Beauty Buys of the Month

My month long spending ban is over! How did I do? Let's have a look at what I purchased...

Swisspers Makeup Removal Wipes

Dove Clear Touch Deodorant

Lucas' Papaw Ointment

LA Girl Pro Conceal

Revlon Colorstay Foundation (not pictured)

Everything here is replacing something I had used up in the previous month (refer to my empties!). Except the papaw ointment, I seem to have lost my tube of it. I go to the University of Newcastle AKA the uni built on a swamp, so I always get lots of mossie bites...this stuff is great to keep in my bag to apply on itchy bites. I bought the Revlon foundation off Ebay and it hasn't arrived yet, but it is a replacement too, so I think everything here is justified! 

I think I might treat myself with a few goodies, I've been eyeing off some nail polishes, and my quarterly Priceline voucher arrived today - perfect timing!

The one month beauty spending ban has really helped my willpower. There were times where I didn't think I would survive, but somehow I did. I just had to remind myself about how I'm running out of storage space (and I can't stand clutter!) so that was a good motivator to not buy extra things. 

Have you ever gone on a spending ban? Was it successful?

February 2014 Empties

February is almost over, so my spending ban is almost over too! I've done pretty well, as the only things I've bought were necessities and/or replacements (e.g. deodorant). I'll put up a post about that shortly. Anyway, I haven't used up too much this month. The last few empties posts I've done have had quite a few products, so feel free to check those out for your weekly trash fix!

Revlon Colorstay Foundation

Fresca Natural Deodorant (Unscented and Jaisara)

Max Factor Masterpiece Mascara

LA Girl Pro Concealer

Kerastase Nutritive Irisome Shampoo & Conditioner samples

Revlon Colorstay

I didn't want to throw this away. In fact, I'm heart broken to do so...it's half full! But I fear that it may have become contaminated with bacteria (as I used it before I found out what happened to my face), so I think it's safest to chuck it out. I've never finished a full bottle of foundation and was determined to use this one up...maybe next time! I've repurchased this off Ebay because this has since been reformulated, and the new formula doesn't sound like what I want.

Fresca Natural Deodorant

A while ago when I was having major underarm issues (super itchy all the time), I swapped over to natural deodorant. While it did help with the itching, it didn't eliminate the problem. These were okay, but they are more like a perfume roll on to mask any odour, so they don't stop you sweating...which is a bit unpleasant at times. Since I stopped shaving my underarms and switched over to epilating them, the problem has completely dissapeared, so I do not feel compelled to stick with natural deodorants as I prefer stock standard anti-persipirants. I wouldn't repurchase, but I guess they're an okay product for what they are.

Max Factor Masterpiece Mascara

This was a sample I got from somewhere and I really loved it. It was probably one of the better mascaras I've used. I would like to repurchase it one day.

LA Girl Pro Concealer

Same story as the foundation. Probably contaminated, better off in the bin. I found a discount store that sells them, but I couldn't get the exact shade I wanted...so I had to go a tad darker. This is a great concealer with rave reviews (check MakeUpAlley if you don't believe me!) but I really want to buy the right shade!

Kerastase Shampoo & Conditioner

I got these sample sachets from Pinch Me. I only got one use out of them but my hair seemed to like them as it was pretty soft and shiny afterwards. Disliked the smell though, it smells exactly like cheapo bar soap in public toilets...eeek. Maybe I'll look into another range of theirs.

So those are my empties of the month! Have you tried any of these products?

FOTN: Dinner

You'll notice something different about this FOTN post when compared to the others...let's see if you can figure it out...

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Wet n Wild 'Comfort Zone' palette

MAC Lipstick in 'Sweetie'

Face of Australia Liquid Liner

Benefit They're Real Mascara

Sleek Blush in 'Sunrise'

Can you see what is missing?

Yep, no foundation. While my face is still healing (can you see what I'm talking about), I'm avoiding foundation! 

I feel so naked without it! But it's not the end of the world, right?

Take care xx

Lust Have It! February 2014 box

After some troubles last month, it seems like LHI are getting back on track. The February box* is pretty impressive in my opinion.

 Unboxing

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The Cosmetic Kitchen Eyeshadow in 'Sage' RRP $22.50 (full size)

Vaseline Ultimate 10 Anti-Ageing Body Lotion RRP $16.29 (sample size)

Juice Beauty Green Apple Peel Sensitive RRP $65 (sample size)

The Cosmetic Kitchen Eyeshadow

I'm not familiar with this brand so I'm happy to give them  a go. I'm not sure about this colour though, its a pale shimmery green...maybe I can make it work.

