Goodbye 2013 ...

 

I want to start off by saying Merry Christmas and I hope that you all had a day full of love and joy! I've been so busy over the past week or so that I couldn't find the chance to pop in and say hey!
But I still can't believe that 2013 is almost drawing to close, so many things have happened this year, I started this blog, went overseas, got a new job, and scored my first internship just to name a few.

Every year I do this and I know it is quite cliche (but I do it anyway because I am a sucker for cliches) but I have decided to post my New Year's resolutions for 2014! I do tend to follow them for most of the year, I don't achieve every that I want to but I try my best! Feel free to check them out after the break and comment some of your own if you're willing, but otherwise Happy New Year my loves and I wish you all the happiness in the world! See you all next year!

XO Chantalle

Soap & Glory The Breakfast Scrub | Review

In terms of shower pampering, there has got to be nothing better than a nifty little body scrub. No matter the weather, the day or the time of the year, everyday I be scrubbin' (not everyday or my skin would be non existent but you get my point, right?!) I love to scrub.

One of my favourites has got to be Soap & Glory's The Breakfast Scrub. I first tried this baby after hearing wondrous reviews, and I thought to myself well I just got give this thing a try! I'm currently on my second tub and honestly I don't see myself stopping in the near future it is that good.

The Breakfast Scrub seriously has to be the most amazing thing that I ever smelt, and when I say it smells good enough to eat it truly does smell good enough to eat! If you have ever wondered what it would be like to bathe in maple syrup, honey let this whet your curiosity because this scrub is for you. The scent is a mix between said maple syrup, oats, and honey. Don't let the name fool you either, it can be used anytime of the day and I personally like to use it to relax just before heading off to la la land.

But what I love most is that it isn't an artificial smell, it smells like the real deal! And what is even better is that I find it doesn't linger too much or become too overpowering on the skin after showering, interrupting any other perfume you may fancy to put on afterwards.

In terms of consistency, I think it is quite spot on. It's thick but not so much so that it becomes too abrasive but is still a pretty good scrub. It contains contains sugar particles, organic cupuacu bio scrubs, oatmeal grains, as well as Shea butter, bananas, almond and honey extracts - quite literally breakfast in a tub. It works hard to remove dead skins whilst leaving skin smooth and smelling great.

The packaging itself is also quite cute like all Soap & Glory products (I can never fault anything pink). It comes in a 300ml plastic tub that is practical to be used and kept in the shower. In Oz this retails for $18.95 from Mecca Cosmetica and Mecca Maxima, which in my opinion is quite reasonable considering how great the product is and the amount that you get.

I don't think I can emphasise how much I love this product and how great it smells. Sometimes I just open the jar just to get a whiff of it even if I won't be using it. If you have yet to try this, girl get on it!

Have you tried this scrub?

Chantalle X

Wednesday Wishlist #2 | Christmas Edition

I still can't believe that it is December, where did 2013 go!? But now that it is actually December I can finally accept that Christmas is indeed creeping around the corner. I do love Christmas but wasn't it just July a couple of weeks ago? Did we just skip October and November? But despite how scarily quick it has come I've decided to make this Wednesday Wishlist a Christmas edition of all the little bits and bobs that I could only dream of having, and perhaps spark a bit of gift giving inspiration for you all - for yourself or someone else, whichever!

1. Viktor & Rolf Flowerbomb- I have kind of neglected my scent stash as of late and I feel that it needs a bit of a mix up (I use Daisy Eau So Fresh or Chance by Chanel usually) and I would love to add this to my collection.

2. Clarisonic Mia 2 in pink- I've always wanted the Clarisonic Mia but I could never muster up the courage to fork out the money to buy it. I have read and watched so many reviews from beauty gurus singing their praises so I think a little cheeky Christmas gift for myself is in order, in pink of course.

3. Diptyque Rose Duet candle- A duo of my two favourite Diptyque scents Roses and Baies, what more can I ask for? The pink glass is such a lovely touch as well. The sad part however is that it seems to be sold out in most places in Australia.

4. Bobbi Brown Smokey Cool and Warm eye shadow palettes- I don't believe that this requires much of an explanation but I am in lurrrrrve with these two palettes. The packaging is also quite beautiful as well.

5. Kikki K A Sentence a Day Journal- Lately I've found myself in a rut in terms of where I want my life to be headed so I think it would be interesting to record my thoughts everyday for 3 years. I also have my eye on the goals and happiness journal

6. Marc by Marc Jacobs Baker Watch in silver- I love how simple and chic this watch looks. It's quite basic and can be styled with any look. I have so many watches already, but you can never have too many right? The other colours also look quite nice too.

Bioderma Crealine H20 | Is it Worth the Hype?

 

I am sure by now you've all heard of this miracle product (if you haven’t, are you living under a rock?) But if you've yet to try out this cleanser you may or may not be wondering if it lives up to all the hype it gets (and by golly it gets a lot in Beauty Land). In my opinion Bioderma's Crealine H20 Cleansing Solution deserves every last bit of raving response it receives. I love it and I don't see myself stopping any time soon.

It's so much more than water in a bottle

Don’t let the clear liquid fool you, this cleansing water is more than just plan and simple H20. It is a gentle, fragrance-free micellar solution that cleanses impurities and removes make-up without affecting the skin’s natural balance. Yes, this very simple looking liquid removes every ounce of make-up and dirt that may be on your skin from a day of heavy lifting without excessive rubbing or scrubbing. And for any lazy suckers out there, you don’t need to wash it off, at all.

