The Face Shop Haul

I'm a bit here or there about The Face Shop. I was elated when I found one in Perth and dipped into the Korean products I'd never tried before; I loved them, but slowly as I tried products, they were pretty much... Maybe average with a bit of appeal of Asian skincare being available in Perth. I swore to their BB cream, and I've tried a range of products from both their skincare and from their makeup, and I will admit that some are pretty damn good. But for some reason, I can't bring myself back to that level of fandom I once had. Either way, on the way home, I passed through Piccadilly Arcade and The Face Shop just seemed to invite me in, and give them a second chance.

I only picked up four items: two mascaras (one is a base), an eyebrow powder kit and a face sponge for cleansing, but I always get given chocka samples, and this time, a free toiletry bag too! Lord knows what I was thinking when I decided I needed more mascaras, but those were what I looked at and what I decided I wanted. I had tried out one of their waterproof fibre mascaras before and that was actually fantastically shocking; it gave me dark, full, long lashes with a curl and didn't smudge, but it started clumping pretty quickly which was it's downfall. However, these weren't that much more than drugstore mascaras (in Perth at least, and actually cheaper), so I picked up FACEit All About Mascara Base (01) and FACEit All About Mascara Long Lash (05). They're both fibre mascaras although I didn't actually realise the base was one too until I opened it up at home (it didn't seem like one in store based on the tester), but I like that too. Versatility to use with other not-so-building mascaras. 

More eyebrow products, I know, I know. But I haven't actually had a new powder for a while, and the one I had previously (Benefit Brow Zings) no longer really matches and is getting a bit groddy. The Face Shop one looked pretty nifty, I liked the colours, and I've never tried an Asian brow product, so hey, let's give it a go.  

Finally, I was wondering around the last legs of the store, wondering what else I "needed", and, while I loved the lipsticks, I decided they were a bit too pricey for now and went to look at the nifty tools that The Face Shop had to offer. I was contemplating on purchasing the face cleansing brush (don't remember the exact name), but it was a small, round, flat top brush that you use with your cleanser to help clean your pores better. But then I thought hey, didn't I want a face cleansing sponge for a while? And I found they offered one, so I chose it (probably pick up the brush next time round, it was so cute!) and was good to go. It was actually moist when I took it out of the packaging, I suppose to make it look more appealing being fluffy? But I will have to rinse it out before use because of the slight chemical smell doesn't seem too wonderful.

All-in-all, I'm quite please. Didn't go super extravagant, but picked up some essentials, so I don't think I'll be all that let down either way. Perhaps not a love for now, but a reliable friend? 

Perfectly Poised Mineralize Skinfinish

When you think Christmas makeup, do you think red lips, bronzey eyes, glittery accessories and, of course, that beautiful, glowing skin. And the chance to be all glittery, again. I previously picked up one of the Christmas Mineralize Skinfinish in the shade Divine Night, and if you read my post, you would have known that I actually wanted the MSF in Perfectly Poised originally. And I love the result that I got from the MSF (having never owned one before), and they had Perfectly Poised in stock online, so whatthehey, limited edition, I went and ordered it.

I was a bit skeptical about the way this product looked, as in, the inner part with the outer shell. It didn't look to appealing and then I thought that application might prove difficult too. But it does give you three options of how to use the skinfinish which adds value to the product. Perfectly Poised was just so gorgeous when I swatched the tester in store (why would they put the tester out if it's not in stock, or at least mark that it's sold out like the usually do). It was this gorgeous gold and pink sheen; an amazing rose gold colour that's so nice and subtle. I can see this being a great finish for parties especially. It gives that angelic topping to your look. 

left to right, without flash: inner part, outer shell, mix of both, blended

Without Flash

The pictures really don't do justice. It's shimmery, but not too shimmery, gives a really nice glittery glow to your skin. I would think this would nice applied to the collarbones and decolletage too. I feel super glamorous when I have this very finely milled powder on, the gold pink sheen looks so gorgeous, especially on my tanning skin. I don't really see this shade working for those that are fairer, unless using quite a light hand, but with the Summer sun this MSF really suits the season.

November Favourites 2013

December already! The month of Christmas and I'm already too excited. You might have noticed that I skipped a favourites post for the month of October. To be honest, I only had two items that I would really consider to be "favourites" for the month, so I didn't think it would be worth it; but turns out that those two products ended up as favourites for this month too! No skincare or haircare this month, no new additions, or to early to tell, so just some nice makeup products. 

