Wednesday 19 February 2014

Rimmel London Products and Review



A couple days ago while I was browsing on Asos I realized there was a sale on Rimmel London products so I picked three things.




1. Rimmel London Scandaleyes Waterproof Kohl liner in Nude. It was $9.02 NZD ($7.39 USD)  but on sale it's $5.65 NZD ($4.63 USD). I decided to get this because I have difficulty pulling off black eyeliner on my bottom lash line. Black eyeliner tends to close up my eye making my eyes look non-exsistant. I've tried white eyeliner but I didn't like how it looked on me. I do prefer this a lot more as it's more natural and opens the width of the eye in a subtle yet effective product. This particular product is great because it's the perfect nude shade and does exactly what I wanted it to do.




2. Rimmel London Scandaleyes Shadow Paint, was $11.28 NZD ($9.24 USD) and went down to $6.78 NZD ($5.56 USD). The idea of an eyeshadow paint intrigued me. The colours aren't too unique just the generic shimmery colours but you can't go wrong with a taupe or brown so I picked this up in Rich Russet. So far I really like this product, the application of this is different but the wand makes it easy to apply. One of the things I dislike about this is once you apply it, you have to wait until it dries completely before opening your eyes, if not, the shadow paint creases really badly. The shade Rich Russet (on the left) is identical to Maybelline's Color Tattoo in the shade Bad to the Bronze (on the right). 

3. Rimmel London Kate lipstick in the shade 001. This wasn't one of the shades on sale but the other colours weren't too appealing to me so I decided to get it anyway. This is the perfect red for all skin shades. There is a prominent blue tone in this meaning any skin type between fair and dark skin can pull this off. I personally prefer the berry red (red with blue shades) because of this. I do however love bright brick reds but I don't have the correct skin tone to pull it off. This lipstick isn't particularly moisturizing but a swipe of lip balm underneath the lipstick will fix it. 




Blog ya later, 
Sophie xo 


Saturday 15 February 2014

Bioderma Crealine or Bioderma Sebium?





Bioderma is one of the most talked about items by beauty gurus. It's a make up remover combined with the gentleness of water. The reason why it's so popular is because it's simple, effective and fast. All you need is a bottle of this gem and some cotton pads. No water is needed and no rise afterwards is needed.

I own both the Bioderma Crealine which is more suitable for sensitive skin and Bioderma Sebium which is more suitable for oily skin. I prefer the Crealine solution as I feel it's more suited to my skin type and is a bit more gentle. The Sebium solution leaves my skin feeling a bit dry afterwards however, it's wonderful in the Summer when I have oily skin.





So, what's the difference between Bioderma Crealine H2O Solution and Sebium H2O Solution?

The Crealine range is suitable for everyone however, it's not always the best option for everyone. I recommend this product over the Bioderma Sebium if you have dry to combination skin. Oily and acne prone skinned people should try the Bioderma Sebium before trying the Bioderma Crealine. Also, the Bioderma Crealine can be used on the eye area whereas it's recommended the Bioderma Sebium is not. 

Hope that was helpful for you all.

Blog ya later,
Sophie xo 

Tuesday 11 February 2014

Australia Make Up and Skin Care Haul

While I was in Australia I spent did a bit of shopping. I didn't get as much as I'd like to but I do go to Australia quite often. Cosmetics and skin care are relatively more affordable in Australia compared to New Zealand so I usually just buy my products there. My favourite place to buy cosmetics in Aussie is Priceline. For those of you that don't know, Priceline an Australian drugstore best known for quality, bargains and variety. Most of the products were purchases from Priceline unless stated otherwise. 




