Winter Favourite: Emerald Green Smokey Eye

While I normally do not stray from my trusty brown and grey smokey eyes, there is something about the winter chill that makes me want to add a bit of colour and drama to my daily eye look. On one daring Tuesday morning I rummaged through my kit to look for all of the rustic emerald greens and shimmery khakis I could find and this is what I created.

Emerald Green Smokey Eye

To achieve this look, it involved quite a lot of layering and blending - despite it looking like just a swipe of green eyeshadow! These were the products used:

Products Used

1. I began by dipping my flat eyeshadow brush in the black eyeshadow once, then straight into the matte emerald green and then proceeding to dab this all over my lid. I repeated this process 3-4 times to get the right amount of depth and saturation.
2. I then lined my lower lashline with this colour combination.
3. Next I used a lighter khaki green and a fluffy blending brush to blend into the outer corner and crease to give the colour some more depth and also blend out the harsh edges.
4. I continued blending with a lighter khaki shade and took this up a little higher into my crease and brow bone. as well as blending under the lower lashline as well.
5. Using a light, skin toned colour I highlighted under my brown and the tear duct.
6. I used a black gel liner to line both the top and bottom lashlines to give some added definition.

As you can see, quite a lot of technique and layering goes into what looks like quite a basic look. I find that if you skip the step of combining the black and the emerald green, the colour payoff is not as strong and ends up looking quite sheer.

Product Review: YSL Rouge Per Couture Glossy Stain, #15 - Rose Vinyl

YSL Rouge Per Couture Glossy Stain, #15 - Rose Vinyl

Upon first hearing about the new YSL Rouge Per Couture Glossy Stains, I was not overly interested in trying them. My experience with lip stains in the past had been nothing but dry, flaky lips and overall just an underwhelming result. I resigned myself to the fact that I am a lipstick girl, and stains will never have a place in my heart over a lippy.

So I waited, browsed plenty of reviews and started to see that there might just be more to this product than just another lip stain. And boy, was I in for a pleasant surprise upon trialing these.

With 18 shades to choose from, the hardest part is definitely refraining yourself from purchasing all of them. I went with a bold pink shade, #15 - Rose Vinyl, as the pigment seemed very intense and really, who can ever have too many pink lipsticks!

The design of the brush is very clever. It is wide enough to allow you to apply plenty in one stroke, yet the tip is fine enough to assist you in navigating the cupids bow and slim lines around the corner of the lips, without needing a lip liner.

This swatch shows two layers.

The first application layer provides a beautiful amount of pigment, with only a slight sheerness. This shows the versatility of the product. Depending on the depth of the shade you desire, it allows you to have a lighter, more sheer finish with just the one coat. However, if you apply a second coat the pigment picks up beautifully and is comparable with a creamy lipstick.

Two layers provides a beautiful glossy, creamy finish.

As you can see, the result is a creamy, glossy finish. The kicker is that this is a stain, meaning you are left with this beautiful finish all day! I only reapplied once for the entire day (after 6 hours and two meals). And even then it was a touch up, not a full re-application.

Overall, I am thrilled with this product. It is very much a game-changer that I am sure other cosmetic labels will be quick to emulate. The design of the product has been well thought out, and the results are brilliant. At $50AUD a pop, however, I may have to wait until they hit the online stores before stocking up on the rest of the collection.

Product Review: Beauty Essentials - "Be Warm" 9 Colour Eyeshadow Palette

I am a firm believer in having a make up collection that boasts both high and low end products. My general rule is: if it is designed to sink into your skin, do not skimp! For instance, moisturiser, serum, foundation and concealer are items that you want to ensure are of high quality and are good for your skin. I think this is where the difference in quality is most notable (not in all cases, I am sure). For everything else, I like to trial various brands to look for great value products.

As with any other Australian beauty fanatic, I have a slight (read: very serious) addiction to Priceline. I go there often; it is alongside the MYER/David Jones beauty department as being my "happy place". I think the thing that excites me about Priceline is the possibilities. There is a variety of Australian and international brands offering great products that do not get the advertising capacity that higher end brands do. I get a kick out of trying a lesser known brand that surprises me with excellent, less expensive products.

During one of my recent Priceline adventures, I spotted these Beauty Essentials (which is a Priceline-owned brand) eyeshadow palettes and I was drawn to the Be Warm palette because of the lovely mix of taupe, chocolate, golden and pink colours. It has a delicate blend of colours that compliment each other well and can easily be layered and blended together to create unique looks. Ok, it was also $5.99, so it was basically begging me to trial it!

Beauty Essentials - Be Warm 9 Colour Eyeshadow Palette ($5.99)

In all honestly, I was not expecting much from this. I thought maybe I would get one or two well-pigmented colours. So I was very happily surprised when I swatched all colours and realised that it is actually very decent. Some colours definitely come out better than others, but on the whole every colours is usable, layerable and well-pigmented. Cue astonishment!

Swatches from Left to Right, Top to Bottom.

I am particularly smitten with Row 1, Colour 2 (the golden/bronze); Row 2, Colour 2 (the chocolate brown); and Row 3, Colour 1 (shimmery pale pink). They go on beautifully and are a very intense pigment.

