tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14230673141764605822024-02-19T17:49:19.439+11:00little henry leelittle henry leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17024952001696475133noreply@blogger.comBlogger126125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1423067314176460582.post-26206298176854956062016-03-11T14:08:00.001+11:002016-03-24T09:48:51.139+11:00Top 5 Fragrances<img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaCcOnLuhpFxxWebc4K_gwXyWb55S4mRgJkYyG-OO5SD_maNqM4eRvMinr73vx1YitJpVR09RJjShDtAY9_4lMGNJbUbsM-HsKuuH4USEhmTEMVfF4O020Sdo4pmk5o_30fbcT9uLzj3qh/s1600/IMG_7544_small3.jpg" />
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For a long time now I’ve been wanting to overhaul my perfumes. I think when I first got properly into perfume (around 2008) I didn’t realise how long it took to get through a bottle, and now that 8 or so years have passed, my tastes have definitely changed and I’ve honed in on the kind of thing I really enjoy and want to wear. Fragrance is definitely an investment, but I’ve found for years that it can positively influence my mood when I’m getting ready to go out, and there are definitely certain scents that I associate with certain coloured clothes or that I love wearing on special occasions. It can be a really subtle thing, but that’s why I love it so much.
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I should probably start by describing what I like in a fragrance and what all of these have in common. I'm into really masculine scents, think warm, spicy and woody over fresh, citrus or floral. My appearance is pretty classically feminine, i.e. long hair, makeup and in a skirt or dress 99% of the time, so I really like the contrast of wearing a masculine scent and the way the right fragrance paired with the right outfit makes you feel like a total badass.<br />
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My two favourites have to be <a href="http://shop.davidjones.com.au/djs/en/davidjones/tobacco-vanille-100ml" target="_blank">Tom Ford’s Tobacco Vanille</a> and <a href="http://www.myer.com.au/shop/mystore/jo-malone-amber---patchouli-cologne-intense-288392410" target="_blank">Jo Malone’s Cologne Intense in Amber & Patchouli</a>. They’re both seriously expensive, but if they’re within your budget or you can save up for one of them, they’re 100% worth it. They both last really well on my skin and whenever I wear them I keep smelling myself all day or night and have never smelled anything so good in my life. Both of these are colognes which means they're actually unisex, and they'd probably smell just as good on a man as I think they do on me.
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One thing that I think is really important when you're not sure about a fragrance is to test it on your skin. It can be hard to know how long it's going to last or what it really smells like on you just from spraying it on a card in store, so if possible you should try and ask for samples before you invest your money, or at the very least have one particular fragrance in mind when you go in store and spray it on yourself and don’t mix it with anything else. I had actually smelled Tobacco Vanille on paper and found it underwhelming, but I was at the Tom Ford counter buying Tuscan Leather for my boyfriend’s birthday (because a) Tom Ford and b) baby boy Drake) and I spoke to the sales assistant about testing fragrances on your skin. Not only was she the loveliest person ever, but she walked me through the whole line picking out scents she thought I’d like based on what I told her I was after, and then she made me adorable little samples of the three I liked most (Tobacco Vanille, Oud Wood and London) so I could try them at home.
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Once I tried Tobacco Vanille on my skin it was all over. You really don’t get anything close to the full experience of this fragrance on paper, but on my skin it has this huge depth from the tobacco, warmth from the vanilla and this spiciness from notes of ginger, clove and anise, all balanced in perfect harmony. I was lucky enough to get the 100ml bottle for Christmas from my parents and whenever I wear it my mum can tell straight away because she can smell the tobacco in it. And my dude and I wear our Tom Ford scents at the same time and joke about how we’re the best smelling couple around (because we are.)
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But before Tobacco Vanille was Amber & Patchouli, which I temporarily forgot about in the wake of all my new fragrances which mostly came at the same time, but I wore it the other day for the first time in a while and was blown away by it again. I got Amber & Patchouli around the middle of 2015 and it was my absolute favourite for the rest of the year because it was my first step in the right direction. Jo Malone has a bit of a cult following in blog land, but none of the most talked about scents (Peony & Blush Suede, Blackberry & Bay, etc) were really my vibe. I’m on board with Wood Sage & Sea Salt but it still kind of lacks the punch I’m after, and that’s what Amber & Patchouli delivers. Apart from the two obvious notes, it also has a sandalwood base, along with cedarwood and guaiac wood. I don’t know what that last one is any more than the next person, but I do know that all the notes combined make up an incredible warm, heady scent that I absolutely love.
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Now <a href="http://mecca.com.au/bella-freud/ginsberg-is-god-eau-de-parfum/I-021960.html" target="_blank">Bella Freud's Ginsberg is God</a> comes with a bit of a disclaimer, which is that I wanted either the perfume or candle before I'd even smelled them because Allen Ginsberg is one of my favourite poets, and he was best buddies with my absolute favourite writer and one of the loves of my life, Jack Kerouac. Fortunately for me, I also really like the scent, and it's to my taste much more than the candle because they smell completely different. The candle is very fresh with notes of fig and vine leaf, and while I still kind of want it just so I can keep the jar forever, the EDP is much more my speed. Again, it's unisex and contains notes of frankincense, wormwood, leather, black pepper and resin. The first time I sprayed it on myself it smelled immediately like wood smoke from an open fire, which I kind of loved. If this had a different name I may have been too intimidated by it, but the fact that it was named for Ginsberg means all shyness goes out the window because it was meant to be.
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Now if ever there were a beauty blogger sweetheart brand, it would be Diptyque. I found my favourite candle a while ago (Vanille, which is the most delicious, complex vanilla I've ever come across) but it took me a while longer to decide on a scent. I so wanted to love Eau Duelle because on paper it sounds like exactly my thing, but what I really wanted was for it to make me smell like the Vanille candle, which it doesn't. A lot of the popular Diptyque scents are very light and fresh, or the opposite of what I like, so after not loving the names I'd heard of but not wanting to stand at the counter and smell every single one, I took to Mecca's website and read the descriptions of each fragrance, made a shortlist and went in store to compare them. And that's how I came across <a href="http://mecca.com.au/diptyque/tam-dao-edt/V-014548.html#q=Diptyque%2B-%2BTam%2BDao&start=1" target="_blank">Tam Dao</a>, which has notes of amber, sandalwood, vanilla, spices and musk - I found the one! On me it smells spicy and smoky at first and then it dries down quite woody and I really enjoy it.</div>
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If ever there were a controversial fragrance, <a href="http://mecca.com.au/escentric-molecules/molecule-01/V-003527.html" target="_blank">Escentric Molecules' Molecule 01</a> would be it. With a slightly woody base, the charm of this perfume is that it's formulated with a note of one molecule that blends with your pheromones to create a scent that's totally unique to you. Some people say they get comments every time they wear it and others say they can't smell it at all, so I thought the 30ml travel size would be a reasonably priced way for me to find out. While I haven't worn this so many times yet that I've received tonnes of compliments, the first time I wore it a girl I work with asked me about it and now every time I wear it in the office she says she can smell it as soon as she arrives, even from several rooms away, so I guess it works on her! Again, this fragrance is unisex and if you're made of money you could layer it with another favourite perfume because I think the idea is that it's so subtle it may not necessarily register as perfume to other people, just like pheromones can have an effect without us being conscious of them. Either way, it's definitely an interesting talking point if you do get a comment on it, and the idea alone is enough to spark my interest.</div>
little henry leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17024952001696475133noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1423067314176460582.post-546489818568401282016-02-26T14:58:00.000+11:002016-03-21T11:24:41.459+11:00Top 5 Concealers<div style="text-align: justify;">
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I can't explain why but I really enjoy trying out different concealers and I found it pretty difficult to narrow my favourites down to just 5. For me these tend to be good all rounders and I really enjoy using each of them. I'll start with the drugstore options first - the <a href="https://www.priceline.com.au/maybelline-instant-age-rewind-eraser-concealer-5-9-ml" target="_blank">Maybelline Age Rewind</a> (in Fair) gets talked about a lot and it's for good reason. Some people have an issue with the little sponge applicator and think it's unhygienic, but I can assure you I've never come close to getting an eye infection or breaking out under my eyes because of this concealer so I wouldn't let it worry you too much. Plus the sponge applicator, although a bit weird and certainly unique to this product, actually applies and sheers out the products really, really nicely. I can just sweep it on and lightly pat it in with my finger and I'm done, so it's one of the quickest to apply of any that I own. I'd say it's a light-medium coverage concealer, not really enough to cover up recent post acne hyper-pigmentation, but enough for dark circles and it never looks cakey or heavy under they eye.<br />
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I find the <a href="https://www.priceline.com.au/maybelline-fit-me-concealer-1-ea" target="_blank">Maybelline Fit Me Concealer</a> is great for under they eyes as well as all around the face, it's more of a medium coverage but it's got quite a thin formula that blends in easily and feels really light on the skin. I can't complain about this concealer except that I wish there was a better shade range as this shade (Fair, 15) doesn't really brighten up under my eyes too much, and <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4ZrCg6NqqeSiU7NM6mLegFBoiSaD_COz085lMxG5Qu-ULtschnMGFKnis3aah5rRn93YIPu7xCVTlDd8395EhjYQC5KJ-vO-SuMPheiPJLINNEtZNdYe9Mz45-ENEM0tlK_GTB56D-Tc/s1600/fitme.jpg">shade 10</a> is actually darker than 15. Now the <a href="http://mecca.com.au/urban-decay/naked-skin-weightless-complete-coverage-concealer/V-021165.html" target="_blank">Urban Decay Naked Skin Concealer</a> is one that's definitely light enough for my skin tone. I have the shade Fair Neutral and it's super pale and brightening for me, but I find it also works really well around the face too. It has a super pigmented, lightweight formula and blurring technology to help conceal imperfections with more than just coverage. I'm not sure how effective these ingredients are in a concealer but it's also formulated with peptides and hyaluronic acid which is a nice thought if nothing else. If you're going to splurge on a high end concealer I really think this is one to consider.</div>
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I've talked about the <a href="http://www.sephora.com.au/products/make-up-for-ever-full-cover-concealer" target="_blank">Makeup Forever Full Cover Concealer </a>(shade 1) on here before but this is a really great full coverage option. It's quite a thick cream in contrast with the other three I've mentioned, so I like to just pat a tiny bit over blemishes or areas of redness that I want to conceal with my finger or stipple it in with a small brush. If you have dry undereyes I wouldn't use this there, I personally find sometimes I can get away with it and sometimes I can't, but certainly it could work if you wanted to mix it with a little bit of your eye cream. You also get a massive 15ml of product so I can't imagine ever finishing the tube. And last but not least is the <a href="http://shop.davidjones.com.au/djs/ProductDisplay?catalogId=10051&productId=2639008&langId=-1&storeId=10051" target="_blank">MAC Pro-Longwear Concealer</a> which is super high coverage in a thin, gel-like formula. A little goes a seriously long way with this product so my main issue with it is the packaging. I quite like the little glass bottle but the pump dispenses SO much product - even when I try to only half press it I still get enough concealer to cover my entire face if I wanted to, so I mostly only use this when I have a fair bit to cover or on a night out so I don't waste too much product. Aside from that the formula is excellent, it works well everywhere on the face and blends in seamlessly and I absolutely love it.</div>
little henry leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17024952001696475133noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1423067314176460582.post-77703458421441082062016-02-21T17:44:00.000+11:002016-03-21T11:24:24.038+11:00Empties<img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZUqYpk70tCWn9QLvgRccsmP6trXpmF0FZyeQs1-2WxwYf4mL3gD2HwGjePg5jl7VGc484QXpczkxt63xfaWROMPA8pJ59MfkEUqSZhS-0kmHS7FcWD2pfbmiLhyTylU3gUhmAb2LBaCzG/s1600/IMG_7328+small.jpg" />
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Yeah, I'm coming at you with another massive empties post because I don't have my life together enough to post these more often so they're probably always going to be huge. I thought the best way to do it was to split them into categories and I actually photographed them that way too to make life easier for everyone!<br />
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<b>Cleansers</b></div>
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I got through a 500ml bottle of <a href="https://www.priceline.com.au/bioderma-sensibio-h2o-micelle-solution-500-ml" target="_blank">Bioderma</a> and I'm already using another, we all know what micellar waters are about by now and Bioderma isn't the most cost effective but it is ever so slightly better than all the others. The <a href="http://row.feelunique.com/p/Caudalie-Make-Up-Removing-Cleansing-Water-100ml" target="_blank">Caudalie Micellar Water</a> (mini) isn't bad, but I don't think it did as good of a job as Bioderma. If I got another mini I wouldn't be mad about it but I'm not going to go out of my way to buy a full sized bottle. <a href="http://www.myer.com.au/shop/mystore/clinique-take-the-day-off-cleansing-balm" target="_blank">Clinique's Take The Day Off</a> is an excellent balm cleanser that I can't fault at all except to say that it's unscented which means that there's no luxurious plant oils to add to the experience of using it, but it's perfect if you have overly sensitive skin or if you prefer unscented products. It has a fantastic, smooth texture that melts into an oil on your face and breaks down your makeup with ease. I can't say the same for the <a href="http://www.sephora.com.au/products/ole-henriksen-pure-truth-melting-cleanser" target="_blank">Ole Henriksen Pure Truth Melting Cleansing Gelee</a> (sample) though. I don't think it did a particularly great job of removing makeup, and texture-wise I prefer a thicker balm/oil rather than this "gelee" and any amount of water added to help the product spread further turns it instantly into a watery milk. Needless to say I'm not going to be buying the full size.
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Now for morning/second step cleansers, my favourite of the bunch is the <a href="http://www.beautybay.com/skincare/alphah/balancingcleanserwithaloevera/" target="_blank">Alpha-H Balancing Cleanser</a> which I've been through probably three of. It's the perfect consistency (the Lush is thinner and the Antipodes is thicker) for a gentle creamy cleanser that never strips my skin or makes it feel dry. Plus Alpha-H has regular specials where you can get this cleanser virtually for free in a double pack with Liquid Gold so I'd hold out for one of those if you're also an LG OG. The <a href="https://www.lush.com.au/shop/product/product&product_id=1078" target="_blank">Lush 9 to 5 Cleansing Lotion</a> is a really good option if using vegan and/or cruelty free products is important to you. I prefer a slightly thicker consistency (lotion is the right word for it) but it did the job and I can't complain about it. I really enjoyed the <a href="https://www.priceline.com.au/antipodes-grace-gentle-cream-cleanser-120-ml" target="_blank">Antipodes Grace Gentle Cream Cleanser</a> and would happily use this again. The screw lid packaging isn't the most convenient but the contents are lovely. I picked up the <a href="http://www.international.boots.com/en/Super-Facialist-Salicylic-Acid-Purifying-Cleansing-Wash-150ml_1277160/" target="_blank">Una Brennan Teaflower Purifying Cleansing Wash</a> in the UK and it's a really nice non-foaming gel cleanser that doesn't strip the skin, but I've decided I definitely prefer creamy cleansers over gels. I got the <a href="http://www.myer.com.au/shop/mystore/beauty/skin-care-cleansers/au-clarins-onestep-gentle-exfoliating-cleanser-125ml-d-1028" target="_blank">Clarins One Step Gentle Exfoliating Cleanser</a> in a Clarins skincare set and I wouldn't have bought it myself as I don't really gravitate towards manual exfoliants or cleansers with SLS in them, but this is still a pretty gentle option. I actually kept this in the shower and used it on my decolletage because I find that easier than washing it at the sink like I would my face. I feel like that area of my body is deserving of something a little more special than a standard shower gel and I really liked it for that.
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<b>Toners</b></div>
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I love the <a href="https://www.cultbeauty.co.uk/pixi-glow-tonic.html" target="_blank">Pixi Glow Tonic</a> and thankfully it's now more widely available than before, I've spotted it on <a href="http://www.asos.com/au/Pixi/Pixi-Glow-Tonic/Prod/pgeproduct.aspx?iid=4856599&istCompanyId=f448b47d-6b90-4b9b-a52d-eb6058c99b1c&istItemId=plaptpqaa&istBid=tztx&mk=abc&affid=11148&channelref=google+shopping&gclid=Cj0KEQiAlae1BRCU2qaz2__t9IIBEiQAKRGDVVJ4ht1UgYKGohutKJqw8K6GGH1Py5J6Xw9HAJZ7zdMaAg3G8P8HAQ&gclsrc=aw.ds" target="_blank">ASOS</a>, <a href="http://www.beautybay.com/skincare/pixi/glowtonic/" target="_blank">BeautyBay</a> and apparently you can buy it in Sephora in Australia. It's a reasonably priced, effective AHA exfoliating toner and I find acid toning twice a day helps gently refine my skin texture, fade hyper-pigmentation from breakouts and generally keeps my skin looking brighter by speeding up cell turnover. I love using an acid toner and this one ticks all the boxes. In the same camp are the <a href="https://www.priceline.com.au/nip-fab-glycolic-fix-daily-cleansing-pads-60-pack" target="_blank">Nip + Fab Glycolic Fix Exfoliating Facial Pads</a> except I don't think these are as effective, and with 60 pads in the container and two uses a day that's only one month's supply for $34.99 - I'll be sticking with the Glow Tonic as one bottle lasts me more like 4-5 months.
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The <a href="http://www.lookfantastic.com/melvita-rose-water-200ml/10554263.html" target="_blank">Melvita Damask Rose Floral Water</a> is basically just rosewater which I decanted into a spray bottle and used as a second step toner. It doesn't really do anything special but it's a nice step, but I probably wouldn't buy this one again as I'd rather buy one that's already packaged in a spray bottle. One like the <a href="http://www.myer.com.au/shop/mystore/jurlique--rosewater-balancing-mist" target="_blank">Jurlique Rosewater Balancing Mist</a> which has the most beautiful rose scent, I've talked about this before and although I haven't repurchased it yet I'm sure I will one day. The <a href="http://www.feelunique.com/p/Caudalie_Beauty_Elixir_30ml" target="_blank">Caudalie Beauty Elixir</a> is a blogger classic, I've only been able to bring myself to drop the cash on mini bottles of this as the full size is so expensive for what it is, but it smells amazing and I've definitely got another mini in my backups drawer.
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<b>Moisturisers</b>
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I'm not super loyal to any particular moisturiser and to be honest I'd prefer to spend my serious cash on a good serum and/or oil and get by with a simple moisturiser as they don't really do that much except lock everything else in and keep you hydrated. I have been through my fair share of <a href="https://www.priceline.com.au/la-roche-posay-effaclar-duo-plus-40-ml" target="_blank">La Roche-Posay's Effaclar Duo+</a> though, which is sort of a moisturiser but sort of an everyday acne treatment. You've probably all heard about it before, but it contains niacinamide and salicylic acid so it generally helps keep breakouts at bay and fade the hyperpigmentation they leave behind more quickly. It's not the most hydrating thing out there but I'll often use this with an oil on top (at night) or in the mornings when I don't want anything too heavy under my makeup. Did you know that Bioderma has an equivalent product to the Effaclar Duo+? I never hear anyone talk about it, but the <a href="https://www.priceline.com.au/bioderma-sebium-global-30-ml" target="_blank">Bioderma Sebium Global Intensive Purifying Care</a> is also an everyday moisturiser that contains salicylic acid to fight acne. I found it slightly more hydrating than the LRP version and it a nice choice if you can't find the other or if you feel like trying something new.
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The <a href="http://shop.davidjones.com.au/djs/ProductDisplay?catalogId=10051&productId=5892518&langId=-1&storeId=10051" target="_blank">Antipodes Avocado Pear Nourishing Night Cream</a> (mini) came along with the Antipodes oil I'll be talking about below in a mini double pack and although I LOVE the oil, I found this a bit too heavy for my skin. With a shea butter base, I'd say it's more suited to those with mature or really dry skin, so I mostly used this on my decolletage. The <a href="http://row.feelunique.com/p/Caudalie-Vinosource-Moisturising-Sorbet-40ml" target="_blank">Caudalie Vinosource Moisturising Sorbet</a> (mini) is pretty much the opposite though, it's super lightweight and has an almost mousse-y texture. The mini size was fine but I'm not in love with it and probably wouldn't buy the full size. I did quite like the sample of the <a href="http://www.laroche-posay.com/products-treatments/Substiane/SUBSTIANE-EXTRA-RICHE-p3948.aspx" target="_blank">La Roche-Posay Substiane+ Extra Riche</a> I tried though. Despite the name it didn't feel too heavy or greasy on the skin and was fine to use even under makeup. The Substiane range doesn't seem to be easy to find though so I guess I won't be using it again.
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The <a href="http://mecca.com.au/mecca-cosmetica/to-save-face-spf-30-/V-017490.html">Mecca Cosmetica To Save Face SPF30</a> (30ml) is easily the best facial sunscreen I've tried and I'm onto my third mini tube now and will probably just buy the 100ml next time. It's lightweight, non-greasy and doesn't interfere with your makeup and it's a great option for men too. As I mentioned above, I love the <a href="http://www.adorebeauty.com.au/antipodes/antipodes-joyous-protein-rich-night-replenish-serum.html" target="_blank">Antipodes Joyous Protein Rich Night Replenish Serum</a> (mini) and after trying it out I bought the full size. Despite it being called a serum, it's a beautiful facial oil that leaves my skin feeling plump and hydrated without being too heavy for my oily skin, and most importantly it doesn't break me out. Another blogger classic, the <a href="http://www.feelunique.com/p/Caudalie-Vinosource-SOS-Thirst-Quenching-Serum-30ml" target="_blank">Caudalie Vinosource SOS Thirst Quenching Serum</a> (mini) is a nice hydrating serum with a really thin, watery texture. When purchasing a new serum these days I'd be more inclined to go for something packed with antioxidants, retinol or peptides, but this still gives a nice boost of hydration and it's a good option for mornings because it's so light.
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Like moisturiser, I'm not wed to any particular eye cream but there was a fair bit of buzz around the <a href="http://mecca.com.au/origins/ginzing-refreshing-eye-cream/I-007883.html" target="_blank">Origins Ginzing Eye Cream</a> (mini) a while back. It's nice enough but didn't seem to do anything more or less than other eye creams I've tried. For whatever reason I wasn't aware that the <a href="http://mecca.com.au/kate-somerville/hydraclear-hydrating-acne-gel/I-018444.html" target="_blank">Kate Somerville HydraClear Hydrating Acne Gel</a> (mini) is meant to be an acne treatment/moisturiser along the lines of LRP Effaclar Duo and I used this little sample as a spot treatment. I found it to be somewhat effective but not enough that I was planning to repurchase it, and definitely not now that I know I wasn't even using it right - oops! I got the <a href="http://www.adorebeauty.com.au/clarins/clarins-hydraquench-intensive-bi-phase-serum.html" target="_blank">Clarins HydraQuench Intensive Serum</a> (mini) at the same time as the cleanser I mentioned above, and I found by about halfway through this little bottle I really quite enjoyed it. It's a bi-phase serum like a lot of eye makeup removers where you have to shake it so the watery and oily parts mix together, and I found to be pretty hydrating and not as heavy as a straight facial oil, so it was still suitable for day or nighttime use. I probably won't buy the full size as hydration isn't my main skin concern but if I end up with another mini I'll definitely use it.
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Obviously I don't finish up anywhere near as much makeup as I do skincare because I use different makeup every day, while I use most of my skincare consistently twice a day, but I did get through a few things. First up is one of my all time favourite foundations, the <a href="https://www.priceline.com.au/bourjois-healthy-mix-serum-gel-foundation-30-ml" target="_blank">Bourjois Healthy Mix Serum</a>. I've been through at least 3 bottles of this and I've got another one open now. It has a gel consistency and I haven't found much else like it on the market outside of the Marc Jacobs Genius Gel Foundation which I also like a lot. This has a really natural, skin-like finish while still offering medium coverage, and although it's not a long-wearing foundation per se, it still lasts pretty well on my oily skin, and I find that if my oil comes through it can be blotted away without the foundation going patchy and looking like a total mess. I'll pretty much always have a bottle of this in my stash. And the same goes for the <a href="http://www.adorebeauty.com.au/clarins/clarins-beauty-flash-balm.html" target="_blank">Clarins Beauty Flash Balm</a>. This product is marketed as a bit of a skincare/makeup hybrid, and while I don't think it's anything spectacular as far as skincare goes when you compare it with other products on the market, I do really enjoy it as a primer. I know it sounds gimmicky, but it has technology in it that temporarily tightens and firms the appearance of your skin as it dries down, so it's best to spread/pat the product on and not work it into the skin too much. I also find it helps with oil control a lot more than most other primers on the market, and I think it'd be great for dry or mature skin and anyone who likes their skin to look radiant - I find it really helps me walk the line between glowy and shiny and I love it for that.