It's great for sensitive souls

This solution is specifically formulated for skin that is incredibly sensitive, intolerant or prone to redness. The secret is in the special micellar solution. When you soak a cotton pad, the micelles within the formulation fix to the pad. Then, when it comes into contact with your skin, the micelles transform and open, capturing dirt, make-up and oils that lay around on your face. Once these impurities are captured, the micelles close again, imprisoning them and carrying them away on the cotton pad. Your skin is left feeling clean, fresh, hydrated, non-greasy and most importantly soothed.

It's great pals with contact lenses

For contact lenses wearers like myself finding a make-up remover that isn’t irritating is a mission in itself.  However, with this solution you can use it with complete confidence knowing that it won’t irritate your eyes a single bit. Trust me, I’ve tried it!

It has cute packaging

Who can say no to any form of pink packaging? No, I didn’t think so. But not only that, Créaline H20 come in various sizes (150ml, 250ml and 500ml) meaning you can take one with you wherever you go during the day, you can have one in your car, and you can also have one in your bathroom (or three). The flip top lid is also easy to use and dispenses small amounts of liquid without squirting everywhere and anywhere.

It's French

And if all that wasn’t enough to sway you to go and buy this product (read: buy it right this second), it is French and who doesn’t love a little treat from France in their skin care cabinet. I know I do.

The only down side is …

Once you have tried it, there is no going back. Don’t say I didn’t warn you!

Have you tried Bioderma’s Créaline H20 micellar solution? What do you love (or hate) about it? 

Chantalle X

Empty Products #1 | Things I've used up

There is nothing like finally finishing off a few beauty prods and stashing them in your room until you have collected enough to make a post, am I right? The time has finally come for me to make my first empties post and I am bit excited to share my thoughts as some of these products I absolutely adore. A lot of them I will repurchase in the future (or I already have hehe), but others I am sure I can live without.

1. La Roche-Posay Effaclar Duo - So I had heard all sorts of reviews about this gem and I had been dying to get my hands on it and give it a go. Now, I do have incredibly pimple prone skin. When I was younger and about 15 I suffered from pretty bad acne, and until now I still get the odd pimple or two so I am always eager to give new products a go. I would not go as far to say that this gets rid of pimples, though it could work better on milder forms. However, it does as it says on the tube and reduces the appearance of imperfections. It has a nice clean scent and is very easy to apply. I use it in the morning and at night if I have more pimples than usual. I have already repurchased this and it is a part of my daily skin care routine.

2. REN Clear Calm 3 Replenishing Night Serum- I bought this product with the intent of using it as a heavy duty night cream for my pimple prone skin. I didn't actually use it for awhile after I bought it until I had a few pesky pimples that I thought this product could help clear up. To be honest I was really disappointed and I don't feel that it made a difference to my skin at all. It has botanic scent and is pleasant to use on the skin but I didn't feel that it helped with pimples in any way or form. I will not be repurchasing this.

3. MAC Fix+ - This is a skin refresher and a finishing mist all in one. Along with my pimple prone skin, I also have incredibly oily skin so my make-up tends to disappear by midday or become a bit cakey in appearance. I used this before applying make-up, as well as after and I think it worked well in prepping my skin but not so much in setting it. It was also quite good at refreshing my make-up throughout the day but a bit annoying to carry around everywhere in terms of size. It's not something I intend to repurchase.

4. Urban Decay All Nighter Make up Setting Spray-  I was really excited to try this, and I did like it but it is not something that I LOVED and I don't see myself buying it again. It did work but I would not say it was 'powerful,' again possibly something to do with my oily skin so I think I may try out the one for oily skin instead of this one again.

5. Aesop Parsley Seed Anti-oxidant facial Toner- I was reluctant to buy this thing as it retails for $65 here in Australia but I can say that I do not regret it, not one bit. I am always on the look out for new additions to my skin care routine as my skin is quite pesky, and this is a great addition. I feel that it thoroughly cleanses and tones the skin without stripping it of natural oils and moisture. My skin actually feels great after using it, and I feel that it has made a difference to the size of my pores. It also has a lovely scent. Despite the price, I am on my second bottle and I love it.  

6. Mario Badescu Enzyme Cleansing Gel- I received this sample with one of my Mecca Cosmetica online purchases and it was great because I have always wanted to try something from Mario Badescu. But I did not love this at all. I am not a fan of gel cleansers personally and I absolutely hated the smell of this. To me it smells like cheap hotel shampoo, like a really fake floral smell and that is something that I do not like putting on my skin, especially my face. I wouldn't buy the full size and I am not a bit reluctant to try out more products.

7. Jurlique Rosewater Balancing Mist- Out of all my empties, this is probably my favourite! I love any rose scent but this baby is so much more. Because of its small size I could easily take it pretty  much everywhere with me, which was great as I would use it throughout the day whenever I felt that my make up needed a bit of a refresher. I would spray it all over my face and viola all better! I also believe it has the bonus extra of refocusing my mind during a long day! Love this product!

8. Laura Mercier Oil Free Foundation Primer - When buying make up or any product really my instinct is to go with oil free straight away, so out of the Laura Mercier primer range this was my first choice. However, I did not like this product at all and feel that it made my face oilier. It also has a very plastic smell. I won't be repurchasing this but I am trying out the other Laura Mercier primers

9. Skinstitut  Enzymatic Micro Peel- This was one of the first face peels that I have tried and to put it bluntly I don't like it and feel it made no difference to my skin what so ever. I won't repurchase this.

