Face of Australia - Mineral Therapy Illuminators

Good things come in threes, right?

Okay, I know this set actually includes four different shades of illuminators, but at this point in time, I've purchased three of them. I have bought the shades Angel Mist (the white, classic highlighter shade), Angel Blush (pink toned) and Angel Glow (bronze). I'm missing Angel Flame which is said to be a dupe of the NARS Orgasm Illuminator. Not sure yet whether I will buy it, but they retail for $14.95 (although I paid $14.44 at Big W) so theres a good chance I will. These are 50mL tubes so they are excellent value for money. 

The NARS illuminators are $48 each (according to Mecca) which is waay out of my price range, also they are smaller tubes (30mL). Considering you can buy the whole FoA collection for $50 (see link at end of post), it makes sense to buy all 4 for only $2 more than a single NARS one :)

Angel Mist
This can be used with foundation for fairer skin tones, but I use this as a highlighter at the top of my cheekbones. It adds a sparkly glow to my cheeks which I really like! As for pigmentation, my skin is 'medium' toned, so there is not much colour evident when I apply Angel Mist. I can't confirm this, but from the swatches I've seen, this looks similar to NARS's Copacobana Illuminator.

Angel Mist swatched
Left - blended out, but on my face I would blend it out more, I didn't blend it as much here so you can see it better. 

This is what the packaging looks like, tube with a screw top lid. You can probably see that there is enough product around the mouth and in the lid to highlight my cheekbones.

Angel Blush
This was the first one I bought and after a few uses, I was hooked. It gave a peachy glow to my cheeks. This one is probably my favourite.

Angel Blush, swatched above

Angel Glow
This one is less shimmery of the three and has more colour to it. I have read that you can mix it with your foundation for a bronzed look, but I found it made me look orange. I use this as a bronzer and/or blush for a natural summer glow. To me, this looks very similar to NARS's Laguna Illuminator.

Angel Glow, swatched above

What I don't like about these - the packaging isn't great, I find that a lot of product leaks out of the hole and goes into the lid which is wasting the product. I would highly recommend laying them down flat rather than upright, because product leaks out and can get messy when you open it. Example...

After leaving it upright for a few days, a lot of product has leaked into the lid, and dried up around the edges :(

Before I end this post, I'd like to say thank you to Mishelle from Mishelle's Sleepy Time for recommending these illuminators to me! 

Have you tried these illuminators?


Buy from:
http://www.makeupexpress.com.au/cosmetic/face-makeup-face-of-australia-illuminator/face-of-australia-mineral-therapy-illuminator-collection.aspx

Lipgloss: Sticky or not?

Some of us like our lipgloss smooth. Some like it sticky. While smoother lipglosses, in my opinion, feel much nicer to wear, they don't last as long. Sticky lipglosses have better wear time, but they can feel heavy and don't even get me started on the woes of wearing sticky gloss on a windy day (nom nom hair).

I've recently been going through a lip product phase and have purchased a few new glosses. Some are sticky and some are smooth, I like them all for different reasons, so I thought I'd show you some glosses I own, based on their consistency.

First four images sourced online (links at end)

MUA Intense Kisses Lipgloss in 'Kiss and Make Up'
I adore this lipgloss for so many reasons. Its small enough to squeeze into a tiny clutch, only costs 2 pounds and is highly pigmented. The lipgloss has a doe foot applicator and has a mild scent, something like vanilla/candy (I'm terrible at describing smells). From my lipgloss scale, you can see this is the smoothest of all included, my favourite type of consistency. 

Hopefully from the swatches, you can see how lovely this colour is.

NYX Mega Shine Lip Gloss in 'Sponge Cake'
Not quite as smooth, a little heavier but I wouldn't call it sticky. NYX is also a very affordable brand so this should only cost you a few dollars. This one is slightly larger than the MUA one (11mL, the MUA one is 5.1mL) so it's great value. It has a strong smell which I'd say is very grapey, doesn't bother me but I know a lot of people are turned off by this.

