Sunday 31 August 2014

The 90's Tag

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I'm very excited about today's post/video!
My super attractive self and siblings in about 1996
I saw this tag on Kate from The Minted Beauty's blog and not only is Kate amazing (you guys should TOTES check out her blog), but her 90's Tag video also had me laughing out loud and brought back so many good memories. I decided that it was an excellent opportunity to film my own version of the tag so please head over to my YouTube channel and check it out. 

Stay beautiful!

Dani xx
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Thursday 28 August 2014

Boe Beauty Jumbo Wind Up Lips

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This is my second review of the Boe Beauty brand, you can read my first review on their Liquid Liner and Volumising Mascara here. Today, I’m going to show you the Jumbo Wind Up Lips (what a mouthful! I’m just going to call them Jumbo Lips) set that I bought on sale a little while ago. I lurve these babies, they were worth every cent and I think they are comparable to Clinique Chubby Sticks.


The Brand – Boe Beauty

My first Boe Beauty review has all the deets on the brand, so head over there for a more in depth read. Boe Beauty is a cosmetics brand exclusive to Big W and their individual products retail for the bargain price of $2. They also have a number of eye and lip sets ranging from $5 to $10. By and large, they are excellent value for money but I would encourage you to do some research before buying as some of the eye shadows are quite chalky and some of the nail polishes quite streaky and not all that nice to use. Thankfully, the world of beauty blogging exists and you can go in well informed before dropping your dollars.

The Products – Jumbo Wind Up Lips minis ($5.00 for a set of 5 = $1.00 each!)

Swatches from bottom to top: Knockout Red, unknown shade, Better Bare, Manic Pink and Boudoir Pink.

I picked this up at the same time as the eye set and they were $5 each on sale, reduced from $10. I don’t have any of the full size versions of the Jumbo Lips, but I have a feeling these are minis. Infuriatingly, they don’t have any names or shades listed AND I threw away the box they came in ages ago AND there is no Boe Beauty website BUT via the magic of Google, I managed to dig up what I THINK are the correct names for the shades (if you know what the shade names actually are, please feel free to comment). The colours are: Knockout Red, unknown shade, Better Bare, Manic Pink and Boudoir Pink. Knockout Red is definitely not red, more a dark pink and Better Bare is like a “my lips but better” shade. Boudoir Pink would be a perfect everyday colour, very subtle. 


Knockout Red is actually quite a pink shade
Unknown shade
Better Bare is a "my lips but better" kind of shade
Manic Pink is a peachy kind of pink
Boudoir Pink is an almost perfect nude

Using the products

The first thing I noticed was that the crayons are a bit flimsy, I broke the top off the Manic Pink as I opened it. It was a pretty easy fix but they are easy to break. The next negative is that the silly lids don’t fit properly and pop off all the time, hello ruined handbag lining! However, those are the only bad things I have to say, they rest are all good. I find these very moisturising, more so than the Clinique Chubby Sticks. They don’t last spectacularly, but they have decent wearability. I also love the range of shades, this one pack gave me enough different shades to cover a week of moods and outfits. The colour payoff is excellent, a little sheer to start with but very easy to build. I would have no idea how to pick a favourite, they are all pretty damn good!

Overall Score

The Good
Very affordable.
Excellent quality for the price.
Great range of colours

The Bad
Flimsy top, easy to break
Lid doesn’t stay on


KaBOOM! Cosmetics gives Boe Beauty Jumbo Wind Up Lips minis:
Very impressed with these babies! For the price, I don’t think you can do better. Considering they are $2 versus $35 for a Clinique Chubby Stick, they are definitely value for money. I was really impressed with the quality of these, given their budget price. What are your top Boe Beauty product recommendations?

Stay beautiful!

Dani xx
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Sunday 24 August 2014

Ace Yo' Base - Round 2

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I realised that it’s been an absolute AGE since the last instalment of Ace Yo’ Base. I’ve been using some pretty amazing base products recently and they definitely deserve a little shout out. I found that my summer time foundations weren’t quite up to dealing with my freaky winter skin so I went on a mission to round up and try out a few newbies, as well as some old favourites in this edition of Ace Yo’ Base.
 
Left to right: Rimmel Wake Me Up, MAC Pro Longwear, L'Oreal Nude Magique Eau de Teint and NYX HD Photogenic Concealer 

1. Rimmel Wake Me Up Foundation in #103 True Ivory ($19.95 for 30ml) – Oh, Rimmel, can you do no wrong? My winter skin was not looking good, I could have been an extra in a zombie movie and they wouldn’t even have had to use any makeup on me! My usual foundations just weren’t cutting it and I was after something to brighten up my dull skin. Wake Me Up is the perfect winter foundation as it has an Anti-Fatigue AND Radiant Glow effect. For an oily skinned girl like me, this would usually spell disaster BUT it’s perfect for my winter skin which dries out and needs a little extra glow. This has the same floral scent as Match Perfect but has a thicker consistency. I would also say that the coverage is a bit heavier, again, perfect for blemish-prone winter skin. I’m very glad I found this little beauty!

 


2. MAC Pro Longwear Foundation in NC25 ($54.00 for 30ml) – This foundation probably should have ended up with me a long time ago BUT the first time I visited MAC, I mistakenly ended up with a foundation that was NOT suited to my oily skin. Long story short, the ladies at MAC were more than happy to exchange it for this Pro Longwear Version. It’s a lightweight, blendable formula that gives medium coverage and a flawless matte finish. This foundation’s real power is how long it lasts…all day! I’m not kidding, forget foundations that leave by lunchtime, this baby will stay on all day long. Despite the price tag this is a definite winner from MAC.



3. L’Oreal Nude Magique Eau de Teint in #150 Nude Beige ($24.95 for 20ml) – This foundation puts me in mind of a 1920’s vanity table. Rather than the usual plastic drugstore packaging, L’Oreal have gone with a heavier, glass-like rectangular container that feels just a little bit posh! To use, you shake well to mix, remove the screw on cap and apply a drop to your finger. It’s a little different but the formula is super silky and very lightweight. I like to use this as an everyday base as it feels like you’re not wearing any makeup at all. The coverage is very light though so if you’re after a heavier coverage, this probably isn’t for you. It is also a bit messy, given how runny it is and that it has a screw on cap BUT I’m willing to forgive the messiness because of how beautiful it feels on the skin.



4. NYX HD Photogenic Concealer in Light (from $10.95) – I am a sufferer of under-eye bags and I’m always on the hunt for a concealer to help me look a little less…dead. This HD Concealer is really creamy and blends out nicely. This shade really helps brighten the under-eye area and really helps disguise the days when you’ve had less than a good night’s sleep. The only downsides are that does tend to settle into fine lines if your skin isn’t well hydrated, so make sure you pop on an eye cream before use. 

 

 Let me know what your base acing products are and I’ll hunt them down and test them out. Stay tuned for Round 3 of Ace Yo’ Base in the coming months!

Stay beautiful! 

Dani xx
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