10. Batiste Dry Shampoo XXL Volume- Dry shampoo is such a staple in my hair care routine and I tried this one out as it was on sale. Let me just say I do not like this product at all. I don't like the smell and I hate how my hair feels after I apply it. It leaves my hair feeling thick and dry, and hard to comb through. The volume was also way too much that I hated it. I felt like this was making my hair dirtier instead of cleaning it. I will not ever repurchase this, no matter how much this is on sale.

What beauty products have you finished recently?
Have you tried any of these products? What are your opinions?

Long time no post

My oh my I am quite embarrassed. I am ashamed to say that it has been almost 6 months since my last update, that's right 6 long dreary months. Some of you might not have noticed that I was gone (not that I blame you, I abandoned ship before it had even set sail well and truly), but I am back for good!

The last 6 months have been a whirlwind for me in so many ways, I started two new internships, a new job, tried to balance two jobs and two internships, and also finished off my last semester of uni ever (yep, ever). I am now on 'holidays' and I must say I miss this little thing just a tad (or maybe more). So with nothing much left to do in my daily life I have come crawling back to this blog begging that it take me back. I promise this time I am here to stay and I ask that you stick with me. As always, I will post things that will make all you make-up mavens out there sing, served with a side of opinion and some personal entries. So let's FINALLY set sail on this journey!

For the love all things beauty and witty,

Chantalle

Looking for Alaska by John Green | Book Review

I just want to start off by saying (especially as this is my first book review here), this will not be summary of the book, nor will any of my other future reviews be a summary of the book. I'm not here to spoil it for you and tell you what happens, I'm here to tell you if this is a bloody good book or not, and if you should read it or stay the hell away from it.*

I was (or am) a bit late to joining the John Green bandwagon, but I heard so much about him and his work, and thought to myself, gee I better get on with it and read some of this guy's stuff. So before I had started reading  Looking for Alaska I had extremely high expectations of it. I had heard a plethora of great things about it and was itching to get my hands on a copy, settle down and devour it in one go.

Perhaps it was this combination of anticipation and excitement that I built around actually reading the book, that I felt a little let down upon it’s completion. Don’t get me wrong, I loved it overall, and I felt genuinely moved, but I felt that something was missing for me.

Urban Decay Naked vs. Naked 2 Palette | Product Comparison

It's product comparison time again and this time I am comparing the very much loved and very much adored Urban Decay Naked Palettes. I personally love Naked palettes. They're perfect in terms of variety and versatility, having day-to-day colours and those that are also perfect for a night out with a choice between mattes, shimmers or satins. But when I first went to buy a Naked palette, both the original Naked and Naked 2 were available at the time. My biggest problem, WHICH ONE TO BUY FIRST!!!!?? I didn't want to buy both at once (I couldn't justify it to myself) so sadly I spent countless hours googling and searching for advice on which is the better palette. Let's just say I came up short and had to make the drastic decision myself (God forbid). So which one did I buy first, and better yet which is the better palette?

In the end, I went with Naked 2. I choose this bad boy purely based on photos online - it just seemed that I would use the colours from the Naked 2 more than Naked 1. And clearly I did use it a lot, behold my palette below looking quite shabby chic with many colours hitting the pan after almost 6 months usage.

As you can see, the names of the shadows are almost gone and I have used more of the neutral day time colours than the rest. I am a daily eye shadow gal after all. I find the colours in the Naked 2 palette to be how should say, to have a greater range, or perhaps variety? There are some lovely neutral colours, gold, copper bronze and taupe. Then you have some shimmery browns, some greys, silver, a darker shimmery taupe and of course black. The Naked 2 palette is generally my go to when I am in a rush or when I want to create a simple look.

Don't let the lack of 'hitting the pan-ness' fool you, I've simply had Naked 1 for a shorter period of time (note how clean and new it looks). In my opinion, this palette is leans slightly more on the bronzy/golden shadows. Unlike the Naked 2, there is is less variety in colours. There is no black, nor is there a silver or matte taupes. Gunmetal and Creep are the closest to grey/silver/black, and hustle is probably the closest to a taupe colour. I guess you could say that the Naked 1 is 'warmer' in comparison to Naked 2 (I'm probably wrong, but that's my opinion). 

Overall, the packaging of the two is quite similar in terms of layout. Both also come with a mirror and Urban Decay Brush, however Naked 2 is I guess a hard plastic case and is therefore better for travel. Both palettes are quite versatile and you can create so many day to night looks with just the one palette. And of course, the shadows are similar in consistency and apply like a dream.

I am probably biased since I have had Naked 2 longer, and am probably more comfortable in using it, but I prefer the Naked 2. In saying that I do love the original as well.

So should you buy them both or is one enough? I would say that you don't need both, the colours are pretty similar that you don't the two. I think it just comes down to personal preference, but if you're a beauty junkie like me, an extra palette ain't hurting anybody now is it?

How to ... Look like you've had 10 hours sleep

Recently I have become a master, an expert, a guru, a pro (and every other title under sun) at a certain type of sorcery... kinda. After doing several 3 am starts, followed by many night shifts and countless sleepless nights, and just being a uni student in general, I have learned the art of faking it. Yep faking it. Faking that bushy tailed, wide eye, I've just had 10 hours sleep look, when really I would be lucky to have had half of that. I have learned a few neat little tricks to looking well rested and I am going to share some secrets with you guys. So here we go ladies:

Step 1: Prep and Base

So you've managed to pull yourself out of bed, showered and braced your face in the mirror ready to have at it, you go Glen Coco! First step is to prep your bases. I usually start off by spritzing my face with something hydrating, in most cases your skin will be dull and most likely thirsty if you've had a big night, so go for something like Caudalie Beauty Elixer [1] or MAC Fix+ [2].
Next I apply some primer any will do really, you just need a barrier between your skin and make-up or else your thirsty skin will drink up whatever you apply on it with zeal. And lastly, curl your peepers. Nothing says I am awake than opened up eyes, so curl those damn lashes.

