Anastasia Beverly Hills Beauty Express for Brows and Eyes Review

I kept seeing youtube videos, reviews and images of Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow products and how insane people were about it. It wasn't until recently that I saw Anastasia Beverly Hills products being sold in New Zealand on Makeup.co.nz* that I decided to fork out $72.00 NZD (fast AND free shipping on orders over $50 NZD, amazing customer service and awesome range!) and grab the Anastasia Beverly Hills Beauty Express for Brows and Eyes in Brunette (I have brunette hair, so.. yeah).

In this kit you will get the following items:
Anastasia Beverly Hills Angled Brush in #15
5 Brow Stencils, yes - Stencils. (Medium, Petite, Full, Slim High and High Arch)
Brow Wax
Brow Powder Duo (Taupe & Dark Brown)
Eyeshadow Duo

I am not new to brows. I love brows! When I use to work as a make-up artist my all time love was brows. Brows can make your make-up go from average to oh, hot damn! They will polish any make-up look and will frame your beautiful eyes and face.

Yes, I know it is scary. Yes, I know I've said brows a millions times already. Yes, it is totally different than not doing them. Yes, you will love it.

Anyway..
Back to the actual product

Let me start off by telling you how beautiful this kit is.
The outside of this kit is in a snake-skin textured black with the logo and description in a rose gold colour (soo pretty!). Magnetic to keep all your goods in place, mirrored inside with instructions on how to use the product including the Golden Ratio (Which is the placement of the beginning, arch and end of your brow measured to your nostril)

You apply the wax first, it isn't sticky, but almost velvety and not so glunky that you would get too much on your brush and glue your hairs together

All powders in this kit sticks surprisingly well to the wax and holds it in place. The colours match well and aren't too grey or warm. It's also easy to create an in between with the 2 shades.

The eye shadow, which can be used as a highlight, has amazing pigment (just look at the photo!) and wears well (one a nude matte, the other a cream shimmer)

Stencils are straight forward, though daunting at first and practice is all you need to perfect the application.

The brush is easy to use to create clean lines and would probably be a great eyeliner brush too!

Anastasia Beverly Hills Beauty Express for Brows and Eyes is my new go to when it comes to my brows! I also love that this is cruelty free

*I am not affiliated with makeup.co.nz, I just really enjoy shopping with them :)

Smashbox Halo Hydrating Perfecting Powder Review

I have used Smashbox's Halo Hydrating Perfecting Power (what a mouth full!) on and off for the last 7 years and I always go back to it. I use to sell Smashbox and this was one of the top 5 products that was always repurchased. This pressed mineral powder comes in a large black-matte compact (and mirror) with a built in shaver that you twist to shave off the top layer of the powder. Simply swish your brush around and apply.

Smashbox's Halo is oil-free, paraben-free and talc-fee, there are 48 minerals and 11 amino acids in Halo which helps with anti-aging benefits. In fact Smashbox claim that after 10 minutes there is a 33% decrease in wrinkles around the eyes and after 6 weeks there is a 67% decrease on fine lines and wrinkles overall! Pretty big claim, but unfortunately I cannot test that theory myself because... I have no wrinkles (I thank my asian background)

The Halo powder itself is very, very fine and applied to the skin feels like velvet and gives a glowing warmth to the skin. The coverage is light and will even out skin tone while giving a warm, luminous glow. If you would like better coverage you can use this on top of your liquid or creme foundation to set it. 
There is only one thing I don't like about this product.. the clasp that keeps the compact close regularly fails in a couple months with each Halo I have ever bought.

Smashbox also doesn't test on animals! Yay! :) They also don't sell their products in countries that requires cosmetic products/ingredients to be tested on animals to demonstrate safety

Swatch of Halo in Light

OPI Heart Throb Review

Today is a review on another OPI polish, but this time in Heart Throb.
OPI's Hear Throb is super sheer, which is not my cup of tea.. The first coat looks to me like a first time make-up users lip stain/gloss and to get a more opaque look I obviously had to add more layers.

