[Review] Essence of Jasmine Soy Candles

Hi everyone!

My last post on this blog was almost SIX MONTHS ago which is ridiculously long but I do have a good reason. If you’re following me on social media you’ll know that I got married in December 🙂 It’s been super amazing so far but also extremely busy. With full time work, part time studying and newly married life, it really has been hard to fit time for blogging in.

Today I’m reviewing some of my favorite candles, purchased from a local flea market. I absolutely ADORE candles and am always looking to add new scents and brands to my collection. Essence of Jasmine are a Perth based company that sell soy candles, melts, luxury soaps and other beauty products.

Essence of Jasmine candles

Essence of Jasmine candles

Product description from the EOJ website:

The Essence of Jasmine  Soy Candle Collection will beautifully fill any room with long lasting aroma, and with many fragrances to choose from we are sure you will find a favourite.

All our Soy Candles & Melts are hand poured using 100% soy plant wax & blended with premium fragrance oils to provide the maximum scent throw possible.

Our lovely hand made  collection of candles not only look great but are a natural Australian made product.

I purchased candles in the scents below:

• Tropical paradise
• Vanilla slice
• Blueberry muffin

These candles are gorgeous, and don’t need to be lit to enjoy the beautiful fragrances. From the three candles I picked up, blueberry muffin has the strongest scent. Vanilla Slice is more subtle, but still has a decent scent throw. Tropical paradise is also a really strong scent, and reminds me of being on an island holiday.

The candles have an added benefit of being a skin moisturizer. When lit, the candle forms a melted wax pool. This wax can then be applied to the skin. Be careful that the wax is not too hot though! I have only tried using this on my hands – it’s not greasy but is a bit rich and heavy so I would probably not consider using it on my face.

The candles are $20 and can be purchased from the EOJ website. I have had a really good experience with the candles, so will be buying their soaps next 🙂

Fatima xx

 

 

[Review] M.N Me Now Generation Long Lasting Lip Gloss

Hi everyone!

This week I’m reviewing the M.N Me Now Generation Long Lasting Lip Glosses* , obtained from Born Pretty Store. If you haven’t heard of them before, they are like the beauty equivalent of eBay and stock everything from makeup, jewelry and makeup holders to stationery, clothing and mobile phone accessories. I was contacted by the store to review some of their products and had the hardest time choosing what I wanted! Everything looked so good and the price tags were amazing 🙂 I do love my higher end brands for makeup but don’t mind trying out drugstore brands which are often just as good.

Two of the products I chose as part of my order were the liquid lip glosses. Although they are called lip glosses, they dry to a matte finish and are essentially liquid lipsticks. I picked up two shades, #3 and #36 which retail for around $2 each.

M.N ME NOW GENERATION-II “LONG LASTING LIP GLOSS”

M.N ME NOW GENERATION-II “LONG LASTING LIP GLOSS” : Shade 36 (top) and Shade 3 (bottom)

Shipping from Born Pretty Store is free (yay!) and my order reached me in just under two weeks. I wasn’t expecting a lot from a $2 lip gloss but these were surprisingly good! As with all liquid lipsticks, you need to prep your lips and make sure that there are no flakes. I usually apply a thick layer of lip balm to get my lips smooth, wipe the balm off then apply liquid or matte lipsticks.

Both liquids were easy to apply, I applied one layer and then waited a few minutes for it to dry. Once they were set, they stayed in place through the day, even through eating and drinking. They are slightly drying (as are all liquid lipsticks!), but I didn’t notice any flaking through the day. Shade 36 (the fuschia pink shade) was a lot more comfortable to wear than shade 3, it wasn’t as thick and was very pigmented.

The only negative point about this product is that they remained tacky through the day, you can’t smack your lips together or it will totally kill the matte finish and feel terrible.

Swatches: M.N ME NOW GENERATION-II “LONG LASTING LIP GLOSS” : Shade 36

Swatches: M.N ME NOW GENERATION-II “LONG LASTING LIP GLOSS” : Shade 36

M.N ME NOW GENERATION-II “LONG LASTING LIP GLOSS” : Shade 3

Swatches: M.N ME NOW GENERATION-II “LONG LASTING LIP GLOSS” : Shade 3

Swatches: M.N ME NOW GENERATION-II “LONG LASTING LIP GLOSS”

Overall, I think that these are good value for value. They’re not as good as my Sephora liquid lipsticks, but they do the job. For $2, you get to choose from 36 colors and you’re getting a long lasting lippy with good pigmentation. I would suggest buying a few and trying them first to see if you like them. Another thing to note is that all shades are not created equally. The pigmentation, finish and comfort vary depending on the shade.