1. Show Me the Love kit from Benefit which comes with a full size Benetint, They're Real mascara and a small Porefessional. I purchased this at Auckland Airport on the way to Brisbane for approximately $70 NZD.
2. 250 mL Bioderma Crealine H2O Solution.
3. Real Techniques Blush brush $20AUD.
4. Real Techniques Expert Face brush $20AUD or you can purchase this in Unichem in New Zealand for $30NZD. This is my go to liquid foundation brush, it enables a flawless finish without streaks .
5. Lucas Pa Paw Ointment with a lip applicator. This is my everyday lip balm as it's easy to apply and does the job. 
6. The Colossal Cat eyes mascara in waterproof. 
7. Loreal Infallible Super Slim Liquid Eyeliner in black. I'm quite disappointed with this product. It doesn't work well over my cream eyeshadows.
8. Rimmel Scandal Eyes eyeshadow in Guilty Grey. I like the texture of this and the colour payment. The application is also great for on the go. 
9. Bourjois Healthy Mix Serum in 53. I like the texture of this gel foundation, it ensures a dewy finish. 
10. "Eye Like it" eyeshadow palette. I purchased this at Sportsgirl which is an Austrailan clothing store. The colour payment is good, the only thing I dislike about this is there's only one matte eyeshadow. 
11. Avene Skin Recovery Cream. This is the type of product which would be suitable for all skin types as it's made specifically for sensitive skin and is hypoallergenic. I tend to reach for this often when I'm breaking out and it helps clear my skin.   
12. Not pictured above, a MAC Lustre lipstick in See Sheer.




Blog ya later,
Sophie xo 


Saturday 8 February 2014

Collective Haul

During December and January I went shopping quite a bit. It wasn't because I wanted to, it was simply because I needed to (lie). Here are just a few things that I got. 







1. MAC lip glass which I got given.
2. A Bellabe ($17 USD) which is a facial hair removing tool in the form of a spring. It can be bought on mybellabe.com. This is my third one and I really recommend it as it's affordable compared to saloon waxes and fast compared to tweezing.
3. A Revlon Nail Art French Mix in Miss Perfect. I found this in the bargain bin in Farmers for $5. I've been sporting the white nail polish a lot this summer however my last one has been really clumpy.
4. A set of mini Glasshouse Candles sold exclusively at Peter Alexander in the scents Coney Island, Tahaa and Rio De Janeiro approximately $65 NZD. I absolutely love the scent Rio De Janeiro, it smells like lime and passionfruit. 
5. Maybelline color tattoo in the shade Rich Mahogany bought for $8 from a outlet makeup shop.
6. Clarins Instant Smooth Perfecting Touch primer which I was also given.




7. Glassons crochet long sleeve crop top $50NZD. I experienced love at first sight with this top, wish I had looked a little more closely at the price tag before I bought it. You can see it in more detail here.
8. Valley Girl grey cropped top $12NZD. It was the last grey one left in store, it's one or two sizes too big but I decided it looks nice oversized.
9. Ice High Neck dress in Paisley. I bought it off Nzsale for $7, and it looks great on me as it doesn't minimize my bust but does minimize my stomach and butt. Here's an invite code if you're wanting to join Nzsale.
10. H and M white lace dress which was given to me.
11. Pink Sugar perfume also bought off Nzsale for $40. I've done a review on this, find it here.
12. Hey Macarena Le Specs sunglasses with a matte black frame bought from Farmers.
13. Glassons hearts necklace $10.
14. Lush lip tint in It Started With a Kiss. I loved the smell of this when I first bought it but now I can't stand it. The pigment and the colour of this is too good to stop using regardless of the sickening apple smell.






White shoes are the trend of the season. I've never owned white shoes before this season as I'm scared to get them dirty. They're too cute to give up #YOLO (kill me now).

15. Classic white low tops Converse. I got these for $60 in the kids size and managed to save $40. I haven't had a chance to wear them out yet.
16. White wedges from Lippy $80.
17. Sandals from Novo, $20. I love these, they're so comfy and cute. Suitable for the summer time.

I have two other hauls coming up. One with beauty and skincare products which I bought in Australia and the other with items I bought from Nzsale.

Blog ya later,
Sophie xo

Friday 7 February 2014

Pink Sugar perfume by Aquolina review

I blindly ordered this on Nzsale a month ago for $40NZD. For those of you that don't know it's a New Zealand and Australian based site which offers goods at discount prices here's an invite link if you want to join Nzsale. I had high hopes it would be a dupe for the Prada Candy perfume check out the blog post here. I was mildly disappointed as the top notes smelt nothing like Prada Candy instead, it smells like burnt sugar and something else (I later found out it was black licorice.) I can't say I'm too fond of the immediate scent, it doesn't linger for very long anyway. It later settles into a scent which is similar to Prada Candy, burnt sugar and caramel.


