Again, quite pigmented and this colour is frosted so it has shimmer particles in it.

Face of Australia Massage Therapy Lip Shine in 'Bondi'
I've written about this before, another great lipgloss. The formula is somewhere in between, not that smooth but not exactly sticky either. This colour is amazing and the gloss smells faintly like berries.

Random thought - why is this colour named Bondi? Bondi makes me think of beachy colours!

Clinique Long Last Glosswear in 'Air Kiss'
Now we reach the sticky end. I have the GWP size and I don't think I'd buy the full size. The shine and colour are amazing, however. It does last quite a while on the lips too.

I do have a picture of the gloss on my lips, but every time I try to add it, it keeps going sideways! I'll add that photo when it stops being weird.

Boe Beauty Lip Lacquer in Plum Crazy

STICKY! It does that 'pop' thing when you pull the wand out. Smells kind of like plastic (delish!). But hey, it's only $2, the pigmentation is decent and I was really drawn to this colour. It works well over lipstick to keep it in place longer.

Lots of glittery chunks in this one!

And that concludes my post on smooth and sticky glosses, I hope you enjoyed reading!

Do you like your lipgloss sticky or smooth?





Pictures sourced from:

http://muacosmetics.blogspot.com.au/2012/08/new-intense-kisses-gloss.html
http://millies.ie/Images/Nyx/Mega%20Shine%20Lip%20Gloss/nyx-Nyx-Cosmetics-Mega-Shine-Lip-Gloss-COSMO.jpg
http://themomblog.blog.ocregister.com/files/2009/02/clinique-long-last-glosswear.jpg
http://www.fashionaddict.com.au/media/catalog/product/cache/1/image/300x/9df78eab33525d08d6e5fb8d27136e95/f/a/face-of-australia-massage-therapy-lip-shine-bondi-1_1.jpg

FOTD: Australian products

Despite my love for trying out international brands, its nice to use products from your own country! I used a few local products for my FOTD from a few nights ago, heres what I used (mini reviews included):

L-R

Australis Creme Colour blush in Flirtatious pink RRP $9.95

Face of Australia massage therapy lip shine in Bondi RRP $10.95

Face of Australia liquid eyeliner in black RRP $8.95

Australis Mineral Inject Liquid Foundation in Natural beige $17.95

BYS Diamond Shadow Colour Conga palette RRP $5.00

I've also included the Rimmel mascara, simply because I don't own any true Aussie brand mascaras but Rimmel is widely available here. Does anyone have any suggestions? 

Swatches above of Australis creme colour - on the left it has been blended out and is quite sheer against my skin. As my face is lighter, it shows up more on my face and appears like a natural flushed glow. I like the creamy consistency of this, it has a little bit of added shimmer too. It can be used on the lips too, but because of the lavender smell, I don't use it on my lips as I am not a fan of this smell! 

Swatches of the lip shine - it is true to the tube. The formula is a little on the sticky side, but it gives a great shine to the lips. The colour can be built up too so I only use a small amount. I absolutely adore this colour. The applicator also has little bumps on it, which apparently massages your lips to provide fullness. I don't really think this does anything, it feels nice to apply, but my lips don't seem much fuller from using it. 

As for the mineral foundation, it is decent, but nothing spectacular. Here is what the product claims to do:

• For perfectly smooth, immaculate-looking skin.
• Minmises the appearance of imperfections and fine lines
• Luxuriously lightweight for superior coverage and a sensational silky finish
• SPF 12

The coverage is quite light which suits me as my skin is fairly clear. It claims to give smooth skin - yes, if your skin is already in good condition. It does minimise imperfections if they are minor, and I'm not sure about the fine lines? 

As for the FoA liquid liner, I've written about it in a previous post, which you can view here (its #5 on the list). 

I have done a complete review on the BYS palette, click here!. For this FOTD, I used the soft green to fit with a floral spring-style look :) 

What are your favourite Australian products? 

My 10 drugstore favourites

In no particular order...