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I've talked about my feelings on liquid liner before, and the <a href="http://www.crushcosmetics.com.au/eyes/eye-and-gel-liner/nyc-liquid-eyeliner" target="_blank">NYC Liquid Eyeliner</a> is everything I look for. Really dark, matte and doesn't move at all throughout the day. The only thing I can complain about is it's not easy to find. I only know of one place to get it shipped to Australia (linked) and it costs $8 instead of $2.99US. One tube will last you about 6 months though, I bought 3 tubes home from the US in November 2014 and I'm still on my second one, but once I'm on the third I'll definitely be buying more backups and I'd happily recommend it to anyone looking for a reliable liquid liner that never smudges, fades or goes patchy throughout the day. There are a lot of illuminating/highlighting clicky concealer pens around but as far as drugstore options go I think the <a href="https://www.priceline.com.au/l-oreal-paris-lumi-magique-touch-of-light-highlighter-6-ml" target="_blank">L'Oreal Lumi Magique</a> is my favourite. I haven't repurchased it because a) I need to work on finishing up more concealers because I have way more than I need, b) it's $27.95 in Australia which is ridiculous, and c) highlighting pen concealers aren't an absolute must for me. But if I finished up more of my concealers and spotted this on sale I'd happily pick it up again. Because mascaras have a pretty short shelf life I tend to use them one at a time, so I've only got one which is the <a href="http://mecca.com.au/bobbi-brown/smokey-eye-mascara/I-017390.html?cgpath=brands-bobbi-makeup-eyes#start=1" target="_blank">Bobbi Brown Smokey Eye Mascara</a> (mini). I'm not obsessive about mascaras like some people are but I remember liking this and it didn't transfer or flake below my eyes which is a common problem for me, but I also didn't fall in love with it and wouldn't get excited over a full size. And the same goes for the <a href="http://www.adorebeauty.com.au/benefit-cosmetics/benefit-porefessional.html" target="_blank">Benefit PoreFessional Primer</a> (mini) - I know this is a cult product but it's just not right for my skin. I found that it filled in pores but did nothing for oil control which is what I need a primer to do, so although it may be wonderful for some people it didn't really work for me.
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I am the laziest person ever when it comes to moisturising my body, probably because getting heavy body butters and the like on my hands means I then have to go and wash them and that's *slightly* inconvenient (lol @ me) but I found keeping a moisturiser like the <a href="https://www.priceline.com.au/vaseline-intensive-care-spray-moisturiser-cocoa-glow-190-g" target="_blank">Vaseline Intensive Care Spray Moisturiser</a> in the bathroom meant I could I just spray it on after I get out of the bath or shower before I get dressed and that meant that it happened a lot more often. I hate the feeling of my hands being dry so I'm pretty big on hand cream. I keep one by my bedside, one on my desk at work and a small one in my handbag. Of these three my favourite is probably the <a href="http://www.adorebeauty.com.au/clarins/clarins-hand-and-nail-treatment-cream.html" target="_blank">Clarins Hand & Nail Treatment Cream</a> which is actually my mum's all time favourite hand cream. It's rich and nourishing but not too greasy or heavy, and it always left my hands feeling super soft. Although I wasn't in love with the scent, clearly the prettiest packaging has to go to the <a href="http://www.myer.com.au/shop/mystore/marshmallow-hand---nail-cream---839453780-839454230" target="_blank">MOR Marshamallow Hand & Nail Cream</a>. And the product was just as nice too, with cocoa & shea butter and macadamia & sweet almond oils in the mix. I also really liked the <a href="http://www.stories.com/gb/Beauty/Bath_Body/Hand_lotions/Fig_Fiction_Mini_Hand_Cream/102584066-765507.1" target="_blank">& Other Stories Fig Fiction Hand Cream</a> which had what I'd call a creamy gel texture that was hydrating without being greasy.</div>
little henry leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17024952001696475133noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1423067314176460582.post-24224119538403576792015-12-16T16:13:00.001+11:002016-03-21T11:24:12.886+11:00Hawaii Haul<div style="text-align: justify;">
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Long time no see! Sorry everyone, real life and all that. Mostly good things though, I might do a life update type post soon but for now I have a haul! I spent a week in Hawaii on a family holiday at the end of October and naturally I paid a few visits to Sephora while I was there. Between Mecca and Sephora these days there aren't a lot of brands that we're still deprived of in Australia - it's really just the holiday sets and minis where we miss out, so you'll notice that most of what I bought in Hawaii falls into one of those categories. Plus there are still a couple of brands (MAC) that unfairly jack up the prices so buying them in the US is a lot cheaper even with the crappy exchange rate at the moment. I realise this is a LOT of stuff, but I went a couple of weeks after my birthday so I had some spending money and wanted to treat myself, plus it's always nice to get things while you're on holiday so they remind you of being away. I did actually pick up a few more things from the drugstore that aren't pictured because I knew this post was going to be long enough already, and of course I bought myself some seasonal candles from Bath & Body Works which I was pretty excited about, but here is almost everything I bought and what I think of it so far.<br />
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<b>Face</b></div>
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I haven't used a MAC foundation since I started getting properly into makeup a few years ago, but after seeing some good reviews and subsequently trying a sample of the <a href="http://www.maccosmetics.com.au/product/shaded/158/35126/Products/Face/Foundation/Pro-Longwear-Nourishing-Waterproof-Foundation/index.tmpl" target="_blank">MAC Pro-Longwear Nourishing Waterproof Foundation</a> I was sold. It's really long lasting, doesn't look heavy or cakey or obvious on the skin and like all MAC foundations it comes in a huge range of shades. I'm not sure how well it works for dry skin but I really like it on my oily skin and it doesn't break up or look ridiculous by the end of the day. I was also curious to try the <a href="https://www.priceline.com.au/maybelline-fitme-matte-poreless-foundation-30-ml" target="_blank">Maybelline Fit Me Matte & Poreless Foundation</a>. Back when the original Fit Me foundation was launched I got sucked into the hype and tried it out and it really didn't work for me because it's such a dewy foundation and it just didn't have the lasting power I need. I wasn't really that interested in the new formula to begin with but enough people talked about it and drugstore products are so cheap in the US, I thought it was worth a try, and I'm actually really surprised by how natural and skin-like this foundation is. It's not the most long-lasting product I've ever tried but it's a LOT better than the original formula and I'm glad I took a chance on it. Also despite the name it's not particularly matte, which is fine with me because I prefer a satin finish because it tends to look a lot more natural anyway.
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After hearing about the <a href="http://mecca.com.au/bobbi-brown/corrector/V-012586.html" target="_blank">Bobbi Brown Corrector</a> for literally years, I finally bit the bullet and picked it up. Although no makeup product can help with puffiness under the eyes I find this does a really good job at helping counteract dark circles and I really like using this underneath another concealer like the <a href="http://mecca.com.au/yves-saint-laurent/touche-eclat-radiant-touch/V-009111.html" target="_blank">YSL Touche Eclat</a> or one with a bit more coverage if I feel like I need it. I was also concerned that given it's a poured product in a pan that it would be too heavy under the eyes but because of the really creamy formula it blends seamlessly. At <a href="http://www.likeneonlove.com/" target="_blank">Tenneil's</a> repeated suggestion I also picked up the <a href="http://www.maccosmetics.com.au/product/shaded/9861/30734/Cult-Classics/Mineralize/Mineralize-Skinfinish-Natural/index.tmpl" target="_blank">MAC Mineralise Skinfinish Natural in Light</a> because I've heard from her and from lots of other people that it's a really nice, lightweight powder that helps control oil and gives a skin-like finish, which is exactly what I look for in a powder. I need to test it out a bit more when it comes to oil control but I do love the finish of it and I'm really glad I got my hands on it. And the exact same goes for the <a href="http://www.sephora.com/translucent-loose-setting-powder-P109908" target="_blank">Laura Mercier Translucent Loose Setting Powder</a> which came in an awesome mini size at Sephora. Considering I'm not in love with loose powders and this isn't a cheap one at that, I was really happy to see there was a mini available. I've heard people with all different skin types rave about this powder and I'm looking forward to playing around with it a bit more to see if it lives up to the hype.
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Speaking of minis, Sephora also had a mini liquid <a href="http://www.sephora.com/shimmering-skin-perfector-spf-25-P375987" target="_blank">Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector in Moonstone</a>, which I was so happy about. Because of my oily skin I'm not really one for mixing liquid illuminator type products in with my foundation, but I absolutely love how this looks tapped on the tops of my cheekbones, and there's zero chance I'd ever get through a full size using it that way. These Becca liquid highlighters have SUCH a beautiful finish - they're not glittery or sparkly at all, they just give the prettiest, almost wet-looking glow to the skin, it's hard to describe but I love it and it definitely lives up to the hype. And even though I have enough blush to last me until the day I die, I really wanted to pick up one of the <a href="http://www.walgreens.com/store/c/milani-rose-powder-blush/ID=prod6279329-product" target="_blank">Milani Rose Blushes</a> because I love their baked formula and the design of this product is so pretty - I got the shade Tea Rose and I absolutely love it.</div>
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<b>Eyes</b></div>
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I may have gone a little HAM buying myself 3 palettes but it was my birthday and I love them all! It's about time I picked up the original <a href="http://mecca.com.au/urban-decay/naked-eyeshadow-palette/I-021109.html" target="_blank">Naked Palette</a> - back in the day I was deciding between it and the Naked 2, which is the one I ended up going with at the time, but I'm so glad I finally got my hands on this one too. Everything that could ever be said about this palette has already been said but it's beautiful and an essential and I had to own it eventually. I was really intrigued by the <a href="http://www.sephora.com/artist-palette-for-eyes-P383070" target="_blank">Laura Mercier Eye Artist's Palette</a>, I hadn't tried a lot from the brand but all the colours in the palette are beautiful and there's a decent mixture of mattes and shimmers and it really appealed to me. The original <a href="http://mecca.com.au/too-faced/chocolate-bar-eyeshadow-palette/I-017659.html" target="_blank">Too Faced Chocolate Bar Palette</a> is one of my absolute favourites and I wasn't overly excited about the <a href="http://mecca.com.au/too-faced/semi-sweet-chocolate-bar-eyeshadow-palette/I-020496.html" target="_blank">Semi-Sweet Palette</a> when it first launched because it has a lot of really warm shades in it, but eventually it grew on me. I think the original is let down a little by not having enough crease shades (there are a few but not many) but the semi-sweet has a bunch and I'm really glad I picked it up. I also bought three matte <a href="http://www.maccosmetics.com.au/product/shaded/154/363/Eye-Shadow/index.tmpl" target="_blank">MAC shadows</a> to finish off my palette which were Omega, Wedge & Soft Brown. Not pictured are the two empty double MAC palettes I picked up to use for depotted shadows and Makeup Geek - I don't really understand why people pay so much for Z-Palettes when the MAC palettes, single or double, are just $8US except of course if you live in Australia where the double palettes are inexplicably marked up to $42???
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<b>Lips</b></div>
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One thing I was STOKED about and hunted high and low for was the Sephora Favourites Give Me More Lip set (<i>currently out of stock on Sephora.com</i>.) I bought the 2014 version last year and was so excited about this 2015 version. There are about 5 products I've given away because they're not really for me, but $59 for 10 full size and mini lip products is still totally worth it to me. My favourites from the set are the (full size) Urban Decay & NARS Lipsticks, and the mini YSL lipstick and Fresh Sugar lip balm. Fresh brought out so many different sets of lip balms with combinations of different colours this year, but the one that appealed to me most was the Lip Party Favours (<i>out of stock</i>) with four tinted balms and a sugar scrub. I'd been using the Lush Popcorn lip scrub for a while but I was in need of a new one and the Fresh one is really nice, and of course the formula of the balms is gorgeous. I also was lucky enough to pick up my Sephora birthday gift while I was there which was two NARS lip pencils and a black eyeliner because I hit VIB Rouge in 2014 and it carried over into 2015.</div>
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There weren't really any holiday palettes this year that did it for me, but I was really excited about some of Too Faced's mini sets. I picked up the Beautifully Blushed & Bronzed set (<i>out of stock</i>) with two completely adorable mini Love Flush blushes and two mini bronzers. I don't use bronzer but I really enjoy the Chocolate Soleil Bronzer as a matte crease shade, and the kabuki brush that came in the set is actually really nice and soft. I also bought the <a href="http://www.sephora.com/most-loved-set-P398368?skuId=1716448" target="_blank">Too Faced Most Loved</a> set because I think it's great value for $25 and I'm really keen to try out the Hangover RX Primer and the Better Than Sex mascara.
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A drugstore item that is pictured is the <a href="https://www.priceline.com.au/l-oreal-paris-brow-artist-plumper-3-5-ml" target="_blank">L'Oreal Brow Artist Plumper</a> which everyone has been raving about. I'm still using my current brow gels so I haven't started on this one yet, but I'm expecting big things, and I also bought a <a href="http://www.walmart.com/ip/ChapStick-Cake-Batter-Lip-Balm-0.15-oz/24950007" target="_blank">cake batter flavoured Chapstick</a> because it was $1 and the concept is wonderful. One thing I had to repurchase was the <a href="http://www.sephora.com/de-slick-oil-control-makeup-setting-spray-P277222?skuId=1458181" target="_blank">Urban Decay All Nighter Setting Spray</a> which I think actually does work and helps your makeup last longer. It's not cheap but I'm almost finished with my mini size and I love it for nights out and special occasions. One of my favourite foundation brushes is the <a href="http://www.sephora.com/classic-mineral-powder-brush-45-P379529" target="_blank">Sephora Pro #45 Brush</a> and when I saw they brought out a mini rose gold version called the <a href="http://www.sephora.com/classic-mini-mineral-brush-45-5-P384691?skuId=1566595" target="_blank">#45.5</a> I had to buy it because it's great for travel and it's adorable! I also got a bunch of the <a href="http://www.sephora.com/perfect-hair-day-5-in-1-styling-treatment-P383223?skuId=1568930" target="_blank">Living Proof Perfect Hair Day 5-in-1 Styling Treatment</a> 100 point perks because I hear great things about the brand and I was really curious to try it out.
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I'm very much still in "use what I've got" mode with skincare so there wasn't a lot that I needed or wanted to pick up, but I did get a mini of the <a href="http://www.sephora.com/makeup-breakup-cool-cleansing-oil-P254604?skuId=1653518" target="_blank">Boscia Makeup Breakup Cleansing Oil</a> which I'm yet to try, and I got two of the <a href="http://mecca.com.au/kate-somerville/exfolikate-intensive-exfoliating-treatment/V-017876.html" target="_blank">Kate Somerville ExfoliKate</a> minis as 100 point perks, and that is a SERIOUS exfoliation, let me tell you. Two that aren't pictured are the <a href="http://www.sephora.com/acne-solutions-clinical-clearing-gel-P385432?skuId=1592856" target="_blank">Clinique Acne Solutions Clinical Clearing Gel</a> which I had a tiny little sample of that still lasted me for months and I found it really effective. It's pretty much your standard salicylic acid spot treatment but since it worked for me I wanted to pick up the full size. I also bought the <a href="http://www.sephora.com/mild-clarifying-lotion-P122663?skuId=1295732" target="_blank">Clinique Mild Clarifying Lotion</a> - normally I wouldn't touch a Clinique toner with a ten foot pole but the mild version is meant to be an effective BHA exfoliant and alcohol denat isn't the second ingredient like it is with all their other toners. I've not tried it yet but it's only $14USD for a full size bottle so I thought it was worth picking up. So I managed to tick off a LOT of stuff on my wishlist and I've got lots of new things to play with that have been keeping me busy lately - let me know if you've tried any of these products and what you think of them!</div>
little henry leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17024952001696475133noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1423067314176460582.post-49011228572690511372015-10-15T20:38:00.000+11:002015-10-15T20:38:11.333+11:00California: LA, San Francisco & Big Sur<b><i>LOS ANGELES</i></b><br />
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Getting out of my airport shuttle and seeing my friend from home, Caitlin, waiting for me and running towards each other to hug, visiting the Elliott Smith wall and <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVNjn4yjd-OWACgOxqozvnTE70-Lns6XKQRqk7sg7KT4LkOK4Y2oj9jOT4XGAu2hnQXTFonBrqerv7dpAwtH1nVHA38PFJzyaq2s3lbPpd9qHNvW0z-ZE_Jq0BzEREMEaXzg_UCrmnJW46/s1600/IMG_4619.png" target="_blank">Charles Bukowski's bungalow</a>, speculoos cookie butter and pumpkin toaster pastries from Trader Joe's, Amoeba Records, all you can eat Tacos for $5, appreciating the many beards in baseball, Caitlin's first trip to Disneyland (and my third Disneyland of my holiday), the Halloween themed Haunted House and Space Mountain rides and all the Halloween decorations around the park, staying to watch the 7pm parade because Caitlin had always wanted to see it, pick & mix lollies from Dylan's candy bar, Santa Monica pier, hiring bikes and riding around Venice Beach, pancakes and a chai milkshake for dinner with the lovely miss <a href="http://hallovalerie.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Valerie </a>at the 101 Coffee Shop!</div>
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<b><i>SAN FRANCISCO</i></b><br />
<img height="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpzFq8BUkEAcCZMCJGINW8sUZOgzZ1-XQTZwBv4L_bbygkXrTYM_VPWUN5dHT7mdg6W7amszWiw60Wp5DJnexkcKybNg3ryb8P8RYR4CBqMMUSX4BsvvrXYHqy1VbEZHSYvZzu5pZpaRJp/s1600/IMG_4714.png" width="750" />
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<img height="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyA749D9vXOLaJEMf6sDgxFa6KvtvdNKlMBRymqpcdongKzJUXvfv6h_2z3WY6I-3q-Rpo-Nk5iSVV8J3kUi17XRvf4WWGLKRpkO8LKQMlUxKi9Y-crAY9XJPiMKP_zRtB04ppa5AQWMYh/s1600/IMG_4740.png" width="750" />
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<img height="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwUhiHHk5nni4WpQHw0CqWMrThW8aqLr5ynfR4iW2ddILMI27DVBcsejZS3c7_Ehdetqtda9ywzfmjSCuM0TSgxjo5bedBw5f-l2jfPrc2ZxvVYJDeIE6m6iOgaK6LoNoRBwfmJAk4C_s3/s1600/IMG_4717.png" width="750" /><br />
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<img height="1026" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEVMWtQZYYikeGWsbMGJznk2-hEUIonvcU3iq5uXdiL0LwlH8sgX_4q_ZDpGKwL-3KWqrvesFQf3YLt5Sx7svbxsleAGnPg0qfT2y1pOCahi9885QHkdBDA2wlCQ-lxLALaftcG1RrCaIf/s1600/IMG_4723.png" width="750" /><br />
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<img height="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWiM3cVAXK-5VmTfdceF6sXA1W3-0UtzQghYMx4Jy7hkOrbtoSHHXYQSFyIKkQlJdtLmnK8mRSBEXs8OQq2NrlKk86GCfOVK5UjHRyGYOGliI7bYCbYtkBAmPwyhG8RgozDfoAmKERrWmY/s1600/IMG_4747.png" width="750" /><br />
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<img height="1026" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGOC-iMXOCASHedjaxtD1_kYQrqlvT4VXZKpcYkZ04nfH511PmKzupCmCsot-Ebzr8Ow5b3e2yvZHGNIOCJVbFN6L8DDwQrAk-ZX9UHJowZ-1naudzhsZXCrM9nwL3I_1smCgC9W54AWzl/s1600/IMG_4763.png" width="750" />
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<img height="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSZ3ESwFsL1Ona83ERf58vJ8fGtfE00_i7KY8hzEUeNz0CrKh1vdQLuplgfdbA2rRnfDAeESSMNH-gTW245ChfjGVb4Kq16vf89dvy3KJIt_wHQOSzkieqP93a2D5xoLcT8mhuL-in0vdt/s1600/IMG_4780.png" width="750" />
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<img height="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeL5Llgc8hEny7P20IdR_EcmFZ0MB7YoWh7SppNI8sQiKS5tf5cMO2BfljXBJCk3BDcEEl1-Co5BrIQEc8j1IBW2i7nisS8HRpcbpazdXl866SIxKTzKHaoDmttpzZLttphTaV3FUi9SU1/s1600/IMG_4706.png" width="750" />
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<span style="-webkit-line-break: after-white-space; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; word-wrap: break-word;">Going STRAIGHT to the Beat Museum and City Lights Bookstore and Kerouac Alley next door as soon as we checked in to our hostel, the lovely guy who worked at the Beat Museum who I made friends with and chatted to at length every time I went in (which was every other day), going to the 7th Annual Beat Museum Poetry Festival & watching genuine grey-haired hippies read their poetry and play weird experimental noise music while their wives watched and smiled, cinnamon sweet tea from Naked Lunch, making my friend order the Jack Kerouac drink at Vesuvios (I don't drink), going through the Beat Museum properly on my own and absolutely adoring everything - Neal Cassady's striped referee shirt, the sticker on the fire exit door that said "fire alarm with HOWL if you go through here," the section dedicated to the women of the Beat Generation, the Kerouac bobble head doll, getting teary looking at a shirt of Kerouac's with little anchors on the buttons, buying rare zines about Neal Cassady from the museum shop, my friend at the store showing me the cool rare stuff they keep in locked cabinets, going to a poetry reading upstairs at City Lights and buying lots of books and "HOWL if you love City Lights" stickers, doing the Beat Museum walking tour even though I'd already scoped out most of the stops on the tour by myself.</span>
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<img height="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs76MY3SsmJ1O6kzyRr3hO1L5PCIPDRjl4zVfCR6yswh2fGq3M-MlJscXTf2O-06Z0mfsi7QLqs7u4qyDqG2a-bGeEg3B82A5Vx61qUq6UPP0XCQBy1D7XBFHJI1Hiu2JUHgfPhzZ1w_M_/s1600/IMG_4689.png" width="750" />
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<img height="1026" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJa4xMaGS3O5uPCBYpKS7_njbn3gpiWmiPqLyby2ISHjucwZIaKePfDwJGEQjZeIRKYaNN9hsXArtG05B_yrCFdgTJr9HbVp3KuQaNK1G5kUEFNXZbqOPTOd1C3QDxp0653I1-bsdlHooq/s1600/IMG_4651.png" width="750" />
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<span style="-webkit-line-break: after-white-space; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; word-wrap: break-word;">The Green Tortoise Hostel with bagels for breakfast and three free dinners a week and its super friendly, amazing staff who always had time to chat to us and recommend places to eat and let us hang out with them, the woman in the candy shop who said we could taste as many flavours of saltwater taffy as we liked, getting a sample from Ghiradelli every time we walked past a shop, buying $1 books from a book fair at the Fort Mason Centre, almost dying walking up Lombard Street, buying records and candles and books wandering around the Mission, ice cream from Humphrey Slocombe several times over, watching the seals at Pier 39, the cute vintage arcade game museum with fortune tellers and love testers, salads from Whole Foods and napping in the park, Piedmont Street in Oakland and buying my awesome constellation print makeup bag, the funny halloween decoration shop with a pumpkin patch out the back and two dachshunds, hiring bikes and riding across the Golden Gate Bridge and back through Golden Gate park, asking a dude at Trader Joe's to show us all the seasonal pumpkin specials which he did with the appropriate level of enthusiasm, buying a 950ml tub of pumpkin ice cream and getting back to our hostel to find they don't have a freezer so we had no choice but to eat the whole thing for dinner with some speculoos cookie butter, Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival, the farmer's markets at the ferry building, 99c Trader Joe's peanut butter cups, taking my laptop to the park so we could listen to music and have a picnic.</span></div>
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Arriving back in San Fran from Big Sur during Fleet Week, dressing up in sailor clothes (which of course we both have while travelling, ha) and having a night out, making friends with a guy who took us to a bunch of bars in the Mission, dancing and playing pinball and getting photobooth photos, finally seeing the Weeknd two nights in a row after obsessing over him since 2012 with ScHoolBoy Q and Jhene Aiko supporting, <span style="-webkit-line-break: after-white-space; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; word-wrap: break-word;">buying records from Ameoba and second hand places in Haight Ashbury, talking to a man in the street who was selling something called the Haight Ashbury Literary Journal and connecting over how incredible Leonard Cohen is and when I told him I was from Australia he found a poem by an Australian in an older issue of the journal and read it aloud to me in the street, having maybe the best tea of my entire life from Samovar with <b><a href="http://www.thedauphine.com/" target="_blank">Chelsea</a></b> and looking through little shops around the Mission, bonding with a man in a cafe about Kerouac and about how the greatest writers can make the simplest things seem like magic, the bar at the top level of the Hyatt hotel with a view of the city, Cafe Trieste where Lawrence Felinghetti still visits and where Francis Ford Coppola wrote the Godfather screenplay with the walls covered in photos, sitting there writing in my journal and a man giving me his business card saying he was the one who had taken all the photos, the woman who whispered to me "you're probably a move star, but don't worry I won't tell anyone," and the KILLER jukebox that cost $2 for 7 songs, I picked:</span></div>
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Sam Cooke - A Change is Gonna Come</div>
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The Coasters - Down in Mexico</div>
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Louis Armstrong - What A Wonderful World</div>
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The Drifters - Save the Last Dance for Me</div>
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The Mama & the Papas - Twist & Shout</div>
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Nina Simone - the House of the Rising Sun</div>
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Johnny Cash - Folsom Prison Blues</div>
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<b><i>BIG SUR & MONTEREY</i></b><br />
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<img height="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNmWqzVNyV_nK7_esrAPb4dBDuuCSHNi-DBCLc02lErfFlDZdH677ZniSnMZU71jmebymdw_MBbvK3e1rvrwlP8RtXRBqgSL4CZRvZHiwtbodJLyi9TBt9sbevkHyGFnYsN07Ml6dbwYfs/s1600/IMG_4813.png" width="750" />
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<img height="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj09zwYlyPegNihshRPYwMApMb21ae3P_e5bhkHdyRvJ05pg6YlRsjdRRwYAWDkb1v6EMFO_jmWa4fKho59zjNdxGPgqN-B1zI54TVrAbIa9yU2pmPSwrV14GInssQnlkmAn7D-CjINTlL6/s1600/IMG_4836.png" width="750" />
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<img height="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiER4sw3ExoETTVLy5l8fVwMVm62AXPb3QCQnfGkZLP8LniltkldgG-H95HaGznvzZ20mV56_pHFcatmPSPMSovKhUsuiIYhm1n342LcpjriKorIUaWITrYjyft76HWxKw_jtOvvuxxVYIg/s1600/IMG_4839.png" width="750" />
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<img height="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhzGyDxqiMYjsoj4lgv6NbuYJ3BY72pOIBOVluCijIUps61LiKuxvGfQp28zqjtT1xrfoWh-h-Tz6sX7zORfCFxq5EcITOmBA_Um2h5fwuXMqYxsmmqHlW2ysMMRqWY82vlBjAtKracKjs/s1600/IMG_4832.png" width="750" />
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<img height="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipNALmJiUPZr04mkvMJaPdd9zE8HQRQf9lSX6Ap4rQmKl8ZQ2VdbEtDRTLoPl9hVQGV6MMuY2lnrG6Iqt9iI4hz-rIq4yyhpqJr6bnm4idHuakHwOkMlSwV9iYmrqejmqBkGMSyK5_wJ1m/s1600/IMG_4892.png" width="750" />
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<img height="1026" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMoQQ74knYySdRC3npU7MZeWU1OpDkgoL0O3DibFty7xmccDhHhd7zZMyLvka-01k8cqrQtTTBW-JVH-6tCH2QwrEitSFFk_naUFYmrX23z7VLNzN3czRb4CeGTtnJdifEfEaikxkM68cW/s1600/IMG_4889.png" width="750" />
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<img height="1026" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHJvhS7_HmS8mvxW9-ma8xAKWLcC3yDg0ohbtbAA4getUVqdA_jFjkJJZFLMHF5I6d-dsXbn50aQpuL0ZUtw26-VQqNbE5vm6JM3_HBOSs56RK2bLjtUx55G1lJlALFlsZ_NVcnII9KvUv/s1600/IMG_4882.png" width="750" />
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<img height="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGCUJEUnnQDfKXNNVzl2f4T0rNVxkzuDub3Z4GVtu-JbyL-0DziNMVlbq69xWIpRz1KdWrE1_zYBCMXsXa6J8MJJiUPl_slsq3P7QX-T88dGaRXbbk3s3OHvWVDtQAurZIgK8UnUVAiZYm/s1600/IMG_4903.png" width="750" />
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<img height="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz3BPuxDqgC8EpnKi5ducpfo5tMWndPzEFGc07uxLj-B0Y3ypPL7ncsPO9ZC4Oh-FfdZgygTmFUbkcTnZ6yuGhFr7gjUHsTg8ck3mPDuKurlw9twQVOpMjbxggGIDTHcSBSeA-w_f7DQFa/s1600/IMG_4849.png" width="750" />
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<img height="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdyHXXEk-IfUZele2twOY585A2OucK-V64qcqGSRgIzvohOMii27vru-Z7J0jErtc8R-Oan6UrKdCjUXnk234xxQ6qPij_yCHVcq2qnYRbTsWzziGsds8ILMmfg20q89gdCn4QCTtPyjVl/s1600/IMG_4841.png" width="750" />
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Driving down to Big Sur from San Fran on my birthday and making a quick stop at City Lights and the Beat Museum before we left just because it was my birthday, getting in the car and driving around with the windows down and the music up, eating ice blocks that melted all over us with the heat and wind, searching the radio stations every few minutes for something good, driving down the coast through Santa Cruz and stopping to look at the water whenever we felt like it, buying fresh fruit & veg & wandering through the pumpkins at Bob's Pumpkin Patch, hot apple and strawberry cider for $1 and a slice of pumpkin pie from the darling Swanton Strawberry Farm where you put your money in an honesty box, driving through the fog in the night time with the car heater on our feet, eating tacos and birthday cake on the bed, the plastic "happy birthday" cake topper Caitlin surrpised me with - she'd picked it up at another hostel weeks ago and had saved it for that night, pumpkin bagels with speculoos butter for breakfast in the sunshine at the little table outside our cabin, the Henry Miller Memorial Library where nothing happens, Bixby Creek Bridge and canyon with the fog hanging low over the ocean, laying on the front lawn outside our cabin eating and reading and napping in the sunshine, waking up to see deer grazing a few metres away twitching their big floppy ears and tiny tails, McWay Falls at Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park, leaving sadly on our third day and driving back to San Fran via Monterey so I could check out Cannery Row and Salinas so I could go to the Steinbeck Centre and pay my respects at his grave.