Hope you guys enjoyed the review 🙂 You can purchase these lipsticks from Born Pretty Store for $2 with free worldwide shipping. You can also use a 10% off coupon code PADG10 which will work on all full priced items.

Thanks for reading and hope everyone is having an amazing weekend ♥

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*Product featured in this post was kindly provided for consideration. As with all my posts, the review is 100% honest and of my own personal opinion. For more information, visit my disclosure policy.

[Mini Review] Benefit They’re Real Liner & Mascara

Hi everyone,

When I first started blogging two years ago, the Benefit They’re Real mascara was EVERYWHERE. I was dying to try it but $36 was more than what I was used to paying for a mascara. Lucky for me, I was able to get samples of both the push up liner and the mascara.

Benefit They’re Real review

Benefit They’re Real mascara

What Benefit say:

They’re real! lengthens, curls, volumizes, lifts & separates. Our jet black, long-wearing formula won’t smudge or dry out. A specially designed brush reveals lashes you never knew you had!

There’s already thousands of reviews of this mascara but I thought that I’d throw in my two cents anyway. I was expecting a lot from this mascara, it’s considered somewhat of a cult product and is one of Benefit’s bestsellers. Here’s a quick run down of what I liked and didn’t like:

Pros

• The wand does a great job of separating the lashes. It also gave my lashes awesome length. The little ball on the end helps get to the lashes right in the corners and is good for bottom lashes.
• Very pigmented formula – gave me dark lashes
• Easy to apply, did not end up going on my eye lids or smudging through the day

Cons

• The wand takes some getting used to! It actually hurts using it for the first few times
• The effort it takes (and the eye lashes I lose) removing this mascara
• Gives “crispy” eye lashes which can sometimes flake at the end of the day

Overall, this is a good mascara but I’ve tried mascaras that are A LOT better from Covergirl and Maybelline. I like massive, thick lashes with lots of volumes but I didn’t really get the wow effect I was hoping for from this mascara.

Benefit They’re Real mascara wand

Benefit They’re Real Push Up Liner

Benefit They’re Real liner

I don’t have a lot to say on the liner, it was crumbly and I found it extremely difficult to squeeze the product out of the tube. I ended up having to throw out the product without using it, not sure if this was due to the product being a sample size? Would love to know if anyone else had a different experience!

I love Benefit Cosmetics in general, and REALLY REALLY wanted to love these products but these two just did not agree with me. If you’ve tried these products, would love to know your thoughts!

Until next time 🙂

Fatima

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Mecca// Myer Perth + Haul

Hi everyone!

Last week I was down at Myer Perth for the opening of the new Mecca counter. The open day promised lots of exciting prizes, including MECCA gift cards, deluxe samples, NARS lipsticks and Stila palettes. I got there at around two pm, and the line was CRAZY long. It was my first time shopping at Mecca, which is a bit embarrassing because I’m always buying makeup and beauty stuff!

The girls at Mecca were so lovely, my favorite part about the whole experience was that they were more than happy to give out samples. I always like testing out foundations before I buy it, but hate asking for samples because some assistants act like the samples are being paid out of their own salary. Or that I’m asking for too much by wanting to try a $60 foundation before I buy it.

Anyway back to Mecca! I was interested in the NARS sheer glow after reading so many rave reviews. I spoke to the assistant for a bit about the foundation, was color matched to the shade Syracuse and decided to go ahead and buy the foundation. I also asked for a sample of the Smashbox foundation and another NARS foundation. I was interested in trying the Too Faced Born This Way too but it hadn’t yet arrived in store.

NARS foundation in shade Syracuse + pump

Samples: NARS All Day Luminous & Smashbox Studio Skin foundation

Unfortunately by the time I waited in the queue and paid, they had run out of prizes which I was super gutted out. I did however get a Beauty Loop box which consisted of the items below:

• Too Faced cocoa powder foundation sample
• Too Faced shadow insurance sample
• Ciate mini nail polish in Party Shoes
• Ren Invisible Pores detox mask sample

MECCA beauty loop level 1

Overall, I am super excited with the opening of Mecca in Myer. I pretty much felt like a kid in a candy store in there! This is also my first time trying NARS so I look forward to trying and reviewing the foundation soon 🙂

Until next time

Fatima x

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[Empties] August to October 2015

Hi lovelies,

It’s been a few months since my last empties post so I have accumulated a fair bit of products since then that I can’t wait to share.