Step 2: Foundation

Next is foundation, go for something with full coverage that isn't cakey and in liquid form. I like Rimmel Wake Me Up Foundation [3], which also contains some all amounts of shimmer, or my Holy Grail Laura Mercier Silk Creme [4]. Note: Please take care to avoid the eye area, foundation under the eyes is a no-no. 

Step 3: Concealer

With this bad girl I have a love-relationship, but treat her nicely and she will work wonders. So use sparingly. Use a creamy concealer under the eye (different to what you use on blemishes), such as MAC Mineralize Concealer [5] or NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer [6], and say good bye to those ugly dark circles.

Step 4: Eye Illuminator

This is probably my favourite and the most life saving step. Illuminator works wonders to brighten the eye area, however they don't conceal dark circles, so they must be used with concealer first. I like Benefit Ooh La Lift [7] or L'Oreal Lumi Magique Pen [8] but that God Damn YSL Touche Eclat works too. Instead of doing a straight line under your eyes opt for a upside-down triangle in line with your lashline, and pat with a dabbing motion till all gone.

 

Step 5: Water lining, eye-liner and mascara

When tired and lacking sleep I suggest no black liner, especially on the lids. It will make your eyes like smaller and undo all the hard work of illuminating the area. Try lining the lower and upper (if you can) water lines with fleshy pink white eye-liner. This will open up your eyes, making it look brighter and of course more awake. Try Benefit Eye Bright Pencil [9] or Stila Smudge Crayon [10]. With mascara, use sparingly and opt for feather looking lashes.

Step 6: Blush and Bronzer 

The usual drill goes for blush and bronzer, both will add life and colour to your skin. I like to opt for something peachy pink usually of the NARS variety. Remember less is more.

Step 7: Highlighter 

Usually as the finishing touch I will brush some highlighter across my cheek bones or where the light hits eg. brow bone. I usually don't if I have mixed highlighter with my foundation. But I also like to add highlighter to my eyes, because looking awake is all about the eyes! I usually dab a little bit of highlighter in the inner corners of my eyes (dat V) with Urban Decay Naked 2 shade 'Bootycall' to make my eyes look bigger and more awake.

 

Other Neat Tips:  

• If you dare, try no mascara it will make you look younger.
• Also, drink up! Water only, and try to limit the amount of caffeine and sugar.

This isn't by any means the only way to do it, just what I know from personal experience, I am really not an expert despite what I like to think. Feel free to comment your suggestions below! 

The Best Beauties from the MET Gala 2013

If there was just one particular event I had to pick as my life long favourite in terms of the best beauty looks it would definitely be this years MET Gala hands down. With the theme being 'Punk: Chaos to Couture' I was literally floored with the vast array of fierce hairstyles, alluring eyes and luscious lips. So much so that I may just fancy sheering off my hair and dying it white Nicole Richie style (kidding, kidding!!) But my goodness so many celebs hit the nail on the head this year, with many taking risky strides and some playing it safe.

It was a hard job picking the best looks with so many to choose from. You see, I was going to go for top 10 beauty looks, golly gosh I couldn't help myself, but I painfully cut it down and ended up with these 5 stunning ladies. So read on, take a peek, take some notes, and let's 'ooh and ahh' over these looks together.

 

So these are my favourite looks, what are some of your favourite looks from the evening? Are you willing to try any of these looks yourself? 

Benefit World Famous Neutrals | Review & Swatches

I think I have mentioned in a previous post how much of a die hard fan I am of neutral eye shadows. Apart from the obvious that they go with well, pretty much everything, they are so versatile and so easy peasy to use. So it was a no brainer for me to go ahead and try out Benefit's new World Famous Neutrals eye shadow sets. I was going to buy all three, buttttt my heart was particularly set on the Easiest Nudes palette (like I said easy peeeaaaasy!), the colours looked the most appealing out of the three in my opinion.

These bad girls retail for about $44 in Australia, a tad on the pricey side but are value for money I guess considering it has 6 shadows and probably a better way for trying out Benefit eyeshadows than buying them separately.

They come in a super cute box, and when I first opened it up, it reminded me of a book? Kinda, maybe? Anyways, they are very similar in design to the Too Faced eye shadow palette boxes and in my opinion is a tad bulky. The mirror of the palette is covered by a Tips and Tricks booklet that opens up to two tutorials or suggestion of how you can apply these shadows for day and night. They can also be teared off so you have the option of having the mirror clearly visible.

Each palette comes with two mini creaseless cream shadows, which is great as I've recently become a cream shadows fan. The eye shadows themselves are a pretty decent size and I think will last quite a while (hopefully).

 

In the palette (or jar in the case of the cream shadows), the colours appear quite pigmented and dark in colour. However, against my skin tone I think they are fairly muted and much lighter than I thought they would turn out. Despite that, they are fairly smooth and easy to apply and I can see myself using these colours almost as often as my Naked Basics Palette. They are long lasting and the creams don't smudge at all (considering I have oily lids it must be pretty good). Out of the 6, my favourites are definitely Thanks a Latte and r.s.v.p.

Have you tried out the new Benefit World Famous Neutrals palettes? Which is your favourite?