This was four super thin layers (it is always better to do a thin layer, let it dry then apply again) in total to get the look in the photo. I would rather not have to add so many layers, but the more I added the better I felt about the colour. This would be a good polish to layer on warmer nudes to obtain a different shade in your polish kit and may even be alright for a french manicure.

The end result is more of a pop/cotton candy pink and just reminds me of sugary goodness!

Have a great day ya'll!

Lush Pot O' Gold & Bunch of Carrots Review

Why am I reviewing Lush's Bunch of Carrots and Pot O' Gold in the same review? Simple. Both are limited edition Easter goodness and both have very similar, delicious scents.

Bunch of Carrots is a bubble bar shaped in, you guessed it, a bunch of carrots!
I have said in a prior bath bomb or bubble bar review that I don't use them for any moisturizing element, just for a calming bath, but Bunch of Carrots will make your skin feel so, so soft (and the bath slippery, watch out!) I don't even know how to explain how amazed I was with this product! No oily bath residue and no staining. I am in love.
The smell seems similar to Pot O' Gold, but lighter, less intense and still fruity
Bubbles up really well under running water and leaves the bath with a good amount of bubbles and a orange bath, pretty much exactly the same colour as the Lush Brightside Bubble Bar I reviewed earlier.
One thing that lets the Bunch of Carrots Bubble Bar down is that the oils seemed to seep out of the carrot after a couple of weeks, which caused me to use them all sooner than I wanted

Pot O' Gold is super scented with what seems to be orange, kind of caramel and deep vanilla. Oh, so good, but totally a love or hate it kind of smell.... WITH SPARKLES!!!
You can pull it out of its home and run under water, creating a soft lather, but in doing this I was worried that putting it back into the container semi-wet would slowly dissolve it over time, so I cut it up into 1 time use chunks and lather it up between some exfoliate gloves. I have not noticed any sparkles lingering around after my shower, but the scent hangs around for a couple hours.

Both of these product were really cool in design and totally awesome. If you can get your hands on either of these then I suggest you do it before they both run out until next Easter!

Lush Sakura Bath Bomb Review

The Lush Sakura bath bomb looks so beautiful, I don't think photos can show the amazing colours attached to it.
A light pink makes the Sakura bomb look like spring time in Japan, with freckles of blue sea salt  to give a soft, beautiful day look. Such an aesthetically pleasing bomb, I would almost rather put it on display.

The scent of jasmine and orange blossom is light, uplifting and refreshing. Although the bathwater doesn't excite me with this bomb, the smell is just so calming and pleasant that it almost doesn't matter. There is something about the Sakura Bath Bomb that will always drive me right back into its comforting and underrated arms

Likes:

Delicate smell which lingered long after my bath

Dislikes:

Almost no colour to the bath water, such a light pink my camera could barely pick up.

Lush Brightside Bubble Bar Review

Oh, my GOD. This. Wow.

This bubble bar smells OH-SO-GOOD!
The Lush Brightside bubble bar is so citrusy, so alive and powerful. Use this in the morning or after a long day and it will wake you up and give a spring in your step. The colours of orange and yellow match perfectly with the scent of mandarin, bergamot & tangerine and I LOVE IT!

It is recommended to crumble your bubble bar under running water, but I find this wasteful to the product as you get bits falling to the bottom of your bath. My suggestion is get a stocking, place your bubble bar into it and tie it to the faucet with the water running over it, you should get great bubble time without the waste.

Like:

The smell!

Makes my skin soft

The size, this is good enough for at least 4 baths

Good amount of bubbles

Makes bathwater raro-orange

Easy to cut into quarters if desired

Dislikes:

Nothing!

MAC Relentlessly Red Review

We all have that staple red lipstick we feel must be in our make up bag, but this colour - I highly doubt would be that one. It feels like it has a brighter, almost neon look, but doesn't at the same time. It isn't a true red, but a hybrid of a coral and pinky-red and highlights the warmth in your skin tone. MAC's Relentlessly Red goes on smooth, not feeling too thick and will also lasts most of the day even through drinking and eating. Touch up is easy and will not cause beading.
I would recommend exfoliating and moisturizing your lips before applying as this lipstick will highlight any dryness

Likes:
Bright colour
Different from most red lipsticks
Long lasting
Less bleeding

Dislikes:
Highlights dry lips

VS Sassoon Curl Secret Review

The idea for VS Sassoon Curl Secret is great, an easy way to curl your hair for someone not use to using straighteners or tongs. You will get even curls in both directions (you smart little thing) and all you only need to place the hair in the barrel and let it do its thang.
At first glance, Curl Secret looks easy to use, you take a section of your hair, place it in the gap and close the handles. It is that easy, but it is also very, very easy to get your hair caught, caught so badly that I have contemplated getting the scissors out (It gets easier the more you use it and I believe I have mastered this machine after 5 different attempts).