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<img height="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb_6vWWzC8sUc8pQYgHPJJz4WVztYOnDvasX2zOifcnTrV742y7-Mdz9ByFQDned7Re2ncSr-UQGUvvI6jGC3dKqOco8QtflEmb66ldYSIHr5kNSxUyG3U_qHi80PnaAcZDV4a0f_p9iVm/s1600/IMG_4959.png" width="750" />
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<img height="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSxFpsDtAewXoDLRgU8_oWVGbxw8H6GV9pjKmLMPD4io0nEDQyI8uB87rcfywTSW6HZYUysMwayP7S5u-MqlqFtaoDEJgZ5cfIKtX32BPUCTDLonrDwUADvUZKvHha0sdrCfdfYume1I0B/s1600/IMG_4971.png" width="750" />
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<img height="1026" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPHUr9tk7qCL6x6eGUZP02EEAH8v3yxSC2-ykiGt3XksXTAaO7Axb1udHULbHEBFRRYqrotNHye_9iT2JYnaEvB3ms7e8oTFTU0iUwfNZ9qDwO0bZfXh60gtT9HrjPSGN1wXXZ7tcwRT_j/s1600/IMG_4966.png" width="750" />
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<img height="1026" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0kJ_RN1Tv2PJIhXGDKMMhozYOfVfAZPvd1TuGxGzDfeua1k0S3nEpD1bRHRBdh0lQt3Xrg5wRY6SgestALUhpgxTKmCnDpljmJPJIfnJVzaDe2zOKMrTS5yxSDBKbrkFhnorGDugK1RxC/s1600/IMG_4923.png" width="750" />
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<img height="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKiUURJyRpuK7kLDvwW2MdWy3SDUjyAqBUdJDqgBZDWd5WcpBNlQeO_E1e-6mlmEYj14MwxSeFtlBSyWm-yf5u8LETWxn2E11ux5u_QwdMHAVVt0QcUkPJB5pXxvNlZf0nYXQ4v60CSQ-i/s1600/IMG_4929.png" width="750" />
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<img height="1026" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQk4Yy0q8tMWcUdQuaFJ5irE_RtqBLxI9J_lKBCxwqIBTLQNDn-ufzCeikjdZbUn78g2ML_sQQNVyrAlO9jx_GOXL42YQFbdeQ30f86omCcKvd05ANt4HClPAYpagd2oG3zUSVWQCMdWZu/s1600/IMG_4936.png" width="750" />
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<img height="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFTdjyEdUKOoffceyACE7aVtwPEw7UKYKydoPaDUmivHPBWTz0Xz0-TveiXShxWzi0X7z4YEN0croNgnqivblx8pqLPHjLAFkPcYPGylEejmDkPe7ojSitg0GiZhzNgwDmrqJw5wcHVpJ_/s1600/IMG_4940.png" width="750" />little henry leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17024952001696475133noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1423067314176460582.post-48946828290622663992015-10-08T23:29:00.000+11:002016-03-21T11:23:51.310+11:00Top 5 Powders<div style="text-align: justify;">
<img height="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWw5wgNopxEk8LOxP8UnuC-oJ1Iw8JYQU4CEeFGlCBGsMMY9OLIokbJ1klzONKKap76uZiR-ZHEe4H84w_Oud4kJ5vpYQ7tSO69Ia7mirh9-7Pms2X-D95jX-NQ8SGKejZZCUVidYhinZp/s1600/IMG_6600.png" width="750" /></div>
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It's a little tricky to make a photo of five circles look pretty, but I tried. Continuing on with my Top 5 series, as you may have guessed, these are my top 5 powders. Now I expect a lot from powders, I've got oily skin and need a powder to pull its weight when it comes to oil control without making my skin look horrible and cakey. In my pre-beauty obsessed days the powder I relied on was MAC's Studio Fix which is actually a powder foundation so it has a decent amount of coverage. Good if your makeup tends to wear away throughout the day, but it doesn't really offer the natural, skin-like finish that I'm after these days.<br />
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I don't mean to talk down a product that works really well for a lot of people, but a huge priority for me when it comes to makeup is to look like I'm not wearing very much of it. I know that's a bit silly to say considering I wear liquid liner and red lipstick everyday, but what I mean is that my personal preference is to look like I just have really good skin rather than looking flawless but it being obvious that I'm wearing a lot of makeup to get that look.</div>
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Powder is one of the biggest offenders when it comes to makeup looking obvious because certain types will sit on top of the skin and look very heavy, and when they mix with your skin's oils over time they become really cakey and I hate the look and the feel of it on my face. It's the bane of the oily-skinned girl's life to try and get the right balance between shininess and the dreaded cake-face. But these five powders work really well for me - if I want to get through a whole day without touching up at all it's got to be the right combination of primer, foundation and powder but these are the ones I reach for most often because they offer decent oil control, are really lightweight and you can reapply them later in the day without too much product building up.
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I've done a bit of research on cosmetic ingredients to try to get an idea of why some help control oil and others don't. It's not easy since I'm not a cosmetic scientist, but I've found that the most common ingredients for oil control are talc and silica. A majority of powders have talc in their ingredients list (often right near the top), including all five of these, because it helps absorb oil and acts as an anti-caking agent. Silica based powders are sometimes referred to as "HD powders" because they're so fine and look like nothing on the skin. It's also pretty difficult to tell what will work just from the ingredients because you don't have any information about the quantities used other than a guess based on the order they're listed in. You can't even really always go by the claims of the product because only three of these five actually claim to help control oil and yet I find they all do a pretty good job.
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I think at this point my favourite powder ever is <a href="http://www.boots.com/en/Soap-Glory%E2%84%A2-One-Heck-Of-A-Blot-9g_1610922/" target="_blank">Soap & Glory's One Heck of a Blot</a>, which contains both talc and silica. It's super lightweight, never looks cakey and really does a good job with controlling oil, and it feels really smooth and doesn't add any extra coverage as it's just a blot powder. I just need Mecca/Kit Cosmetics to start stocking S&G makeup already or else I'll have to resort to ordering it from eBay when this runs out. My next favourite would probably be the <a href="https://www.priceline.com.au/bourjois-healthy-balance-compact-powder-9-g" target="_blank">Bourjois Healthy Balance Powder</a> (52 Vanille) which has a touch of colour to it but it's super silky and the silicones in it help to blur your pores and imperfections. This one doesn't have any silica but it contains kaolin pretty high up the inci list which is a type of clay you'll find in a lot of clarifying mud masks which also helps to absorb excess oil.
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<a href="https://www.priceline.com.au/rimmel-stay-matte-pressed-powder-1-ea" target="_blank">Rimmel's Stay Matte</a> (001 Transparent) is a classic - it's doesn't have as nice a texture as the others but it's also the most inexpensive of the lot and it has the cheapest packaging with no mirror. Not very handbag friendly and not particularly glamorous but it does the job the way I like it so I really can't fault it. I'm not entirely sure what's going on with the <a href="http://www.ulta.com/ulta/browse/productDetail.jsp?productId=VP10394" target="_blank">L'oreal True Match Powder</a> (W1 Porcelain) because I bought this one in the round compact in the US but I think in Australia it's sold in square packaging? So I'm not sure if the formula is the same, but the one I have is really soft and smooth and I was surprised by how much I like it. The first two ingredients for this one are talc followed by corn starch which also helps absorb oil. The final one I've included is the <a href="http://www.myer.com.au/shop/mystore/bobbi-brown-bobbi-brown-sheer-finish-loose-powder" target="_blank">Bobbi Brown Sheer Finish Loose Powder</a> (shade 7 White) which is still a talc based formula with silica fourth on the inci list. It's super fine and completely translucent on the face and although loose powders can be a bit of a hassle sometimes I prefer them when I only want a really light dusting of powder, and I've found this is a good one for me. I also tend to prefer loose powders for setting under they eyes as they're harder to go overboard with and I find that area looks really cakey really quickly if you're using the wrong type of powder. If you have any high end or drugstore powders that you think really help absorb oil I'd love to hear what they are!</div>
little henry leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17024952001696475133noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1423067314176460582.post-305008642055043892015-10-01T18:58:00.000+10:002016-03-21T11:23:13.169+11:00Top 5 Blushes<div style="text-align: justify;">
<img height="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY4KX5gp8s3UuLN-Cdw1mJ3MGLazRkwXGyW23qFYr65WSbCj88WNb1dGCn_0ISdWMm6_CRMRl_iiOuuaG5KZOJB13jHYHI0A55er4sOnSqtFv1hVYIsYq7FYQ4se3bMCeGqw0fDa5LXIKu/s1600/IMG_6578.png" width="750" /></div>
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So you may be a little confused about the title of this post, "Top 5 Blushes" when the photo clearly has six blushes in it, but let me explain - I'm an idiot and I couldn't choose! But there are only five formulas here so that's what I'm going with! I thought I'd start a "top 5" series on my blog, (sorry for cheating on the very first one) because I though it would be fun to work my way through my makeup collection and share my favourite products in each category with you guys. <br />
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You might notice that I've got a bit of a thing for high end blushes - I tend to think of certain beauty products as being functional or fun. For example, I like my liquid liner to be functional and the same goes for face powder. I want it light, non-cakey and to help control oil and since I know I'm going to use up these products they also tend to be drugstore/more affordable options. Blush on the other hand, is fun. I'm pretty sure if you owned one blush and used it every single day you still wouldn't be able to finish it up in a year, and considering you use so little of it and I never touch it up during the day I feel like it's an area of beauty where the experience of using it is really important.</div>
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Whether or not it's a conscious thing, a huge part of the appeal of high end anything (in my opinion) is the experience of using the product or wearing the clothes, etc. It's the way it makes you feel, which is why a lot of people save their high end products or their best clothes for special occasions. But when it's blush, something you're basically never going to finish up anyway, why not treat yourself and use the best stuff every day? Even if you just had three and rotated them they would last you absolutely forever so I really think blush is worth investing in because you're going to get to keep enjoying the experience for far longer than you would with a high end liquid liner or mascara. And also I just love blush.</div>
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So of all the ones I've tried, my favourite formulas and the ones that make me feel the most special are these ones. As for the shades, if you couldn't tell I tend to be most excited by bubblegum pinks and warm corals and oranges. I have quite a few NARS blushes but I think the colour that excites me the most (and the first one I bought after the standard Orgasm) is <a href="http://mecca.com.au/nars/blush/V-000376.html" target="_blank">Gaiety</a>. A super bright, blue-based pink that really brightens up the face and looks great on pale skin (though I'm sure it would look great on deeper skin tones too.) Similar but slightly lighter is the <a href="http://www.myer.com.au/shop/mystore/diorskin-rosy-glow-healthy-glow-booster-blush-993367640" target="_blank">Dior Rosy Glow Blush</a> which is meant to be a self-adjusting blush that adapts to your skin tone. Pretty sure it's just going to look like a matte, candy pink on everyone but as I only have one face I can't say for sure. Either way, it's beautiful and these two look really youthful and fresh when applied with a light hand.</div>
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Now, who can really go past the <a href="http://mecca.com.au/hourglass/ambient-lighting-blush/V-017576.html" target="_blank">Hourglass Ambient Lighting Blushes</a>? This one in Dim Infusion is a gorgeous soft peach that looks really natural on the cheeks and the satin finish leaves your skin with a soft glow. It's decidedly more subdued than the previous two options so this may be more for you if you're not comfortable with wearing super bright blush. As for <a href="http://www.sephora.com/amazonian-clay-12-hour-blush-P278610?skuId=1306836" target="_blank">Tarte's Tipsy</a>, this is the blogger/YouTube favourite contender for the perfect pinky-coral shade. You can see it's got a much warmer tone to it than the NARS or Dior, with an almost reddish base it looks like you have really beautiful, naturally flushed cheeks.</div>
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Now for the two I couldn't pick between - <a href="http://mecca.com.au/stila/convertible-colour/V-001558.html" target="_blank">Stila's Convertible Colours</a> in Gladiola and Petunia. I realise in the photo that Petunia looks identical to Tarte's Tipsy but in real life it doesn't have the redness to it and it's just the prettiest mid-toned pink you could ever hope to find. As for the bright orange Gladiola, I remember when I was first getting properly into makeup and EssieButton was raving about it and that was the start of my love for orange lips and cheeks. It might sound and look a little scary to some people but you just have to trust me when I say it's seriously beautiful. The formula of these cream blushes is my favourite I've tried so far and the packaging that matches the shade is adorable too.</div>
little henry leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17024952001696475133noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1423067314176460582.post-82019231254010136732015-09-04T15:36:00.000+10:002015-09-04T15:36:39.257+10:00Boston & Orlando<div style="text-align: justify;">
This might be a bit confusing but I've combined two places into one post because either I didn't have a lot to say about them (Orlando) or I didn't have a lot of photos (Boston/Lowell.) And sorry for posting out of order but in case you were wondering I flew to Boston from <a href="http://littlehenrylee.blogspot.com.au/2014/10/iceland-pt-1.html" target="_blank">Reykjavik</a> because I wanted to visit my favourite writer Jack Kerouac's hometown of Lowell which is about an hour North. So I had a couple of days in Boston and then I caught the train to<b> </b><a href="http://littlehenrylee.blogspot.com.au/2015/08/new-york.html" target="_blank">New York</a><b> </b>and stayed for a month there, and then I went to Orlando exclusively for the theme parks & the Kennedy Space Centre, and then on to LA.</div>
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<b><i>THE WIZARDING WORLD OF HARRY POTTER, UNIVERSAL STUDIOS, ORLANDO</i></b>
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Diagon Alley with all the shops from the books that you can walk into, the dragon on top of Gringotts that breathes fire, ice cream from Florean Fortescue's, pumpkin juice with a little pumpkin on top, Harry music playing through the speakers all day, being legitimately a bit scared when Voldemort appears in the Gringotts ride, catching the Hogwarts Express to Hogsmeade, delicious frozen butterbeer from the Three Broomsticks, buying chocolate & fudge from Honeydukes, the awesome dragon rollercoasters and the Hogwarts ride.</div>
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<b><i>KENNEDY SPACE CENTRE, ORLANDO</i></b>
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Seeing the real Atlantis Shuttle which has been on 33 space missions, going on a launch simulator that is meant to be one of the most realistic simulators according to real astronauts, touching an actual moon rock(!!!), buying astronaut glove oven mitts and a bunch of cool NASA stuff, watching IMAX documentaries about repairing the ISS and a 3D one about the Hubble Space Telescope narrated by Leonardo DiCaprio.