A Little Beauty Haul #2

God I love sales, and I especially love make-up sales. So when Priceline had their 40% off all cosmetics sale I knew I had no choice but to jump on board. I think I kinda went a lil cray cray, but amongst all the hustle and bustle and people shoving each other around I practically grabbed whatever I could get my hands on. I couldn't miss out on a bargain right!!!?? These beauties cost me about $180 (and that amount will probably sound alot more to you non-Australians) but it is still a bloody bargain! Let me take you through some of the little gems that I managed to snap up. 

• Foundation -  so I may or may not have gone a tad over board with the foundation but there have just been so many that I have been wanting to try for some time now and I figured this would be the best time to buy them all. My skin is what you would call 'problem' skin so I'm pretty much always on the hunt for a good foundation that works well with my skin. I purchased Rimmel Wake me Up, which I think is a bit too dark for my skin tone and Revlon colour stay in combination/oily skin, which I have been dying to try. I also purchased both versions of the Bourjois healthy mix. I personally love the 'normal version' (I think that's what you call it) so I wanted to give the gel one a go.
• Powder- Again I have oily/problem skin so powder is always a must have for me. I wanted to give the Bourjois one a try simply because I love the liquid foundation so much I figured the powder must be good. I also got the L'oreal Nude Magique BB powder mostly because they had sold out of the liquid version and I really wanted to try out L'oreal's BB range. 

• CC Cream- Another make-up miracle/brain child/wonder product. It is amongst the likes of BB cream, however CC cream is a colour corrector. This one comes out green (a bit weird I know) but from what I have used so far works well in concealing any redness.
• Highlighter- I have heard some great reviews on the L'oreal Lumi pen so I had no choice but to buy this (that is what I like to tell myself anyway).
• Eye products- You can't go to a make-up sale and not buy eye-liner or mascara, I mean seriously? I usually love Rimmel eye liners so I had my eye on their gel/liquid versions. I've also heard some nice things about this Max Factor mascara.
• Lip Products - I am a fan of all Revlon lip products and my favourites are the Just Bitten Kissable Lip Balm Stain things and the Lip Butters so it was a no brainer to get some more. I got the Honey stain and the lip butter in candy apple 

Have you snapped up some beauty bargains lately?  What products have you been dying to try out? Comment below!

When being 20 isn't living up to its perks

 

When I was younger, I had some grand master plan for my twenties, or what I fondly use to called being 'grown up.' I don't know when or how I began my diabolical plotting (I might just blame all those romance novels I would submit myself to) but somehow I had mapped out my entire future. You see, for my 16 year old self, turning 20 was a lifetime away, so far into the future that it was only natural for me to achieve so many awesome and life-changing things in that time. I knew I wanted to study, graduate with some fabulous degree, move out of home, travel all over the world, land some high profile job. I knew what age that I wanted to meet the perfect guy, how long we would be together before we would marry, and what age I would be when I had my first child.

I remember one day at lunch when I was in high school telling my friends that if I hadn't achieved most of that by 25 that I would adopt. Let me emphasise that again, by 25 years old I would adopt a child. I am now realizing what utter ridiculousness that was. I may only be 20 now but my GOD I will not achieve all of that in the next 4 years. I like to think it was because I was horribly naive or that I was some over achiever, but is being in your 20s really not what it is cranked up to be? I clearly thought that if I hadn't sorted out my shit by the time I was 25, obviously I was a failure.

Want her look | Rita Ora

It has been over about a week since Future Music Festival here in Sydney, but ever since I have been practically OBSESSED with this woman and her lady in red look. Having seen her in the flesh, I can say she is definitely a sexy senoRita *swoon* (and an amazing singer I might as well add...). Many have said she has copied the looks of Gwen Stefani and Rihanna, but I think her trademark red lips teamed with cat-eye eyeliner and glowing skin suit her to the tee. Here's how to get her look:

Step 1: Luminous and Sun-kissed skin - Most looks that Rita Ora sports screams the 'sun-kissed glowing from within' thing that most Brits, well, don't have and many of us mortals die to re-create. Rita has been noted to use Shimmer Brick compact in Bronze by Bobbi Brown for giving her highlighted skin. She also uses it as a an eye shadow and blusher. You can achieve her glow that rivals pregnant women by using Nars Illuminator in Copacabana.

Step 2: Luscious Black Liner - I practically envy Rita's liner. It's always so dark, thick and lovely and frames her brown eyes nicely. Go for a waterproof liner in black that boasts stay power, such as Stila's stay all day waterproof liquid eye liner. Keep the eye shadow neutral to compliment the statement liner and lips.

Step 3: Fire red engine lips- And finally to top off her look, stand out red lips. Rita usually wears varying shades of red or berry lippy but her weapon of choice is usually MAC Ruby Woo or Lady Danger. I also adore her red lips, but who doesn't love a good red lip.

Burt's Bees Beeswax & Banana hand creme | Review

I feel like I'm always on a search. The kind of search that can be comparable to some never ending  quest, with ups and downs, twists and turns, and rights and wrongs. And no, I am not talking about finding the meaning of life (also equally troubling, but lets save that for another post) - I am talking about finding the one. The one that fits into your life seamlessly, fulfills all your needs so you never feel the need to search ever again. Yes ladies, I am talking about that one perfect beauty product. But no matter what I do, no matter how much I fall in love time and time again, it never seems to be enough and I always crave for more. But I guess that is beauty addiction for ya. 

My most recent search had been to find a hand cream that I could use before bed. Something thick and hydrating but not too sticky, something that smelt deliciously sweet but not too sickening. That's when I stumbled across this little gem. I love all Burt's Bess products that I have tried, but this hand cream is my newest love.

