[Empties] April & May 2015

Empties 1-3

Two months after finishing the shampoo, I finally finished the matching L’Oreal Elvive Smooth Intense Anti-Frizz conditioner. Gorgeous conditioner, it left my hair super soft and frizz free. I would definitely repurchase.

I’ve been using the Lentheric I Love Vanilla since I was about sixteen, I always received so many compliments when I wore it because it was like a mix of vanilla/cupcakes/sugar without being overly sweet. Unfortunately this product isn’t easily available in Australia so I don’t think that I’ll be repurchasing it anytime soon.

I love my Dove soap and this was the first time trying their deodorant. I absolutely LOVE the can and the cause, but the product itself was a bit average. It did what it was meant to do but I somehow prefer the Rexona and Garnier deodorants.

Empties 4-8

I actually managed to finish a Maybelline Babylips without losing it! This one was the berry flavour, it did a brilliant job of moisturizing and I liked the color too. I’ve already repurchased it but in different flavours.

I received a sample size of the Neutrogena Hydra Boost, not sure if it’s just me but this product actually dried my skin out instead of moisturizing it. I definitely wouldn’t repurchase, I’m actually disappointed because I normally love Neurogena products.

The Covergirl Lashblast waterproof mascara is certainly worth the hype, I loved the huge lashes that it gave me. I’ve already repurchased this, but not in the waterproof version because I found it impossible this one.

I also got through my Braun Silk Epil wipes, these came with my Braun epilator. The epilator itself is awesome but the wipes didn’t do much to be honest.

TRASHED!

I had to chuck out the three products above because they’re around seven years old. In particular, the Revlon molten metal liquid eyeshadow was gorgeous! It’s such a shame that they discontinued such a great product.

What products have you emptied this month? x

[Review] Revlon Colorstay Foundation

Estee Lauder Double Wear foundation (reviewed here) used to be my holy grail foundation until we hit winter and suddenly none of the colors in the range matched me anymore. The shade I had (5W1 Bronze) became way too orange and the shade I got matched to again at Myer (3W2 ) was too light for my skin.

I decided to mix things up and try a drug store brand instead.  The Revlon Colorstay foundation was a foundation that  seemed to get rave reviews and was something I always wanted to try.

Revlon Colorstay foundation in shade #320 True Beige

Here’s what Revlon say about the Colorstay foundation:

• Medium to full coverage with a lightweight formula that won’t cake, fade or rub off
• Time Release Technology
• Oil-free, moisture-balance formula is especially formulated for normal or dry skin to continuously provide hydration
• Makeup feels comfortable and wears for up to 24 hours
• Comes in 12 beautiful shades
• SPF 20

The formula

The foundation is oil-free and is thin in consistency, but not too thin that it’s runny. I’ve been applying it after moisturizing with my Real Techniques brush and find it really easy to work with. It doesn’t dry fast so you don’t have to apply and blend at lightening speed to avoid patches.

The coverage

The coverage is pretty impressive, I found that medium was sufficient for me. I know that it can be built to full coverage but it looked a bit caked and fake when I tried that.

Staying power

Here’s where this foundation let me down. It’s claims to be last for 24 hours, but by mid day I’m left with half my make up. While it doesn’t disappear completely or go patchy on the skin, I find that the coverage fades, so my spots begin to show through.

Packaging 

I love the packaging of this foundation, the bottle is clear so you can see exactly how much remains of the product. It also comes with a pump!

Price

The Revlon Colorstay foundation retails for $39.95, but you can pick it up for around $15 when Myer or Chemist Warehouse have it on sale.

Final thoughts

This foundation is a bit average.  It’s not so bad that I want to throw out the rest of my bottle but it’s also not good enough for me to repurchase. I know that a lot of people swear by this foundation, claiming that it’s the only foundation that works for them but I’m disappointed by how fast it fades on my normal/dry skin. This foundation is good if you just need to wear it for a few hours, but I wouldn’t recommend it if you’re after something that is long wearing. I really wish that I had tried the old colorstay formula because it sounds like it was so much better!

And the search for the perfect foundation continues 🙂

Fatima x

[Tag] The Blogger Made Me Buy It!