Full sized products

Full sized products

L’Oreal Ombre Kit (full review here)

This product is so easy to use, I actually used two boxes to get my desired color. I applied the first box for 40 minutes which is the maximum recommended time but it wasn’t as light as I wanted it to be. I bought the second box a few weeks later and reapplied it for another 40 minutes. It did dry my hair out which was to be expected, but it also came with an amazing shampoo/conditioner which helped repair my hair.

Repurchase? Yes, if I ever want to ombre my hair again.

L’Oreal Elvive Anti Breakage Repairing Shampoo

I really enjoyed using this shampoo, and felt that it did make my hair a bit softer and healthier.

Repurchase? No, I would like to try other brands first.

Byphasse Cotton Pads

I love these cotton pads sooo much, the price is really good and the quality is amazing. I tried looking for them in Chemist Warehouse the other week and couldn’t find it, and I also can’t find it on their website anymore. Note sure if they have stopped stocking the brand!

Repurchase: Yes, if I can find them again!

Rexona Classic Anti Antiperspirant deodorant

I don’t have too much to say on this product, I enjoy using it and it works for me.

Repurchase? Yes.

The Body Shop Spiced Vanilla Body Lotion

I was really sad to reach the end of this, because it was a limited edition range purchased from a few years back. The scent was gorgeous and was so strong that it lasted for hours after. It also did a really great job at moisturising my skin.

Repurchase? Yes, if this range ever makes a reappearance.

MAC lashes

These lashes were gorgeous but are really expensive, I only ended up with them because I got my makeup done at MAC a while back and they’re only allowed to use MAC lashes if you want falsies as part of your look.

Repurchase? No.

Samples

Samples

•  L’Oreal Revitalift – I was part of the trial for this. It made my skin very soft and smooth, I may purchase the full size cream.
• Garnier Fructis Full & Luscious– This shampoo smelled AMAZING like my sister kept asking me why I smelled of lollies after I used this. I may look at purchasing this in the future.
• L’Oreal Elvive Extraordinary Oil masque- This made my hair feel really sleek and healthy, I picked up a full sized product as part of my recent Priceline Haul.
• L’Oreal Everpure Sulfate-free color care system- I loved that it is sulfate free, however I couldn’t tell a difference after using it on my hair. Probably will not purchase.
• Colgate Plax- Will purchase a full size.
• Vagisil wipes- I received these from Beauty Heaven, I’ve never used it down there and don’t feel the need to so will not purchase.
• The Body Shop Oils of Life– This felt lovely on the skin, I may look at purchasing this in the future.

That’s it for this month, can’t wait to see what everyone else has used up this month 🙂 Have you tried any of the products mentioned?

Fatima x

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Priceline Haircare Haul

Hi everyone! 🙂

I’ve been MIA for the past few weeks because of CPA exams but I’m done for the year now so hopefully that will mean a lot more time for blogging.

Priceline recently had a 50% off haircare sale so I used the opportunity to pick up on a few items. My hair has been really dry lately because of the ombre, and hasn’t been looking that healthy either. From the items below, I have only previously tried a sample of the L’Oreal Extraordinary Oil which I absolutely loved. I selected the items below because I liked the brands, will do a complete review once I have trialled them for long enough.

Priceline haircare haul

L’oreal Paris Extraordinary Oil 100 mL $9.99
L’oreal Paris Elvive Extraordinary Oil Nutrition Balm Mask 300 mL $4.97
Schwarzkopf Extra Care Deep Nutrition Intensive Care Mask 250 mL $4.49
Schwarzkopf Extra Care Ultimate Oil Elixir Conditioner 400 mL $1.75
Schwarzkopf Extra Care Ultimate Oil Elixir Shampoo 400 mL $1.75
Schwarzkopf Extra Care Ultimate Repair Shampoo 400 mL $1.75
Schwarzkopf Extra Care Ultimate Repair Conditioner 400 mL $1.75

There was a whole lot of new brands that I would have also liked to try like the OGX , Tony & Guy and Alchemy ranges, however I’m still a bit undecided if the more expensive products deliver that much more on performance and quality.

On a side note, I have committed to slathering my hair with coconut oil for one night every week and so far it has been working so well!! It’s a great way to bring life back to damaged hair and I’m also hoping that it will make my hair grow back faster.

I’m super excited to have a play with these new hair bits and report back on the blog.

What have you purchased lately? Did you get any haircare things in the Priceline haircare sale?

[Review] MAC Ruby Woo

Hi everyone! I’m reviewing Ruby Woo by MAC today, a lipstick which doesn’t need an introduction because of it’s popularity in the beauty community. This is the red lipstick of all red lipsticks, I’ve heard it being described as a classic, a cult favorite, and the “red lipstick every woman needs to own”.