After using this perfume for a week I would have to say it's one of my new favourites. The scent is a barely there sugar caramel smell which keeps people guessing. One thing I dislike about the perfume is the bottle, it is insanely ugly. Reminds me of strippers tights, however, the packaging is cute so I just store it in the cardboard tube in the back of my dresser.


Blog ya later,
Sophie xo

Monday 3 February 2014

Caron Laboratories Bump Eraiser Medi Paste Review


For all you ladies (and gentlemen) out there, I've found the answer to your taboo ingrown hairs. We all suffer from this first world problem however it can be quite difficult to find the solution. The solution is Caron Laboratories' Bump Eraiser Medi Paste.




The paste itself is a thick buttery texture that is absorbed by the skin quickly, it comes in a squeezy tube which allows the use of a controlled amount of product used. Bump Eraiser works wonders on inflamed ingrown hairs by reducing the redness around the ingrown hair. I would give you a detailed scientific description of how it happens but I honestly don't know, it does say that it has Tea Tree Oil which is really good for calming skin as well as Triclosan and Vitamin A. I also use this product on pesky little hairs under my eyebrows on hair that haven't broken skin to ensure I have tidy brows.

The product recommends you apply to skin after hair removal and for mild ingrown hairs, massage the product onto the skin for 7-10 days daily and for severe conditions, twice daily. Also the product is not tested on animals, yay.

Disclaimer: It may sound like I'm being sponsored but I'm not. Caron Laboratories, I love your products, please do sponsor me.

Blog ya later,
Sophie xo

Saturday 1 February 2014

Body Wash and Scrubs review





I tend to switch back and fourth between four products, Lush Snow Fairy shower gel, Soap and Glory's Breakfast Scrub, the Victoria's Secret body wash in Pure Seduction and the St. Ives Smoothing Apricot. The first thing I look for in a body wash is the smell, I have a pretty picky nose and tend to stay away from strong florals especially floral scents that smell like my grandma.

The St. Ives Smoothing Apricot is my newest edition. I first came across this when I went on holiday to The Coromandel, where we realized we didn't bring any shower gel so my cousin picked this up. There are several things I like about this.
Pros:
The price tag ($4 USD or $5.70NZD) for a 400mL bottle.
The smell, it smells like apricot lollies or an apricot smoothie.
It's made with natural ingredients
The exfoliant is the perfect size and does not dissolve. I prefer exfoliants that don't dissolve as they tend to last longer.
Cons:
Nothing


I received the Lush Snow Fairy shower gel on the christmas of 2012. My sister picked me for Secret Santa and I "subtly" hinted that I wanted it. It smells like candy floss and sweets, the exact description on the bottle is, "The smell of candy floss and pear drops transports you back to the days of standing in the sweet shop with your pocket money clasped in your fist, trying to decided what to buy."
Pros:
Smells amazing.
Lathers really well.
Not drying.
Cons:
The scent doesn't really linger.

Elle Fowler (allthatglitters21) loves Victoria's Secret body washes so I decided to try one for myself. Surprisingly, it's quite difficult to find in New Zealand as we don't have a Victoria's Secret. I ordered the body wash online which came with a hefty shipping fee ($30 NZD).
Pros:
Smells like plum and flowers.
Lathers well.
Texture is really good, milky and creamy.
Cons:
Scent doesn't linger.
A bit drying.

Lastly, The Breakfast Scrub by Soap and Glory. It's made up of organic cupuacu bio scrubs, bananas, almond and honey extracts. This smells like maple syrup and smells good enough to eat, I've actually eaten a bit.. didn't taste very good, won't be making that mistake again. The size of the product is reasonable being 300mL however, the price isn't. I bought this in Australia at Mecca for $28AUD which is about $35NZD. I could go without this product as the St. Ives exfoliator is a suitable substitute being 30% of the price.
Pros:
Has a 'wake me up' smell.
Smells really really good.
Lathers well.
Scent lingers.
Cons:
The exfoliator is sugar which means you have to use the product quickly to ensure the sugar doesn't melt right away.
Water gets into the container easily melting the top layer of the scrub making it milky.




Blog ya later,
Sophie xo