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<b><i>BOSTON & LOWELL</i></b></div>
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Catching the train from Boston to Lowell and being picked up from the station by Roger from <a href="http://www.lowellcelebrateskerouac.org/" target="_blank">Lowell Celebrates Kerouac</a> who was 79 and wore a Kerouac t-shirt and showed me around the town that he and Jack grew up in. He proudly introduced me to everyone we met and told them I had come all the way from Sydney and he read quotes from Kerouac's books that described the places we were in off palm cards he'd typed on a typewriter. Seeing the house Kerouac was born in with a plaque commemorating the occasion, being shown through his primary (elementary) school with a quote framed on the wall near his 2nd grade classroom, and his high school where he was listed first on a plaque of notable graduates, going to the Pollard Memorial Library where Kerouac used to skip school to come and read, and Roger reading this quote to me from Doctor Sax while we were in the children's library:</div>
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<i>"By Saturday morning the sun is shining, the sky is piercingly heartbreakingly blue, and my sister and I are dancing over the Moody Street Bridge to get out Saturday morning Library books. All the night before I've been dreaming of books--I'm standing in the children's library in the basement, rows of glazed brown books are in front of me, I reach out and open one--my soul thrills to touch the soft used meaty pages covered with avidities of reading--at last, at last, I'm opening the magic brown book--"</i></div>
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Going upstairs and Roger staying quiet as he let me find the framed Kerouac picture sitting on top of a cabinet of books. My eyes filling with tears as I walked over and realised it was completely full of books by or about Jack. The librarian unlocking it for me and Roger and I silently poring over the foreign language editions, rare biographies and zines about him - the kind of collection I can only dream of having one day. The tiny Kerouac Memorial Park with marble pillars with quotes on them, and Roger explaining the meaning behind the design to me. Visiting the Grotto and Roger telling me funny stories about Allen Ginsberg and Gregory Corso and Bob Dylan and about the time <a href="http://assets.rollingstone.com/assets/images/gallery/0f0b76a768d7784707ce7bc9d27a673ade500b51.jpg" target="_blank">this photo</a> was taken of Dylan at the top of the monument. Sharing a moment when I described Kerouac as incredibly romantic about every tiny detail of life and Roger saying that's exactly the word he uses as well.</div>
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Knowing that the final stop of the tour would be his grave and feeling inexplicably nervous on the way, getting out of the car and walking over in silence and Roger understanding how important the moment was to me and just letting me experience it without interruption. Spilling tears on his grave and communicating to him how incredibly grateful I am for the beauty he has shown me, the endless inspiration he has offered and for truly helping to shape me as a person. After waiting since 2008 to make my pilgrimage to Lowell I can absolutely say this was one of the most significant, wonderful and utterly perfect days of my whole life.</div>
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little henry leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17024952001696475133noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1423067314176460582.post-39669381593187777622015-08-27T20:45:00.001+10:002015-08-27T21:40:24.653+10:00New York<div style="text-align: justify;">
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Well this post has been a long time coming. It's literally been a year since I was in New York and I'm only just getting around to posting about it (oops.) In case you weren't a reader of my blog a year ago I took 5 months off life and went around the world. If you're interested in seeing any photos from my time in Iceland, Europe or Egypt you can check out my <a href="http://littlehenrylee.blogspot.com.au/search/label/travel" target="_blank">travel tag</a>. I spent an incredible two and a half months in the US so there'll be a couple more posts coming after this one - and no, it shouldn't take me another year to get to them!<br />
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Knowing that I was going to be there for a month and that I could settle in, my little room with a loft bed and enough space to unpack all my things, the great apartment I stayed in that was filled with art and sunlight, my host Jenaveve and her awesome bunch of friends who were always around and who made me feel so welcome and invited me along to their parties, Jenaveve's two dogs Henry & Seamus and all her friend's dogs too, a big brunch of French toast with a bunch of her friends, hanging out on the rooftop in the sunshine and a BBQ dinner with five dogs and sweet potato waffle fries and ice cream cones, seeing baby angel Drake play at Forest Hills Stadium, buying Rolling Stones and The Beatles 7"s for $3 from a street seller outside of Columbia University, being stopped in the street by a psychic and having a reading with her, meeting up with my wonderful friend Will who I met on my tour of Egypt, getting self serve salads and mini baked goods and rose & elderflower lemonade from Whole Foods in Union Square and sitting on the second floor overlooking the park, hanging with <a href="http://www.thedauphine.com/" target="_blank">Chelsea</a> on a rooftop in Brooklyn with a view of Manhattan, buying gorgeous vintage dresses from the Artists & Flea Markets in Williamsburg and running into a group of Australian women on a vintage shopping tour of America, seeing Bad Brains, Trash Talk, Valerie June and Sharon Jones & the Dap Kings at Afropunk Festival, searching for years for my perfect pair of vintage Ferragamo Varas and finding them at a flea market in Brooklyn and the seller discounting them for me without me even asking, reading in the grass in McCarran park on a Sunday afternoon, mailing home 27lbs (about 12kgs) of records, seeing amazing rare and signed books at a special exhibition at the Morgan Library and Museum by Kerouac, Allen Ginsberg, William S Burroughs, Steinbeck, Hemingway, Fitzgerald, Sylvia Plath and more, going to New Jersey for the day and eating the best cannoli of my entire life from Carlo's Bakery (the one from Cake Boss) and paying my respects at Allen Ginsberg's grave.</div>
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Cinnamon Toast Crunch and Lucky Charms, lavender lemonade and peanut butter pretzel vegan doughnuts from Dunwell, tonnes of delicious food at Smorgasburg, amazing tomato, spinach & goat's cheese baked eggs from Boulevard cafe, red velvet pancakes and everything else from Champs vegan Diner, salted peanut butter ice cream sandwiches with snickerdoodle cookies from Alchemy, apple butter toast from The Butcher's Daughter, a frozen custard peanut butter shake from Shake Shack so thick I had to eat it with a spoon, delicious two and three dollar Mexican food from a tortilla factory in Brooklyn, tofu salad from Digg Inn, the tasting plate from the Peanut Butter Co sandwich shop, delicious tea and little desserts from Caprices by Sophie and their lovely backyard area, Red Rose cinnamon struesel tea, hibiscus doughnuts from Dough.</div>
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Central Park like a huge oasis in the virtually treeless city, with its pine trees in the summertime that smell like an Australian Christmas and carnival rides and people sunning themselves on big rocks, walking past apartments my favourite writers used to live in and West 4th Street where the cover of The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan was shot, Starry Night and a Toulouse-Lautrec special exhibition at MOMA, visiting the Chelsea Hotel which Leonard Cohen named one of my favourite songs after, tonnes of vintage shopping in Brooklyn and the East Village and Soho, L Train Vintage and Housing Works thrift shops which hit the secondhand sweet spot, wandering along the High Line and escaping the chaos of the city for an hour, Chelsea Market, a fantastic day at the MET, breakdancers on the subway, policemen directing traffic in white gloves, seeing Tavi Gevinson, Michael Cera and Kieren Culkin in a play called This Is Our Youth, buying secondhand books from street sellers on Bedford Avenue, the Beastie Boys mural at Rivington St where the cover of Paul's Boutique was shot, Adam Yauch park in DUMBO, visiting what's left of CBGBs, the Strand bookstore, going to the American Natural History Musuem and absolutely loving the Rose Centre for Earth and Space and returning twice more in the evenings for the Cosmology Frontiers lecture series - one was about Multiverse Theory and the Copernican Principle and the other was about nearby planets that could potentially harbour life and involved a current and incredibly detailed map of our local neighbourhood in the universe on the huge Planetarium screen and zooming in to within 6 metres of the surface of Mars!</div>
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="70" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/W7c3wRzUUjs" width="750"></iframe>little henry leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17024952001696475133noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1423067314176460582.post-29351684123018575992015-08-18T22:24:00.000+10:002016-03-21T11:22:51.585+11:00In My Secret Life #3<div style="text-align: justify;">
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Seems it's time for another round up of things I've been enjoying lately and the first thing I have to talk about absolutely has to be baths. I've been obsessed with having baths about 4-5 times a week and have been telling all my friends how great they are. Of course I've had them before but as an adult they've been few and far between, and mostly only when I'm really tired or not feeling well. The first one I had at the start of this obsession was a bit weird - like how long am I supposed to stay in this bath for? What am I meant to be doing? I was kind of bored. For my next bath, however, I brought my laptop with me, set it up on the vanity and watched a couple of YouTube videos. That's probably not a revelation to anyone else but it changed the game for me. I've also been trying out lots of bath salts and bubble baths from iHerb and my favourite one has to be the <a href="http://au.iherb.com/deep-steep-organic-bubble-bath-rosemary-mint-17-fl-oz-502-ml/14431?at=0" target="_blank">Deep Steep Rosemary & Mint Bubble Bath</a>. I've not tried any of their other scents yet but I can assure you I will.</div>
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<img height="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ-O1TZmuGECcV-lX_YM4sglPqN71bs-PxwAtPtJVCWs1NulJTSXBYDgA1gZ0rVMSHAbssnT3YJTyaOfn_sW-JgAWlCC-3tiaznWSJAGbISNdsVIxJop9y_na7jVh4R_sZwhyS1MBTvXzu/s1600/IMG_6815.png" width="750" /></div>
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Speaking of things that smell good, I recently picked up a bottle of <a href="http://www.myer.com.au/shop/mystore/jo-malone-amber---patchouli-cologne-intense-288392410" target="_blank">Jo Malone's Amber & Patchouli </a><a href="http://www.myer.com.au/shop/mystore/jo-malone-amber---patchouli-cologne-intense-288392410" target="_blank">Cologne Intense</a> and it's EXACTLY what I'm into scent-wise. Dark, warm, heady and completely beautiful. I urge you to smell this and you'll see what I'm talking about. It's quite masculine and actually as with a lot of fragrances right up at the higher end, it's unisex, and I think it would smell amazing on a man too. I hadn't heard of this scent before but I came across it for around half price in the Estee Lauder outlet and fell head over heels for it. I believe it's a permanent fragrance but because it's a cologne intense (in the black bottles) it's not usually displayed with all the standard fragrances so I guess I just hadn't noticed it before. But my god I'm glad I found it and also that I managed to get it at a discount. If you've smelled this and know anything that's in a similar vein please tell me because this is what I want ALL my perfumes to smell like. And one more thing on the topic of scents, I burn candles like nobodies business but lately I've been going through a bit of an incense phase. I tend to swap between the two every so often at at the moment it's incense. Although I have boxes and boxes of different scents there's nothing quite as good as old fashioned nag champa. Maybe I should just buy a nag champa perfume.</div>
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<img height="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlvZZOZtQV-JMK9SHWh589bWshEwLclVC27X3_gzJZMHwR2FBYQcsXHz_TOyUF-7keOqyGdbFNZylLJnHms1OZL3zDWAtu50Xa1miCpOOLEeD3TJm70WNeaDMLNvNXU_p6QyQC9OGwkgBI/s1600/IMG_6684.png" width="750" /></div>
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<img height="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvfUdLoaGZ02POGVximYMtBSmZ9Lo83Fs6J0sYT476odrpemddgsHOqJILkE9AH3TIv0BBBbRa4eZWASFveMfjiHoSKgWXQ23VaLovbCcuEW3yRY4vnF5CI54NhB0rEN-tFQ71ZyKmQKCo/s1600/IMG_6737.png" width="750" /></div>
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I don't own a lot of jewellery but when <a href="http://www.happinessboutique.com/en/" target="_blank">Happiness Boutique</a> reached out to me and asked if I'd like to try something, I saw <a href="http://www.happinessboutique.com/en/necklaces/dazzling-vintage-inspired-statement-necklace-771#reviews_main_block" target="_blank">this necklace</a> and immediately got Breakfast at Tiffany's vibes. It's very sturdy and well made, and they have a huge array of jewellery as well as some clothes and accessories on their website. They also offer my fave thing ever - free worldwide shipping, and have a rewards program where you can accumulate points and exchange them for more jewellery! I love this necklace with my hair up in a beehive and an off the shoulder or bardot neckline top, which has been another favourite for me lately. I've already picked up <a href="http://www.asos.com//ASOS/ASOS-Crop-Top-with-Bardot-Sweetheart-Neckline/Prod/pgeproduct.aspx?iid=4558765" target="_blank">the one I'm wearing</a> as well as <a href="http://www.asos.com/au/asos/asos-gingham-off-the-shoulder-top/prod/pgeproduct.aspx?iid=5041111&clr=Mono&SearchQuery=gingham&pgesize=36&pge=0&totalstyles=78&gridsize=3&gridrow=2&gridcolumn=2" target="_blank">this</a>(!!) and a white one from ASOS and I can tell it's going to be a major thing for me this summer.</div>
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<img height="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv0Iffy5StZAjlz06tZ7jJTUmDXf1nwqOEhC7Y7-_IAkquZOKTrVFJ89eV7Si4plH7E2SNPmdlbk3-7ptCJXZiVYKeWKOENzUwt_aY93d5ArSFZuguK55bHsghxaQvhCcanuMAvZF1Ahyu/s1600/IMG_6428.png" width="750" /></div>
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I've been meaning to post about some of my favourite teas for a while but didn't think it was enough for a post on its own. I'm a big fan of fruity iced teas but when it comes to hot tea I'm an english breakfast with milk kinda girl, and flavour wise I prefer the warm vanilla/chai area of things. I grew up drinking Madura so even though it's just standard black tea (Ceylon actually, as I've just found out) I can't write about my favourite teas without mentioning it. A bit of Twinings is alright too though, especially their honey & vanilla English breakfast and the pumpkin spice chai flavours! I also really like the Yogi perfect energy vanilla spice and the Celestial coconut chai red tea. And I'm a big fan of the Dilmah vanilla rose tea too, because it tastes just like musk sticks! I find personally that flavoured teas tend to taste a bit more exciting with half a spoon of sugar or a bit of honey, and of course milk. As an aside I get a bit put off when teas have really overstated flavours like red velvet cupcake or chocolate caramel brownie - c'mon, you're a cup of hot water not a dessert buddy, you're not fooling anyone.</div>
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For music lately I have been obsessing over the three new The Weeknd songs - <i>The Hills, In The Night</i> & <i>Can't Feel My Face</i>. That last one seems to be blowing up absolutely everywhere, and having been a deeply obsessive fan of his since I first heard him in early 2012, it's interesting that it's such a departure from his normal vibe, but it's still very much him underneath. It's just him channeling Michael Jackson in 2015, and as a lifelong fan of MJ I couldn't be happier about it! I've also been really into Dr Dre's new album, <i>Compton</i>, which is also the soundtrack for the movie <i>Straight Outta Compton</i> which I'm really looking forward to seeing. It's got some incredibly potent songs on that soundtrack, especially post-Kendrick Lamar's <i>To Pimp A Butterfly</i> (which is my favourite album of the year so far) and I think it's going to be an incredible accompaniment to the film. I also really enjoyed <a href="http://www.billboard.com/articles/news/cover-story/6663160/kendrick-lamar-nwa-interview-straight-outta-compton-movie-eazy-e-legacy">this article</a> and video of Kendrick interviewing NWA.</div>
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I've picked up a few records lately that I have wanted for years and that, luckily for me, have been re-issued so I didn't have to pay crazy prices for an older copy. So those records are Air's <i>The Virgin Suicides Soundtrack</i> and <i>Talkie Walkie</i>, Spiritualized's <i>Ladies and Gentlemen we are Floating in Space</i> and Brand New's <i>Deja Entendu</i>. I've also been loving the new Tame Impala album, <i>Currents</i>, and have been on a bit of an Elliott Smith kick after reading <a href="http://pitchfork.com/features/articles/9246-elliott-smith/">Pitchfork's Elliott Smith oral history</a>. I've also been listening to Nirvana a bunch lately after seeing the new documentary <i>Montage of Heck</i>, which was co-produced by Kurt & Courtney's daughter, Frances. It didn't reveal anything major that I didn't already know but it's well worth a watch if you're fan or even if you're just curious.</div>
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A couple of other small things, you may have noticed my amazing 100% Boy's Tears phone case up above. I've had all manner of ridiculous phone cases over the years and this one has got to be my absolute favourite. If you're not entirely sure what it's about, <a href="http://www.slate.com/blogs/xx_factor/2014/08/08/ironic_misandry_why_feminists_joke_about_drinking_male_tears_and_banning.html">this article</a> should answer all your questions. I also loved my lil lady Tenneil's post <a href="http://www.likeneonlove.com/blog/2015/8/6/blogging-and-staying-true-to-yourself">on blogging & staying true to yourself</a>. It's something she and I have talked about a lot and having both been bloggers for years it's been really interesting to see how it's changed over time. From being purely a way of expressing yourself and connecting with people around the world to becoming a fully fledged industry, it's increasingly hard to avoid feeling like there is a "right" and "wrong" way of blogging and that there are things you should or shouldn't be doing in order to be "successful". I could write a whole post on the topic myself but the summary of my feelings is that blogging can still just be purely for the love of it and no one should feel bad if their blog isn't anything more than that. There is nothing at all wrong with being a professional blogger, or with not aspiring to that either.</div>
little henry leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17024952001696475133noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1423067314176460582.post-37605033782878151452015-08-09T15:28:00.000+10:002016-03-21T11:22:30.593+11:00International Beauty: Best of British<img border="0" height="536" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-sqa8GsZCH7TTKO4JTlILkojOsklELPfArC_CpJDhRK9yVQ-6fJgV95t93etGcxmnUu4Fq1kRjo6jO9BX68y1WFb5x11b4qQZwmgyzPqWS5lxZSxT4xWiQ-1_BI-R86rZ7H7gZgAyUSpE/s1600/IMG_6369.png" width="750" />
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<img border="0" height="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHMt4NGWCa1APiqpo1OYMBLQB8V_K09sKwj79Yd7_B99Zhyphenhyphena4dvJJXuWI3S7sJ9aQ7Il0sQw97T9jrcJw5gFSCgYWu4pNWWhSfawbAItiWnln-TT1-W1N3CC9YmrEHcNkZUlwayB6Cbw_q/s1600/IMG_6389.png" width="750" />
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For the final part of my International Beauty series we're heading to the UK. Most brands that are available in the UK are also around in Australia these days, but annoyingly there are a handful that manage to elude us unless we take the long trip across the pond (not <i>just</i> for concealer and dry shampoo, mind you.) If you're lucky enough to find yourself in the motherland, here are some brands and products that are worth keeping an eye out for.<br />
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<b>Soap & Glory</b></div>
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We've been able to get Soap & Glory's bodycare products in Australia for quite a while now, but for whatever reason their makeup line (bar a lipgloss or two) hasn't been made available to us yet. Which is really annoying because their products get so much praise in the beauty blogging world and I would love for Mecca/Kit Costmetics to start stocking it. One product I did get my hands on while in the UK was their <a href="http://www.boots.com/en/Soap-Glory%C2%99-One-Heck-Of-A-Blot-9g_1610922/" target="_blank">One Heck of a Blot Powder</a> which is one of my favourite powders as it's not at all cakey on the skin and it does a great job of controlling oil. I've actually done some lengthy research on oil-controlling ingredients in makeup and this bad boy comes in at the top of my list of powders for including the most of them. I also picked up their <a href="http://www.boots.com/en/Soap-Glory%C2%99-Lid-Stuff%C2%99-Flawless-Finish-Eyeshadow_1243290/" target="_blank">Lid Stuff Palette</a> in What's Nude which contains three neutral matte shades and a taupe-y shimmer. Good quality, affordable matte shades aren't easy to come by but these fit the bill and it's a really versatile little quad. I've also heard millions of people go on about their <a href="http://www.boots.com/en/Soap-Glory%C2%99-Supercat%C2%99-Eyeliner-Pen-Carbon-Black-Extreme_1450229/" target="_blank">Supercat Liquid Liner</a> and their <a href="http://www.boots.com/en/Soap-Glory-ARCHERY%C2%99-2-in-1-Brow-Filling-Pencil-Brush_1524204/" target="_blank">Brow Archery Pencil</a>, so much so that no matter how many Boots I went into in my 10 days in the UK I never even managed to find working testers.</div>
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<b>Kiko</b></div>
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Kiko is actually an Italian brand but you can buy it in the UK, and since I'm not doing an Italian or European post in this series I thought I'd include it here. It seems that after I left the EU last year I kept hearing more and more about Kiko's products and it made me wish I'd picked up some more things. But what I did get and love are a couple of their Colour Shock Long Lasting Eyeshadows which have a lovely mousse texture, but unfortunately appear to have been limited edition (sorry), a couple of their cream <a href="http://www.kikocosmetics.co.uk/make-up/eyes/eyeshadows/Long-Lasting-Stick-Eyeshadow/p-KM00306002" target="_blank">eyeshadow</a> <a href="http://www.kikocosmetics.co.uk/make-up/eyes/eyeshadows/Creamy-Touch-Eyeshadow-Duo/p-KC02503031" target="_blank">crayons </a>and a few different <a href="http://www.kikocosmetics.co.uk/make-up/lips/lipsticks/Ultra-Glossy-Stylo-SPF-15/p-KM00201010" target="_blank">lipstick</a> <a href="http://www.kikocosmetics.co.uk/make-up/lips/lipsticks/Velvet-Mat---Satin-Lipstick/p-KMMATLIPST10" target="_blank">formulas</a>. They're affordable, very nice quality, have a huge range of shades, and they seem to be really keeping up with trends with their new releases, which have gotten good feedback online too. They have lots of standalone stores all over the UK and Europe so they're well worth popping into if you see one.</div>
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<b>Una Brennan</b></div>
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Una Brennan is a great, affordable skincare brand found in Boots and she has a really highly praised and throughly talked-about line. I picked up a couple of things while I was there and have really enjoyed them. I got the <a href="http://www.boots.com/en/Super-Facialist-Salicylic-Acid-Purifying-Cleansing-Wash-150ml_1277160/" target="_blank">Teaflower Cleansing Wash</a> which has since been renamed & reformulated to include salicylic acid, but it's basically a gentle, SLS/sulfate free, non-foaming gel cleanser which is lovely and refreshing as a morning cleanse. I also picked up the <a href="http://www.boots.com/en/Super-Facialist-Salicylic-Acid-Anti-Blemish-Clay-Mask-125ml-_1273983/" target="_blank">Salicylic Acid Clay Mask</a> which contains, you guessed it, salicylic acid for fighting acne, as well as hydrating ingredients like shea butter and avodaco oil and a range of lovely-smelling plant oils. The third product I picked up was the <a href="http://www.boots.com/en/Super-Facialist-Vitamin-C-Glow-Boost-Skin-Serum-30ml_1361776/" target="_blank">Vitamin C+ Glow Boost Serum</a> which contains sodium ascorbyl phosphate (vitamin C) which is a proven antioxidant that, amongst other things, increases collagen production (i.e. fights wrinkles) and reduces skin discolouration. It also contains algae extract which is another antioxidant and ol' faithful hyaluronic acid. I'm thinking about doing a post on antioxidants/skincare ingredients to go into this kind of thing further so do let me know if that's of interest to you! Sidenote: I've actually tried the Ole Henriksen Vitamin C Truth Serum as well and I prefer the Una Brennan.</div>
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A few other bits and pieces to keep an eye out for inlcude the <a href="http://www.boots.com/en/Collection-Lasting-Perfection-Concealer_1436032/" target="_blank">Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer</a> which has been talked about to death, and which you kind of just have to buy out of curiosity. I don't find it that wonderful for under my eyes but it's a decent spot concealer and if you can track it down in your shade it's worth picking up. I also quite like the <a href="http://www.international.boots.com/en/SEVENTEEN-Phwoarr-Paint_1379044/" target="_blank">17 Phwoarr Paint Concealer</a> as an undereye corrector; it's quite peach-y coloured and works really well when combined with a highlighting pen concealer and it doesn't make my undereyes look dry or cakey throughout the day. I'd also recommend the <a href="http://www.international.boots.com/en/Max-Factor-Miracle-Touch-Creamy-Blusher_870453/" target="_blank">Max Factor Creamy Blush</a> as although we have Max Factor in Australia we don't have their cream blushes, and even though you can get Sleek online, it's nice to have a play around with their products in person, and I'm still a big fan of their <a href="http://www.sleekmakeup.com/blush-by-3-lace" target="_blank">blush palettes</a>.</div>
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I made a point of popping into Pixi Beauty (around the corner from Dahlia & Liberty in London) to buy their <a href="http://www.asos.com/au/Pixi/Pixi-Glow-Tonic/Prod/pgeproduct.aspx?iid=4856599&r=2" target="_blank">Glow Tonic</a> that everyone and their mother has raved about if they've been able to get their hands on it. This still isn't widely available internationally, but I have seen it flit in and out of stock on ASOS so hopefully you can pick it up there, or if you want to pick up a few other things you can get it from <a href="http://www.cultbeauty.co.uk/pixi-glow-tonic.html?utm_source=LS&utm_medium=affil&utm_campaign=generic&siteID=TnL5HPStwNw-pPt.TWO3D65xisbqeNhS6Q" target="_blank">Cult Beauty</a> with free shipping over £50. I really enjoy it and if I see it on ASOS again myself I'll definitely be picking up another bottle, or I might end up splashing out on Cult Beauty. I wasn't into nail polish back when I was in the UK but now that I can't get a hold of them due to shipping restrictions I wish I'd tried a few of <a href="http://www.international.boots.com/en/Barry-M-Gelly-High-Shine-Nail-Paint_1281299/" target="_blank">Barry M's nail polishes</a> because they're meant to be fantastic. If you're from the UK and think I've missed anything crucial I'd love to hear what it is! :)</div>
little henry leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17024952001696475133noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1423067314176460582.post-20267679664333852972015-07-16T22:59:00.000+10:002016-03-21T11:21:47.062+11:00Empties<div style="text-align: justify;">
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First things first, yes that's technically a photo of my garbage. I tend to think that empties videos on YouTube work a bit better than a blog post but since I don't make YouTube videos, this is what we're working with. The best part about empties is seeing what products people have finished til the end, what they thought of them after using them for a while and most importantly, whether or not they'd spend the money on them again. Finishing makeup is extremely rare for me so this is mostly skincare but hopefully you like these mini reviews and find them helpful.</div>
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<b>CLEANSERS/EYE MAKEUP REMOVERS</b></div>
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<a href="https://www.priceline.com.au/cosmetics/eyes/eye-makeup-remover/dermo-expertise-gentle-makeup-remover-waterproof-125-ml" target="_blank">L'Oreal Gentle Eye Makeup Remover</a> - I feel like this had a moment back in the day when it was a lot harder to get your hands on Biodema and everyone said it was a much cheaper alternative. Not sure about the pricing in other countries but you only get 125ml of product for $13.99 and if you buy Bioderma at Priceline (which is by no means the cheapest way) it's $29.99 for 250ml so considering you're paying about the same I'd much rather go for Bioderma. I also found that because this formula contains oil some of it often rolled off my cotton pad as I was pouring it on instead of it all absorbing in and that's a hassle I'd rather do without. I wouldn't buy this again. <a href="http://www.escentual.com/vichy/3300113/" target="_blank">Vichy Micellar Solution</a> - this is a nice micellar water, nothing above and beyond but certainly within the realm of Bioderma. I wouldn't necessarily go out of my way for it but I'd happily use it again.</div>
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<a href="http://www.thebodyshop.com.au/make-up/make-up-removers/camomile-silky-cleansing-oil.aspx#.VZ0AfPmqqko" target="_blank">The Body Shop Chamomile Cleansing Oil</a> - this is an awesome, affordable cleansing oil and I loved using it. My only issue is that you need to hold the bottle in one hand and pump it into the other because if you think you can just pump one handed it'll fly everywhere and show you who's boss. But I can live with that and I'll almost definitely pick it up again one day. <a href="http://www.lookfantastic.com/elemis-pro-collagen-cleansing-balm-100ml/10757840.html" target="_blank">Elemis Pro-Collagen Cleansing Balm</a> (mini) - this is a beautiful smelling, thick, luxurious cleansing balm with a price tag to match. I'd happily use it again but since I like trying out different cleansers at that price point I'm more likely to pick up something new. <a href="http://mecca.com.au/ren/clearcalm-clay-cleanser/I-018642.html" target="_blank">REN Clearcalm Clay Cleanser</a> - a clay based cleanser isn't particularly common so curiosity was a large part of my reason for buying it. It's a nice cleanser though, good for in the mornings or as a second cleanse in the evening. I didn't love the smell and it didn't wow me enough to race out and buy it again but I did enjoy it and would recommend it if you're curious like I was.
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<b>MOISTURISERS</b></div>
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<a href="http://www.adorebeauty.com.au/la-roche-posay-toleriane/la-roche-posay-toleriane-soothing-protective-skincare.html">La Roche-Posay Toleriane</a> - this is a basic, unscented, no-frills moisturiser that I feel like I can count on if I'm trying out new skincare and want to make sure everything else is as gentle as possible and won't break me out. Next time Priceline has one of their 40% off skincare sales I'll definitely be buying it again. <a href="https://www.priceline.com.au/skincare/face-care/serum-and-treatments/effaclar-duo-plus-40-ml">La Roche-Posay Effaclar Duo+</a> - this is my third tube and I'm halfway through my fourth already and have another waiting to go in my drawer. I love this as a moisturiser or as a treatment under my moisturiser if I feel like I need more hydration on top. I really feel like this makes a difference in terms of unclogging and evening out the texture of my skin, particularly around my chin. If I stop using this after a few days I notice the difference so I really wouldn't be without it. <a href="http://www.myer.com.au/shop/mystore/grown-grown-facial-moisturiser-65ml#">Grown Hydra-Repair Day Cream with Camelia & Geranium Blossom</a> - this is actually a really lovely moisturiser. It's a huge tube and despite the fact that it contains lots of different plant oils it never broke me out or made me excessively oily. Because it's such a big tube and it lasted so long I feel like I'm ready to try something new but I probably would pick this up again one day.