I was a bit undecided about buying this lipstick, because I don’t wear red lipstick that often. Did I really need to buy MAC if I was only going to wear it a few times in a year? I was also a little hesitant to buy it because there are a lot of reviews out there which talk about how drying this lipstick is.

Anyway I tested this out in David Jones, loved how it looked on and bought it immediately. Ladies, Ruby Woo is worth the hype ♥ I am in love with this lipstick, read on for my review.

MAC Ruby Woo: Very matte vivid blue red

MAC describe Ruby Woo as a “very matte vivid blue red”. Ruby Woo is available in a retro matte finish, which makes it dry but also very long lasting. I usually apply lip balm before I do my base and eyes, then wipe the lip balm off and apply Ruby Woo to my prepped lips. The lipstick can drag if lips are not sufficiently moisturized before so it’s important to exfoliate and prep those lips!

The color of this lipstick is gorgeous, it’s bright and has the right tones which makes it wearable for all skin colors and undertones. It’s very pigmented, with one swipe giving enough coverage. I love how long lasting this lipstick is, it lasts a good 5-7 hours with eating and drinking and requires no touch ups. It also feels super comfortable on my lips once it’s applied, it doesn’t feel too drying and I haven’t noticed any flaking.

Swatched: MAC Ruby Woo on NC 42 skin

Overall, this lipstick is pretty amazing and I would definitely recommend it if you don’t already own it! It’s the kind of red lipstick that makes you feel powerful, strong and gorgeous. And who doesn’t want to feel like that? 🙂

What is your favorite red lipstick? x

[Review] L.A Girl Pro Conceal HD High Definition Concealer & Corrector

Hello everyone! Way back in the day, I did a haul from the online site Cherry Culture which included two L.A girl pro conceal concealers. I’m one of those people that never understood the huge deal with concealers, I usually have enough time in the mornings for just foundation and that’s it. Anyway a few months back my the bags under my eyes were looking REALLY dark due to lack of sleep, exams and my work schedule. I remembered I had these, and took them out for a test.

Review L.A. Girl PRO Conceal HD Concealers

From left to right: L.A. Girl PRO Corrector in Orange and L.A Girl Pro Conceal HD High Definition Concealers in Warm Honey and Fawn

From left to right: L.A. Girl PRO Corrector in Orange and L.A Girl Pro Conceal HD High Definition Concealers in Warm Honey and Fawn

I picked up two shades with my haul, Warm Honey (GC982) and Fawn (GC983). For reference I have Indian skin and am around a NC 42 in MAC and shade 4W2 in Estee Lauder. I chose my shades based on swatches online- there are plenty of blog posts and Youtube videos which swatch the entire collection. The first thing that you’ll notice about this product is the price , I paid around $3 each for mine which is why I didn’t hesitate to pick up two. It’s super affordable so you really can’t go wrong with this product.

Back to my review, I absolutely love these concealers and there really isn’t anything bad that I can say about the product. It comes in a squeeze tube with a brush tip which makes dispensing it super easy, although I tend to apply on my finger and then to my face. The texture of the concealers are creamy and thick, and provide excellent coverage for under eye circles. Best of all, it stays on my face ALL DAY LONG. Which is definitely what I look for in a product! I apply my foundation first, and then the concealer on top. I apply only a tiny amount though, because it can crease if you apply too much. Finally, I set the concealer with my Studio Fix powder. Both colors I chose are a good match for my skin, although I like Warm Honey a bit more. I’ve also used this on normal blemishes but didn’t find that it worked as well, maybe because it’s such a creamy product.

I own the MAC pro longwear concealer and prefer these L.A Girl ones, so this is a great dupe if you’re already using the MAC one 🙂

Swatches from left to right: L.A. Girl PRO Corrector in Orange and L.A Girl Pro Conceal HD High Definition Concealers in Fawn and Warm Honey

L.A. Girl PRO Corrector in Orange

Next up is the L.A Girl Pro Conceal Corrector in Orange. Correctors are basically meant to “color correct” certain areas that you want to disguise. For example, salmon, peach and orange correctors can be used to correct under eye circles while green correctors are used to correct redness in the skin. I read a lot of blog posts saying that orange is great for darker skin tones, and was really curious so I picked this one up from eBay for around $5.

The corrector has the same creamy consistency as the concealers, and is SUPER DARK! The first time I applied too much and just had huge orange circles around my eyes. The next time I was careful and only applied the tiniest amount. Even then, because the product is so pigmented, it still peeked through the concealer and foundation on top. You really have to blend and it takes time to apply this. I would recommend this for darker skinned beauties or else it will be impossible to conceal.