I spotted this post a while back on Ellie’s Ramblings  and I’m excited to finally be doing the tag on Lipsticks & Coffee (:

The Blogger Made Me Buy It Tag

1) Who are your most influential bloggers? Who are the ones that you really rely on for reviews and swatches?

Temptalia has got to be my favorite blog for swatches as they are such good quality. For reviews, Kaushal Beauty was one of the first blogs I followed and her blog remains one of my favorites. Her reviews are always on point and her videos and pics are pretty amazing too.

2) Do you buy a product solely as a result from one review from your favourite bloggers, or do you look for more reviews from others?

If I spot a product I’m interested in buying on a blog, I do a google search to look at other reviews and swatches. I also skim through the ratings on Beauty Heaven and Makeup Alley, my two favourite websites for beauty reviews. I tend to do this for almost all products I buy, I think I enjoy the ‘research’ almost as much as the actual purchase!

3) What is your most favourite item that you have ever bought as a consequence of blogs?

My Estee Lauder Double Wear Foundation, which deserves every bit of love and rave reviews that it receives from bloggers ♥ I also love my Real Technique Expert face brush which I probably would not have picked up if I hadn’t read about it on a blog.

4) What is your least favourite item that you have ever bought as a consequence of blogs?

Maybelline Colossal Volume mascara! I have read SO MANY rave reviews on this mascara but I’m far from impressed, it doesn’t provide huge volume like the Falsies did and tends to get all over my eye lids.

5) Name 5 products you have bought recently as a result of blogs.

• Trilogy rosehip oil antioxidant plus
• Garnier Micellar Cleansing Water
• Maybelline Volum’ Express Falsies Flared
• Maybelline Baby Lips
• Benefit’s Do The Bright Thing (purchased for the mascara!)

6) Have you ever given into blogger hype? If so, which hype?

The Revlon Matte Balms. And I’m glad that I did because ‘Sultry‘ has been my to-go-for shade since I purchased it.

7) Have you ever avoided blogger hype? If so, which hype?

There was a stage a few months back when every blogger was reviewing Benefit’s Gimme Brow. It does seem like an amazing product but not something I really need so I’m glad I didn’t succumb to the hype.

8) Is everything you buy based on blogger reviews or are there some items you buy without checking out a review?

I’m careful with my spending so I don’t often impulse buy, I usually know what I want and then wait for it to go on sale. That being said, I do tend to pick up smaller items like shampoos and makeup removers and without checking out a review first.

If you’re reading this tag, I tag you to do it too! Let me know in the comments if you’ve done this tag so I can read your answers 🙂

Fatima

[Review] Revlon Lacquer Balm in #120 Vivacious

I picked this up together with the Revlon Matte Balm in Sultry last week and because none of the other matte colors interested me, I settled on this lacquer balm instead.

Like the Matte Balms, the product comes in a lip crayon form with a swivel bottom. The lacquer balm tubes have a glossy metallic finish, I think that it’s so clever how Revlon has matched the packaging to finish of the product.

 

 

The Revlon ColourBurst Lacquer Balm Lip Pencils offers a glossy and pigmented colour. It glides on effortlessly and doesn’t dry out the lips. Like the Just Matte Balm, it has a subtle minty scent upon application.

Vivacious is a gorgeous fuchsia pink, and it’s bright without being neon. It doesn’t have any glitter in it which I noticed some of the other Lacquer Balms had. I love the color payoff, but having a glossy finish, the product transfers really easily. This lasted around 4 hours on my lips with eating, pretty much what I expected (:

 

The Revlon Lacquer Balms are a fun way of injecting color and trying out something new. If you love glossy and shiny finishes, definitely give this one a try xx

[Review] Revlon Colorburst Matte Balm in #225 Sultry

The Revlon Colorburst Matte Balms hit Australia recently. Priceline have been advertising it extensively and I wasn’t too fazed until I actually went in store and did some swatching. I expected them to be less color and more of a lip balm, but was wrong and was pleasantly surprised ♥

The Revlon Colorburst Matte Balms come in a lip crayon form, with a swivel bottom. I love how even the packaging of this product is matte; it makes it easy to differentiate with the other Revlon Lacquer Balms.