1. Sleek blushes
They are about $6-7 (AUD) and you get 8g of product in a compact rectangular case with a mirror. MAC powder blushes are 6g and don't have a mirror so I think I prefer the Sleek casing.
These blushes are incredibly pigmented. Warning - they can become addictive! I use them daily and my MAC blushes have been pushed aside for these guys.

Here are some pictures I have used on other blog posts

Sunrise (left) and Honour (right) - refer to my previous post for more info if you are interested in these two!

Sleek blushes: Sunrise and Honour 

Above: Honour 

Above: Rose Gold - said to be a dupe of NARS Orgasm blush

 Cases

If you're interested in Sleek, you can buy their products from their website.
http://www.sleekmakeup.com/



2. Milani Press Powder
I bought this for $5.75. I guess I've never really been a pressed powder girl before but I love this. It gives a flawless coverage on its own and is great for shine control. It comes with a handy mirror and sponge. I also find it is long lasting. It has 10g of product so its probably going to last me a while.

I bought this from beautyjoint.com




3. L.A Girl Pro Conceal
A fantastic concealer for $2.50. Again, concealer wasn't a product I paid much attention to but this changed my beauty routine. I use them almost every day to cover areas of redness. It has a creamy consistency to it and the brush tip applicator can be used to blend but I prefer to use my fingers.

I bought this from beautyjoint.com



4. Ecotools Brushes
Not only is this brand pocket friendly, they are doing their bit for the environment. Their products are 100% cruelty-free (as their website says) with recycled aluminium and bamboo for the handles. 1% of their profits go towards environmental organisations, so not only will you look good but you feel good too!
If you're ever used one of their brushes, you would know that they are incredibly soft. I use a kabuki brush of theirs for when I use mineral powder foundation and sometimes I find myself just aimlessly rubbing the brush on my face, because it feels so soft. Please tell me I'm not the only one...?

Their prices vary depending on which brush/set you buy, but they can be purchased from Priceline as well as on their website.

This eyeshadow brush costs $4 on ecotools.com

5. Face of Australia Liquid Eyeliner

I bought this for around $9 quite a while ago and this is the third time I've repurchased it. It makes liquid eyeliner application really easy with the precise tip. I always get compliments when I use it to do a winged eyeliner look. A great tool to have in your makeup kit for doing a dramatic look.

I bought this from Big W.



6. MUA eyeshadow palettes
I have two of these so far and they are amazing. They are about 4 pounds on the MUA website. Talk about value for money! There has been a lot of hype about these lately and rightfully so. 12 eyeshadows at an affordable price. I want them all. 

Here are the ones I have

Above: The Undressed palette - read more about it here

Above: The Dusk til Dawn palette - read more about it here

7. Rimmel Extra Super Lash Mascara
$12.95 for this, pretty cheap (in Aus!) for a mascara. Nothing too fancy, but it does the job for daily wear. The brush is good and so far I haven't experienced clumping. 

Rimmel products can be bought from Big W, supermarkets such as Coles and Bilo, Target and I'm sure there are other stores too.




8. NYX Mega Shine Lip Gloss
Soo shiny! Bought this one for $5.49 and its generous with its 11ml of gloss. It pretty much gives you everything you want in a lipgloss - shine, colour and its not all gooey and sticky. Super cute tube too.

The colour above is Spongecake. 
This can be bought from beautyjoint.com



9. Ulta3 nail polish
$2 polish. What more can I say? The formula is excellent quality, the brush is small but that can be forgiven. You get 13mL of polish which is quite a lot. The colour range is also great. With a base coat and top coat, they last me about 5-7 days. 

Above: the colour 'Jade'

Above: the colour 'Bouquet'



10. Rimmel Lasting Finish Lipstick
These are $10 and are one of my most reliable lipsticks. Great colour and lasts about 4 hours on me. I have quite a few of these and will continue to repurchase.

The colour above is Birthday Suit.
Again, Rimmel products are widely available in Australia.


Well, this concludes my list! What are some of your drugstore faves?