Overall, I highly recommend the concealers and look forward to buying more colors in the range. I’ve also heard that they’re great for contouring so will also be picking up a darker shade next time. I might give the orange corrector a miss the next time, although it was a good experiment!

Do you color correct or conceal on a regular basis? Would love to hear your favourite products!

Thank you for reading 🙂 Don’t forget to follow my new Instagram for my blog! You can also head over to Fabulous and Fun Life where I will be linking this post for the Monday Makeup Madness Party.

Fatima x

Overseas Shopping Haul!

Hi everyone!

My parents were recently overseas in Canada so I asked them to pick up a few beauty items which we don’t get here in Perth.

Bath and Body Works

I have heard so many good things about Bath and Body Works, so was ridiculously excited to try their products. The products below is the collective haul between my mum, sister and I. I would have also liked to try their candles but bag weight was an issue so maybe next time! I can’t wait to try the products, and compare it to the body shop which is what I mostly use. The good news for my Australian readers is that Bath and Body Works is set to open their first store this year in Australia at Sydney airport. I’m hoping that this means a lot more stores in Australia over the next few years!

Bath and Body Works Fragrance Mists

Bath and Body Works lotions

Bath and Body Works gel lotions

Bath and Body Works Pocket Bacs and Hand Lotion

Bath and Body Works lip products

Sephora

Another shop that I super keen on trying was Sephora. We don’t have a Sephora in Perth, and it’s always been a hype here in Australia but the prices on the website didn’t look that much cheaper than Australia so I only asked for the Sephora Cream Lip Stains which I have heard SO MANY good things about. I picked up the colors below:

• 01 Always Red
• 03 Strawberry Kissed
• 13 Marvelous Mauve

I’ve heard a lot of people say that Marvelous Mauve is a dupe for Stila’s Patina so I’m looking forward to wearing this lip stain.

Sephora Cream Lips Stains

MAC

We do get MAC here in Australia but the prices in Canada were so much cheaper! The lipsticks were $20 each (usually $36 in Australia), pictured below are two nude shades Twig and Spirit. I also bought a cream color base in Hush.

MAC haul

That brings us to the end of the haul! I’m definitely on a spending ban after all this, I have a ton of beauty products that are still unopened in my collections and are waiting to be loved and reviewed! Let me know in the comments below if you have tried any of these products, or would like me to review any of the products mentioned.

Fatima x

[Review] MAC Studio Fix Foundation in NC 44

Foundation is one of those items that make or break your entire look in my opinion. Last year I ran out of my holy grail Estee Lauder Double Wear foundation and had to go hunting for another foundation. I couldn’t repurchase the ELDW because they don’t stock my shade in Australia, and none of the other shades in the range worked for me. I ended up getting samples across a few brands from Myer – the Lancome Teint Idole and Chanel perfection foundation were two brands that I enjoyed but the shades were not a perfect match for my skin. This was around the same time that I had my makeup done at MAC, I ended up selecting the Studio Fix foundation in NC 44 to redeem as one of my products.

Product description from the MAC website:

A modern foundation that combines a natural matte finish and medium-buildable coverage with broad spectrum UVA/UVB SPF 15. Comfortable and long-wearing: lasts for up to eight hours. Applies smoothly, builds coverage quickly and easily. Contains specially treated micronized pigments and soft-focus powders for a super-smooth look that helps minimize the appearance of imperfections. Absorbs and disperses oil. Contains special skin-conditioning ingredients. Oil free.

The formula

MAC Studio Fix is a liquid foundation and has a thick consistency. It smells a bit of paint, which is weird but is something that I can overlook. The formula of the foundation is easy to work with, it applies evenly and I have enough time to blend it before it dries. I apply this with my Real Techniques Expert face brush and the formula seems to work well with my normal/dry skin.

The coverage

The coverage of this foundation is awesome, I would say that it’s medium to high. You can build your coverage with studio fix- it doesn’t looked caked on, gives an absolutely flawless finish and photographs really well. The finish of this foundation is more dewy than matte, I really love how it makes my skin look.

Longevity

Here’s where the foundation failed me, it doesn’t seem to last more than 5 hours. I’m used to wearing the ELDW which requires no touch ups through out the day, so I was disappointed to see that around 2 pm it looked liked I had no foundation on.

Packaging

The foundation is housed in an attractive glass bottle. The pump for the bottle has to be purchased separately.

Overall thoughts

This foundation is good, I love the huge color selection and how it makes my skin look. It’s not the best foundation out there that I’ve used however, I don’t like the staying power of Studio Fix and also dislike that it doesn’t come with a pump included. This is a foundation that I would reach for if I’m only going out for a few hours, not at all day event or for work.