The Matte Balms are available in 10 shades. I found that the colors available are not really suited to every skin tone. Priceline had a buy one/ get one free offer on Revlon lip products so even though I fell in love with #225 Sultry, I struggled to find a second matte balm that I liked. Which is okay, I ended up taking a Lacquer Balm as my second product.

Sultry is a rosy brown/pink shade which is a lot brighter on the lips than it appears in the tube. The texture of the balm is creamy and it applies on smoothly. The balm has a minty scent when applied, I’m not too keen on it but it’s not a deal breaker as it fades after a minute or two. When applied, the balm looks quite satiny but ends up settling into a more matte look. While this product is not drying on the lips, it’s still a matte finish so I suggest exfoliating dry lips first as this balm WILL accentuate any flakes or dry patches that you have.

The formula of Sultry is quite pigmented, one swipe gives sufficient coverage. I’m able to get around 3-4 hours of wear from this balm.

Overall, the Revlon Colorburst Matte Balm in Sultry is pigmented and comfortable to wear. It will highlight any dryness so make sure that you exfoliate first (: This was my first matte lip product purchased and I’m pretty happy with the results.

Have you tried the Revlon Matte Balms yet? xx

[Empties] January 2014

Happy Sunday to my beautiful followers! Today I have my first ever empties post. Unfortunately I don’t seem to go through a lot of products so my empties posts are probably going to be really short.

The Body Shop Vitamin C Cleansing Facial Polish

The product has a citrus scent which is really refreshing to use in the mornings. It leaves the skin feeling fresh and clean without being drying. The beads are a great exfoliant and is soft enough for daily use.

Repurchase? Yes

Maybelline Hyperglossy Liquid Eyeliner

The writing on the packaging has completed faded for some reason. This was a good liquid eyeliner, very pigmented and lasted all day without smudging and fading. I’m not too keen on is the brush, it’s tricky to use and started fraying after around five months. But overall, it’s an affordable product and gives good results.

Repurchase? Maybe

Revlon ColorStay Liquid Eyeliner

Highly pigmented, easy to use and lasts all day. The only downside is that this eyeliner is a bit on the pricey side compared to other brands I’ve used.

Repurchase? Already repurchased.

The Body Shop Ginger Sparkle Home Fragrance

I adore scented candles and home fragrances and this was the perfect addition to my collection. You can pick these up for around $6 on sale and they really give the room an amazing scent.

Repurchase? Already repurchased.

The Body Shop Born Lippy lipbalm in strawberry

Yay! I’m so proud of myself for actually finishing a lip product, even though it did take me two years haha. I love this lipbalm, it leaves my lips so soft and smells so yummy.

Repurchase? Already repurchased.

Busby Pure Tissue Oil

I received this as a sample and the size was actually quite generous as you can see. It had a spray attachment which I loved, made application much easier. I’m not sure how much I liked the tissue oil though, it didn’t fade my dark spots but did help a little with stretch marks.

Repurchase? Probably not.

Clean & Clear Essentials Toner

I was expecting this product to dry my skin out but was pleasantly surprised, it had a lovely scent and felt quite nice on my skin.

Purchase the full size product? Maybe..I don’t really use toner though.

Palmers Massage Lotion for stretchmarks

I don’t really get the point of giving out a sample for this because it had around two uses which obviously couldn’t give me an indication of how well the product works. Also, the lotion had a medical smell that I found awful.

Purchase the full size product? No.

Palmers Cocoa Butter Lotion

First time this and I absolutely LOVE the scent! The lotion was also really good, moisturing and absorbed fast.

Purchase the full size product? Yes

L’Oreal Extraordinary Oil

This oil really is extraordinary, it took my hair from dry to healthy in a few days and made it so much easier to manage. The scent is okay, not exactly my favourite but I loved the results so not complaining!

Purchase the full size product? Yes!! As soon as I get through all my current hair products.

This post was longer than I expected, but I enjoyed writing it 🙂

Until next time!