As soon as I twisted open the lid on the glass jar I knew this would be a hit. True to its name, the cream smells just like bananas but more on the banana milkshake or smoothie side. It's definitely sweet but not so much that it makes you cringe. The jar is a decent size and I assume it will last me quite a while as the consistency is quite thick meaning I only need to use a tiny bit.

Ever since I have bought this, I have used it every night and sometimes when I am about to head out, and I've only made a teeny tiny dent in it. It does take some time to sink in but that's what makes it perfect for night time use. I don't have extremely dry hands but I feel that there has been difference since I have started using this.

This retails for about $17 in Australia and can be purchased in places like Priceline or Myer. I think the price is reasonable considering the size of the product and how little you need to use for it to be effective. When I finish this (if I ever finish this!) I will definitely re-purchase. It also comes in an almond and milk smell/flavour. I usually love almonds, and I am a devote to almond milk, but that one just didn't do it for me, the smell reminded me of medicine for some weird reason and really do not want to feel sick before bed! This little baby has found a new home on my bed side table (for now), well at least until I feel the need to search and buy another one! Ahh that pesky beauty product addiction!

What beauty products are you constantly in search for? Have you tried this baby, what are your opinions? Comment below!

February Faves | Beauty Products

I seriously cannot believe that February is done and dusted and it's March already - how quick is this year going! February was not only my birthday month (still not use to being 20) but also when I went to to the Philippines for the first time since I was 6 and also the start of my last year of my media degree. This month I bought a truck load of different products, but these are the ones which I found myself grabbing the most. So drum roll please ladies and gents, here goes my first monthy favourites post!

So in no particular order (other than for convenience that is)

1. Lanolips 101 Ointment- This is hailed by many big names in beauty as one of Australia's best products, and I am going to have to agree. This lip ointment is medical grade and made out of lanolin. This baby is great for chapped lips, cuticles, dry skin and much more. I will probably using this a lot more when winter rolls around.

2. Bourjois Healthy Mix Foundation- I just recently bought this foundation but I am already in love. It is light enough to use during the day but covers redness and imperfections. I feel that lasts quite well with a primer and when applied with my buffing brush.

3. Burt's Bees Beeswax and Banana Hand cream- I will soon be uploading a review on this gem, but let me just say it smells good enough to eat and works incredibly well as a before bed hand cream.

4. Urban Decay Naked Basics Palette- I have already done a review on this palette here but throughout the month this has easily become my favourite palette. I've used it almost everyday and usually in combination with my Naked 2. The colours are just superb to use on a daily basis.

5. Oh Lola! by Marc Jacobs perfume- I am huge fan of everything Marc Jacobs but this perfume has recently become my fave. In my opinion it is much nicer than the original Lola and contains woody and vanilla notes while being fruity and floral all at once.

6. Nak Dry Klean Dry Shampoo- My hair is prone to become oily after 2 days and is quite annoying to wash all the time. This dry shampoo is by far the best I've used so far and doesn't leave my hair feeling gross and powdery after it has been brushed through.

7. Benefit Ooh La Lift under-eye brightener- I've had this for quite awhile but I have found myself reaching for this more regularly this month. I blame late nights and early starts! But this does work quite well with concealer to brighten the eye area

8. Benefit Porefessional balm- This month I have been having quite some issues with my already problematic skin (I'm quite acne prone). I have been getting strange little bumps around my cheeks resulting in my make-up not sitting well. This balm has done wonders to fill in my pores and hide those pesky bumps.

What were your favourite products this month?

Duty Free and overseas make-up purchases

As promised, here is my beauty purchases while I was holidaying away in the Philippines that I wanted to share with you guys. Somehow I managed to buy significantly less than I thought I would. I left Australia with a hefty list of all the beauty products that I was dying to buy. However when I got there, I'm not sure what stopped me from buying so much but I just didn't. Although I think to blame is the presence of Forever 21 and Topshop for distracting me (cheap clothes won this time) and the amount of clothes I bought resulting in very few remaining kgs for make-up in my luggage. Nevertheless I did manage to get some stuff on zee list.

So funny story, I nearly missed my flight out of Australia all because of you guessed it, duty free shopping! I don't know how it happened, but somehow my mum and I spent over an hour in the perfume section trying on various perfumes (it could only happen to us really). While I was purchasing these two babies at the counter they were calling out my mum and I over the PA to board the plane, and my GOD did we freak out. I've never ran so fast in my life, hand carry luggage whacking everyone behind me all the way to the boarding gates - but whatever. I bought these two because they are my absolute faves, they smell almost the same but I DO NOT CARE. So worth almost missing my plane (kind of ...).

My next purchase was Maybelline Baby Lips. I bought these because one, they're not very heavy and two, they are bloody cheap there! In Australia I think the retail for about $6 (not 100% sure) but in the Philippines I think these were less than $2 - so pretty damn cheap in my opinion. I did snap up a few more in these two shades, colour Berry Crush and Baby Pink Glow (I'm not too fond of the others) so hopefully I won't need to buy anymore in the near future.

Next is my MAC purchases. I will start off by saying I didn't own many MAC products previously, simply because they are pretty pricey here in Australia and I always feel a little intimidated by the MAC girls at my local counters. Being intimidated is more than enough to stop me from buying something, stupid I know but I HOPE I am not the only one. Most of the products I bough were a result of getting my make-up done by the guys at the counter. Here's what I bought:

Fix+ skin refresher and finishing mist- This spray is meant to be kinda like a setting mist and face primer all in one. It should be used before and after applying make-up to keep foundation look fresh and anti-cakey throughout the day. I've used it a few times already and really think it does make a difference. 