If you’re interested in trying this foundation, I suggest getting a sample from MAC first. I like using this foundation but it’s not something that I really really LOVE or want to rave on about on this blog.

The MAC Studio Fix Foundation retails for $49 (30ml) and is available from Myer, David Jones and the MAC online store.

Have you used MAC foundation before? What is your holy grail foundation? Share your thoughts in the comments below! x

EDIT : This post has been linked to the Monday Makeup Madness party over at Fabulous and Fun Life. Head over to join in on the fun!

[Review] Estee Lauder Sumptuous Extreme Lash Multiplying Volume Mascara

Hi lovelies! At the beginning of the year, I picked up an Estee Lauder eye set from South Africa which included the Sumptuous Extreme Lash Multiplying Mascara. I’ve been using this mascara for a few months now but never got down to posting a review because I could not for the life of me get a decent close up before/after picture showing how the mascara worked for me.

Anyway 🙂 It recently came to my attention (thanks Beauty Heaven!) that the September 2015 20th anniversary issue of Marie Claire magazine includes a Full-sized Sumptuous Extreme Mascara in Extreme Black, RRP$52. Read on to find out my thoughts on this mascara!

Sumptuous Extreme
Lash Multiplying Volume Mascara

Description from the EL website:
LASHES SEEM TO MULTIPLY, MAGNIFY, GROW TO EXTREMES.

Product description from the Estee Lauder website:

Lashes seem to multiply, magnify, grow to extremes.

Sumptuous Extreme creates outrageous volume, lift and curves for an audacious, false-lash effect. Eyes look brighter, wider, more seductive.

Extreme Bold Volume™ formula is a blend of three high-volume fibers in a mousse-light base. The formula acts almost like lash extensions, multiplying and growing the look of lashes. Fortified with conditioning Lash-Advancing Vitamin Complex.

The BrushComber Extreme™ has two types of bristles: flexible fibers to carry maximum formula; solid fibers to comb and separate for clump-free definition.

Packaging & price

Gold luxe packaging? Yes please! The packaging of this mascara screams luxury and class, it’s so beautiful and really stands out in my collection with it’s shiny finish and gorgeous metal. This is my first high end mascara purchased, my favorite mascara’s are usually the Maybelline and Covergirl ones which I pick up at 50% off for around $10. I bought this mascara without reading any reviews on first, because I love the EL double wear foundation and wanted to try more of their products.

Performance

I found the wand of this mascara to be HUGE, it took some time to get used to and even after using it for a few months, I still end up with mascara going on my eye lid sometimes. That being said, the massive wand is what gives the amazing results. This mascara gives me very black, long and voluminous lashes. The mascara can make my lashes stick together if applied incorrectly, I found that the best way to apply it is slowly and building layer by layer. The product applies wet and then dries after a few minutes. It lasts all day on me without smudging and also holds the curl and volume throughout the day. It’s also not a pain to remove like other mascara’s I’ve used in the past, which is a huge plus for me.

So how does a $52 mascara compare to a $10 one? It’s been wonderful using this mascara, and definitely feels like I’m using a higher end and more expensive product. In terms of performance, yes it’s better than other mascara’s I’ve used in the past but only by a tiny bit. It was an amazing experience using a higher end mascara but at the end of the day, my Maybelline mascara performs almost as good. While I loved using this mascara, I don’t think I’ll ever pay $52 for it. I’d rather spend that amount of money on the EL Double Wear foundation which is my holy grail 🙂

Brush details from the EL website: OVERSIZED BRUSHCOMBER EXTREME™ THICKENS LIKE A BRUSH. DEFINES AND SEPARATES LIKE A COMB.

Final thoughts

Overall verdict? Buy the magazine for the mascara! It’s not everyday that you get to buy a higher end mascara for $10 (that’s how I look at it) and after that, you can decide if you want to repurchase! I was super excited when I saw this offer on Beauty Heaven and even more ecstatic my friend surprised me by buying the magazine for me the next day.

Will you be trying this mascara? What’s the best mascara that you’ve used? x

[Empties] June & July 2015

Hi everyone! I am SUPER EXCITED to post my empties this month because I went through a lot of skincare products that I love and can’t wait to share with you guys.

First up is The Body Shop’s Tea Tree Skin Clearing Foaming Cleanser which I reviewed in full here. This is probably one of my favourite face washes, the smell is gorgeous and I love how soft it made my skin feel after. It also kept my skin fairly clear, without drying it out. The pump packaging is super cool too, dispensing just the right amount of foam at a time. I will be repurchasing this again once I get through my current face wash.