Make sure your hair is clean, tangle free (VERY IMPORTANT) and free of unnecessary product (heat protection is fine).
Divide your hair in 3, top section, left and right, Start at the base of your neck on either the left of right section, taking about 1/2-1 inch sections, twisting it slightly in your hand as per next image (this helped me to prevent it getting caught) and place in barrel. Take it out once the quick beeps sound and voila!

The image above to the left is my natural hair blown-out and the second is my hair curled with VS Sassoon Curl Secret and fingers run though, no products.
It takes me about 30 minutes to do my full head of hair (at first it took me an hour), medium/long in length and medium thickness and I think the results are amazing~!

Likes:
Perfectly even curls

Curls in both directions (automatic feature)
Easy to clean
Choice of timer settings

Dislikes:
How long the process takes
My hair getting caught in this machine (this becomes less the more you use it)

No hair release option when stuck (and the panic)
No size of curl control, but obviously the less seconds it is held in place the looser the curl

Lush Big Blue Bath Bomb Review

It rained today, rained and rained. I got soaked and felt terrible.. so I walked into the local Lush store and had a look at the yummy bath bombs. I wanted to feel better about today and decided to buy the Big Blue bath bomb.

I am aware of the healing properties sea salt has, it is great for your skin, helps relieve stress and detoxifies. That sounds pretty rad. I was also intrigued by the dried seaweed in-bedded in the bomb. 

Once you plop it into ya tub it fizzes out for a couple of minutes and leaves the floor covered in stick-like bits of seaweed, after a few minutes the sticks become less stick-y and more slim-y.

Once I had finished my soak, I did not notice any difference in my skin, but in all honesty.. I never use bath bombs for my skin, I use them for mental relief, to chill-out, smell some nice smells and see some pretty colours. This helped me in doing that.

Likes:
How the water transformed into bright blue
The smell of lavender and lemon, very relaxing
No staining on me or the bath tub
Seaweed concept (there was ALOT of seaweed)
The size of Big Blue, I felt like I got my moneys worth.

Dislikes:
The general smell could have been stronger, but I am now grasping at straws

It didn't leave my skin feeling moisturized (I didn't expect it to either)

Overall~ I might purchase it again in the future, but not until I have gone through all the bombs at Lush and honestly, I will probably find one I like much more than this one.

O.P.I Rollin' In Cashmere

I love gold.

Love.

This isn't really a review, just a statement.

If you love all things gold, try this polish - it is SO gorgeous!

(The polish itself is quite thin, so applying it is easy and the dry time is also quicker. I did 3 thin coats in photo above)

Sleek Matte Me - Birthday Suit Review

A plummy nude colour which is in a square tube with a doe foot applicator. I don't personally like this type of applicator with a liquid lipstick because I find it harder to get perfect lines, lip gloss is fine though.

This product applies wet and starts to dry matte in the first 10 seconds, being completely dry within 5 minutes. It lasts me the whole day, but will start to come off in the middle of the lips if eating/drinking. Re-applying is not a problem with this product - it doesn't ball up or scrape off. Sleek Matte Me lipstick does not feel too chalky to touch or come off with a kiss (a full on pash-fest would destroy it). It is easy to remove with make-up remover and a cotton pad.

Wet

Dry

I enjoy lipsticks that last most of the day, don't get on my teeth or on my chin/nose when I eat (does anyone else have that problem? I obviously need a lip reduction) and this lippy does it for me. A+

Really nice product and not too many dollars needed for it. I would 100% buy this again and probably venture out and try their other colours.