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<b>SERUMS</b></div>
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<a href="http://www.myer.com.au/shop/mystore/estee-lauder-182363950-182364490--1#">Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair</a> - a quick google will turn up about a million in-depth reviews of this product so I won't go into too much detail. I did really enjoy it and I would probably buy it again one day but for now I'm more curious about some other serums so I can hold off for a while. <a href="https://www.priceline.com.au/skincare/face-care/serum-and-treatments/hydraluron-30-ml">Indeed Labs Hydraluron</a> - I think this is great for what it is - a hydrating serum to be used under moisturiser or (as I preferred) over the top of another serum. Ultimately if you don't have (or want to spend) $150 for a high end serum or if you're young enough to feel like you don't need one yet then this is a great option. The reason high end serums are so expensive is because of the ingredients they use and/or because they can tackle several issues at once. This is $34.99 and it won't fade pigmentation or obliterate wrinkles, but as promised, it will hydrate and plump up your skin. So if you're dry or dehydration prone this is very functional and affordable. I don't have dry skin and these days I'm more likely to buy something around the $150 mark but I'd have no hesitation recommending this if it suits your needs.
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<a href="http://www.beautybay.com/skincare/firstaidbeauty/facialradiancepads/">First Aid Beauty Facial Radiance Pads</a> - I picked up a half size of these in the States and I actually liked them a lot more than I thought I would. I don't like that with 60 pads in the full size if you were to use them every day that's still only two months worth (or one month if you use them morning & night) but I found them to be really effective and I do plan on buying them again soon. <a href="http://mecca.com.au/mecca-cosmetica/to-save-face-spf-30/V-017490.html">Mecca Cosmetica To Save Face SPF30</a> (mini) - I really like this for my daily SPF and I'm already using my second mini tube. It is a chemical SPF and not physical so keep that in mind if that means anything to you, and I do keep a higher SPF on hand for days when I'm actually doing something outdoors instead of just going to work, but it's a really lovely consistency and I enjoy this product a lot. <a href="http://www.beautybay.com/bathandbody/jurlique/rosehandcream/">Jurlique Rose Hand Cream</a> - I adore this and I've already got another one. It's my favourite hand cream ever!
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<img height="503" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdmVHzcr-t8JejhIRSKKf7Zevwzdhzxj9sY4yJWc6AxuUCy-rigqY6xeYQPJ1irc2bkfpwIw1MJ4PCZ5pE0tRhUr_TI8dotZdUSsGs8Li7MGZSdTvD3V3QQK4k1pwrYNxHViwLXQv_9p9m/s1600/IMG_6520.png" width="750" /></div>
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<a href="https://www.priceline.com.au/skincare/face-care/facial-cleansers-and-scrubs/effaclar-micellar-water-for-oily-sensitive-skin-200-ml">La Roche-Posay Micellar Solution</a> (mini) - this is another decent micellar water like the Vichy one but it's no cheaper (ml for ml) than Bioderma. I'd use it again or maybe buy it if I found it on sale but wouldn't go out of my way for it. <a href="http://www.feelunique.com/p/NUXE-Eau-Demaquillante-Micellaire-Micellar-Cleansing-Water-200ml">Nuxe Micellar Water</a> (mini) - now this micellar water is different from the rest and not in a good way. It's soft pink in colour and it smells like roses but it also smears eyeliner all around my eyes instead of removing it properly so I definitely wouldn't recommend this and I absolutely wouldn't buy it again. <a href="http://www.myer.com.au/shop/mystore/clarins-one-step-facial-cleanser-200ml">Clarins One-Step Facial Cleanser</a> (mini) - this was a bi-phase eye makeup remover but I don't think it performed particularly well and I wouldn't buy it again. <a href="http://mecca.com.au/soap-glory/hand-food/V-018385.html">Soap & Glory Hand Food</a> (mini) - a nice little hand cream with the classic soap & glory scent - can't complain!
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<a href="https://www.priceline.com.au/skincare/lip-care/balms/baume-levres-ultra-nourishing-lip-balm-15-g">Nuxe Reve de Miel Lip Balm</a> - I think I've talked about this enough times by now, I've already got another one I'm using and I'll probably always have a pot of it around. <a href="http://mecca.com.au/sunday-riley/good-genes-treatment/I-015823.html">Sunday Riley Good Genes</a> (sample) - I got about 5 uses out of this little guy which is more than I thought I would. Unfortunately it didn't change my life in that short window of time, but I won't hold that against it. I'm really curious about Sunday Riley's skincare and I think once I'm in need of a new serum/oil it'll be one from her line. <a href="http://shop.davidjones.com.au/djs/en/davidjones/anti-blemish-solutions-clinical-clearing-gel-30ml">Clinique Clinical Solutions Acne Clearing Gel</a> (sample) - this lil baby tube actually lasted me months. It's a basic salicylic acid spot treatment that worked very well for me. Unfortunately Clinique is one of the biggest offenders of price discrimination in the Australian market so while I would use this again I may also look around for something cheaper.</div>
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<a href="https://www.priceline.com.au/cosmetics/face/powder/healthy-balance-compact-powder-9-g">Bourjois Healthy Balance Powder</a> - I love this powder, it's really lightweight, not at all cakey, super slim packaging and it helps control my oily skin. I'm on my second one already. <a href="http://beautyjoint.com/jordana-best-lash-extreme-volumizing-mascara">Jordana Best Lash Extreme Volume Mascara</a> - this one got a lot of hype on YouTube a while back and it's only a few dollars so I picked it up in the States but I found that it transferred to my under-eye area throughout the day (probably that oily skin) so I wouldn't pick this up again. <a href="https://www.priceline.com.au/cosmetics/eyes/mascara/volum-express-the-falsies-mascara-8.5-ml">Maybelline the Falsies Mascara</a> - this one transferred on me too and I'm not a huge fan of the wand either. I prefer plastic over bristle wands as they tend to separate my eyelashes better so unfortunately this was a bit of a miss for me too.</div>
little henry leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17024952001696475133noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1423067314176460582.post-536796123073875882015-07-05T14:03:00.000+10:002016-03-21T11:22:17.496+11:00Current Beauty Favourites<div style="text-align: justify;">
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It feels like it's about time to share some recent beauty favourites with you guys. They're almost all new discoveries except for one old favourite that's made a comeback - so I'll start with the makeup first.<br />
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While I was still overseas Australis released limited edition <a href="http://www.australiscosmetics.com.au/product/82127/metallix-eyeshadow" target="_blank">metallic cream eyeshadows</a> that are dupes for the Stila Magnificent Metal shadows, but unfortunately by the time I got back to Australia I couldn't find them anywhere. I desperately hoped they'd bring them back because I'm obsessed with intense glittery eyeshadows but haven't been able to justify spending $47 on one of the Stila ones (and probably never will tbh.) My prayers were answered when they not only made them permanent but introduced new shades as well. As soon as I heard the news I actually went to the effort of phoning a few Pricelines around me to check that they had them in stock and went straight out to buy them that weekend. There are 6 shades in the line and I have four of them (there's also a plum and a dark silvery grey that aren't really my thing) and apart from them being absolutely gorgeous they also have hilarious names like Plum Diddy and Jay-Zed. They're under $10 each and I can't recommend them enough! And I believe the Australis website offers international shipping too. Speaking of intense glitter, I bought a small <a href="http://www.maccosmetics.com.au/product/shaded/8682/505/Pro-Products/Multi-Use/Glitter/index.tmpl" target="_blank">MAC Glitter in Antique Gold</a> and neither words nor photos can do justice to how beautiful this is. My glitter obsession is never stronger than when it comes to blackened gold shades like this, so buying it and wearing it and just gazing lovingly at it scratches the itch - and I know I'm not alone when I say weird things like that!</div>
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My favourite new lipsticks lately have been the <a href="http://shop.nordstrom.com/s/giorgio-armani-rouge-darmani-lipstick/3071414?origin=category-personalizedsort&contextualcategoryid=0&fashionColor=&resultback=592" target="_blank">Giorgio Armani Rouge D'Armani Lipstick</a> in 400 and <a href="http://www.sephora.com/revolution-lipstick-P381305?skuId=1532076" target="_blank">Urban Decay's Revolution Lipstick</a> in Shame. Of all the red lipsticks I have in all the varying shades, I think my favourites are the blood-of-your-enemies intense dark reds like these two. I think they really flatter my colouring (pale af skin with dark brown hair) and they make me feel like a badass, which is exactly what a good lipstick should do. Both of these lipsticks have excellent formulas, in fact I could put either of these on in the morning and not worry about touching them up until after I've eaten lunch around 1-2pm. The Armani lipstick looks like it would be matte in the bullet but it glides on like butter and has this sheen that gives it a beautiful depth of colour. As much as I'd love to come up with a different word to describe the way this looks on the lips, there is no more appropriate word than juicy. It makes your lips look juicy and amazing and I LOVE IT. As for the Urban Decay, I adore the formula of their Revolution Lipsticks and Shame is this incredible dark, dark red-berry. It's really difficult to find ultra-dark reds that don't lean too purple or too brown, but this lipstick with a red liner underneath or a red gloss on top will make you feel the same kind of flawless as Beyonce. </div>
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For complexion I've been all over the <a href="http://mecca.com.au/urban-decay/naked-skin-weightless-complete-coverage-concealer/V-021165.html" target="_blank">Urban Decay Naked Skin Concealer</a> which has a beautiful formula, excellent shade range and a great applicator to boot. Lightweight, very pigmented and easy to blend, it works great under the eyes as well as around the face so it seriously rivals the NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer. I have oily skin and recently I decided to test out all of my primers to see which ones actually help my makeup last longer and I was pretty surprised to find that the <a href="http://www.adorebeauty.com.au/clarins-beauty-flash-balm.html" target="_blank">Clarins Beauty Flash Balm</a> was one of the best performers. I'd used it for years but a while back I decided it was aimed at dry/dehydrated skin and couldn't possibly do what I need it to do. But when I tried it out again I really did notice a difference in the staying power of my makeup, a lot more so than with many of the silicone based primers I have. It's funny because you hear that it can make your foundation break up if you use a water-based primer and a silicone based foundation or vice versa and that you should stick to one type at a time. I looked into this a bit more and literally every foundation I own is silicone based, as is almost every primer, and yet this works better than most of them. So I'd take that advice with a pinch of salt because there aren't many water-based products out there anyway, but in this case I am well & truly back on the Beauty Flash Balm bandwagon.</div>
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When it comes to skincare, I am head over heels for the <a href="http://www.adorebeauty.com.au/antipodes-joyous-protein-rich-night-replenish-serum.html" target="_blank">Antipodes Joyous Protein-Rich Night Replenish Serum</a>. My first experience with facial oils was about two years ago with rosehip oil which everyone talks about like it's the second coming of Christ but it took me a while to figure out that it was giving me cystic acne, so needless to say we are NOT friends. A while back Antipodes released two different sets of mini serum/oil + moisturiser duos so I picked up the set with this oil (as the other one contains the devil rosehip) and with a few weeks of clear skin behind me I decided to once again dip my toes in the pool of facial oils and it was love at first use. I remember waking up the following morning and looking at my face and something was different. I couldn't put my finger on it at first, but then I realised - I wasn't shiny. As someone with oily skin it's not unusual for me to wake up with a shiny face as my skin keeps producing sebum overnight but using a facial oil has helped balance out my skin and I've found that I'm actually less oily than before. I certainly still have oily skin, but I really feel like this helps take it down a notch, and it makes sense when you think about your face producing sebum (oil) the same way your scalp does - the less you wash you hair (remove sebum) the less often you need to, and the more you remove it the more it will produce. Obviously I'm not going to stop washing my face, but if I add back the oil I'm taking away then my skin will need to produce less of it to replenish what it's lost. And of course water-based hydrating serums and moisturisers are going to affect dehydration (lack of water) and facial oils are going to address dryness (lack of oil) or balance having too much oil. Everyone's skin is different so I can't guarantee this will work for you but it certainly has worked for me!</div>
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I've also loved the <a href="http://www.adorebeauty.com.au/clinique-take-the-day-off-cleansing-balm.html?CAWELAID=255000110000050535&CAGPSPN=pla&gclid=Cj0KEQjw-46sBRD7x6P0stibwbsBEiQAoMi4Zp01NAooJ8s49FA1lGUs2884ji8EBwYF7GGtMlH0HlIaAoMf8P8HAQ" target="_blank">Clinique Take the Day Off Cleansing Balm</a>. I'm not big on Clinique skincare but they really hit the nail on the head with this one - it's got a beautiful smooth texture that completely melts as soon as it hits the skin. It's also unscented and although my skin doesn't mind a bit of fragrance and I do find that adds to the experience, this is still a wonderful product and it'd be great for those of you with sensitive skin. For lip balm I've been really into the <a href="http://au.iherb.com/Hyalogic-LLC-Episilk-Lip-Balm-with-Hyaluronic-Acid-1-2-fl-oz-14-g/38457" target="_blank">Episilk Lip Balm</a> with hyaluronic acid. I bought this completely blind, having never heard about it before but I was intrigued by the fact that it has hyaluronic acid in it which is very common in skincare but not something I've seen in a lip balm. I'll be the first to admit that it doesn't have the most sexy packaging or name, but it's a great, effective lip balm with a simple ingredients list that has been really helping with my dry lips in this cold weather. I doubt anything will surpass the Nuxe Reve de Miel for me but sometimes you need something with a more lightweight texture and this has been my go-to lately.</div>
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I recently picked up the <a href="http://au.iherb.com/Real-Techniques-by-Samantha-Chapman-Collector-s-Edition-Sculpting-Set-3-Brushes/63565#p=1&oos=1&disc=0&lc=en-US&w=real%20techniques&rc=33&sr=null&ic=18" target="_blank">Real Techniques Sculpting Brush set</a>, not for sculpting mind you as I've never contoured a day in my life, but because I'd heard the sculpting brush was good for foundation and the setting brush good for under the eyes and all the rumours are true. The sculpting brush is particularly great because you can use the point for getting in around the nose and then use the larger flat side for covering the rest of the face very quickly. And since we're on the topic of tools, I've got to mention the <a href="https://www.muji.eu/pages/online.asp?Sec=17&Sub=70&PID=2469" target="_blank">Muji Cotton Buds</a> - I know, how sad can you get? But these tiny little cotton buds are great for fixing up your eyeliner or mascara when it gets all over your eyelid (i.e. all the time!) Yes they're completely unnecessary and regular cotton buds do the job just fine but here we are. They're smaller and nicer to use and they're just so little and cute.</div>
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A couple more things that aren't pictured - I recently got the <a href="http://au.iherb.com/Deep-Steep-Sugar-Scrub-Brown-Sugar-Vanilla-8-oz-226-g/54688#p=1&oos=1&disc=0&lc=en-US&w=deep%20steep%20scrub&rc=201&sr=null&ic=3" target="_blank">Deep Steep Sugar Scrub</a> and I really like it. It's what those in-shower body conditioners wish they were. Made with shea butter and coconut oil, the sugar particles dissolve on your skin as you scrub and you're left with slightly oily, hydrated skin even when you get out of the shower. If that sounds like a nightmare to you then this obviously won't be up your street, but if you're lazy like me and ceebs moisturising your body after you get out of the shower then this is excellent. I've also been absolutely L O V I N G doing my hair in <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bsGuWokn47A" target="_blank">twist braids</a> before going to bed. I'm far too lazy to heat style my hair so this is perfect for me and I feel like I've found my thing that I'll be sticking with for years to come. Now, my hair will never have the super-human amount of volume that this girl's does, and furthermore a blunt fringe and excessive volume in the hair actually looks kind of crazy, but if you've got long hair give this a try because it might change your life like it did mine! I also feel like I need to link to Sally Hughes' <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YucPnS4j4kQ" target="_blank">In The Bathroom</a> feature with Caroline Hirons in case anyone hasn't seen it that might like to. It's actually an hour long interview followed by an hour of digging through Caroline's skincare stash so it's basically skincare porn for weirdos like me (us.) Enjoy!</div>
little henry leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17024952001696475133noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1423067314176460582.post-16139771912348913982015-06-02T22:59:00.000+10:002016-03-21T11:21:32.185+11:00International Beauty: Best of the USA<img border="0" height="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr7akPa4e2cxQEQRahYjjfh4-DyrUzatR5xieA07ks570Kft_nXtVgMmHC5sJB-FTxmHm7zvw2OEoI4omMwcWdphTF-TmMgRvv7Hcjcr0HJvNQEeMqTg_lXAK-1RvRT2-HBWqO-igpNQP6/s1600/IMG_6327.png" width="750" />
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Continuing on with my International Beauty series (check out my <b><a href="http://littlehenrylee.blogspot.com.au/2015/05/international-beauty-best-of-french.html" target="_blank">French Skincare post</a></b> if you missed it) next stop is the States. With Sephora opening in Sydney at the end of last year and Mecca going from strength to strength, there are very few brands and products that we still can't get our hands on over here, but they do exist and when you can't have something you want we all know it only makes you want it more. I have mentioned some brands/products in this post that we can now get at Sephora, but since most of the country can't get their hands on them and there are lots of brands that are still unavailable in the UK/EU I thought I'd include them anyway. So if you're into beauty and you're planning a trip to the States, here are some things you can't miss!</div>
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First up, the <a href="http://www.ulta.com/ulta/browse/productDetail.jsp?productId=xlsImpprod4500053">Lorac Pro Palette</a> - this bad boy has done the rounds and has been all over blogs and youtube since it was released, but it's for good reason. Available in ULTA stores, this palette contains 8 matte and 8 shimmer shades and they're all beautiful and very high quality. I don't think I need to say much about this palette because you've probably heard about it a million times and it may already be on your wishlist. Another brand that is, as far as I know, unavailable outside of the US is <a href="http://www.sephora.com/sugar-advanced-therapy-lip-treatment-P302103">Fresh</a>, who make lovely tinted & clear lip balms. These are pretty expensive for what they are but I can't deny that they're lovely and I actually use the tinted berry shade far more than I thought I would. I got the lip treatment as a sample with an online Sephora order while I was over there and the tinted balm came in a huge kit of minis. I think they often do mini sets which are a much more cost effective way to try the brand, in fact there's currently a 5 pack of minis that I desperately want to get my hands on next time I feel like it's reasonable to spend $36US on lip balm.</div>
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Onto the drugstore, Wet & Wild is one of the most affordable brands on the market and the have a serious cult following when it comes to their eyeshadow formula which is very comparable to high end products. Their <a href="http://www.walgreens.com/store/c/wet-n-wild-color-icon-collection-eyeshadow-set/ID=prod6057326-product">Comfort Zone palette</a> is a staple and considering it comes in at under $5 it's definitely worth picking up. I also really recommend checking out Milani who have a lot of great products in their line, most notably their <a href="http://www.ladymoss.com/makeup/milani-baked-blush/" target="_blank">baked blushes</a>, their <a href="http://www.ladymoss.com/makeup/milani-color-statement-lipstick/" target="_blank">colour statement lipsticks</a> and their <a href="http://www.walgreens.com/store/c/milani-shadow-eyez-12-hr-eyeshadow-pencil/ID=prod6125761-product">shadow eyez pencil</a> in almond cream which makes for a great neutral base.</div>
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Now, I have a lot of feelings about liquid eyeliner (lol) and I need to take a moment to express my profound level of love and appreciation for <a href="http://www.walmart.com/ip/NYC-New-York-Color-Liquid-Eyeliner-887-Pearlized-Black-0.17-fl-oz/24511526">NYC's Liquid Liner</a> which I absolutely insist you buy if you have the brand available to you. I wear liquid liner every day and I have very high expectations - it needs to be properly black and it needs to stay completely immaculate and in place until I decide it's time to take it off. No smudging, no flaking, no fading, no transferring to my upper lid. It's also very much a functional product for me (like cotton pads or bobby pins) - I know there are products that can perform the way I need them to and I know I can get them for a few dollars, so it's one of the few areas where I'm not interested in luxury because I don't want to have to spend $30 every few months re-stocking. I used to rely on Heng Fang (a Chinese brand I could buy for $1 a tube on eBay) for years until I couldn't find it anymore, but then this NYC liquid liner came into my life when I ran out of liner while on holidays. They have a pen in their range as well (don't bother, it sucks) but I prefer the bottle style liners anyway because you can get more product as you need it and I find pens tend to dry out quicker. I also have no time for gel liner because I haven't found one that really performs, and I'm not interested in setting my liner with black eyeshadow because I don't think I should have to. It took me a bit to get used to the thin, flexible brush tip (the Heng Fang one was a firm felt tip) but as long as you're careful it's actually a lot more precise and I can get a thinner line with it. I have been using the same tube for months and it's still going strong, and I have two backups that I bought before I came home so I'm set for a while, but in case I haven't been clear enough, this liner is $2.99US and if you can find it, you need to buy it.</div>
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Somewhere in the middle of drugstore and high end is Sonia Kashusk, whose line is only available at Target in North America but their <a href="http://www.target.com/p/sonia-kashuk-eye-couture-eye-palette-eye-on-neutral-02/-/A-13348177">Eye on Neutral Matte Palette</a> is one of my favourite and most relied-upon palettes. It's got 12 neutral matte shades that apply and blend beautifully so you're covered when it comes to crease shades for every look you can think of. If you have either of the Naked Basics palettes by Urban Decay and you find them invaluable, this has double the shades so it's at least twice as good (yay maths!) and it's super versatile and great for travel. If you're in the states you can't really go past a look at <a href="http://www.bathandbodyworks.com/home/index.jsp">Bath & Body Works</a> for their candles and fun scented hand sanitisers. I love candles but they one of the least travel friendly items to buy so I only picked up a few and I'm trying to make them last. And I don't care one way or the other about hand sanitiser but when I'm faced with pumpkin spice and pecan waffle flavours I'm going to bite.</div>
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Now for products you may or may not be able to get your hands on depending on where you live, you really can't go past <a href="http://www.sephora.com/amazonian-clay-12-hour-blush-P278610">Tarte's Amazonian Clay Blushes</a> which have a fantastic formula and a come in a tonne of beautiful shades. Their <a href="http://www.sephora.com/tartelette-amazonian-clay-matte-eyeshadow-palette-P391759">Tartelette palette</a> (not pictured) is also unmissable if you are able to get your hands on it, and I'm a big fan of their Amazonian Clay 12 Hour Foundation. I haven't tried much from Make Up For Ever but I do love their <a href="http://www.sephora.com/full-cover-concealer-P151107">Full Cover Concealer</a> which has an awesome lightweight, high coverage formula that works just as well under the eyes as it does on the rest of the face. <a href="http://www.sephora.com/search/search.jsp?keyword=bite%20beauty&mode=all">Bite Beauty</a> have a huge range of lip products and they also have double ended minis at Sephora in the US, and although I haven't tried it myself I've heard amazing things about their <a href="http://www.sephora.com/agave-lip-mask-P384629?skuId=1575042">Agave Lip Mask</a> which is on my wishlist. Kat Von D is actually a really strong makeup line - her <a href="http://www.sephora.com/tattoo-liner-P245205?skuId=1177567">Tattoo Liner</a> seems to be everyone's favourite and I did try out a mini of it and it meets all of my requirements except in terms of price, at $28AUD I can't justify buying a new one all the time but if you're happy to spend the cash it's a good one. I also really like her lipstick range and I'm really curious to try her <a href="http://www.sephora.com/everlasting-love-liquid-lipstick-P384954?skuId=1552405">Everlasting Liquid Lipsticks</a> too. Speaking of liquid lipsticks, an absolute non-negotiable for anyone who wears red lipstick is the <a href="http://www.sephora.com/cream-lip-stain-P281411?skuId=1296060">Sephora Cream Lip Stain</a> in 01 Always Red. I heard they've expanded the line to include some more shades in the US so I'm praying they come to the Sydney store soon.</div>
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Josie Maran is widely available in Australia now through Mecca/Kit Cosmetics, but off the top of my head I don't think you can get her products in the UK/EU, so if you're heading across the pond from there her <a href="http://www.sephora.com/coconut-waterproof-cheek-gelee-P379101?keyword=Coconut%20Watercolour%20Cheek%20Gelee&skuId=1506559&_requestid=23173">Coconut Watercolour Cheek Gelee</a> blushes are gorgeous, and I've just recently picked up the light version of her <a href="http://www.sephora.com/100-percent-pure-argan-oil-P218700?skuId=1121797&icid2=josiemaran_lp_argan_josie%27sarganfavorites%20carousel_p218700">Argan Oil</a> too. And finally, just as a general recommendation, if you want to pick up anything from MAC or Clinique I've found them to be two of the most overpriced brands in Australia when you compare what they cost in the US. For example, a MAC Lipstick will set you back $16US, $36AUS, £15.50 or €19.00 - a little ridiculous, right? Also if you're looking at drugstore products they are generally way cheaper in the US and they often have a lot more shades available, particularly if you're looking for foundations. So if you're a bit makeup crazy like me and you're heading to the US anytime soon I hope this helps!</div>
little henry leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17024952001696475133noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1423067314176460582.post-23953206819685444452015-05-17T21:59:00.000+10:002016-03-21T11:20:43.862+11:00International Beauty: Best of French<img border="0" height="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyrmrhYG5Arah0FxRbvf4zqNLgrQBbCOfUfUFzV3RUuizI3DS4b0tYHzTpRYmQU0BF3auk1r2xaY7k5QkMz9pqL0QSQ3OpUHct_royiSN9IHCDuEOHlUeRYsWPwDURADZfyt815-AvtHpz/s1600/IMG_6243.png" width="750" />
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Having recently travelled around the world trying makeup and skincare products far and wide I thought I'd start a little series on my blog about products to check out when you're overseas, especially because some of them can be near-impossible to get your hands on back home. First up is of course France, my favourite country which is famous for their excellent yet affordable skincare. A lot of it is available either in Priceline or online these days, but it's definitely cheaper in France and there's a much wider range from every brand. Most of these products won't come as any surprise to those of you who are already fans of affordable French skincare, but it doesn't hurt to cover the basics. The best place to go in Paris for these brands is definitely <a href="http://www.pharmacie-paris-citypharma.fr/" target="_blank">City Pharma</a>, located around the corner from Les Deux Magots and Cafe de Flore on Boulevard Saint-Germain, I made a point of stopping by several times. It's the most ridiculously busy pharmacy (or pharmacie) I've ever been in but it's super well stocked, has the best range and surprisingly has the best prices too. If only I lived a few metro stops away and could visit any time I wanted.