Next is another Body Shop product, this one is the Vitamin C Microdermabrasion. I did a separate review on this product last year, basically I never experienced the improved skin tone or brighter and more radiant skin that this product claimed to help achieve. That being said, I thoroughly enjoyed it using it as a normal exfoliator. The smell was pleasant and it left my skin so soft. I loved treating my skin to this every week, but probably won’t repurchase because of the price.

I also finished my Garnier Micellar water (reviewed here). This product is everything! It does an amazing job at removing makeup and comes at an equally amazing price. Highly recommend this one, and can’t wait to repurchase it.

The Proactiv refining mask is another favourite of mine, it gives me visible results and is perfect for when I’m having bad skin days. I did a more in depth review of this mask when I reviewed it as part of my top three favourite face masks.

The Garnier Moisture Match is a great moisturiser if you’re on a budget, it sits well under makeup and does a fantastic job of hydrating the skin.

I also tried a sample of the Palmers facial oil, it smelled delicious and made my skin super soft. I would probably purchase this once my Trilogy oil runs out.

Lastlly are these facial wipes from Priceline (can’t remember the brand!) which is the only product that I finished this month and didn’t enjoy. The wipes had an awful smell and dried out pretty fast.

What products have you finished this month? x

EDIT: This post has been linked to the Monday Madness Makeup Party. Head over to Fabulous and Fun Life for more blog posts! x

[Review] FreshFlowers.com.au

Hi lovelies! A few weeks ago I was approached by an online florist FreshFlowers.com.au to trial and review their products. I was delighted to find out that they deliver flowers to Melbourne, Perth, and other metropolitan areas Australia wide. I adore flowers so was pretty excited to try them out.

Choosing the flowers I wanted was undoubtedly the most difficult part of doing this review- everything on their website looked gorgeous and I changed my mind multiple times over what I wanted to review. The website is incredibly user friendly, allowing the user to filter by occasion, price, flower and style. Most of their flowers are in the $50 to $70 range, although there are cheaper options available. The website also lets you enter your post code to check if they deliver to your area. As I stay further out from Perth city, Fresh Flowers* do not deliver to my area but I was able to get the flowers delivered to a family member who works at Curtin University. Weekday deliveries are made to business addresses by 5pm and to residential addresses by 7pm and incur a standard delivery fee of $10.

Roses Mini Kisses: Picture taken on the day of delivery

I eventually decided on ‘Roses – Mini Kisses’ which retails for $69.95. Placing the order on their website was super easy, I liked that I could order as a guest without registering. That being said, signing up and being a member will get you a sweet 10% off your first order. Ordering the flowers only took about two minutes, I filled in my name, the person I was delivering the flowers to (address and details) and the message that I wanted on the card. I had the option of leaving special instructions in case the person that the flowers were being delivered to was unavailable. Fresh Flowers allow you to arrange for same day delivery for the major cities, as long as you order before 2pm on a weekday or 10am on a Saturday (they don’t deliver on Sundays and public holidays). You can also nominate what day you want it delivered if you don’t want same day delivery.

My flowers were delivered on a Friday afternoon at around 2 pm, the flowers were left at reception (as instructed if the person being delivered to was away). I was super impressed with the roses received, the packaging was beautiful and the color was a vibrant red. Most of the roses looked fresh and some of the buds were unopened, however there was also a few in the bouquet that looked slightly wilted/brown around the edges. This was only minor though, so didn’t bother me too much.

Roses Mini Kisses: Red rose posy with black ribbon and hessian trim ($69.95)

Red roses //day 2

30 red roses // height 25 cm (Picture taken on day 2)

Picture taken on day 2

I took care of my flowers according to the instructions on the Fresh Flowers website and they still looked gorgeous for about four days before the petals started shedding.

Overall, I was incredibly impressed with the service from FreshFlowers. The bouquet was beautifully presented  and delivered in a courteous manner. This is definitely a service that I would recommend for birthdays and other special occasions. If you’re placing an order, you can also use discount code “FFCARD” to receive 20% off for a limited time 🙂

Until next time 🙂
Fatima x

EDIT: This post has been added to the Monday Makeup Madness link up party over at Fabulous and Fun Life. Don’t forget to head over and join in on the fun!

*Product featured in this post was kindly provided. As with all my posts, it is 100% honest and of my own personal opinion. For more information, visit my disclosure policy.

[Review] Hair & Me Hair Rejuvenation Treatment

Hi everyone! A few weeks back, I decided to take the plunge and ombre my hair at home using the L’Oreal Preference Wild Ombre kit (reviewed here). The results were gorgeous but it left my hair even more damaged and dry than it already was. My Hair & Me Hair Rejuvenation Treatment* came at the perfect time and I couldn’t wait for it to work it’s wonders on my hair.