Stila One Step Correct

I did a review of this product and still love using it everyday, sometimes I don't even feel like putting on foundation (it's warming up, some days a bit too much) and use only this product. Does the slightest bit of evening out the skintone, but it makes my face all nice and smooth and keeps it matte, but not drying. In fact, keeps the level of moisture in my skin pretty prime.

theBalm Balm Shelter tinted moisturizer SPF18 in light/medium

I don't own a whole lot of tinted moisturizers, and to be honest, I have had this one for a while. This gives me probably the lightest coverage ever, and it might smell a tiny bit funny, but for some reason, I quite like this moisturizer. The SPF is pretty poor, but I do love the moisture this, uh, tinted moisturizer gives and doesn't separate like I've found of most other tinted moisturizers I've tried. 

Estee Lauder Double Wear Mineral Rich Loose Powder Makeup in Intensity 3.0

This. I love this. It doesn't look cakey at all when you apply it in a few layers to build up the coverage and is super matte. The lasting power is the best I've ever tried out of any powders, let alone loose powders before. It does fade a bit by the end of the day, but still, it holds up pretty damn well especially with all the sweating from the growing heat. 

Bourjois healthy balance unifying powder in Beige clair (53)

This is a product that was going to be in my favourites for October. Quite a higher coverage powder, I just love the finish that it gives. I don't know quite how to describe it, the finish is somehow very matte, but there's something special about it. It makes my face look impossibly smooth too.

Urban Decay Naked Basics Palette

I absolutely love this palette, I dedicated a post to it already. Just good for on the go, too. Can swipe a wash of any of these shades all over the eye (maybe not the darkest shade), and boom. You look a bit more awake already. And the shadows are so buttery and smooth and easy to blend. 

MAC RiRi Hearts MAC lipstick in Nude (Matte)

Never thought I would love a brown lipstick just so much, but this one is gorgeous. I guess you could probably describe it a bit more as raisin but it just helps me make just a bit more polished. I love the matte finish too, it doesn't feel drying and helps the colour last longer too. The cute packaging helps it be easier to find in my bag when I'm out too.

Hmm, looking over my favourites now, I didn't realise how neutral and light on the coverage I went. But I've quite been loving my makeup this month, so maybe simple is all we need sometimes. I mean, the awful heat too (we're not even in the hottest part of Summer yet, I am just a billion degrees to add), I'm feeling surprisingly confident and sassy with my minimal makeup. 

Divine Night Mineralize Skinfinish

To be honest, I wasn't too impressed by the Christmas range that MAC was releasing for the 2013 year. I thought maybe an eyeliner, a lipstick or two would be all that I would get from the entire line (not even the bags or kits really screamed out to me), but as I went into David Jones the other day before work, I swatched the gaudy-looking Mineralize Skin Finishes from the Divine Night range, and ooh. My interest was captured again. 

I actually wanted the shade Perfectly Poised, which gave this nice gold sheen with a pink reflect, super pretty shade. But unfortunately, David Jones had sold out of that one, so I went across the road to Myers... Where they also happened to be sold out, and where the lady then started to try push all these other products on me. To which, I decided that Scene to Be Seen was actually quite nice too... And they had sold out of that at Myers as well! Why did she up that particularly product to me when it was also out of stock? And then she started to push other products on me too, that weren't even remotely related. I tailed it out of there saying I had to head to work, and thanked her for her help (why did I thank her). Anyway, I actually went back to David Jones to see if they had Scene to Be Seen in stock, and they did and they were lovely, and this is why I constantly choose to go to David Jones over Myers. But either way, I was able to grab Scene to Be Seen (and later noticed that Perfectly Poised is in stock online, so might pick that up later too... It was just so pretty!), which is described as a mauve with a pink sheen/brick rose with gold reflects.

left to right, without flash: inner part, outer part, mixed, blended

With Flash

I would describe this as quite the plum-toned Mineralize Skin Finish, but a mauvey-pink is quite accurate. I love the result that you get from blending this out on the skin, the pink and gold shimmers look absolutely wonderful, especially on my medium toned skin; and, I assume, as my skin will tan a bit more with the warming weather, this can give that ethereal look. This can be built up to be used as a blush too, but that will take about four layers or so, as this blends like a dream on the skin. I think one of the nifty things about this Christmas range of Mineralize Skin Finishes is that there are essentially three options of shades: the inner part, the outer shell, and mixing it together.

I've never owned a MSF before, and I can really see the appeal of them now. They're so smooth and finely milled, it really adds a nice touch to the skin at the end. This shade is probably best that it came about in the holiday season, I don't see much opportunity to wear this (although I probably will, screw "appropriate" makeup), it will really look nice to give that sun-kissed glow, so that's a nice addition to a summer tan or that "festive cheer" you get from a little bit of bubbly.