Monday 24 November 2014

Do Spray Moisturisers Really Work? (Review: Palmer's Rapid Moisture)

There's been a lot of buzz lately surrounding 'spray moisturisers', since it's getting closer to summer. Similar to an aerosol deodorant, the canisters dispense a fine mist of product when you press and hold down a button.

It sounds simple enough, but I was kind of dubious. I'm used to body lotions, so a spray on moisturiser seemed like a really strange concept. But, I'll try almost anything once!


I got my hands on the Palmer's Cocoa Butter Formula Rapid Moisture Spray Lotion in Coconut Rich to try out of curiosity as I've already used Palmer's products before. I've found their other products to be rich, very hydrating, and they successfully make my skin very smooth and soft. 


The button up top can be locked (awesome, because I don't want it to leak everywhere if I take it with me in my bag!), and you press and hold it down to release the moisturising mist. All you do is lightly spray it wherever you want - it's especially great for getting your legs, arms and back - and rub it in with your hands.


However, one thing you definitely have to be careful of is using it in the bathroom. You can't really use it anywhere else (maybe outside?) as it will get on everything, but in a tiled bathroom especially, the moisturiser on the floor can make things slippery. So definitely be mindful where you step, or lay down a towl before using. In my opinion, that's more effort than just using a lotion!

See the mist? Look carefully!
I recommend getting your hands on one if you're headed to the beach and need a sprtiz of moisture after being in the sun and salt, rather than if you have dry skin. As far as moisturisers go, they're not bad, but because it's a spray product the actual moisturiser itself is very thin. It's a bit similar to cooking oil sprays, just without the greasy residue.

Pros

1. It's much quicker to apply than a lotion as you just quickly spritz yourself with it and rub it in.
2. It's not greasy and it dries really quickly, so you won't stick to your clothes if you apply it before getting dressed.
3. This one smells DELISH - just like chocolate! - so you smell really yummy after using it.

Cons

1. The nozzle can sometimes get blocked, so instead of a mist, it sprays a jet of product. Messy!
2. It can make tiled floors slippery.
3. It's messier to apply than a lotion or body butter, because the spray often gets on things other than you!


For summer, I think these are great for post-beach or if you need a quick hit of moisture before going out, because they dry heaps quicker than your usual lotion. They do seem a little gimmicky, but they definitely moisturise just fine and it is kind of fun spritzing it on!

Have you tried a spray on moisturiser before? What did you think? Let me know in the comments below!
Share:

Monday 17 November 2014

Christmas Gift Guide 2014 - Beauty Edition

Less than SIX weeks to go until Christmas! That's not much time when you think about it (it's not even 50 days!), so it's definitely time to start thinking about what you're going to put under the tree.

If you're on the look out for a gift for the beauty lover in your life, whether it be a sister, mother, girlfriend, friend (or yourself, I won't tell!), I've got you sorted with gifts under $100, $50 and $20, plus a bunch of beauty stocking stuffer ideas!

So scroll on for a little Chrissy inspo!

Under $100 - Luxurious Lust-Haves


NARS Algorithm Laguna Palette - Mecca $79.00

The Laguna bronzer is a cult classic matte bronzer which flatters all skin tones and is perfect for both powder contouring and warming up the complexion. This limited edition holiday palette is absolutely stunning too, and even includes a miniature Ita kabuki brush! Just wait for the excited squeals when this one is unwrapped!


Hourglass Ambient Blush Wardrobe (Limited Edition) - Mecca $76.00

I treated myself to the Hourglass Ambient Lighting Blush in Dim Infusion (you can see my review here) and it is one of - if not the most - beautiful blushes that I own. The formula is gorgeously smooth and these blushes not only add colour to the cheeks, but also act as a highlight. This stunning and sleekly designed palette includes three shades that any beauty lover is sure to fawn over!


Mecca Cosmetica Happy Holidays Travel Set - Mecca $75.00

If you want to give someone special a truly luxurious gift, this is the one! Mecca Cosmetica recently released their own line of beauty products, and this stunning collection includes a specially edited selection of the range in travel sizes. Perfect for someone looking to test out the range or a frequent jet setter who needs a set of holiday-friendly beauty products. The box includes a makeup remover, facial sunscreen, hand cream, body wash, body moisturiser, a lip balm and a wash cloth - what else could you possibly want?!


Under $50 - Special Treats


Glazed Apple Gift Tin - The Body Shop $39.95

You don't even need to wrap this one! Just like every year, The Body Shop has again released a range of delicious limited edition holiday collections, such as this super cute set. This special release Glazed Apple Gift Tin includes a loofah, body butter, body polish, body wash and body lotion, all in a super yummy apple scent. 


The Schoolbook Of Love - The Body Shop $36.95

Super cute for a teacher, sister or friend who needs a little pampering, this set includes a delicious array of cranberry-scented products: a body butter, shower gel, lip balm and scented soap. Plus for every one of these sold, The Body Shop will make a contribution that sends a child in a war-torn country to class, which is such a great initiative and a way to give and give back.


Geisha Doll Lip & Cheek Stain (Limited Edition) - The Body Shop $32.95

This is a great gift for beauty beginners, because the dual-purpose stain can be used on both the lips and the cheeks for a subtle flush of rosy colour. It's especially rad for younger sisters and cousins who may still be in school and aren't allowed to wear a lot of makeup to class. And how adorable is the little bottle it comes in?!