A little background on the company, Hair & Me is an Australian company that offer a range of products from a Hair Rejuvenation Treatment, through to a Strength Shampoo & Conditioner as well as Detangling Brush. All of Hair&Me’s products are vegan friendly, and none of their products are tested on animals.

Hair & Me Hair Rejuvenation Treatment

Product Description

Hair&Me is an 100% organic, natural hair treatment designed to repair, moisturise & strengthen your hair and scalp, stimulate hair growth, prevent split ends and breakage, control frizziness and help cut blow drying time by 30-50%.

Please Note – This is an oil based treatment using a select number of oils designed to help rejuvenate and restore hair.

INGREDIENTS – 100% Certified Organic
ALLERGEN INFORMATION – Contains Nuts & or Nut products

• Extra Virgin Coconut Oil
• Jojoba Oil
• Macadamia Virgin Oil
• Sweet Almond Oil

Hair Rejuvenation Treatment: an oil based product, using coconut, macadamia, jojoba & almond oil – designed to help repair, moisturise & strengthen your hair & scalp

Directions for use

The Hair Rejuvenation Treatment is a pre-shampoo which nourishes and protects hair . The instructions on the back of the treatment ask you to apply it to damp hair, starting from roots, and ensuring a good coverage from root to tip. The recommended time to leave in the treatment is from thirty minutes or even overnight, and then removing the treatment by shampooing and conditioning as usual.

My review

I popped the treatment in the fridge for around thirty minutes and then wet my hair in my bathroom sink. The treatment was hard when I took it out of the fridge, but turned creamy and soft once squeezed out. I absolutely LOVE the smell of this treatment, it smells of coconut and desserts and reminds me of summer days on the beach. I also adore the hot pink bag, and the fact that it has a screw on cap to store it easily between treatments.

I worked the treatment in my hair and put my hair up in a messy bun for around two hours then hit the shower. Even though I did a double shampoo, I wasn’t able to get all the oil out and had to take a second shower the next morning.

GUYS THE RESULTS!

This treatment made my hair super soft and silky, honestly even with the ombre it felt a whole lot better than it did before. My hair has also been falling less, feels hydrated and even looks healthier. To be honest I wasn’t expecting to see any results after just one treatment but I’m super thrilled with the results and can’t wait to use the rest of the bag.

Overall thoughts

This product has been a life saver for my damaged and dry hair and I’ll definitely be repurchasing it once I run out. The treatment sells for $20, I expect to get another two uses from my bag so I would say that it’s definitely good value for money considering the price of salon treatments. My treatment also reached me within two days of it being shipped, so I’ve been impressed with the product and company from start to finish.

Hair & Me products can be purchased from their website www.hairandme.com.au. You can also find them on Instagram: @hairandme_, Twitter: @hairandme and Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/hairandme.

*Product featured in this post was kindly provided. As with all my posts, it is 100% honest and of my own personal opinion. For more information, visit my disclosure policy.

[Review] MAC Modesty Lipstick

MAC Modesty (Cremesheen)

Hi everyone! I picked this MAC lipstick up way back in January when I was overseas, but only used it for the first time in May because I wanted to take pictures of the unused bullet first. Hashtag beauty blogger problems (:

This product hit my wishlist last year when one of my favourite bloggers (Zara from Mouldyfruit) kept mentioning her love for it. I already own one nude lipstick from MAC (Hug Me) which I love so was eager to try a second nude lipstick from them.

MAC modesty

MAC Modesty swatched on NC 42 skin

Swatches: MAC Modesty

MAC describe Modesty as a “muted neutral pink” and I have to agree – it’s not too pink but also not too nude. It has just enough of a neutral tone to make it a good MLBB (my lips but better) shade. I think this lipstick will suit almost every skin tone because it’s one of those can’t go wrong shades.

MAC Modesty is available in a cremesheen formula which makes it a very creamy, hydrating and comfortable lipstick to wear. I love how low maintenance it is, it’s perfect for everyday wear and is also my most reached for shade at the moment for the office.  The pigmentation is really good, with one swipe giving enough coverage. I’m not such a big fan of the staying power though- it tends to fade after a few hours and is pretty much non existent once I drink coffee or have something to eat.

If you’re after a MAC nude lipstick, give this one a swatch when you’re at the MAC counter next. What’s your perfect nude lipstick? x

EDIT: This post has been added to the Monday Makeup Madness link party over at Fabulous and Fun Life. Head over to join in on the fun!