Lioele Under The Eye Light Concealer Review

Lioele Under The Eye Light Concealer that is light pink, quite a thin and a really blend-able liquid concealer that is made in Korea (I really love trying new things from around the world).

I did not like it the first time I used it, maybe it was just a shock from my usual cream concealer as the coverage was quite different. After about 2 weeks of using it I have changed my mind, it is a great every-day under eye concealer with an illuminating effect which is easily blended into foundation.

I really dislike the whole "squeeze me" dispenser. It is not easy to control because you cannot see how much product is coming out without parting the bristles with your hands. I always get too much product out and I can't put it back in, I feel like I am wasting it or using too much on my face.

Here is a swatch using the applicator brush on the left,and on the right it is lightly blended with fingertips

All in all, it is a nice product. It caused me 0% irritation, I didn't notice any strong smells and it covered my dark circles without being obviously there. 

O.P.I Jinx Liquid Sand Review

My first review is on the colour Jinx from the Bond Girls collection.
This looks amazing in the bottle, kind of like a warm tangerine coloured gel with what looks to be powdered gold mixed in. This is such a beautiful color and was totally my first pick in colour.

Applied a base coat first then 2 coats of O.P.I's Jinx. Each coat took about 10 minutes to fully dry. No top coat necessary. The first coat would be about 75% opaque, the second 95%.

• Surprised at how fast this polish dried. Tick, great job. 
• The colour is exactly what is in the bottle. Tick, you're doing well.
• It looks like how I expected, a polish that is like the texture of sand and polish combined. Tick. A+
• If you dent it slightly or knock it, it looks like it is suppose to be that way - MY FAVORITE PART
• Last-ability? It's not bad, it mostly wares on the tips than chips, but because the polish is textured it is easy to touch up without any noticable lines and only takes a few seconds

If I could change 1 thing - Add different sizes of the glittery bits, stars and hearts or whatever (although I know other O.P.I Liquid Sand products have this feature)
Great product - go buy it (Unless you hate textured polishes, then maybe don't.)

NYX Jumbo Eye Pencil - Black Bean Review

NYX Jumbo Eye Pencil in Black Bean is advertised as an eyeliner that doubles as an eye shadow.

I purchased this more for the eye shadow effect than an eyeliner because I want to see how smooth it is to apply, how easy it is to blend and how long it will last in place.

Let's find out.

Packaging looks average, but that isn't important. NYX Jumbo Eye Pencil in Black Bean goes on so, so smoothly and is very easy to blend. The colour is definitely a deep black, but once blended lacks it's depth. I have worn this as an eye shadow quite heavily for 12 hours with a primer and I have not noticed any creasing which I am surprised about due to how creamy it is

I would never, ever wear this as a eyeliner by itself, the applicator is much too thick and the product itself is creamy. By itself it does leave creasing on my eyelids without a shadow setting it.

After 12 hours of wear

NYX Jumbo Eye Pencil Black Bean & ArtDeco Shadow #25 used for shadow

All in all this is a great product to blend out for a smoky eye with eyeshadow

Love:
Creamy
Non-creasing
Price

Hate:
Packaging

Lush Jungle Solid Conditioner Review

I went into Lush last week and had a look at their solid conditioners and I was surprised to only see 1 type of solid conditioners because I would've love to have a variety to choose from to suit my individual needs. Anyway, gave it a sniff and I instantly hated it, it smelt weird, just way too strong.. a really unknowing kind of smell and I didn't want a bar of it.

I went in today and thought "**** it, I want to get off the bottle" (I already use a solid shampoo from them), I just picked it up and handed it over, paid and left. I continued to smell it throughout the day and it has really grown on me, I totally love the smell now. Smells herby and really fruity, but not a candy-sweet kind of fruity. It is a unique smell.

My hair is long, straight and medium in thickness and the Jungle solid conditioner wasn't too easy to glide through, I had to rub it into my hair quite a few times for it to feel like it had something in my hair, but once I combed it through I felt a huge difference, It did feel like it was dissolving quite a bit for a first time use and I think by the time you got through 1/2 a solid shampoo your conditioner would be finish. It didn't leave a greasy film in my hair which was my main concern. Looking back at the photo of my hair it seems like both sides are similar.