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<i><b>La Roche Posay</b></i></div>
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Everyone is probably sick of hearing about it so I'll be quick, but you really can't go past LRP's incredibly popular <a href="http://www.escentual.com/larocheposay066/" target="_blank">Effaclar Duo+</a>. You can use it either in place of your moisturiser or underneath it (depending on your skin) and with salycilic acid in the formula, it helps to gently keeps acne at bay while the niacinamide helps reduce the appears of acne scars. I think I'm onto my fourth tube now - the love is real. You will probably also have heard of the famous <a href="http://www.escentual.com/larocheposay123/" target="_blank">Serozinc</a> which unfortunately isn't available in Australia and cannot be ordered online due to shipping restrictions. This is slighly different to your average water mist though, it contains zinc sulfate which is meant to be anti-inflammatory, anti-microbial and sebum-regulating all in one. Whether or not this changes your life, it's got a lovely fine mist and a continual spray so it's a very convenient option for my hydrating toner step, and I will happily repurchase it if I get the chance. I also love their <a href="http://www.escentual.com/larocheposay002/" target="_blank">Toleriane</a> moisturiser which is a lovely, no frills everyday moisturiser. There's nothing overly luxurious about this product but it's an excellent staple that's hydrating without being too rich, so it's perfect for mornings because it doesn't leave my face feeling greasy when I'm about to put on my makeup. It's also fragrance free (as most of their products are) so it's great if you have sensitive or acne-prone skin. Their <a href="http://www.escentual.com/larocheposay056/" target="_blank">Anthelios XL SPF 50 Extreme Fluide</a> is also a wonderful product - I use SPF every day after my moisturiser, and just like the Toleriane this doesn't leave me feeling greasy and it's such a lovely thin consistency it doesn't interfere with your makeup or make you feel like you're just piling on more layers. Definitely a good one to check out if you haven't found a facial sunscreen you like because this might just change your mind.</div>
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<i><b>Caudalie</b></i></div>
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Two classics from Caudalie are the <a href="http://www.escentual.com/pp-11391/" target="_blank">Beauty Elixir</a> and the <a href="http://www.escentual.com/caudalie0091/" target="_blank">SOS Thirst Quenching Serum</a>. Although expensive for what it is and very easy to run though, the Beauty Elixir is a lovely hydrating toner option. Alcohol denat is the second ingredient (after water) but it's balanced out by hydrating glycerin and an array of gorgeous smelling plant oils including rosemary, grape and peppermint that help balance the skin and fight acne. As for the SOS serum, it's a lovely light milky texture that absorbs into the skin quickly and it contains glycerin, hyaluronic acid and anti-oxidant grape water. It may not be enough for those of you with dry skin, but for my oily skin it helps tackle dehydration (which basically everyone suffers from) perfectly well without being too rich or heavy for me and without making me any oilier.
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<i><b>Bioderma</b></i></div>
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Another standard, cannot-be-omitted French skincare product is <a href="http://www.escentual.com/bioderma013/" target="_blank">Bioderma Sensibio H2O</a>. This product is so iconic it's usually just referred to as Bioderma, which is the name of the brand itself and not the product, but everyone will know what you mean. It's the best micellar water/makeup remover around because it's unscented, feels just like water, leaves no residue and removes makeup in one quick swipe, need I go on? I've tried lots of other micellar waters and although there are some great alternatives on the market this is still number one. A Bioderma product you may not have heard of is the <a href="http://www.frenchcosmeticsforless.com/proddetail.php?prod=14009&cat=112" target="_blank">Purifying Concentrate Gentle Peel</a>. A City Pharma salesperson explained this product to me as an every-other-night exfoliating treatment similar to the likes of Liquid Gold (my comparison, not theirs.) Formulated with 15% glycolic acid compared to Liquid Gold's 5%, this stuff does not mess around, though I haven't experienced any irritation or redness while using it which is a wonderful thing. Just in case you're not familiar, glycolic acid is a chemical exfoliant that breaks down the top layer of dead skin cells, leaving you with a fresher, brighter complexion. It will help even out your skin tone and texture and can help shift acne scars and unclog pores, what's not to love?
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<i><b>Vichy</b></i></div>
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I know I've just said Bioderma's micellar water is the best one around, and it is, but just in case you feel like trying something different, the <a href="http://www.lookfantastic.com/vichy-purete-thermale-3-in-1-calming-micellar-cleansing-solution-200ml/11091771.html" target="_blank">Vichy version</a> is almost as good, and it's well worth a try if you feel inclined to branch out. I have no complaints about it at all, it just comes down to personal preference and Bioderma is the winner for me, but I'd certainly recommend the Vichy version if you happen to come by it. I know this isn't a particularly sexy product, but I also love their <a href="http://www.vichy-me.com/en-us/Body-care/Stress-Resist-Anti-Perspirant-Intensive-Treatment-72-hour-Roll-on-DEODORANT/p11552.aspx" target="_blank">72 Hour Anti-Perspirant Deodorant</a>. I don't know about 72 hours (???) but it's a very effective antiperspirant which is something I find reasonably difficult to come by and unfortunately I can't even seem to find it online to repurchase.
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<i><b>Melvita</b></i></div>
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As far as I'm aware the only place to buy Melvita online that ships it to Australia is LookFantastic.com and the markup on their products is so exorbitant it had put me off buying anything. But at City Pharma I picked up their <a href="http://www.lookfantastic.com/melvita-rose-milky-cleansing-oil-145ml/10858911.html" target="_blank">Rose Milky Cleansing Oil</a> for €15.90 ($22.50) instead of $39.00 and their <a href="http://www.lookfantastic.com/melvita-rose-water-200ml/10554263.html" target="_blank">Damask Rose Floral Water</a> for €7.90 ($11.20) instead of $32.00 and they're both lovely and well worth buying if you find yourself in the paradise that is City Pharma. They both have a sweet, lightly powdery rose scent, though the oil has more of a rosehip fragrance which is a bit love it or hate it, and I've had a bad experience with rosehip oil in the past so fingers crossed this doesn't break me out, but I really enjoy both products and would love to see the brand more widely available.
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<i><b>Nuxe</b></i></div>
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I've mentioned it several times before, but you can't beat perfection. The <a href="https://www.priceline.com.au/skincare/lip-care/balms/baume-levres-ultra-nourishing-lip-balm-15-g" target="_blank">Nuxe Reve de Miel</a> lip balm is my favourite lip balm in the world, in fact I finally finished up my first pot (tbh maybe the first lip balm I have ever finished) and am now working away at my second. If you spot this on sale in Priceline you should absolutely pick it up, though it's worth paying full price for too. I also love their <a href="http://www.lookfantastic.com/nuxe-huile-prodigieuse-multi-usage-dry-oil-spray-100ml/10556073.html" target="_blank">Huile Prodiguese</a> dry oil for putting on the ends of my hair and moisturising my legs. It comes in a convenient spray bottle and it's really luxurious and effective - perfect for the cold winter months ahead (ugh.)
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Since I'm a long way off trying everything, I thought I'd also include a few products/brands that I hear a lot about and that are on my mental list to check out next time I'm in Paris (wishful thinking here.) I can't actually recommend these products but I'm certainly curious about them - <a href="http://www.biologique-recherche.com/categorie.php?cat_id=32&lang=us-en" target="_blank">Lotion P50</a> from Biologique Recherche which is meant to be the mother of all acid toners, <a href="http://www.bioderma.com/en/our-products/sensibio/eau-dermatologique" target="_blank">Bioderma Sensibio Eau Dermatologique</a> which is their equivalent of LRP's Serozinc, <a href="http://www.lookfantastic.com/vichy-aqualia-thermal-dynamic-hydration-serum-30ml/11091680.html" target="_blank">Vichy's Aqualia Thermal Dynamic Hydration Serum</a> and Kloraine's <a href="https://www.priceline.com.au/hair/hair-care/dry-shampoo-and-conditioner/gentle-dry-shampoo-with-oat-milk-150-ml" target="_blank">dry shampoo</a> and their regular shampoos & conditioners - if you've tried any of their haircare do let me know what you thought of it!</div>
little henry leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17024952001696475133noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1423067314176460582.post-33575134653765742752015-04-23T22:32:00.000+10:002016-03-21T11:20:31.957+11:00Beauty To Go<div style="text-align: justify;">
<img border="0" height="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6d9AtrU0dKQhSAo0UuurobH0G6hTf4-_0aHMbI9hDHHqbIN1NVLyVUydAWfMStQ-j41k3KSdx-jpdsgFRbkiCWpWfKa7HxzAKfOsHoTEBt9Ka_TDF4LTlItWpXldiL3xViG6uvZPh1khD/s1600/IMG_6172.png" width="750" /></div>
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Having travelled a fair bit in my time I thought I'd share some of my favourite travel-friendly beauty products and the reasons I chose them. Whether you're going away for a weekend or several months, you're going to have to cart everything around with you and it gets very heavy and tiring after a while, so here are some tips that might make life a little easier.<br />
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For foundation I really recommend buying something in a squeezy tube. That's not the reason I bought <a href="http://www.myer.com.au/shop/mystore/estee-lauder-794804420--1" target="_blank">Estee Lauder's Double Wear Light</a> but now that I have it, it's my first choice when travelling because almost all of my other bases are in glass bottles which area lot heavier and have the potential to break in your suitcase. It's also a nice, long-wearing light/medium coverage base which is my preference and which comes in handy if you're going to be out all day and night exploring your new surroundings.</div>
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For blush I've chosen the <a href="http://www.international.boots.com/en/Max-Factor-Miracle-Touch-Creamy-Blusher_870453/" target="_blank">Max Factor Miracle Touch Creamy Blush</a> (sadly only available in the UK/EU) and the <a href="http://www.asos.com/au/Bourjois/Bourjois-Cream-Blush/Prod/pgeproduct.aspx?iid=3198242" target="_blank">Bourjois Cream Blush</a> in Rose Tender because they're both housed in light-weight plastic packaging and they're also super tiny and will take up almost no space in your makeup bag. The Bourjois option is a cream to powder formula but the Max Factor has a dewy/cream finish, which means it can easily double up as a lip product as well. I never really interchange my lip/cheek products because I like my lips to be red and my cheeks to be, y'know, not red, but you can certainly do it.
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When it comes to eyes, cream shadow sticks are a good option, and these mini <a href="http://shop.davidjones.com.au/djs/en/davidjones/caviar-stick-eye-colour" target="_blank">Laura Mercier Caviar Sticks</a> are some of my favourites. You can draw them straight on and blend them out with your fingers - no brushes required. Or you can use them as a base under powder shadows, like this incredible <a href="http://www.sephora.com/full-exposure-travel-palette-P387905" target="_blank">Smashbox Full Exposure Travel Palette</a> which is what gave me the idea for this post. It's the size of a credit card and only a few millimetres thick and it contains four matte & four shimmer shades - I can't really imagine anything more convenient or adorable.
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I know for a fact that my skin looks horrible after I fly, so if you're going away for a weekend taking a hydrating sheet mask with you is a good idea. You don't have to pack any extra bottles or tubes, you can just use it once on the night you arrive and then throw it out. Sheet masks aren't huge in Australia - this one is from <a href="http://au.cosme-de.com/en/product/product_page.html?pdid=3618&gclid=CjwKEAjwgcipBRDgxK_3ztrBty8SJACRuv4dOCz41EMMpgLfvA8CF3wU1ErCI0d5DxXbF0DHTQOj4BoCHEvw_wcB" target="_blank">The Face Shop</a> (sent to me by the lovely and super sweet <a href="http://beautybyjnfr.blogspot.com.au/" target="_blank">Jennifer</a>) but if you're curious about Korean beauty and you don't have a The Face Shop near you, there are plenty of places to pick them up online, or Indeed Labs offer <a href="https://www.priceline.com.au/skincare/face-care/masks-and-peels/hydraluron-moisture-boosting-mask-4.0-pack" target="_blank">Hydraluron Sheet Masks</a> which are quite a bit more expensive, but they're easy to get your hands on at Priceline.
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If you're a nervous flyer or find it difficult to get to sleep an unfamiliar bed, the <a href="http://www.beautybay.com/bathandbody/thisworks/cantsleepduo/" target="_blank">This Works Can't Sleep Duo</a> would be great for you. I'm neither of those things but I love the lavender & chamomile scent and although they're definitely luxury items since they're completely unnecessary, they sure are nice to have around.
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No one wants to lug around heavy glass perfume bottles when they're travelling (unless they've bought something new at duty free of course) so buying these $1 <a href="http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Mignon-Empty-Travel-Glass-Spray-Bottle-5ml-10ml-Perfume-Atomizer-/321207221870?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_15&hash=item4ac9713e6e" target="_blank">glass bottles</a> from eBay and decanting your perfumes is probably the best idea in this post. You just have to buy <a href="http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/10pcs-Plastic-Travel-Mini-Funnels-for-Filling-Small-Samples-of-Perfume-Emulsion-/261595577731?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_15&hash=item3ce84fbd83" target="_blank">little plastic funnels</a> (use a new one for each scent) and you can spray your perfume into the vial through the funnel and take away as many fragrances as you like. And whether or not you're travelling they're great for keeping in your handbag so you can touch up throughout the day.</div>
little henry leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17024952001696475133noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1423067314176460582.post-90896352449650054652015-04-16T20:29:00.000+10:002016-03-21T11:20:18.007+11:00In My Secret Life: 2<img border="0" height="533" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixaHsMqmMO30u_pDYev58XO8k6pqI6wZDRDpvSqYkZSjWswO4DrLADnwTvUC-iXN7rdnfXMx6bffq4gXpB9Jsq8DTlLVrQ-Wml_7-_UhfabtjievpNelskiZUeFvdqVprDQ19xDHfdA-Dw/s1600/IMG_5892.png" width="750" /><br />
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Amelie Dress*, Bandana Bertie Jumper* and French Market Cream Scarf* C/- <a href="http://www.joules.com/Womens-Clothing/Dresses-Tunics" target="_blank">Joules</a> | Shoes: ASOS (<a href="http://www.asos.com/au/New-Look/New-Look-Silence-Gold-Detail-Heeled-Shoes/Prod/pgeproduct.aspx?iid=5100302&cid=4172&Rf-200=4&sh=0&pge=0&pgesize=204&sort=3&clr=Black&totalstyles=561&gridsize=3" target="_blank">similar</a>) | Belt: Alannah Hill (old)</div>
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You'd be forgiven for thinking that Joules might be a French brand given the abundance of Breton striped garments on their website, but they are actually English, and aside from Breton stripes they also have beautiful silk scarves, <a href="http://www.joules.com/Womens-Clothing/Dresses-Tunics" target="_blank">pretty dresses</a> and jumpers with cute animals on them in abundance. Is is really uncool to colour co-ordinate with the dog on your jumper? Yeah probably, but don't tell me how to live my life. Clearly I'm a rebel without a cause.<br />
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I thought I'd do another one of those general life updates even though my life is pretty much just going to work, going to gigs and hanging with friends. Oh, and eating and online shopping of course - my two greatest talents. So much so that I can combine them and buy some of the food I enjoyed in New York from <a href="http://iherb.com/">iHerb.com</a>. Not just good for Real Techniques brushes, you can also buy cinnamon bunny grahams, cinnamon raisin swirl peanut butter(!!), delicious yogi tea and chai and jasmine flavoured chocolate, because we all know the best kinds of food taste like cinnamon or flowers.<br />
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Other things of interest include:<br />
- <a href="http://www.likeneonlove.com/blog/2015/3/25/why-i-love-blogging" target="_blank">this blog post</a> from Tenneil about why blogging is awesome<br />
- <a href="http://pitchfork.com/thepitch/704-on-kendrick-lamar-and-black-humanity/" target="_blank">this incredible article</a> about Kendrick Lamar's <i>To Pimp A Butterfly</i><br />
- <a href="http://beprettynotpetty.tumblr.com/post/115623982709" target="_blank">this video of Drake</a> signing about ice cream and candy. IF ONLY HE WERE SINGING TO ME! :(<br />
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Now um, usually I don't do this but uh, I'm gonna go ahead and break you off with a lil rundown of what I've been listening to lately (please tell me someone gets my reference). There's a bunch of music I wanted to talk about this month so I thought it'd be easiest for me to create a little playlist like <a href="http://www.likeneonlove.com/" target="_blank">Tenneil</a> always does, even though it doesn't flow and covers about five different genres, but hey, that's my vibe.<br />
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I got super into Jeff Buckley's <i>Be Your Husband</i> about a year ago and have only just realised it's actually a cover of an incredible Nina Simone song and that her version is even better. I've been a fan of Hank Williams for several years but have only just become hooked on <i>Ramblin' Man</i> after a friend played it on guitar while hanging out on his balcony one night. And I seem to be collecting versions of <i>I'll Take Care of You.</i> Gil Scott-Heron, Gil Scott-Heron & Jamie XX and of course baby boy Drizzy & Rihanna and now Van Morrison whose covers of that and Dylan's <i>It's All Over Now, Baby Blue</i> are just beautiful. I've not paid much attention to him in the past but I will from now on.<br />
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For some original songs now, The National released a new one and as we all know they are flawless and can do no wrong. I have been obsessing over Kendrick's new album and I honestly can't remember the last time an album so rich/potent/moving/socially and politically significant was released. That album is so much more than just music. And finally, I've been dipping my toes in the pool of southern hip hop with a bunch of Outkast who I have been enjoying more and more since seeing them live last year. Hope you like at least one or more of these songs, haha.<br />
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<a href="https://8tracks.com/littlehenrylee/april-2015"><img align="Left" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC5VFq3UV5ijpit0zjiG-niYOIGkTLRlZYuelN8CEm3u66EdSZJb7-zeVT_8r2mHaIcOR5Fr-xudGF4U1gI4DElElwl5rte6vBmvaJaNSX6WjVBO1Kj1elJ_T88mcQhm1eS9raYMq0I4fi/s1600/8trackscover.jpg" /></a>
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1. Be My Husband - Nina Simone<br />
2. Be Your Husband - Jeff Buckley<br />
3. Ramblin' Man - Hank Williams<br />
4. I'll Take Care of You - Van Morrison<br />
5. It's All Over Now, Baby Blue - Van Morrison<br />
6. Sunshine On My Back - The National<br />
7. King Kunta - Kendrick Lamar<br />
8. Ain't No Thang - OutKast</div>
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<br />little henry leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17024952001696475133noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1423067314176460582.post-47888734016882358972015-04-05T16:01:00.000+10:002016-03-21T11:19:56.772+11:00Smell the Roses<img border="0" height="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfm1XZWMRw2BH2zaWNnwEVcDjVn_lWv40I_hv-OLDXOXj-7C0zxqexJkCBiW9mau079JtwFu8yDc9xm0waYHv8oqztRJD8ytifk1daaXVE6mH75cpJDpAcaRhfitktgK1FG5HZLj54Fk42/s1600/IMG_5375.png" width="750" /><br />
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Surprise, internet! I'm alive after all. March has completely slipped past me this year but I hope you have all been enjoying it. In case I've not made myself clear enough in the past, I do not like winter and I can already notice it getting cooler as we get deeper into Autumn. I haven't had to deal with winter since mid-2013 but there's no getting out of it this year, so I'll just have to grin and bear it like a normal person. I'm bracing myself by pretending Autumn is a fun thing here like it is in the States and burning my cinnamon-pumpkin-caramel-swirl-pancake-cupcake candles that I picked up at Bath & Body Works, drinking <a href="http://www.iherb.com/Twinings-Chai-Pumpkin-Spice-20-Tea-Bags-1-41-oz-40-g/46217" target="_blank">pumpkin spice chai</a> and dreaming of baking pumpkin pies.<br />
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As for the photo above, if I had enough pumpkin scented products in my life I'd surely do a post about them too but instead this is about roses, so if you associate rose scents with grandmas then you should probably look away now. I've mentioned it before but the Jurlique rose fragrance is my favourite rose scent of all time, and their <a href="http://www.beautybay.com/bathandbody/jurlique/rosehandcream/" target="_blank">hand cream</a> is also my favourite hand cream. It's rich and creamy, sinks in quickly and keeps my hands super soft. In fact I've almost finished that tube and I've got another waiting to go. Their <a href="http://www.beautybay.com/skincare/jurlique/rosewaterbalancingmist/" target="_blank">Rosewater Balancing Mist</a> smells just as wonderful and it's a great refreshing spritz throughout the day or to use as your hydrating toner step in your skincare routine (which is what I do). </div>
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My lil baby bottle of <a href="http://www.myer.com.au/shop/mystore/rose-de-chloe-chlo--201%3B-roses-de-chlo--201%3B-edt" target="_blank">Roses de Chloe</a> has a bit of a story behind it, which is that I actually bought it on my first day alone on my holiday last year. I flew to Egypt alone but met up with a tour group when I got there, and then flew to Istanbul and met my parents the following day, so I feel like my first day actually alone was the day they left Milan and I stayed behind. On that day I wandered into La Rinascente (the department store just by the Duomo) and the lovely salesgirl convinced me to pick up a bottle by letting me have a <a href="https://instagram.com/p/p89mzJCh3x/" target="_blank">Chloe candle</a> with it even though I bought the smallest bottle and that gift with purchase was only meant to be with larger sizes. As for the scent itself it's a lovely light, slightly sweet, powdery rose scent. Not at all heavy or granny-ish, and of course the bottle is lovely, as all the Chloe bottles are.</div>
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Sadly the <a href="https://www.lush.com.au/" target="_blank">Lush Rose Jam Shower Gel</a> is a Christmas only scent that I picked up in their boxing day sales last year, but I'll definitely be getting some more at the end of this year. This is a completely different version of rose to the others I've mentioned - the second ingredient in the shower gel is actually vanilla so it's incredibly sweet and actually smells like a rose jam that you'd eat on toast (which is a real thing I've eaten a whole jar of before and it's glorious). Actually forget toast, I want a cake made with rose jam in the middle and if I come across another jar of rose jam I'm going to make that happen. </div>
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As for the <a href="http://mecca.com.au/ren/moroccan-rose-otto-bath-oil/I-006432.html" target="_blank">REN bath oil</a>, this stuff is not cheap and I don't take baths often enough to justify buying the full size, but a little goes a long way. I'd say there's 3 baths worth in that little 10ml bottle, so you don't need a lot for a lovely smelling bath, and my skin actually felt quite nourished afterwards too. The <a href="http://mecca.com.au/ren/moroccan-rose-otto-body-cream/I-000945.html#q=ren+rose&start=1" target="_blank">Moroccan Rose Otto Body Cream</a> has the same scent which is a subtle but very true rose scent, and with its rosewater, shea butter and glycerin based formula it's a nice hydrating option with a light, non-greasy texture.</div>
little henry leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17024952001696475133noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1423067314176460582.post-54015300991652578192015-02-13T00:05:00.001+11:002016-03-21T11:19:40.541+11:00Current Beauty Favourites<img border="0" height="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtoNVgsJPSZ_doKttpjQyIlc4tS7BwlYGtfzmUrVBZnyd4IZvpIRDAVDYkDSjgVSb-DqxDDttN34FZ9JzhBDfFR5qEiZmxNoUWolN15OiZqc9Z6h8lQ0PCX1L4CA-VCgwRCMVBUysKBhKR/s1600/IMG_5799.png" width="750" />
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Since I clearly don't have my life together enough to get out any kind of monthly favourites, I thought I'd just do alternating beauty and general/life favourites throughout the year and see how it goes. For my beauty favourites lately the star of the show has to be the <a href="http://www.sephora.com/tartelette-amazonian-clay-matte-eyeshadow-palette-P391759" target="_blank">Tarte Tartelette palette</a> which will hopefully come to the Sydney Sephora soon, but I managed to get my hands on it because my friend brought it back for me from the US in January. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIuydKUNBmkp5KhivESMeY5lDgBRpn34QRgjhHs57THrFs4C9_EjcdYZkPGBkljqcUel2xBBi2-GxxpBujvUQQ7pQUGNg2E0NIRv-dFqN4A56aLUxfxrAUcgShmV5iQM30g6EaE3ev8wT_/s1600/IMG_5736.png" target="_blank">This</a> is what it looks like on the inside, and although I pretty much always use shimmery shadows as well, it's totally invaluable having a neutral matte palette because you have so many shades to choose from for your crease that there'll be something to compliment your look no matter what. The quad pictured is actually a MAC quad filled with MakeupGeek eyeshadows. After hearing so many YouTubers talk about them I decided to finally pick out a few for myself (L-R, top to bottom) - <a href="http://www.makeupgeek.com/store/makeup-geek-eyeshadow-pan-moondust.html" target="_blank">Moondust</a>, <a href="http://www.makeupgeek.com/store/makeup-geek-eyeshadow-pan-hipster.html" target="_blank">Hipster</a> (lol), <a href="http://www.makeupgeek.com/store/makeup-geek-eyeshadow-pan-prom-night.html" target="_blank">Prom Night</a> & <a href="http://www.makeupgeek.com/store/makeup-geek-eyeshadow-pan-barcelona-beach.html" target="_blank">Barcelona Beach</a>. I also could not stop thinking about the pigment in <a href="http://www.makeupgeek.com/store/makeup-geek-pigment-utopia.html" target="_blank">Utopia</a> which is a stunning antiqued gold that is INFINITELY more beautiful than it comes across in my crappy swatch up above. In fact, just ignore my swatch altogether and look at the one on their website, trust me. The shadows really are everything they're cracked up to be, and there although they all look pretty much the same in the photo (yeah, I know), they're actually really unique, interesting colours when you use them on your lips.