Under $20 - Secret Santa Treasures


Revlon Perpetual Bliss Kris Kringle - Myer $19.95

This little set from Myer is incredible value, because just one of these balms usually retails for $17.95, so you're getting two for just over the price of one! This cutie includes a matte balm in the shade Showy, and a lacquer balm in the shade Vivacious, so you have a colour each for day and night. You could even open the box and give one each to two different people!




This is a fantastic gift for the younger makeup lovers as it includes three (full size!) beauty essentials that together create a super natural look. The Baby Lips balm is super hydrating and the Great Lash Mascara is a makeup artist favourite for achieving naturally luscious lashes. You also get a makeup remover, which is great value!

Models Prefer NUDE Palette - Priceline $10

This particular palette looks veeeeery similar to the Urban Decay NAKED palettes, which is currently unavailable in Australia, even though it's a massive favourite among beauty lovers. So if you can't get your hands on one of those, this is a very affordable alternative that pretty much gets the same job done. While nothing can really beat the NAKED palettes, this Models Prefer version still includes 12 very wearable every day eye shadow shades and a dual-ended brush, which is pretty great for just ten bucks!


5 Stocking Stuffer Surprises


When it comes to gifting, you can't really go wrong with nail polish. The Kit polishes are quick drying and have super creamy, opaque formulas, which are huge pluses for nail polish lovers. The three shades pictured are my picks from the colour range as they're perfect for summer!
From left to right: Butterfly Kisses, Dive In (which you can see on my nails here), and Bellini Blush.



This is my holy grail facial primer and I cannot recommend it enough! It creates the softest, smoothest, most velvety base for your makeup and the travel-size is a great little gift. This one can be used by any age group as well, and would be especially great for young adult to mature-age skin (so anyone from your older cousin to nanna!).



Hands down (sorry!) this is the best hand cream I have ever used. Hand cream can easily go up above $20, but this is FANTASTIC value at just nine bucks. Seriously. It's crazy hydrating and smells like marshmallows, plus it absorbs quickly so your giftee won't have to worry about any greasy residue. Perfect for mums!



Thinking of gifting someone a lipstick but don't know which shade to get? These Rimmel London lipsticks are amazing quality and all of the shades are super flattering! My personal favourites are 111 (wearing it here) and 103 (wearing it here), and the semi-matte finish is very wearable and not drying on the lips at all. Plus the red packaging is super festive!



If there's one makeup brush every beauty lover wants to find under the tree this year, it's a contouring brush! Perfect for sculpting higher cheekbones, this brush is an affordable version of high end contouring brushes that still does a fantastic job. You can see my full review of this brush here.

What beauty products are on your Christmas wish list? Let me know in the comments below!

* Disclaimer: Some of these products were provided to me for consideration but all inclusions in this gift guide earned their place fair and square by being genuinely amazing! 


Share:

Monday 10 November 2014

TUTORIAL: French Manicure with Metallic Tips

I love a classic French manicure as much as the next person, but sometimes you just want to jazz it up!

Perfect for party season (especially Christmas and NYE!), adding a touch of shimmery metallics to your nails are a great way to get a little glam - with minimal effort!



Polishes used:

L'Oreal La Manicure Miracle Repair 7 
Sportsgirl Nail It! in Metallic Nude


Love alternative French manicures? Check out these other two tutorials!






What metallic shade would you use for the French tips? Gold? Silver? Rose gold or bronze? Let me know in the comments below!

Share:

Monday 3 November 2014

REVIEW: Artiste Manicare Professional Contour Brush


An affordable dupe for the NARS Ita Kabuki Brush? Yes please! Contouring and highlighting has quickly entered the realm of the everyday beauty lover and is no longer a technique only used by makeup artists, but it can still be pretty confusing. Trying to figure out where to add shadow and light, what the best way to apply bronzer is and what areas are worth contouring in the first place... you see where I'm going with this.

Well, enter the Artiste Manicare Professional Contour Brush.


Thank you for making my contouring life so much easier! I rarely contour unless I know I'm going to get my photo taken, as it does take a bit of time and effort to apply. However, this brush makes things a lot simpler and streamlined (ha, geddit?).

I found that the brush's slim, trapezium-shaped head is great for fitting into any 'hollow' and curved areas of my face, such as the sides of my nose, under my cheekbones and along my jaw and hairline. Fluffy brushes just can't do it the same!


The head itself is densely packed with short hairs, which is perfect for picking up lots of pigment and depositing it on the face in a specific area (i.e. no fall out!). But while the instructions recommend picking up the pigment and then tapping off any excess, this really isn't necessary in my opinion. As you can see below, after I tapped the brush after dipping it into my NARS Laguna Bronzer, pretty much all of the pigment disappeared. 


The best way to use it (for me at least), is to apply my bronzer straight to the area I want to contour, placing the flat end of the brush onto my face to create a line. From there, I blend it out using gentle 'wiping' motions.

Below you can see how I use it to contour my cheeks, jawline and nose.

Cheeks


Jawline



Nose



The great thing about this brush is how precisely it creates contour lines, so no more fish face for me!


Final Verdict


For just $21.95 from Priceline (compared to $74.00 at Mecca), it's definitely a great buy if you want to simplify the contouring process in your beauty routine. It does a fantastic job of sculpting your features without looking too obviously contoured so this one definitely gets my recommendation! 


Have you tried this brush? Do you contour often? Let me know in the comments below!

Share:
© taken by surprise | All rights reserved.
Blogger Template Developed by pipdig