Left Side - Jungle solid Conditioner

Right Side - Supermarket Conditioner

Blown out then brushed. No extra product

What I like:

Slight smell remained in hair

Really light, not greasy - Great for daily use
No packaging

What I didn't like:
Hard to get into hair
Felt like it will dissolve quickly

I had HUGE doubts, but this conditioner actually works. I will continue using it and update if any changes

UPDATE:

After using this conditioner 3 times I would like to update my pros and cons

What I Liked: 

Slight smell remained in hair

No packaging

What I didn't like:

Annoyingly hard to get it into hair

Still feels like it is dissolving quickly

My husband saying he hates the smell

My hair feels super tangled all the time

My hair is quite oily the next day (my hair usually lasts 3 days)

Quite a lot more expensive than a regular conditioner (probably won't last as long also)

I rate this 2/5

I expected the solid conditioner to be as good as the solid shampoo. I was wrong.

I don't feel like this conditioner is best for my hair type and I would recommend it for someone with fine and normal hair

You can break parts of Jungle Solid Conditioner off and dissolve it in a small dish of hot water and use it that way, but I won't do that before every shower or bath (I would most likely forget then start cursing in the shower)

You can purchase it here:
Lush NZ
Lush USA

The Original Beauty Blender Review

The Original Beauty Blender will help you in achieving a quick and flawless foundation application. The Beauty Blender speeds up application time and cuts down on product use (because the Beauty Blender is used wet it does not absorb as much as a dry sponge would.)

The shape is great for the face, one side being larger and rounder (cheeks & forehead), the other being more pointed to get into the smaller places (nose, mouth & eyes).

How to use:

Soak the Beauty Blender and squeeze out excess, place it in a towel an squeeze once more. Place foundation/concealer on the Beauty Blender or directly to skin and stipple it over your face. Done.

Pros:

Makes application fast and flawless (liquid foundation and concealer)

You can use wet or dry make up with it

Provides good coverage which can be made sheer easily

Easy to get into the smaller places of your face

Helps to not leave visible foundation lines

Latex free, non-allergenic & odor free

Cons:

The price (I purchased mine for about $35 NZD)

Unhygienic as you would use it longer than a disposable

You could probably get a similar application with other products, but it would take longer

The cleanser that can be purchased with it is terrible.

Would I buy The Original Beauty Blender again?

Yes, I would. It's convenient, simple and anyone can use it and gain a great application

You can purchase The Original Beauty Blender below at:

Amazon

Ebay

Valentine's Day Gift Ideas

It is almost Valentine's Day and you know what that meaaanns... GIFTS!

Today I am going to give you some great gift ideas for this Valentine's Day for the gal in your life. These gifts are sure to please a beauty lover!

Buy Logona and Santé Here!

Logona and Sante are a popular German brand who have a wide variety of beauty products that are 100% natural and certified organic.

These products are great for a sensitive girl's skin. I recommend the Organic Pineapple & Lemon body Wash. She will smell irresistible.

Buy Lush Box Sets Here!

Lush do amazing box sets! Not only do they smell super rad, but they are already gift wrapped - 0% Art skills required. There are a few to choose from and you only really need to look out for the bath bombs, does the special gal have a bath? No? Don't give her bath bombs.

Buy OPI Nail Polish Here!

O.P.I Nail polish is always a great choice for a gift, either a couple beautiful colours or a limited set. For this Valentine's Day you can either stick to the loved up colours of reds and pinks, or go bold with their amazing liquid sand selection.
O.P.I always have an extensive range of shades and textured polishes, so there will definitely be something perfect for her.

Buy The Body Shop Body Butter Here!

The Body Shop offer soooo many different types of body butter and they all smell so, soooo good! Popular scents are strawberry, coconut, cocoa butter and mango. These body butters will leave her skin feeling so soft and smelling delish.

Buy Lush Massage Bars Here!

Lush have a great selection of massage bars, some sweet and light, some sexy and sultry. Don't gift your girl a massage bar if you don't want to her hear begging you to rub her with it.

The smell from these bars will put anyone in a good mood ;)

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