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I don't know what the deal is with these <a href="http://www.yslbeautyus.com/cr%C3%A8me-de-blush/251YSL.html?dwvar_251YSL_color=2-Powdery%20Rose" target="_blank">YSL cream blushes</a> or if they're still available or not, but I picked up three of them while in Paris and they are absolutely stunning. I've got shades 4, 7 and 9 - a vibrant coral/orange, a neutral everyday dusty pink and a babydoll pink and I completely adore them and have been reaching for them a lot lately. They look so fresh and natural on the cheeks (as cream blushes generally do) and the shades are beautiful. I've also been loving an old favourite, the <a href="https://www.priceline.com.au/cosmetics/face/powder/healthy-balance-compact-powder-9.0-g" target="_blank">Bourjois Healthy Balance Powder</a> which is a great, lightweight powder that never looks cakey on the skin. That's one thing that I really struggle with having oily skin - finding the right powder and using the right amount so that it controls oil but doesn't make my skin look super cakey and unnatural, and this is a really good one for that.
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As I mentioned in my <a href="http://littlehenrylee.blogspot.com.au/2015/02/in-my-secret-life.html" target="_blank">life favourites</a>/whatever that was post, I've been getting into lip liners lately, and the <a href="http://www.maccosmetics.com.au/product/shaded/167/340/Lip-Pencil/index.tmpl" target="_blank">MAC ones</a> are my favourite formula so far - pictured & swatched above are <i>Cherry, Brick </i>and <i>Vino</i>. What I love lipliner for is a) getting an even line around your lips when using liquid lipsticks that can make it really difficult, b) making your lipstick last longer and c) pushing your borderline lip colours the way you want them to go. For example, I could use Brick under <a href="http://www.nastygal.com.au/accessories/lime-crime-velvetine-lip-stain--wicked" target="_blank">Lime Crime's Wicked</a> to make sure the colour comes across a super deep burgundy and to push out any purple or brown undertones that it can sometimes have, or I could use Vino under a brighter red shade to deepen it up. A combo I have seriously been into though is Cherry under the <a href="http://www.beautybay.com/cosmetics/urbandecay/revolutionlipstick/" target="_blank">Urban Decay Revolution Lipstick in F-Bomb</a>. When my friend came back from the states, along with the two eyeshadow palettes I mentioned in my last post I asked her to pick up Cherry and this lipstick for me, and they are S T U N N I N G. F-Bomb is the first lipstick swatched on my hand above and you can see how rich and deep but super vibrant the colour is. I'm telling you, when Mecca starts stocking Urban Decay products in March I'll be all over these lipsticks. Another red I've been loving lately is the <a href="http://www.superdrug.com/Rimmel/Rimmel-Kate-Lipstick-Shade-1/p/301252" target="_blank">Rimmel Kate Lipstick in 01</a>. This is one of my favourite drugstore lipstick formulas so I thought I had all the colours I wanted from the range, but when I was overseas I spotted this shade and I don't think it was ever released in Australia but it's a gorgeous deep red that is probably a little darker than it looks in my swatch above and it's completely beautiful. My favourite lip balm at the moment has to be the <a href="http://www.myer.com.au/shop/mystore/grown-grown-vitamin-enriched-lip-balm" target="_blank">Grown Alchemist Vanilla & Watermelon lip balm</a> which I've had for a while so I'm trying to finish it up (over halfway, woo!) but it's a really lovely, glossy, nourishing formula that is perfect to put on before bed.
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I know I mentioned the amazing <a href="http://mecca.com.au/mecca-cosmetica/to-save-face-spf-30-100ml/I-017490.html" target="_blank">Mecca sunscreen</a> recently and I really do love that one, but when Priceline had a 40% off skincare sale I had to pick up the <a href="https://www.priceline.com.au/skincare/sun-and-tanning/sun-protection/anthelios-xl-spf-50-extreme-fluid-50.0-ml" target="_blank">La Roche-Posay Anthelios XL SPF50+</a> for days when I'm going to actually be out in the sun a lot and need a little extra protection, and I completely love the formula of this too. It's seriously lightweight, non-greasy and has no sunscreen smell at all. It's perfect if you want a high protection facial SPF that won't interfere with your makeup. I've also been getting back into using the classic that is the <a href="https://www.priceline.com.au/skincare/hand-and-body/body-moisturisers/huile-prodigieuse-100.0-ml" target="_blank">Nuxe Huile Prodigieuse</a> which is a beautiful dry oil in a spray bottle that I've been using to moisturise my legs after showering and in the ends of my hair after I wash it. It feels and smells lovely and my bottle has lasted me forever. I'm not huge on hair products because I feel like my hair doesn't hold styles particularly well because it's so long and most products are probably made for people with shorter hair in mind. Also I don't really know what I'm doing with them. But I picked up the <a href="https://www.priceline.com.au/index.php/hair/hair-care/hair-treatments/dry-oil-mist-smooth-and-shine-125.0-g" target="_blank">Schwarzkopf Dry Oil Mist</a> on a whim a few weeks ago and I really like. It's a super fine mist that just de-frizzes your hair and takes the fluffiness out of it without weighing it down at all. So if that's something you struggle with as well then this could be worth a try.</div>
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Apparently I used to post more lifestyle-ish content and things that aren't 100% beauty related and I wanted to bring some of that back, so I thought I'd just do a roundup style post of things I've been up to and into lately.</div>
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<i>Life</i></div>
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Going way back to the distant past, in December I flew to Melbourne to stay with my best friend Giselle who now lives with <a href="http://www.likeneonlove.com/" target="_blank">Tenneil</a> and I had the best time catching up with them both and it makes me so happy that they live together and I get to hang out with them at the same time. The other reason for my trip was to see my one true love Nick Cave because I'm obsessive and went to 7 shows on the tour (4 in Sydney and 3 in Melbourne) and it was completely incredible and I love him and he is a flawless human being, the end. I'm actually visiting Melbourne again at the end of this month and staying with them again so I'm really looking forward to that! Also another close friend who I travelled around parts of the US with came back to Sydney to visit before she moves to North America for good, and she brought back a few special lil things for me, because I guess I didn't buy enough makeup while I was there myself (jk I definitely did.) I have a current beauty favourites post in the works so I'll go into more detail in that one.</div>
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If you follow me over on instagram you may have seen a few photos of my bedroom lately because I finally changed everything on my walls and put up a bunch of the cool things I collected while travelling. So now my walls are covered in a giant Jack Kerouac and Neal Cassady poster from City Lights (words cannot express my love), a map of Paris, a poster from The Weeknd's King of the Fall tour, a 20,0000 Days on Earth poster signed by my boo Nick Cave, postcards and pictures of Versailles, City Lights, Shakespeare & Company, CERN, the Kennedy Space Centre, Big Sur (etc etc), papyrus from Egypt and two Rifle Paper Co calendars because they are both so beautiful I couldn't decide. It makes such a difference when you have beautiful, stimulating surroundings so although it took me several days to finish I'm reminded of so many wonderful memories every time I look around my room. Minimalism is beautiful and all, but I'm clearly too much of a hoarder/collector to ever really take that approach in my own life.</div>
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<img height="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD3OKkwRqvKDgS4KFdh-JZsBC1tBReqNbuPADu6jyFD4lohzK5qpbhW-40x_kTRDfPAzLuBHMt8lYesn-uB9InZky1vsHPzt8NXQVL1c-PEBSPiMamVVuiutHPx7yafLBJiuDbowHpGkJZ/s1600/IMG_5653.png" width="750" />
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<i>Music</i></div>
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I've been to quite a few gigs already this year, including FKA twigs, the Gaslight Anthem, Nas (who has been my favourite rapper since I was 13) and a bunch of local shows. I'm also seeing Chet Faker and Drake (love u Drizzy) later this month which will be awesome. Music I've been listening to on repeat for the last few weeks includes FKA twigs, Drake (always), The Weeknd (ALWAYS), and an amazing record that I found for $10 in San Francisco which is Muddy Waters, Howlin' Wolf and Bo Diddley all hanging out and playing each other's songs together and I cannot even explain how good it is. One of my greatest sadnesses is that no-one comes to my house to hang out so I never have anyone to listen to records with. :(</div>
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<img height="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIuydKUNBmkp5KhivESMeY5lDgBRpn34QRgjhHs57THrFs4C9_EjcdYZkPGBkljqcUel2xBBi2-GxxpBujvUQQ7pQUGNg2E0NIRv-dFqN4A56aLUxfxrAUcgShmV5iQM30g6EaE3ev8wT_/s1600/IMG_5736.png" width="750" />
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<img height="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3yRqcGOE1R_JgoXlUWztEHjbeRobDnVNa28iQu4ZlUUXjganYMzzlyed6TqeUW9Wjcx0D6P7hfQLbIHvhTQdzknQHMe0t2OjUCeMi8Z8-Buqun0wD9k4fiQSx6CftAvVUdTdYb6Obg554/s1600/IMG_5729.png" width="750" />
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<i>Beauty</i></div>
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After picking up the <a href="http://www.beautybay.com/cosmetics/urbandecay/nakedbasics2palette/" target="_blank">Urban Decay Naked Basics 2</a> palette I realised how completely invaluable neutral matte palettes are and I had my heart set on a few more, which is why I was so thrilled when my friend brought back the new <a href="http://www.sephora.com/tartelette-amazonian-clay-matte-eyeshadow-palette-P391759" target="_blank">Tarte Tartelette </a>and the <a href="http://www.target.com/p/sonia-kashuk-eye-couture-eye-palette-eye-on-neutral-02/-/A-13348177" target="_blank">Sonia Kashuk Eye on Neutrals</a> palettes from the States for me, both of which aren't available in Australia or online. The Tarte palette may come to the Sydney Sephora store but I haven't seen it there yet and I couldn't wait so I'm super grateful to my friend for being such a babe and enabling me. I've also suddenly become obsessed with lip liners after not caring about them my whole life until now. I don't really believe in paying as much as a lipstick for a lip liner but I do have a handful of MAC ones which are amazing and I've been trying a few more affordable brands too to see what kind of formulas work for me.</div>
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I may have mentioned it before but I never wear nail polish on my fingers because it makes them really weak and flaky, but I seem to have just remembered that toes are a thing and I've gotten really into painting my toenails. Let's be real, I don't have my life together enough to remove and repaint my fingernails every week, so painting my toes is perfect because it lasts pretty much until I decide I'm over the colour and want a change. Also never fear, I certainly did not spend whatever the hell it costs to buy a Tom Ford nail polish, I actually picked this up at the Estee Lauder Corporate store for $10 and it's in the shade <a href="http://shop.davidjones.com.au/djs/en/davidjones/nail-lacquer-2662-90104--1" target="_blank">Viper</a> which I like even more because it reminds me of the Bad Seeds' song <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kXCt0ftVJe0" target="_blank">Jack The Ripper</a>. I also found these beautiful Illamasqua nail polishes (Peruzzi and Fire Rose) on sale in Myer and they're so densely packed they're almost opaque with glitter and it is glorious to behold.
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<img height="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinFl0l7mUOvZRdhMyzuuagAn566ug3j1dMkCht4fLB1G8L110O-VBo2Wdboi4NXKJ90PMwqpJ7U5qLM9s2cho6M-Zis231JG2FEibqHWWXLoWkjF3GBENt2ptgAfkOEsCbKHt0niV0ZxJu/s1600/IMG_5595.png" width="750" />
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<img height="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG1JGHe7D1m67_Lv-zlpnlITl7o1SIX-FHVVG8kX0_1C59ylmG2snpu1it_4cZxHhXvlr2SGn-gEDW3ckmzGaHGDhWHh-1VSgPZ4XVKG9GNVHVb1Ud09RDU3LHarEqV5JegGFeEtzqbzx0/s1600/IMG_5692.png" width="750" />
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<i>Things</i></div>
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Lately I have been really into buying candles from Urban Outfitters. They're maybe the only place that I know of online where you can buy good candles without having to pay ridiculous shipping costs (it's free when you spend over $50 which is really easy to do between their homewares, vinyl and beauty sections, I don't even really look at their clothes) plus they stock independent brands with really interesting scents. When it comes to room fragrances, I'm really into scents that are a) deep/spicy/masculine b) warm, creamy & vanilla-based or c) herbally/floral and not so much fruity, citrus or clean/fresh scents. So if you're with me on option a) I love the <a href="http://www.urbanoutfitters.com/urban/catalog/productdetail.jsp?id=29045846&parentid=SEARCH+RESULTS#/" target="_blank">Paddywax tobacco & patchouli</a> and the <a href="http://www.urbanoutfitters.com/urban/catalog/productdetail.jsp?id=33347006&parentid=SEARCH+RESULTS#/" target="_blank">PF Candle Co. teakwood & tobacco</a> candles, and I am also in love with <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Paddywax-Library-Collection-Steinbeck-Scented/dp/B00NT6O77Y" target="_blank">this Paddywax one</a> I picked up in San Francisco while hanging with <a href="http://www.thedauphine.com/" target="_blank">Chelsea</a>. They have a whole collection with fragrances inspired by the libraries of famous authors and obviously I had to buy the Steinbeck one, which is the scent of smoked birch and amber and it smells exactly like the attractive, heavily bearded man of my dreams and his library should smell like.</div>
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There probably isn't a girl alive who isn't into delicate jewellery and stack rings and I did go through a bit of a phase with them a couple of years ago but I just don't really wear jewellery except for my Grandmother's ring, but lately I've picked up a few pairs of cute stud earrings and a super cool crescent moon ring so I have been back into wearing a bit of jewellery, at least for the time being. And finally, before Christmas I decided to start practising some modern calligraphy just using a regular pen and I'm happy to say I've stuck with it. I'm not exactly amazing but my journalling has definitely been looking prettier because of it.</div>
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Blogger automated replacement: "https://images-blogger-opensocial.googleusercontent.com/gadgets/proxy?url=http%3A%2F%2F2.bp.blogspot.com%2F-p0lQh2m-bQo%2FVNWkXZIOniI%2FAAAAAAAAFeQ%2Fhpb2XuRFm3w%2Fs1600%2FIMG_5692.png&container=blogger&gadget=a&rewriteMime=image%2F*" with "https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG1JGHe7D1m67_Lv-zlpnlITl7o1SIX-FHVVG8kX0_1C59ylmG2snpu1it_4cZxHhXvlr2SGn-gEDW3ckmzGaHGDhWHh-1VSgPZ4XVKG9GNVHVb1Ud09RDU3LHarEqV5JegGFeEtzqbzx0/s1600/IMG_5692.png" -->little henry leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17024952001696475133noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1423067314176460582.post-35404368845414729762015-01-29T14:54:00.000+11:002016-03-21T11:17:33.384+11:00Summer Essentials<div style="text-align: justify;">
<img height="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWe9fHGFSMufEeUYQqK4fb2UV_7KZ02iUqxwUh_ykwRZhQqQV3dI3pMIN0tu2awqy7a4YVZQw41FcQbsDCLmlWXhhnnBmDCa0E3wwZnBIRZeUjHQlEasJONBRd-yoe1jHW79wFnf0f5yDH/s1600/IMG_5370.png" width="750" />
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I'm sure everyone in the Northern Hemisphere is looking forward to spring, but here in Australia we're still right in the middle of summer and I'm not ready to give it up yet! It's my favourite time of year and this current summer is actually my third in a row since I made a point of skipping winter entirely last year - if only I could do that every year. In honour of this, I thought I'd put together some of my favourite products for the warmer weather.<br />
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First up is the <a href="http://mecca.com.au/on/demandware.store/Sites-MeccaAU-Site/default/Link-Product?pid=I-017490" target="_blank">Mecca Cosmetica To Save Face SPF30</a> which I actually first tried when I stayed at <a href="http://www.likeneonlove.com/" target="_blank">Tenneil's</a> in December (she now lives with one of my best friends in Melbourne) and I immediately loved it. It's super lightweight, sinks in quickly, doesn't interfere with your makeup and it contains hyaluronic acid and pomegranate extract (an antioxidant) so although it's more expensive than your standard SPF it's clearly marketed as a daily skincare product, not just something you slap on when you're heading to the beach. I think it's really important to wear a broad-spectrum SPF daily because not only does it protect you from cancer-causing UVB rays but it also blocks UVA rays which, amongst other things, break down collagen in your skin, causing wrinkles and premature aging - not fun!</div>
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It's always nice to have a refreshing facial mist/toner on hot days and although I adore the Caudalie Beauty Elixir, I thought I'd show a little love to the <a href="http://www.myer.com.au/shop/mystore/antipodes-ananda-antioxidant-rich-gentle-toner-100ml" target="_blank">Antipodes Ananda Antioxidant-Rich Gentle Toner</a>, formulated with aloe vera, Bulgarian rose oil and raspberry seeds (the antioxidant factor) whether or not it'll transform your skin, it's a lovely luxury(ish) option that doesn't break the bank. While the season doesn't really affect the perfume I wear, the weather on any given day does and a beautiful sunny day makes me reach for scents like <a href="http://www.myer.com.au/shop/mystore/chloe-leau-de-chloe-edt" target="_blank">Chloe's L'eau de Chloe</a> which is a re-imagined version of the original Chloe EDP (which is actually completely different to the EDT as well.) All the variations of Chloe with that signature bow bottle tend to be floral/fruity with deeper base notes so you can smell the resemblance between them, and in the case of L'eau de Chloe with notes of citrus fruits, patchouli and cedar I think they've created a beautiful, light, fresh fragrance with a very suitable name (<i>l'eau</i> being French for water.)
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As a girl with oily skin, the warmer the weather gets the more I have to rely on products like primer and powder to keep my face from looking like an oil-slick. I love the <a href="http://www.escentual.com/guerlain/guerlainmakeup006/" target="_blank">Guerlain Meteorites Perles Perfecting Primer</a> which glides on like a serum and is a wonderful illuminating primer without any hint of shimmer. Plus it's absolutely stunning to look at. I also love the good old <a href="http://www.asos.com/au/Rimmel-London/Rimmel-London-Stay-Matte-Pressed-Powder/Prod/pgeproduct.aspx?iid=1674590&SearchQuery=rimmel%20powder&sh=0&pge=0&pgesize=36&sort=-1&clr=Peach+glow&totalstyles=2&gridsize=3" target="_blank">Rimmel Stay Matte Pressed Powder</a> which I mentioned in my <a href="http://littlehenrylee.blogspot.com.au/2015/01/2014-make-up-favourites.html" target="_blank">2014 favourites</a> because it's super affordable and really delivers in terms of oil-control without making you look cakey or flat. I'm sure part of the reason it's so affordable is because of the below-average packaging, but I for one would happily pay a little more if they were to repackage it in a compact with a mirror so it'd be easier to take out in my handbag.</div>
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For blush I absolutely love the <a href="http://mecca.com.au/josie-maran-cosmetics/coconut-watercolour-cheek-gelee/V-019499.html#q=josie+maran+cheek&start=1" target="_blank">Josie Maran Coconut Watercolour Cheek Gelees</a>. They're a beautiful, lightweight sheer formula that's so easy to use and blend in, they're practically foolproof. I adore this bright orange shade (Coral Oasis) and I definitely have my eye on Poppy Paradise next. On super hot days if I'm not wearing a lot of makeup, eyeshadow crayons are a really easy way to make it look like you've put in more effort than you actually have. I picked up this <a href="http://www.sephora.com/smudge-crayon-waterproof-eye-primer-shadow-liner-P302634?skuId=1389220" target="_blank">Stila Smudge Crayon in Kitten</a> while I was in the States and it's beautiful all over the lid or as an inner corner highlight. </div>
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Surprise! No red lipsticks here, certainly not because I don't wear them in summer but just because every now and then it's fun to switch it up and wear corals, oranges and pinks. You really can't go past the <a href="http://www.target.com.au/search?text=nyx+butter+glosses" target="_blank">NYX Butter Glosses</a> for a fuss free, non-sticky lipgloss and they come in a huge range of shades and the formula is completely spot on. If you don't have any of these yet I don't know where you've been but I urge you to give them a try. I was actually surprised by how much I like this <a href="http://www.walgreens.com/store/c/l'oreal-paris-colour-riche-glossy-balm/ID=prod6256711-product" target="_blank">L'Oreal Glossy Balm in Innocent Coral</a>. I picked it up in New York during the US summer last year and I really feel like I don't have any other shades like this, it's a beautiful perfect coral shade that just screams summer. And for lip balms I've got the <a href="http://www.sephora.com/sugar-advanced-therapy-lip-treatment-P302103" target="_blank">Fresh Sugar Advanced Therapy Lip Treatment</a> and the <a href="http://www.ulta.com/ulta/browse/productDetail.jsp?productId=xlsImpprod6500959#" target="_blank">Softlips Cube</a> lip balm because both of these have a slight tingly feeling on the lips which I find really nice and fresh, and they both smell amazing too.</div>
little henry leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17024952001696475133noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1423067314176460582.post-62573010618538518362015-01-13T18:00:00.000+11:002016-03-21T11:17:23.160+11:00Matte Liquid Lipstick Showdown<div style="text-align: justify;">
<img height="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2uCO2hA0Rkaw737LJK_dnn2wJGoUakqMlW39DHTrFl7W-ZPJ6DHRRZKTYtR9AO-fkka2VT7fMVD3y4WKeMmVdmqegF0jNlqZ2rrUxlexMv50jOHO7NCWu6k_eFF7BmKffYRxkXzXS6Xep/s1600/IMG_5060.png" width="750" /></div>
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I just wanted to firstly say a quick thank you to everyone who answered my little <a href="http://littlehenrylee.blogspot.com.au/2015/01/q.html" target="_blank">Q&A</a> - it was great getting to know you all a little better and if anyone still wants to fill it out I'd love to hear from you. :) But onto the purpose of this post, are you surprised that all the shades I'm going to talk about are variations of red? Because you shouldn't be. As a lip product addict/hoarder/aficionado I thought I'd do a round up of the long-wearing, matte liquid lipstick type products that I have in my stash so you don't have to try out as many varieties as I have (unless you want to of course.) I've got you covered across every price point and with so many options to choose from, I feel like I have pretty high standards.</div>
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A few things to note are that I haven't touched on wear time because I've found it to be pretty consistent - they all wear just fine until I eat or drink something and then they'll wear away slightly on the inside of my lips. Not completely away like a lipstick, and they definitely don't leave an awful ring around the outside of your lips, but they will wear away enough to warrant a small touch up, which I expect to do because as if I ever go more than a few hours without eating or drinking something. Also, I expect matte lip products of any variety to be drying, so while I haven't done this when testing these products, for regular wear I like to dab a bit of my boo <a href="http://www.feelunique.com/p/NUXE-Reve-de-Miel-Baume-Levres-Ultra-Nourrissant-Ultra-Nourishing-Lip-Balm-15g" target="_blank">Reve de Miel</a> on top which doesn't sacrifice the matte finish but it does help avoid dryness and it eliminates stickiness and any other undesirable qualities of a product's finish. I'd definitely suggest doing that with any of these and with any matte lip product you have if dryness is an issue for you. Let's go alphabetically.