Mineralize tinted lip balm in Rosy Romance- This wasn't on my list, but I bought this because I've always wanted to try out MAC lip balms. I like the colour, especially for winter. 

Studio Fix Foundation powder in NC 20 and NW 20- I've been dying to get these for quite awhile now. I bought both NC and NW because my skin colour tends to vary with the seasons. In summer, I do have a much more pinky red tone, whereas in winter my face is much paler, but generally I am always pretty pale. There is a significant difference between the NC and NW colours and I will do a post in the future highlighting the differences.

Prep and Prime BB cream in light- Bought this simply because I love BB creams and trying different ones from various brands. I have yet to use this yet but I am extremely excited to see how it goes.

Face and Body Foundation- I've heard great things about this. I will probably wear this more in the evening or when I go out somewhere as I am not really into the heavy face make-up during the day, but I think this will turn out to be a great product. 

 

Lipsticks- This is probably what I was most excited to buy. I have a lot of coral, nude and red lipsticks already but I have been dying to get my hands on these, especially Brick-o-La. It was on my Wednesday Wishlist and I have been so eager to try it since reading so many reviews on it. I also bought Angel and Russian Red as staples. In my opinion these were quite a steal, in Oz I think they are about $36 each, but in the Philippines they were slightly less than $25.

So there you have it, my beauty buys while I was in holidays! Do you buy a lot of beauty products when you go overseas? Do you have any funny duty free stories? Comment below!
 

They're Real vs. BADgal Lash mascara | Product comparison

I've seen quite a lot of these type of posts around, in particular about the two Benefit mascaras. I have personally had both mascaras for some time now, and have finally decided to add my wee little two cents in on which I think is the better product. However, I do think each product has their pros and cons, and are both really good quality products, but sometimes a gal has to have her faves doesn't she?

First up is the They're Real mascara. When I first bought this baby, I'm not gonna lie I was so excited to try it. I had heard and watched all sorts of beauty bloggers rave their praises about it, the unique separating wand, the amazing length and volume - the works. So when I first pulled it out of its trademark cute Benefit packaging, I was tingling with excitement, I was practically giddy about it all. However I was horribly disappointed. I didn't notice any difference in my lashes at all in comparison to my regular (and much cheaper) mascara, I found the wand hard and awkward to use as it is quite long and a bit harsh to use on my eyes. In general I was so upset that it didn't live up to the hype that I was expecting.

Having said that, I think it may have been beginners bad luck. After using it a few times I finally got the hang of things and slowly, day by day grew to love this mascara almost as if it were my first-born child. I find the formula to be quite wet looking which makes it very quick and easy to use. After a few coats my lashes are ready to go. The unique brush bristles at the tip of the wand also makes it easier to reach those teeny tiny things at the corner of my eyes.

I would say that I generally have fairly long and thick eyelashes, and this mascara makes them much longer with some curl and extra volume. I have received many compliments about my eye lashes when wearing this mascara, and who can complain with great compliments right? I find that this mascara doesn't clump at all, and in my opinion also separates my lashes quite well. I also find that this mascara works quite well on the bottom lashes. In terms of wear, this mascara for me lasts quite a while, it doesn't flake or cause me to get horrible panda eyes by the end of the day and that is always a plus. I also love the sleek packaging of this, so cute.


Next is the BADgal Lash mascara. Honestly, I love this mascara. It was my first Benefit purchase ever and I guess you never forget your first. I find this mascara to be a lot drier and more matte I guess you could say in comparison to They're Real. However, it doesn't appear flakey or dry on my lashes and for me is quite buildable without any clumps. I don't find this mascara to be particularly lengthening, but I do think it it gives great volume and makes my lashes much fuller and thick. I think what I love most about this mascara is its brush. It is so big and full and feels like a dream when you apply it. It dunno if this is weird to say, but I actually enjoying applying this mascara because it feels so nice (LOL)

Like They're Real, I find this mascara to be long lasting and have no problems with it in terms of wear. The only thing I don't like about the full sized product is how big it is, making it quite annoying to take around with me. Other than that I can't really fault it except for its price. In Australia, both mascaras retail for about $38 and other than the fact that I love the brush, I can't justify paying almost $40 for a mascara that is quite similar to regular drug store products and can achieve similar if not the same results.

So which is the winner?

In this case, I definitely like They're Real much better and can probably justify purchasing this for the price, and I will repurchase it again.  After getting the hang of things, I think that this mascara does live up to its hype and I can easily say that it is one my favourites and my go to mascara on a bad day. While didn't love the brush at first, I actually quite like it now, especially those spikes(?) at tip of the brush. HOWEVER, if I am being honest and I am swear! I use both mascaras together. I will usually use BADgal lash first for volume and then They're Real to separate my lashes and for extra length. I'd say I  would use these in combination about 80% of the time unless I am short for time. I would probably recommend to use these together, seriously give it a try!

Do you own both of these mascaras? Which is your favourite?

Make-up is lowering our self-esteem ... um what?

I recently saw some articles and debates circulating online that made me quite mad. Now I need to put this straight, I am not a hardcore no bra wearing radical feminist, and nor do I bow down helplessly at the feet of a man - but I do believe in women's rights. I believe that we should have an equal say, treatment and opportunity, I believe women should do whatever the hell they want with their bodies, and pursue any career path they damn well choose, whether that means being a full-time mother or full-time engineer. So when I read that make-up out of all things is holding women back from true equality and is damaging our self-esteem, I wanted to stab myself with my stippling brush (probably wouldn't do much damage but hey, you catch my drift).