Fatima xx

[Haul] South African shopping

Hi everyone!

My mum was recently away for a holiday in South Africa so I asked her to pick up some  beauty items. The strong Australian dollar meant that I paid much less for some of my favourite brands. For example, the MAC lipstick worked out to $19 and my Estee Lauder foundation was just $35.

Here’s what I got:

• The Body Shop Vitamin C Microdermabrasion
• L’Oreal Ombre for dark hair
• Neotrogena Visibly Clear pink grapefruit daily scrub
• Bionike defence b-lucent
• Woolworths caramel & cream body butter
• Woolworths vanilla & brown sugar hand and body lotion
• Woolworths berry crush whisked body butter
• Revlon colorstay liquid eyeliner [repurchase]
• MAC lipstick in Rebel
• Estee Lauder double wear foundation in bronze [repurchase]
• The Body Shop Born Lippy lipbalms in strawberry and raspberry [repurchase]
• Cosmetic holder

I requested most of the products above based on product reviews and blog posts that I have read. The Body Shop microdermabrasion and the Neotrogena scrub are supposed to be really good for brightening the skin. I’ve never heard of the Bionike product before but apparently it’s really good for removing dark spots. The L’Oreal ombre kit for dark hair is not available is Australia and I’ve been wanting to do an ombre for ages.

Please let me know in the comments if you want me to review any of the products.

Hope that everyone had an amazing Australia Day, enjoy the public holiday off!

Fatima xx

[Top 10] Beauty Products of 2013

Hi everyone!

Today I thought that I would share with you my top 10 favorite products of 2013. 

Mor Little Luxuries Marshmallow Hand Cream- Fell in love with this little beauty the first time that I sampled it at Myer. The cream has a lovely, thick consistency and leaves my hands feeling soft and nourished. The packaging is gorgeous and is ideal to treat yourself or give to a loved one as a gift. I find that the scent usually lasts between 3-4 hours. This is an ideal size to keep in my handbag and to use on the go.  I’m looking forward to buying the perfume and the rest of the range in 2014!

Herbal Essences Hello Hydration shampoo- I know I’m a bit delayed in trying out this range but I love this shampoo! This is perfect for summer because face it, who doesn’t want to smell of coconuts and wild orchid?!

The Body Shop Aloe Gentle Facial Wash– I have been using this wash for the better part of the year and it doesn’t disappoint. The product is a foam cleanser and gently washes away makeup. I have normal skin and this doesn’t leave my skin feeling dry.

Garnier Fructis Miraculous Oil- This is my first time trying out a hair oil and I’m really impressed. I only need a small amount of product and apply it to the ends of my hair. The smell of the product is beautiful and it leaves my hair feeling soft and manageable.

Maybelline Falsies Volume Express [Black Drama} -I absolutely freaking love this mascara!! It curls, volumises and lengthens slightly. The mascara wand took some time to get used to but other than that, it definitely delivers what it claims to do.

Revlon Colorstay Liquid Liner- This liner is perfect. It lasts all day without smudging, is pigmented and easy to apply.

Garnier Youthful Radiance Night Cream– The cream doesn’t actually make my skin look drastically radiant, but my skin drinks it up! It has a pleasant smell and absorbs quick. It’s also not heavy like a lot of night creams, which I love.

Estee Lauder Double Wear Foundation [5W1 Bronze]- This is my holy grail foundation, it provides medium to heavy coverage and is buildable. I have dark marks on my face and I usually skip concealer because this foundation covers most of it perfectly. The foundation is perfect for daily use, it doesn’t feel heavy and doesn’t look caked on. Also lasts for over 8 hours WITHOUT primer. This product is absolute gold, will forever be repurchasing.

Rimmel Kate Moss Lasting Finish Lipsticks- Shade 20 is my current favourite, but I’ve just purchased shade 09 which I’m also in love with. The lipsticks are affordable and great quality, making it a good buy.

Body Shop Born Lippy [Watermelon]-  These lip balms smell great, look cute and leave my lips feeling soft and moisturised . They’re a handbag essential and I usually keep one lying around my room.

Have you tried any of the products above? What are your favorite products of 2013?