I created a couple of looks using this palette, and on both occasions I was pleasantly surprised with how well these shadows applied, even in comparison to other, more expensive alternatives.

Look #1:

Shadows used, and where they were applied.

For this look I used the taupe/grey shades to provide a subtle shadow in the crease. I use this technique regularly, as I think it compliments a bold lip really well. A slick of eyeliner provides definition, but on the whole it is more subtle, daytime look.

Look #2:

Shadows used, and where they were applied.

This look is a smokey eye, using the brown shades. The golden/bronze colour on the lip really popped against the chocolate brown. The rose pink colour was used very subtly just to blend out the edges of the brown.

My final two cents: great, cost-friendly eyeshadow. Obviously, it is no Chanel, but if you want to add some lovely neutral colours to your collection, you cannot go wrong with this palette.

What are your favourite inexpensive make up alternatives? Have you tried any Beauty Essential products?

Product Review: Vani-T Mineral Lip Colour and Mineral Lip Glaze

Vani-T Mineral Lip Colour and Mineral Lip Glaze, both in 'Frisky Business'

A couple of weekends ago I attended the Salon Melbourne beauty expo. It was an exciting event, buzzing with the latest products and trends the industry has to offer. While I have my list of trusted, go-to brands for all of my beauty needs, I believe it is important to trial new brands and products. This event presented the perfect opportunity to branch out and try new and emerging products, and also to see what the more familiar brands are advertising, and what new products they are offering.

One of the brands that pleasantly surprised me was Vani-T. I had only seen the brand name around salons, and I knew of it as providing specialist tanning products, so I was intrigued to see that it was selling a gorgeous range of mineral make up products.To be honest, the first thing that caught my eye was the bold packaging (I know, I know, book, cover, judgement - but look at that lipstick packaging!), and upon a few swatches I was sold.

I bought both the Mineral Lip Colour (RRP $32.95, Expo Price $20.00) and the Mineral Lip Glaze (RRP $27.95, Expo Price $16.00) in the same colour, 'Frisky Business', and they compliment each other perfectly. It is a creamy-nude that works perfectly with a smokey eye to tone down the lips.

Vani-T Mineral Lip Colour and Mineral Lip Glaze in 'Frisky Business'.

The colour looks slightly darker in the tube, but applies as a light nude, leaves you with a subtle flush of colour.

Vani-T Mineral Lip Colour in 'Frisky Business'

The application was pleasing - one swipe provided plenty of colour payoff and it lasted a good few hours before re-application was required. The gloss on top finished the look off with a beautiful sheen. After applying both the lipstick and gloss several times throughout the day, there was not a significant product build up, which is something I often find with nude lipsticks, so this was a big plus.

In my opinion, the lipstick is the hero of this combination. The colour and texture are both fantastic, and the lasting power was also impressive. The gloss is a lovely finish, however I think any nude gloss would be suitable.

I will definitely be keeping an eye out for Vani-T's make up products after trying these lip products. I have my eye on the Mineral Colour Stick ($42.25) in 'Gelati', a beautiful creme blush in the most perfect rosy pink colour. It is very exciting when you can branch out to a new brand and very happily impressed!

Pops of Pink

The same way that the looks on the runway change with each season, so should our make up selection. In summer, I tend towards light coverage and pops of bright colours to fit with the freshness of long, light-filled days and plenty of outdoor activities. In winter, it's lots of creamy, moisturising products and rich, warm tones to fit with the general mood.

But sometimes, there is nothing more refreshing than bucking the trend and mixing things up a little. Pink has such a fun flirtiness about it that says it should belong in the summer selection, but lately during this dreary cold weather, I have felt like a pop of pink will be just the reminder I need that summer will return again one day.

Keeping the rest of the face fresh and wearing only simple eye make up ensures pink lips speak volumes. I choose to combine MAC's Girl About Town lipstick and matching lip liner in Magenta for a bold pout, and to continue the fun on my fingers, I use OPIs Pink Flamenco.

And the visuals...

{a soft pink lip stain/gloss combination is complimented perfectly with simple black eyeliner}

{bold lips with a darker frock brings instant freshness and fun to the look}

* Images from Le Fashion, PRIMPED and Vogue Daily. 

Pout Perfection

For me, make up is an essential part of one's style. When piecing together a look, I put a lot of thought into ensuring that my makeup and hair works with, and accentuates, my outfit. I find it fun to be able to add drama and colour to an outfit, purely by playing with what's in your cosmetics drawer.

Recently, I have been experimenting a lot more with lipstick. I love the way it can provide an overall freshness to the face by drawing attention to your smile. Wearing bold hues on your face means it is essential to style your outfit accordingly; this can mean toning down your clothes to let the pout do the talking (zing!), or as I have found to be most fun, working in ways to tie in matching hues on your fingertips or garments.

{pops of pink styled beautifully with white and purple}

{plum is most certainly on my list of winter colours to try}

{red lips and bum bag = fabulous}

{red wine lips and nails can transcend into evening with a chic black dress}

{matching lipsticks and prints are a perfect pair}

{bright lips and nails pop with a completely neutral outfit}

* Images from The Blonde Salad (1, 2, 7), Gary Pepper Vintage, Hanneli, becauseimaddicted and The Glamourai.