A little beauty haul

It seems like my little (or not so little) obsession is getting the better of me. For the past month, I've been trying to commit to a 'no spending' ban, because really the amount I spend on beauty products is getting a tad out of hand, and also because I am going overseas next month and need to save up for that. Clearly, the ban didn't work (*sigh). What started as a trip to the shopping centre to buy some little bits and pieces ended up being a beauty haul after seeing those super bad red 'sale' tags that lure me in every time. Oh well, a little bit of new products never hurt anyone right? RIGHT?

So I guess the 'drugstore' equivalent store in Australia is probably Priceline, and at the moment they have a 25% off sale on Rimmel products and 20% off Bourjois products. Obviously I needed to snap that bargain up, and I finally bought the healthy mix and 123 perfect foundations, the healthy mix concealer, and the Rimmel stay matte powder in translucent. I've heard mixed reviews about these products, but I thought I would give it a go for myself. Hopefully I'll post some reviews on all these products in the near future! The real techniques stippling brush was just a little something extra that I decided to buy (not on sale unfortunately).

This Palmolive coconut body scrub is honestly one of the most delicious scrubs I've smelt, ever. I originally intended to buy the Mango body butter body wash, but seeing this little gem on shelves changed my mind entirely. I personally prefer scrubs that are in a bottle/tube than in a tub. I hate opening them in the shower and because I am such a clutz, I either drop the tub or get water in it, yea stupid I know.

And finally some eye and nail products. I decided to try out the Revlon colour stay nail polish in Bare Bones after seeing Essie Button rave on about it on her blog, let me tell you she did not exaggerate.  I am currently wearing them on my nails and I am in LOVE. I would say it is more on the grey side than being a true 'nude' but I love it regardless. I also bought some colour tattoo eye colours in bad to the bronze and tough as taupe, both on sale for $7, I will probably buy some more. And lastly, my favourite Rimmel eye liner, exaggerate waterproof eye definer in noir. I have extremely oily lids and my liner smudges pretty easily and this one of the liners I have found that doesn't smudge at all.

There you have it, my first beauty haul post! What beauty products have you purchased recently? Do you have any of these products? What do you think of them?

Urban Decay Naked Basics | Review & Swatches

I can safely say that I am huge fan of the Urban Decay Naked eye palettes. I just love the neutral colours of both palettes, and I am particularly fond of the matte ones. So when I heard that they would releasing this minature addition it was a no brainer for me to jump on board.

At the moment I am hitting the pan on the nude colours of my Naked 2 palette, in particular 'Foxy' (one of my fave colours to use as an eyeshadow base) so it gave me even more reason to buy this palette. And if for some reason that wasn't enough to sway me, the palette was on sale on Beauty Bay for $28 (the beauty Gods were practically begging for me to buy it).

The palette itself is a lot smaller than what I expected and is a more 'rubbery plastic' texture, kinda similar to NARS packaging. While I knew that it wouldn't be any way as big as the original naked palettes, I still expected it to be slightly bigger than what it is. As you can see in the picture below, the palette fits perfectly in the palm of my hand, which I guess makes it a lot easier to hold and much easier to travel with. Despite all of that, the eye shadows are the same as the full sized palettes, so you are receiving the exact same amount of product.

Like the other Naked palettes, the colours are fairly pigmented. Even on my pale skin you can still make out the swatches of the more nude colours (though just barely). To my delight all the colours on the palette are matte except Venus which would be used as a highlighter.

From left to right the colours are as follows: Venus (soft, off-white demi-matte), Foxy (a matte light yellow/beige), Walk of Shame (a matte light pink nude) Naked 2 (greyish taupe matte), Faint (a matte mid-tone dusty brown), and Crave (dark brown matte). The shadows are incredibly smooth and silky, apply easily and in my opinion are long lasting (consideing I have oily lids). Only 4 out of the 6 colours are originals, (Foxy is in Naked 2, and W.O.S is in build your palettes), and some of the colours are similar to other shades in the Naked range - Venus is similar to Bootycall in Naked 2 and Crave is similar to Blackout.

All in all, If you're not a fan of nudes and/or matte colours I would suggest that you skip this palette as it clearly wouldn't be for you. However, if you are like me and love matte and nude colours, I say that this is a must have for you. I personally love this palette and would be ready to recommend it.

Do you have the Naked Basics Palette? What do you think?

Hello!

Welcome to cece & grace, I'm pretty bad at the whole introduction thing, but anywho my name is Chantalle and this is my second attempt at blogging.

I had previously been running a personal blog/whatever tickles my fancy shindig over at Tumblr for a few years now under the name chntlove. However, at some point in time I guess you could say a hit a quarter life crisis, lost my muse and had no idea what I was doing anymore and therefore stopped blogging completely. Now, I have finally decided to re-emerge and take a crack at blogging in a more 'professional' environment. Please be ever so kind to me, I can't say I'm new to this thing per say by golly gosh Blogspot has been a scary/forbidden place for me to enter, but here I am ladies and gents, round of applause please. 

So what will my blog be about anyway? Well basically a bit everything, pretty much like me who likes a bit everything. There will be some personal stuff (but nothing gory or sappy I promise), some beauty or fashion related posts (but mostly beauty because who am I kidding I ain't fashionable), some ranty/complaining posts about life, society and whatever else (because apparently I am whiny, judgmental person who can't keep my opinions to myself), some reviews, and whatever else. I hope that you will embark on this journey with me as I try to navigate the blogger hemisphere!