Vaseline Body Lotion

Omg cutest little bottle ever! This is the perfect size for travel and in a months time I'm going away for a few nights so I'll take this along with me.

Juice Beauty Apple Peel

This product sounds really great! Some of you may know that I was recently bitten by a spider on the face which made a lot of skin peel away...so when I read the words 'face peel' it scares me now. I would like to try this but perhaps not just yet! The bite is gone and the area has 90% recovered but I'm not too keen on trying new things just yet. Soon though.

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So...? Sinful perfume sample (Beauty Dip)

Clairol Professional Expand Volume Mousse RRP $19.50 (sample size)

Clairol Professional Color Radiance Shampoo RRP $13.95 (sample size)

 So...? perfume

1000 subscribers received the perfume sample as part of a beauty lucky dip! It smells gorgeous so I'm super happy that I got one, thanks LHI! 

Clairol Professional Mousse

This is a generous sample size. I don't really use mousse in my hair so I've passed it onto my mum who is pretty happy with it :)

Clairol Shampoo

Again this is a very good sample size, but I don't colour my hair, so I also gave it to my mum. Don't get me wrong though, I still love receiving these samples!

Hand Spa Bijoux RRP $1.50

The Cosmetic Kitchen Brush RRP $22.50

Hand Spa

What is this? I have no idea! Let's flip the packaging over...

Whoa! This is a totally unique concept for me. It looks like a cloth mask except in glove form and it's for your hands. This sounds like it contains a lot of great ingredients so I am both curious and excited to see how this works!

The Cosmetic Kitchen Brush

It's nice to see some vegan & cruelty free brands included. This brush feels really soft. To be honest though, I don't know what kind of brush it is! Is it a powder brush? Either way, I haven't got a brush like this in my collection so I'm happy to have this. From a quick Google search of this company, they're actually based in King St, Newtown (located in Sydney's inner-West) which is about a 5 min drive from my bf's place so next time I'm down maybe I'll check it out. 

There was also a voucher for Harvest Box included where you can buy one Harvest Box for $7.95 and get the next one for free. This is pretty cool but I am unsure if this is something I'm interested in so I may pass this on to someone else. 

All in all, I'm really pleased with this months box. A lot of these items are new and exciting (to me, anyway), and I have not heard of some of these brands before, which is exactly what I like to see because I like trying new things. 

What do you think of the February box?

If you'd like to subscribe, feel free to use my discount code to get $5 off your first box :)

*product was provided for consideration and has been reviewed in accordance with my disclosure policy

Revlon Colorburst Lip Butter vs. Maybelline Color Whispers

When the Maybelline Color Whispers came out, I saw no point in purchasing them seeing as they appeared to be almost identical to the Revlon Colorburst Lip Butters. But I was mistaken, they are actually different...

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Revlon Colorburst Lip Butter in 'Berry Smoothie'

Maybelline Color Whisper in 'Lust For Blush'

They look similar in terms of overall packaging, but the Maybelline one is slightly slimmer and taller. They both twist up in the same way.

I realise that the shades themselves are not comparable so I will try to disregard that. I honestly did not see the point in buying two similar colours. They are completely different in formula and wear time. The Revlon one is thicker and more moisturising, so I find it to last maybe 2-3 hours. It is more pigmented too, and has a minty smell. Out of the two, it is closer to a lipstick.

The Maybelline is a lot sheerer and feels like a gel-like consistency. It glides on a lot easier and gives a light hint of colour. This one is definitely more like a lip balm as it does not last long, but its so light and weightless that I don't might reapplying. It has no discernible smell/taste.

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Revlon Colorburst Lip Butter in 'Berry Smoothie'

Maybelline Color Whisper in 'Lust For Blush'

Maybe it's a bit hard to tell without actually swatching them yourself, but I think you can see that Lust For Blush is a lot more sheer.

Either way, I like them both for different reasons! If I had to pick just one, I'd go for Revlon...simply because I think the Maybelline ones are a bit expensive for what they actually are. I absolutely love Berry Smoothie and am considering extending my Colorburst family (I only have two right now, wow!). 

Have you tried either of these? Do you prefer one over the other?

Beauty Wishlist

I love looking at what goodies fellow bloggers are eyeing off! Here are some products that I've seen people raving about that I would like to own one day. I'm on a beauty buying ban for the month of February (and I haven't broken it, thank you very much!) and also these items are not too wallet-friendly (for a poor lowly student). 