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<a href="https://www.priceline.com.au/cosmetics/lips/lip-glossstain/velourlips-matte-lip-cream-10.0-ml" target="_blank">Australis Velourlips Matte Lip Cream in NY-Cee</a> - $9.95AUD</div>
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<i>Application</i>: feels like quite a thick, dry-ish sort of cream going on, but very pigmented.</div>
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<i>Finish</i>: a little sticky when drying down, and overall one of the more drying products of the lot but very matte and opaque. </div>
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<i>Layering</i>: layers just fine.</div>
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<i>Smell</i>: like fruity lollies.</div>
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<i>Overall</i>: this is a great, affordable offering from the drugstore and they've expanded their shade range and have quite a lot of options, however I believe Australis is only available in Australia & NZ. <b>8/10</b></div>
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<a href="http://www.asos.com/au/Bourjois/Bourjois-Rouge-Edition-Velvet/Prod/pgeproduct.aspx?iid=4193280" target="_blank">Bourjois Rouge Edition Velvet in 09 Grand Cru</a> - $17.50AUD </div>
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<i>Application</i>: applies sheer, which can be a plus for some, but you definitely have to layer the product to get an opaque shade.</div>
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<i>Finish</i>: feels very smooth and creamy on the lips, living up to its velvet name, it's non-drying and extremely comfortable. The best way I can describe the consistency is like a stain suspended in a gel. However, it takes a long time to become matte, and the colour definitely transfers and really isn't true to the shade in the tube and it's nowhere near as pigmented as I'd hoped.</div>
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<i>Layering</i>: layers just fine, which it has to, really as it takes a couple of layers to get it opaque on the lips.</div>
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<i>Smell</i>: chemically/fruity.</div>
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<i>Overall</i>: for all the hype these got upon release I had very high expectations and they just weren't met, which is such a shame considering the beautiful shade range. Perhaps I'd have liked the product better if it wasn't marketed as a matte liquid lipstick, it could be good in it's own right, but when compared to other brand's offerings these fall short. <b>5/10
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<a href="http://mecca.com.au/hourglass/opaque-rouge-liquid-lipstick/V-014377.html" target="_blank">Hourglass Opaque Rouge Liquid Lipstick in Icon</a> (mini pictured) - $38.00AUD (full size) </div>
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<i>Application</i>: because these aren't completely opaque the product applies a bit streaky at first and you do have to work with it to get even colour across your lips. Also rather than being a standard doe-foot applicator this has a flexible sponge tip which may be a plus for some but I find it difficult to get an even line around the lips, making lip liner an essential.</div>
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<i>Finish</i>: it takes a while to dry down and in that time things get pretty sticky, which means the product can transfer a bit. But when it sets it has the appearance of a beautiful deep stain on the lips with a slight sheen, feels totally weightless and it's one of the least drying of the bunch.</div>
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<i>Layering</i>: this doesn't layer particularly well, the product tends to build up and look uneven and feel uncomfortable. When you have to touch up I'd advise removing as much as you can and starting over. </div>
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<i>Smell</i>: vaguely chemically and powdery.</div>
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<i>Overall</i>: Hourglass have some seriously beautiful shades in this range but I have to work with the product more than I think I should have to at that price point. It's worth having this one but I probably wouldn't buy another. <b>6.5/10</b>.
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<a href="http://www.beautybybe.co.uk/product/beauty/lancome-labsolu-velours-velvet-matte-lip-colour/" target="_blank">Lancome L'Absolu Velours Velvet Matte Lip Colour in 172 D'Etincelle</a> - £18.00 / about $34.00AUD </div>
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<i>Application</i>: smooth and easy to apply, but it requires 1-2 coats to become opaque. It also has a pointed sponge-tip applicator which makes it easy to get a defined cupids bow. </div>
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<i>Finish</i>: very similar to the Bourjois Rouge Edition Velvets, this is creamy, non-sticky and comfortable, but it's also not really matte. While it's certainly more pigmented and true to colour than the Bourjois version you'll still need to build it up a little and the result is a beautiful, albeit somewhat glossy finish. Unfortunately it's also prone to transferring.</div>
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<i>Layering</i>: layers just fine.</div>
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<i>Smell</i>: slight powdery "old lady" smell. </div>
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<i>Overall</i>: this is basically a better, more pigmented version of the Bourjois offering. While it's a nice product on its own, it's not one of the best matte liquid lipsticks.<b> 7/10
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<a href="http://www.urbanoutfitters.com/urban/catalog/productdetail.jsp?id=31863160#/" target="_blank">Lime Crime Velvetine Matte Lipstick in Red Velvet</a> - $20.00US / about $25.00AUD </div>
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<i>Application</i>: smooth and completely opaque. </div>
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<i>Finish</i>: dries very quickly, with some stickiness but no transferring. Very full colour, however it does deepen slightly over time which can be noticeable when reapplying a few hours later. </div>
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<i>Layering</i>: layers just fine. </div>
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<i>S</i><i>mell</i>: pleasant vanilla powdery scent. </div>
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<i>Overall</i>: Lime Crime gets bonus points for having the prettiest packaging, but loses points for controversy surrounding the brand. However, we're here to talk about the product not the brand and if it performs well I'm going to tell you and you can make your own decisions.<b> 9/10
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/MILANI-Lip-Intense-Liquid-Color/dp/B00ILOCBM2/ref=pd_sim_bt_3?ie=UTF8&refRID=0VCC7B8A283T9JZV82HC" target="_blank">Milani Lip Intense Liquid Colour in 01 Red Extreme</a> - $8.99US </div>
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<i>Application</i>: fully pigmented and easy to apply. </div>
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<i>Finish</i>: not actually matte, but it's very comfortable to wear and feels like a super thin gloss on the lips that's totally opaque and non-sticky. It also doesn't dry down or set but it's not the least bit drying on the lips and it leaves behind a decent stain. </div>
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<i>Layering</i>: layers perfectly. </div>
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<i>Smell</i>: creamy/powdery inoffensive scent. </div>
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<i>Overall</i>: it's not overly matte but it's fully pigmented and very comfortable, but unfortunately the shade range leaves a lot to be desired. There's only four shades and it's not available worldwide so I can only give it a<b> 7/10</b>.
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<a href="http://www.target.com.au/p/nyx-soft-matte-lipcream-monte-carlo/54991514" target="_blank">NYX Soft Matte Lip Cream in Monte Carlo</a> - $12.95AUD (or $5.99US, ha) </div>
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<i>Application</i>: it feels a bit moussey in texture so it applies very smoothly with a standard doe-foot applicator.</div>
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<i>Finish</i>: I like that the word soft is in the product name because these actually do feel soft on the lips, but they're still super matte. It's a little bit sticky as it dries down, but it doesn't transfer and it feels weightless on the lips, however I've found the colour it dries to is slightly different from what's in the tube.</div>
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<i>Layering</i>: layers fine.</div>
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<i>Smell</i>: somewhat fruity. </div>
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<i>Overall</i>: NYX have a great shade range and they're very affordable despite the stupid price hike in the Australian market. <b>7.5/10</b></div>
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<a href="http://www.sephora.com/cream-lip-stain-P281411?skuId=1296060" target="_blank">Sephora Cream Lip Stain in 01 Always Red</a> - $13.00US / $21.00AUD </div>
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<i>Application</i>: smooth and totally opaque in one coat. </div>
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<i>Finish</i>: it's the tiniest bit sticky as it dries down, but it does so very quickly and becomes completely matte and very comfortable to wear. It also doesn't transfer once dry. </div>
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<i>Layering</i>: no problems with layering. </div>
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<i>Smell</i>: powdery/creamy. </div>
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<i>Overall</i>: I can't fault this product at all except for the massive price jump if you were to buy it locally in Australia, and for the crap shade range. Sephora, get on that. <b>9.5/10
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<a href="http://www.sleekmakeup.com/matte-me-rioja-red" target="_blank">Sleek Matte Me in Rioja Red</a> - $7.49US / about $9.20AUD </div>
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<i>Application</i>: a full pigment liquid lipstick that applies smoothly and evenly.</div>
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<i>Finish</i>: this feels like nothing on the lips until you press them together and feel the intense stickiness, which is surprising because once dry it has a completely matte, paint-like appearance. It doesn't feel sticky on other surfaces (fingers, mugs) and it doesn't transfer at all, so if you can avoid pressing your lips together then it's a pretty great product. However, it's worth noting that the shade deepens slightly as it dries so you will lose some of the brightness you see in the tube. </div>
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<i>Layering</i>: this layers perfectly evenly without any discomfort, although it'll deepen the shade ever so slightly again. </div>
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<i>Smell</i>: can't detect anything. </div>
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<i>Overall</i>: apart from the bizarre stickiness this is a great product. However it loses more points for only being available online outside of the UK and for the limited shade range, but if you're on a budget definitely check this one out. <b>7.5/10
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<a href="http://mecca.com.au/stila/stay-all-day-liquid-lipstick/V-014351.html" target="_blank">Stila Stay All Day Liquid Lipstick in Fiery </a>- $29.00AUD </div>
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<i>Application</i>: full, opaque colour, totally smooth and creamy with a slighly moussey texture. It also has a flexible sponge tip applicator which isn't my favourite as it makes lip liner necessary. </div>
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<i>Finish</i>: like the Sephora offering this is a tiny bit sticky as it dries, but it's very comfortable and matte and doesn't transfer. </div>
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<i>Layering</i>: no problems with layering. </div>
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<i>Smell</i>: slightly chemically. </div>
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<i>Overall</i>: this product is just about perfect except for the applicator. It also comes in lots of beautiful shades, but I don't seem to hear much about it which is a shame, I think it's really underrated. <b>9/10</b></div>
little henry leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17024952001696475133noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1423067314176460582.post-989771380319362852015-01-10T09:54:00.000+11:002016-03-21T11:17:08.325+11:00Q&A<div style="text-align: justify;">
<img border="0" height="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_Muk0sECe_RqbvmR0CLejvswU7rcDxptFnjyY-IR_uMMDdKxBlS-0ybEyzgcI_TWffpUIX7pYRL6HEGMueVi06PmAsqY7Q_plDi-iWtv_ACYoYLremBStFZAk2OKL617a_v7ATh2MeXIJ/s1600/IMG_5294.png" width="750" /></div>
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You may not have seen just yet, but I've finally made the switch over to Disqus on this little blog to allow for much more fluid communication. What this means is now, if you want, you can get a notification when I (or anyone else) replies to your comment, which makes it feel a lot more like a conversation rather than the standard blogspot system where you have to check back to see if you've received a response.<br />
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In honour of this, I've decided to do a little Q&A in order to get to know you guys better (a la <a href="http://www.theprivatelifeofagirl.com/2014/12/reverse-reader-q-and-a.html" target="_blank">Sophie's post</a> in December.) The journal in the photo is <a href="http://www.bookdepository.com/Q-Day-Potter-Style/9780307719775" target="_blank">this guy</a> which I bought as a Christmas present to myself this year. I wanted to start it in January 2014 but I didn't want to have to carry it around with me overseas so I waited until this year, but really you can start it anytime you want. Basically there's a page for every day of the year and a question on each page, and every day you write down your answer and at the end you can look back and see how your answers have changed over the past five years. So I've taken a few questions out of this book for my little Q&A - answer as many or as few questions as you'd like, but I'm really looking forward to getting to know you all a little better. :)</div>
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<b>Basics</b></div>
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Name: </div>
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Age: </div>
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Where do you live? </div>
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<b>Favourites</b></div>
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Favourite writer(s)?</div>
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Favourite musician(s)?</div>
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Favourite season?</div>
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Favourite scent?</div>
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Favourite colour?</div>
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<b>General</b></div>
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Where are you dying to travel to?</div>
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Staying in or going out?</div>
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What do you want to say when someone asks, "what do you do?"</div>
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Which two famous people would you invite to dinner (one dead and one living)?</div>
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If someone paid for all your relocation costs, where in the world would you move to?</div>
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<b>Blog</b></div>
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Any requests for this blog? Anything you'd like to see more of?</div>
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What's your blog link?</div>
little henry leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17024952001696475133noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1423067314176460582.post-66236605909597315802015-01-02T15:54:00.000+11:002016-03-21T11:15:40.875+11:002014 Make Up Favourites<img border="0" height="540" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzGiLsSv00WQYZzbl6CQ8zbgUNQiyUoWdwRrN58qHOs6G37g0K-f1LF-bRV8gSZPL8qIECxXL3T2YhR5im4aSStwXFqY1pZegv7msXKTxjRA86Sr47NlAc0DeCWa4YYkIP9BR_WtTUn_bE/s1600/IMG_5233.png" width="750" />
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<span style="text-align: justify;">If you want to know what I loved in 2013 here are my previous </span><a href="http://littlehenrylee.blogspot.com.au/2014/01/beauty-favourites-of-2013.html" style="text-align: justify;" target="_blank">make up</a><span style="text-align: justify;"> and </span><a href="http://littlehenrylee.blogspot.com.au/2014/01/skincare-favourites-of-2013.html" style="text-align: justify;" target="_blank">skincare</a><span style="text-align: justify;"> favourites posts.</span></div>
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2014 was definitely a different year for me. I spent almost half of it travelling which, aside from the obvious major life changes, also had a pretty big impact on my beauty routine. So much so that I wasn't going to do a favourites post this year because I felt like it would be too skewed towards what I had available to me while I was travelling and wouldn't necessarily be an accurate representation of my favourite products overall. Not only did I not have the vast majority of my makeup with me, but I also got to try out so many new products that I'd not been able to get in Australia before (or that I didn't want to pay exorbitant prices for.) But despite only getting home in time for the last two months of the year, I decided to round up my favourite new discoveries along with a couple of old staples and when I take a look at my whole makeup stash these products are the real standouts. It's also worth noting that I won't be doing a 2014 skincare favourites this year because even though I've tried new products, since getting home I've been making a big effort to finish up products I had open before I left so it really hasn't changed much from last years favourites.<br />
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The newest entry by far is the <a href="http://mecca.com.au/hourglass/veil-mineral-primer-spf-15/V-007520.html" target="_blank">Hourglass Veil Mineral Primer</a> which I only picked up a couple of weeks ago in Melbourne (thanks to <a href="http://www.likeneonlove.com/" target="_blank">Tenneil's</a> exceptional enabling skills), but this just blows every other primer I've ever tried out of the water. It smooths over the skin seamlessly and really extends the wear time of foundation which is what I need a primer to do. It may be super expensive but it's gorgeous and it <i>works</i>. Another super expensive, much hyped product that I've fallen for is the <a href="http://www.myer.com.au/shop/mystore/giorgio-armani-luminous-silk-foundation" target="_blank">Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk Foundation in 2</a>. After trying a sample from Sephora while in the States I knew I'd have to pick up a bottle before coming home. From the first time I put it on my face I could see what all the fuss was about, it literally makes your skin look like silk and the finish is the most beautiful of any foundation I've ever used. Unfortunately it's not the most long-lasting of bases but combined with the Hourglass primer it's a dream team that I've reached for on all special occasions over the Christmas/New Years period. However, for fellow oily-skinned girls it's the kind of base I'd apply if I had a special occasion on during the day <b>or</b> at night, I wouldn't expect it to last perfectly through both.</div>
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When I know I'll need a foundation that's in it for the long haul I'll turn to the <a href="http://www.sephora.com/amazonian-clay-12-hour-full-coverage-foundation-spf-15-P302918">Tarte Amazonian Clay 12-Hour Foundation in Fair Sand</a>. Now available at the Sydney Sephora store, this is a beautiful, moussey textured medium coverage foundation (that can be built up to full if that's your thing.) It feels weightless on the skin, has a beautiful finish and is housed in great, travel friendly packaging. If all my makeup disappeared these are the two foundations I'd need back in my life ASAP. For concealer the standout has to be the <a href="http://www.sephora.com/full-cover-concealer-P151107">Make Up For Ever Full Cover Concealer in 1</a> which is great for pinpoint concealing blemishes and scarring. You only need the tiniest little dot of product and it's matte, full coverage and waterproof - I just don't own anything else as good as this. For powder I've got to mention a staple which is the <a href="http://www.feelunique.com/p/Rimmel-Stay-Matte-Pressed-Powder-45g">Rimmel Stay Matte Pressed Powder in Transparent</a>. I've found a lot of transparent powders don't do much for oil control, and a lot of oil controlling powders or those with coverage tend to look cakey, but this one ticks all the right boxes. Plus it's super affordable and available everywhere. The only downside is the packaging isn't great for keeping in your bag for touch ups but I always use this to set my makeup in the mornings before leaving the house.</div>
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The prettiest blush of the year award has to go to the <a href="http://mecca.com.au/hourglass/ambient-lighting-blush/V-017576.html">Hourglass Ambient Lighting Blushes</a> in <i>Dim Infusion</i> and <i>Radiant Magenta</i>. I've still not tried the ambient lighting powders because of my aforementioned need for oil control, but when these blushes were launched they were right up my alley. Super smooth and finely milled with great pigmentation and completely luxe packaging, these blushes blur pores and imperfections and leave you with glowing skin in the best way. The <a href="http://www.beautybay.com/cosmetics/anastasiabeverlyhills/dipbrowpomade/">Anastasia DipBrow Pomade in Dark Brown</a> has been my go-to brow product for the later part of the year and I really can't say enough good things about it. When you first use the product it's got a wet texture but soon it develops a firm kind of skin which sounds gross but I actually think it makes the product even better. The pigmentation isn't as intense so it's a lot easier to work with and there's less chance of looking like the <a href="http://img2.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20111213145310/simpsons/images/a/ab/Gerald_Samson.png" target="_blank">monobrowed baby</a> from The Simpsons. The result is polished brows that still look natural, what more can you ask for?</div>
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The best and most versatile eyeshadow palette I've bought this year has to be the <a href="http://www.beautybay.com/cosmetics/urbandecay/nakedbasicspalette/">Urban Decay Naked Basics 2</a>. Although it's not the most exciting looking palette out there, it's completely invaluable because you always need good matte crease shades, and this is full of them. This year has seen me experiment with eye makeup a LOT, and while I'm not giving up daily winged black eyeliner anytime soon, this has really helped me try some new things and made smokey eye looks less intimidating. For mascara I've really enjoyed the <a href="http://www.boots.com/en/Maybelline-The-Rocket-Volum-Express-Very-Black-Mascara_1379055/">Maybelline The Rocket Mascara</a> which annoyingly isn't available in Australia just yet. I picked it up when I was in London and I've really enjoyed it ever since. I'm no mascara pro, but this lengthens, thickens and holds a curl without clumping so it's been keeping me pretty happy.</div>
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For lips I can't possibly go past my old favourite, the <a href="https://www.priceline.com.au/skincare/lip-care/balms/baume-levres-ultra-nourishing-lip-balm-15.0-g">Nuxe Reve de Miel Lip Balm</a> which is still the best lip balm I've ever used. Because of the heavy glass packaging I didn't take my original pot away with me but by the time I reached Paris I knew I couldn't last the rest of my trip without it, so I picked up a second one. I use it every night before bed and I love dabbing it on top of lipstick because it stops your lips from drying out but keeps the matte finish. And I'm sure the <a href="http://mecca.com.au/collection-nars-audacious-lips/">NARS Audacious Lipsticks</a> will be on 2014 favourites lists far and wide, but that's because they're incredible. Unlike any other formula I've tried, these are rich, creamy and fully pigmented and they come in an incredible range of shades - pictured above are <i>Rita</i> & <i>Annabella</i>.</div>
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My favourite hand cream has to be the <a href="http://www.beautybay.com/nailcare/jurlique/rosehandcream/">Jurlique Rose Hand Cream</a> which is an old favourite of mine. Jurlique make my favourite rose scent of all time - warm and creamy and not at all sharp like cheap rose scents can be, this hand cream is rich and luxurious, sinks in quickly and both feels and smells amazing. I'm not much of a hair product person, but I was thrilled to discover the <a href="https://www.priceline.com.au/hair/hair-care/dry-shampoo-and-conditioner/dry-shampoo-xxl-volume-200.0-ml">Batiste Dry Shampoo XXL Volume</a> - let me tell you, it's not kidding about the XXL volume. Now I just use this when I'm doing a beehive and I hardly have to tease my hair, it does all the work for me. And finally for fragrance my favourite has been <a href="http://www.myer.com.au/shop/mystore/Guerlain-petite-robe-noire-EDT#">Guerlain's La Petite Robe Noire</a>. I actually decanted some of this into a little bottle and took it overseas with me so now this perfume reminds me of my trip. On the surface it's a sweet, fruity/floral hybrid with notes of black cherry and Bulgarian and Turkish roses, but underneath that it has a real warmth and depth to it that really sets it apart for me. The notes that deepen the fragrance include licorice, vanilla, patchouli and smoked black tea and I think they give it a much more grown up feel which I adore.</div>
little henry leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17024952001696475133noreply@blogger.com28tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1423067314176460582.post-59767959855182607452014-12-06T18:39:00.000+11:002016-03-21T11:15:58.584+11:00Handbag Staples<img height="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipWxS-EXoHxmGADLSFF9_euiz0QR2KvSgEdNnTv8gC8hiuQg9a4q-5Mdq_KBE5ijFaKchr92AawGgJqi-Ex7jDTaAk71Rk7cTA47LObd5nULFmgDrFw4-eymTEvpY4aOu3rGlEIKvARWIE/s1600/IMG_5178.png" width="750" /><br />
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I thought I'd put together a post on all the bits and pieces that come around with me on an everyday basis, and I also wanted a chance to show off my amazing makeup bag. It's by the brand Danica Studio and I picked it up when I was in San Francisco in October, and I've since found it online at <a href="http://www.modcloth.com/shop/bath-decor/celestial-chateau-makeup-bag" target="_blank">ModCloth</a>. The first thing any girl with a blunt fringe can't leave home without is a <b>comb</b>, and any girl with hair should carry round some <b>bobby pins </b>and a <b>hair tie</b> or two for emergencies. I also have a little gold <b>mirror compact</b> in the shape of a seashell because mermaids are awesome, and that weird looking black thing is actually a fold out <b>fan</b>. I know it sounds like that's over-preparing a bit, but it's so small and light to carry around and trust me, when you're on a crowded train in the middle of summer and your makeup is melting off everyone is gonna be jealous of the girl who thought to bring a fan.<br />
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I get quite oily in my t-zone so I never leave home without blotting papers, this cute little pack is from <a href="http://www.asos.com/au/Paul-Joe/Paul-Joe-Blotting-Paper/Prod/pgeproduct.aspx?iid=4215787&xr=1&mk=VOID&r=3" target="_blank">Paul & Joe</a>, and also a pressed powder for touch ups like the <a href="http://www.asos.com/au/Bourjois/Bourjois-Healthy-Balance-Powder/Prod/pgeproduct.aspx?iid=2407435&cid=1451&sh=0&pge=1&pgesize=36&sort=-1&clr=Vanilla+52&totalstyles=65&gridsize=3" target="_blank">Bourjois Healthy Balance Powder </a>along with my <a href="http://www.ulta.com/ulta/browse/productDetail.jsp?productId=xlsImpprod4150027" target="_blank">retractable kabuki brush</a> because I'd prefer not to use the sponges that come with powder if I can help it. I'm no germophobe but I did pick up some cute hand sanitisers from <a href="http://www.bathandbodyworks.com/family/index.jsp?categoryId=10965949" target="_blank">Bath & Body Works</a> while I was in the States - who can say no to something that's pumpkin cupcake scented? And the same goes for the <b>gum</b>, can you tell I was enjoying the seasonal flavours and scents while I was there?</div>
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I've also got a mini fig scented hand cream from <a href="http://www.stories.com/gb/Beauty/Bath_body/Hand_lotions/Fig_Fiction_Mini_Hand_Cream/102584066-765507.1" target="_blank">& Other Stories</a> that I picked up in Milan, as well as a decanted spray bottle of <b>Chanel No 5</b>. I actually decanted a few of my favourite perfumes to take away with me and now that I'm back they're great for touching up if I'm going to be out all day/night. Of course I've got to have a lip balm on me at all times, and this one is the <a href="http://www.ulta.com/ulta/browse/productDetail.jsp?productId=xlsImpprod6500959" target="_blank">SoftLips Cube</a> in vanilla bean, and who would I be if I didn't leave the house with at least five red lip options at all times (no but seriously). Some of my favourites are the <a href="http://www.beautybay.com/cosmetics/toofaced/meltedliquifiedlongwearlipstick/?mkwid=sbBRoMS0I_dc&pcrid=49508595377&kword=too%20faced%20melted%20lipstick&match=e&plid=&gclid=CjwKEAiAv7ajBRCIldS7rp7wzFkSJAAA1n4DYR0lfqa2jmPiY7s_PJOrxMPCyySoIKhNwZ_u6952ohoCNqzw_wcB" target="_blank">Too Faced Melted Lipstick</a> in Melted Ruby, <a href="http://www.sephora.com/luminous-creme-lipstick-P283903" target="_blank">Bite Beatuy's Lumious Creme Lipstick</a> in Tannin, <a href="http://au.strawberrynet.com/makeup/chanel/rouge-coco-hydrating-creme-lip/101592/" target="_blank">Chanel's Rouge Coco</a> in 19 Gabrielle, <a href="http://shop.nordstrom.com/s/yves-saint-laurent-rouge-pur-couture-lip-color/3130770" target="_blank">Yves Saint Laurent's Rouge Pur Couture </a>in 40 Rouge Eros, and <a href="https://www.priceline.com.au/index.php/cosmetics/lips/lipstick/rouge-edition-12h-lipstick-3.5-g" target="_blank">Bourjois' Rouge Edition</a> in 34 Cherry My Cherie. </div>
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