer V. This is my favourite fool-proof eyeshadow look of the moment. For eyeliner I used two different shades again from Eye of Horus in Charcoal and Black*. I thinly lined the top lashes and my tight line with the black and took the charcoal colour on the outer third of my bottom lash line. For Mascara I use the Goddess Mascara from Eye Of Horus* which is an amazing mascara for defining the lashes. 

Finishing touches included sweeping Mac Tenderlig over my cheeks - I find this a really natural blush that adds definition to the face without being noticeable or a statement. For my lips I used the Rimmel Apocalip in Nova blotted out for a less glossy finish. 

What do you think of this look?

 *products were provided for consideration - honesty as always 

Violet Box June Launch Box

The latest sample box on the market in Australia is 'Violet Box' . This box cost $22.95 per month however there is various discounts if you subscribed for 3 month, 6 month or an annual subscription. 

I have previously been subscribed to Lust Have It and Bellabox (I'm back with Bellabox) so I think I've  got a good eye for a decent sample box. 

Now I'll admit I knew what was coming because my box seemed to take a little longer in the post so I did happen to click around a few other blogs and see what the contents was prior to this post. From my understanding the contents of this launch box was the same for everybody, apart from the shades. I really really like that Violet Box did this because I think when products are varied there is always some people who feel like they've 'missed out' to a certain extent. 

Avene Gentle Cleanser 200mL $23.95 

I wasn't neccasrily disappointed receiving Avene in this box but I feel as though I've tried the whole range from sample boxes! This is a product I've tried before from another sample box and it was decent but nothing amazing. 

CK Sheer Beauty EDT 50mL $80 

Another product I was a bit 'meh' about because you can get these perfume samples for free from a counter. However I do like this scent so I will use it up :) 

Argania Hair Oil Travel Cuties 100mL $34.99 

I like the cute like bottle it came in and this will be perfect if I ever go away - usually I just go without hair oil so I'm glad to have received this. 

John Plunkett Glyco Peel 15mL $28.95 

I have one of these I haven't used yet but hopefully if I enjoy using that one I'll have a back up use :) 

I'm impressed that a full size product of this was included. 

LashControl Clear Coat Control Mascara and Brow Fix $25.00 

REALLY impressed with the inclusion of this, it's fullsize and I feel like it's not something many people would've tried before. I'm glad it's a brow fix because I'm currently on the hunt for a new brow gel! Yay.

CK One Colour Cosmetics Gloss Eye Colour $25.00 

I was excited to see this included but I got the green shade. I've seen a golden shade I would've liked because I never wear coloured eyeshadow. But it'll be good to have if I ever need something green. 

Overall

I'm really impressed with this launch box from Violet box. I think although some products didn't get me super excited the value of this box is well over double what you pay at $22.95. I think the range of makeup, skin and haircare was fantastic and I'd love to see that continue in the next box. I think this launch box is promising and I'm really interested to see what Violet Box come out with next month. The value is really fantastic so is the variety so hopefully it continues. 

Also I wanted to mention the fantastic customer service I received, my box was late arriving so they chased it up and contacted to courier without me even requesting it. I was super impressed with the level of customer service compared to other experiences I've had which I think is so important! 

For more information or too subscribe click here 

What did you think of this new box? 

*this product was provided for consideration, honesty as always

Current Lip Combination Loves

Lip combinations are something I really play with, I find that it can pull together an outfit and instantly make you seem like you spent half an hour on your face when really you slap a bold lip on after a long day at work.

Today’s post are all about my favorite lip combinations of the moment. 

All the links to each products are in the titles of the products :)

Essence Lipliner in ‘Cute Pink’ + Australis Pout Paste in ‘Pash Me Pink’

This is probably my most worn out of all the ones I'm going to mention. I frequently use the liner by itself if I want something to even out my lip colour but still look natural and subtle. I apply this lightly with this look and work it into the lips with my finger. I like wearing a lip liner with this look just incase the pout paste decides to bleed. I love the colour of this Pout Paste and find it really easy to wear during the day - the lasting power of these are incredible too! 

EssenceLipliner in ‘Satin Mauve’ + Mac 'Sweetie'

A lot of the time I do wear Mac Sweetie alone however it does last a lot better with a liner and I love this combination. I think this is perfect alternative for those who are a bit hesitate of the famous dark raspberry lip for winter. This is a darker neutral mauve that definitely has some purple in there which makes it perfect for the cooler months. 

YSL Glossy Stain 12 

This I’ve had for under a week and the colour is stunning! If I've been wearing a lip colour in the past week it's been this. The lasting powder is incredible, the wear is comfortable and the finish is amazing. Application is a little strange waiting for the product to 'set' however I'll go into more depth in an up coming post. I LOVE this and they are definitely worth the hype. 

 Illamasqua Corrupt

This an extremely vibrant blue based pink which is a matte. This is impossible to swipe across the lips so they’re best applied with a lip brush. This colour is really long lasting - slightly drying but I usually apply a balm underneath and it doesn’t bother me. 

Rimmel 1000 Kisses Wine Lipliner + Mac 'Rebel'

This is an oldie but a favourite. Rebel was my first ever Mac lipstick and I still love it. It’s just such an amazing intense bold raspberry. I use the Rimmel liner, firstly working it right into the lips (using my finger again) then lining the outer rim of my lips because this lipstick bleeds like crazy on me! Easily my winter holy grail lip combination.

That’s what I’ve been loving wearing on my lips lately. 

Do leave a comment below with your favourite lip combination of the moment and which of these ones you like the look of :)