1. Vera Wang Princess Perfume 

We sell this at work which is how I became acquainted with it. When it's quiet, sometimes I play around with testers and this perfume is a standout favourite! Plus the bottle is absolutely gorgeous. I need it.

RRP $79 from Priceline

2. RMS Beauty Living Luminizer

A rave product I've seen on Instagram. It sounds like perfection. But the price tag is heavy...

RRP $58.40 from Beauty Bay

3. Tom Ford Blush

Another one of those luxury items that would be great to have. It looks so elegant and the colours are stunning.

RRP $65 from Saks Fifth Avenue

4. Chanel Lipstick

There isn't one range/colour/style in particular I have in mind but Chanel is synonymous with classy, right? If I did own one, I probably wouldn't even want to use it much. Admiration purposes only. 

RRP $40+ from Nordstrom

5. Too Faced Sweetheart Blush

Possibly the prettiest packaging I've seen for a blush and the colours look right up my alley! But I really shudder at the thought of spending so much money on blush...

RRP $43.40 from Beauty Bay

Are you lusting after any of these items? Or maybe you're lucky enough to already own them? xx

Valentine's Day NOTD: Velvet Nails

Everyone has an opinion on Valentine's Day, so here is mine: I would absolutely love to be part of the fun but being in a LDR + my other half doesn't agree with it...I feel like a bitter old woman! I am eyeing off my friend's gifts and lovey dovey photos on Facebook with a bit of jealousy, I will admit. I've just never gotten the chance to celebrate it, you know what I mean?!

Anyway, moving on from my tragic sob story...

If you follow me on Instagram then you  may have already seen this picture. Fuzzy!

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Revlon Nailpolish in 'Fuschia Fever'

Sally Hansen Xtreme Wear 'White On'

Butter London 'Come to Bed Red'

I am being totally cliched by using pink and red. I applied two coats of each polish, doing one nail at a time and then sprinkled some of the flocking powder on top of the wet polish. I used an old makeup brush (which is lurking in the background of the photo) to spread the powder out evenly and also brush off any excess. I bought a set of 24 colours of flocking powder for about $5 from Ebay! That's about 21 cents per pot. Such an awesome deal. The colours are quite nice too. 

Hey, did anyone notice the Butter London is called 'Come To Bed Red'...how appropriate! 

 Red flocking powder

Pink flocking powder

I included these photos to show you how bright the colours are! The powder is a bit messy to use, I wasn't too sure how to do it but I poured some into the lid, and then sprinkled it onto my nail. Expect mess, I'll tell you that. Other than that, it was a pretty quick and easy mani. A few of my friends have asked if its waterproof, so I thought I'd comment on that...no it's not waterproof as such, it will get wet but then it dries again. It's not a long wearing thing though, gradually bits of the powder will fall off, but we all know that 3D nail art is always short lived! I'll probably remove it tonight, but I've really liked this mani :)

Did you do anything nice for Valentine's Day? I promise to not be too jealous! xx

FOTN: An engagement party

Before I confuse you, no it was not my engagement party (that requires being engaged). Two of my friends from high school recently got engaged and had their engagement party on the weekend. I haven't included a picture of all the makeup I've used because it's very similar to what I always use for more special occasions, so I'll show you the colour  products...

 Sleek Sweet Cheeks Blush by 3 palette

MAC Lipstick in 'Show Orchid'

So much pink. The  Sleek palette is so pretty. I used the third shade, the one that looks like a highlighter pink colour. The lipstick is also amazing, it's similar to the well known Girl About Town but is a bit more bold. They do look quite similar, but Show Orchid has a bit more to it. I wonder if anyone would be interested in reading a comparison post...?

A wild eyebrow appeared

Overall it was a lovely night and it was great to see some old friends.

Thanks for reading :) take care xx

Epic Nail: Summertime Shellac Kit Review

Did you read my last review about the Epic Nail Foil Kit? If not, here is the link. The team at Epic Nail have kindly sent me out a Summertime Starter Shellac Kit* for me to show my lovely readers. I was super excited because I'm sure you all know how much of a nail art junkie I am!

Warning - this post is picture heavy!

The kit

The LED lamp - it's piiiink!

The colours I received

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Sherbet Sorbet

Cheeky Pink

Big Sky

Aqua Addiction

Summer Dream

Cosmo

Here are swatches, adapted from the Epic Nail website so you have a better idea of the colours!

