REVIEW: MAC PRO LONGWEAR NOURISHING WATERPROOF FOUNDATION

I was both nervous and excited when the new Mac Pro Longwear Nourishing Waterproof foundation was released. Mac foundations and I generally don't get along too well. I tried the Mac Studio Fix foundation because I had heard good things about its longevity on oily skin like mine. In reality though I found that it looked cakey no matter how I applied it and my lunch time it had already become patchy and worn half off my face. The Mac Pro Longwear lasted much longer on my skin but it didn't have quite the coverage that I like.

So although I was skeptical that I could find a Mac foundation that would work for, I had read such good reviews of the Mac Pro Longwear Nourishing Waterproof foundation that I thought I would give it a try anyway.

Good decision, because I really love this foundation.

Click here to read the full review.

HAUL: SEPHORA AUS - IT COSMETICS, TARTE, BITE BEAUTY

There's a little story to accompany my haul.

A few weeks ago I had a disappointing experience at Sephora. Long story short what it amounted to was poor customer service and I lodged a complaint with Sephora. To be honest, it was very unlike me to bother. It’s probably only the second time I have ever bothered (I have been in customer service and I know that the staff are only human and everything isn’t going to be perfect all the time). What crossed the line for me this time was that I was in incredible pain at the time. I am in the third trimester of my pregnancy and my back was just….. unbearable. I shouldn’t have walked up there. It really is largely my fault. The problem is, I thought at the time that it would be the last opportunity I would have to go to Sephora before the baby was born so I stubbornly made my excruciating way from work to the shop, only to find that it was impossible to get served and to turn around and walk all the way back without buying anything.

So pregnant grumpy me got on my phone and sent through a complaint.

By way of apology, one of the managers arranged for me to have a complimentary makeup session. I didn’t think I would be able to take up the opportunity but as fate would have it I ended up back in the city and was able to book an appointment.

Although it was complimentary and I could have left with a fabulous face of makeup at no cost), of course I just had to spend some money.

I spent a total of approximately $90.00 and came away with three new products and three samples. 

Click on "Read More" for more details about my purchases.

REVIEW: JORDANA POWDER BLUSH

Jordana Powder Blushes are not readily available in Australia. I actually picked mine up at a makeup shop called Cosmo Cosmetics. I know that they have a store in Parramatta and on on George Street in Sydney. They stock a lot of products that aren’t readily available in Australia. I don’t know where they come from and I also suspect that a lot of the high ends brands they stock are likely to be fakes.

I know that they can also be purchased from Beauty Joint.com.

I was lucky enough to purchase 4 of the Jordana Powder Blushes and I really must say that I have been very impressed with these blushes.

Read on for the full review. 

REVIEW: TOO FACED MELTED LIPSTICKS IN NUDE, PEONY, FUCHSIA & BERRY

As with a lot of the products I purchase, I had been watching a lot of rave reviews about the Too Faced Melted Lipsticks on You Tube before I committed to buying them.

In 2014, Too Faced released a limited edition Melted Kisses set that 4 mini Melted Lipsticks in the shades Nude, Peony, Fuchsia and Berry. That did it. After all the rave reviews I had been reading, I couldn’t help but purchase this little set that seemed like such value for money.

I’ve been wearing them for many months now so I have come to know them very well before writing this review.

Do I like them? They’re ok. Although they do have their good features, I haven’t found that they meet the expectations that I have of them after reading and watching so many wonderful reviews.

For the full review click on “read more”.

REVIEW: ANASTASIA BEVERLEY HILLS BROW WIZ

When Sephora opened in Sydney, the Anastasia Beverley Hills Brow Wiz is one of the products that I was most excited about purchasing.

Until I purchased it, I had been consistently using the Essence Eyebrow Stylist Kit and was very happy with it (click here to read my review and it will open in another window). 

Nonetheless, I still find the convenience of a pencil brow product very appealing and I had only ever read good reviews of the Anastasia Beverley Hills Brow Wiz.

I was a little nervous. It isn’t cheap and my only other experience with brow pencils was with drugstore brow pencils and they are just never quite right.

Fortunately, the Anastasia Beverley Hills Brow Wiz has been a great purchase.

Read on for the review.

REVIEW: MILANI COLOR STATEMENT LIPSTICKS IN PRETTY NATURAL, PLUMROSE & UPTOWN MAUVE

I think that I have been watching and reading reviews of the Milani Color Statement Lipstick line for about 2 years now and I have never seen or read a bad review of the line. So of course my expectations were high when I finally made my purchase of Pretty Natural, Plumrose and Uptown Mauve.

It is really hard not to have high expectations of a product when you have been reading such good reviews of them for such a long time. The risk of course is that the product can never match up with those high expectations.

Did these meet my high expectations? I have been wearing them exclusively for two weeks now and I am a little confused by my reaction to them.

I think that the best way to describe my feelings is to say that “the whole is greater than the sum of it’s parts”. Aristotle may not have had lipstick in mind when he said that but it nevertheless seems appropriate when I consider my opinion of these lipsticks.

Read on for the review. 

MINI HAUL: MILANI COLOLR STATEMENT LIPSTICKS

Would you look at these beauties! Milani Color Statement Lipsticks in Naturally Pretty, Plumrose and Uptown Mauve. 

I have been watching YouTube videos and reading reviews of the Milani Color Statement Lipsticks for longer than I can remember. In all the reviews I have ever read/seen, people seem to rave about them. Cora from Vintage or Tacky on YouTube claims that they are the best reasonably priced lipstick available and that they are in fact better than a lot of the high end lipsticks that she owns.

That's a pretty glowing recommendation.

For years I have been looking at these online, adding them to carts and then never actually buying them. I think this is partly because I know I have enough lipsticks and partly because I can't help but feel that I would prefer to swatch things myself before I take the leap and purchase them.

Anyway, clearly, I took the leap and purchased them!

It was very exciting to finally receive them in the mail.

I have been very suck recently and haven't left the house, so definitely no makeup for me.

I have however, put all three on my lips just to see what they look like. The colours are beautiful and so opaque. I have only worn it one so time will tell but I think that Naturally Pretty might be my perfect "my lips but better" colour.

I did notice a few negatives that I wasn't expecting - they applied quite patchily. They sort of dragged across my lips and then when I removed the bullet from my mouth there were patches that had no lipstick on them at all. They also have that awful plastic smell some lipsticks get (Rimmel lipsticks - I'm looking at you). I also feel like they are going to have some transfer issues.

But, only time will tell. As I said, I have only put them on my lips once each and they haven't had a test run during a full day yet. So I am reserving judgment until I have tested them properly.

My enthusiasm is still high. I can't wait to take these babies on an outing and give the a proper test run.