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Big Sky

Aqua Addiction

Cheeky Pink

Sherbet Sorbet

Summer Dream

Cosmo

UV and LED activated Base and Top Coat

Bits and bobs for removal and cleaning

Foil strips

Alcohol pads

Acetone

So basically that's what came in the kit. Not pictured are cuticle sticks, I must have forgotten to photograph them. Anyway, as you can see, the kit is full to the brim with goodies! I was excited to see so many nice colours. There were not any safety/cleaning instructions included with the LED lamp so I am unsure about this, but I guess I can google it.

Now for the actual process...

 Tools of the trade

I chose pink. Of course I chose pink, it's my favourite nail colour!

Instructions

There is a sheet included with pictures and instructions, but I actually just ending up reading them off the side of the box.

I first used the base coat then set the lamp to 120 seconds. I did one hand at a time. Using the lamp itself feels a bit weird, I felt a bit of heat in my nails but it wasn't painful, just an unusual sensation. The controls on the LED lamp are very simple to use. I then ended up applying three coats of the pink polish, curing each layer for 120 seconds before applying the next layer. I then followed with the top coat, cured it and then used an alcohol pad to rub over the surface of the nail to pick up any stickyness. I actually cringed when I did this, I was waiting for that dreaded polish wrinkling and denting...but nope, it was perfectly dry and my mani was not ruined at all! How exciting! 

All up it probably took me about an hour, however, I was being a bit slow so next time it might take me less time.

Awkward hand pose

I'm glowing!

So shiny!

How awesome does it look! I totally adore the colour and how shiny it is. 

Day 5

5 days later and it still looks perfect, like its been newly done. I got so many compliments on the colour and how nice my nails looked.

Day 12

Ahh, a little bit of chipping. While it's nothing major. some of the edges are starting to pull away from the nail bed, so I thought it was time to start the removal process. Considering it can last up to 14 days, I think it's done really well! Especially seeing as it was my first time using shellac.

Set up for removal

Foil fingers

I would advise leaving the foil on for 20 minutes and trying to make sure that the acetone only contacts the nail, not the skin! Removal was quite a challenge. Not all the shellac comes off and it requires some scraping and destroying of the nail.... I had to buff down the nail surface because it is difficult to remove everything entirely. 

Overall, I think this is an awesome kit for doing shellac at home. I really loved not having to worry about chipping nails, and my mani looked great the whole time. Application is quite straight forward, but removal is difficult, so that may be a deterrent, but I think it's worth the pain. It's probably not something I'll use on a regular basis, but I certainly will use it for special occasions or if I go away on holidays and can't drag tons of polishes along with me.

Still reading? Good! I have a discount code for you. For any kit purchase, enter the discount code KITPRETTY at checkout for FREE shipping :) yay!! This code expires so on the 31st of March, so you still have some time :)

Have you tried shellac nails before? What did you think of this kit?

*product was provided for consideration and has been reviewed in accordance with my disclosure policy

Lust Have It! January 2014 Box

Ah yes, the famous January box that has arrived in February. Better late than never though, and it seems as though LHI have been working hard to reply to everyone regarding the whereabouts of their box. I'm sure most of you are already familiar with the contents of the box, but I thought I would do my own version of the Lust Have It! January box*...

Unboxing

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Evodia Lemon Sorbet Hand Cream

Paula's Choice Skin Perfecting 8% AHA Gel 

Model Co SHINE Lipgloss in 'Strip Tease'

Evodia Lemon Sorbet Hand Cream (full size - RRP $17.95)

This sounds amazing and I can't wait to give it a go. I've heard good things about Evodia so I'm happy to receive a full sized hand cream!

Paula's Choice Skin Perfecting 8% AHA Gel (sample size)

This sounds interesting, but I was recently bitten on the face by some sort of insect...now the surrounding area has started to peel off and theres a scab, so my face essentially has a hole in it. So I won't be using anything new on my face until it heals up (please be soon, it's making me so self conscious!). But I am keen to see how it works.

Model Co Lipgloss in 'Strip Tease' (full size - RRP $18)

This is probably the longest lip gloss I've ever seen. The mirror looks like a handy idea, I've never used a lipgloss with a mirror on it. There has been a bit of rage in the blogging world regarding Model Co and their attitudes towards bloggers, but even so, I think I will still give this a try.

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Invisible Zinc Tinted Daywear

Aveda Dry Remedy Daily Moisturising Oil

Simple Face Wipes

Invisible Zinc Tinted Daywear (full size - RRP $14.95)

So this is kind of like a tinted moisturiser? Sounds handy for summer! Again, I won't try it out till my skin heals but it does seem like a useful product.

Aveda Dry Remedy Daily Moisturising Oil (sample size)

Didn't we get Aveda in a previous box? Hmmm. I'm not really that excited by this product because I didn't like the Aveda products that I've tried in the past, but they were skincare products, so maybe this will be better.

Simple Face Wipes (pack of 7)

I have tried these before but I honestly can't remember whether I liked them or not! Not the most interesting inclusion, but face wipes are always handy to have on board.

Overall I think this month is okay, but not the best. There are some useful products but there is nothing that really gets me super excited. Nonetheless, I am sure I will get some use out of this box.

If you'd like to subscribe to LHI, feel free to use my discount code to receive $5 off your first box :)

What did you think of the January 2014 box?

*product was provided for consideration and has been reviewed in accordance with my disclosure policy.

FOTN: Clubbing

I rarely go clubbing. It was a weekly occurrence when I was 18, now I probably go out about, half a dozen times a year? Anyway I was excited to head out on the town so I could wear bright lipstick!

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Benefit They're Real Mascara

Face of Australia Liquid Liner

MAC Beauty Powder Blush in 'Feeling'

Revlon Colorstay Foundation

MAC Lipstick in 'Girl About Town'

Many of these are my go-to products for night time wear so you will have seen them before.

Party time!

Take care lovelies xx

My Skincare Routine

I think it's finally time for me to write this post. I have been waiting a while because I've been using a lot of samples lately, now things are starting to go back to normal. I like to think that my skincare routine is relatively simple, but after looking at all these pictures, maybe it isn't as simple as I first thought!

 MORNING PRODUCTS
Clearasil Vitamins & Extracts Scrub

Nivea Pure & Natural Soothing Day Cream

Morning

Keeping it simple because I can't be bothered with anything complex in the morning. I've been using the Clearasil Vitamins & Extracts Scrub* for a while (read my review here) and it's really great! Helps to wake me up I think. The Nivea Soothing Day Cream* is also nice. 

MAKEUP REMOVAL

Uriage Lit Demaquillant Makeup Remover Milk

Aphelia Cleansing Beauty Oil

Makeup Removal

If I am wearing Revlon Colorstay (that stuff is super duper long lasting), then I use the Aphelia Cleansing Oil (received from a blog giveaway). It removes makeup really well and doesn't dry out my face. It smells really lovely too. When I'm wearing anything other than Revlon Colorstay, I use the Uriage Makeup Remover Milk*. I received this product through Beautorium. It's a lotion based makeup remover that gentle sweeps over skin to pick up traces of makeup. Probably not as effective as the Aphelia, hence the reason I reserve the Aphelia for tougher stuff. 

NIGHT TIME PRODUCTS

Clearasil Vitamin & Extracts Daily Wash

Sukin Certified Organic Rose Hip Oil

BioElixia Night Renew Complex

Night

The Clearasil wash (also from a blog giveaway!) is clay based and is really effective. I'm starting to run low as you can see, and this is my second bottle of it! I recently reviewed and raved about the Sukin RHO, so I won't say too much, but it has become a night time staple. And the BioElixia Night Cream follows...it's an interesting product, with all these bold claims...I do like it but the marketing tactics are annoying. This is probably the most expensive skincare product I've ever used - it has a RRP of around $80! No, I didn't buy it, but my bf received a package of BioElixia products through his work and obviously he has no interest in this stuff so he passed it onto me. Yay!

OCCASIONAL USE

St. Ives Apricot Scrub

Nivea Pure & Natural Cleansing Toner

Sukin Purifying Facial Masque

Occasional

I use the scrub when I wash my hair - about twice a week. Obviously not to wash my hair, it's just a way that I remember to use it! This product has a bit of nostalgia behind it. I remember when I was younger and I used to steal this from my mums shower to use it...so naturally, when I was old enough to start buying my own products, I had to pick it up. This scrub is awesome and is really great to use. 

The Nivea Pure and Natural Toner* is in the occasional category because I am lazy and don't see the real purpose in using a toner daily. Don't judge me!

And the Sukin Purifying Masque is something I use about once a week. I reviewed it late last year, so again, I won't say too much but feel free to read my review!

And that's what I use on my face. Do you use any of these products?

*product was provided for consideration and has been reviewed in accordance with my disclosure policy