Handbag Essentials under $20!!!

Here are some of the items I can't live without in my purse! I'd be interested in hearing some of yours as well!

1.  Australis Fresh and Flawless Pressed Powder

I don't know about you guys but by lunch time my face usually gets quite shiny and not as I would like it. This powder is truly excellent quality, buttery smooth and does just what I want it to, mattifying my skin. The sponge it comes with is perfect for on-the-go touch ups and I find the best results come by using a rolling motion to press the sponge into the skin.

Retails for around $17 (and is the most expensive of our handbag essentials) and available from Farmers, Kmart and selected pharmacies.

2. Palmer's Olive Butter Formula Concentrated Cream

This is the best hand cream I've ever used by far. Beautiful and thick, absorbs well into your skin and absolutely necessary for me coming into Winter time when my hands definitely need the help.

Retails for around $5.99 and available at Farmers, Kmart and selected pharmacies.

3. Boar Bristle Hair Teaser

I know you've probably seen these around and think, what on earth is that thing?! Well this is the perfect solution to on-the-go volumising. My hair (especially on the second day) tends to feel very limp and just a bit blah, but with a bit of this brush action I can immediately get some lift and volume going on. 

This brush is also great for taming the odd flyaway, and because it has boar bristles, can help add shine to your hair.

These can retail from between $5-15 depending on where you source them from. I found mine from Unichem pharmacy for about $8 but I know you can get them online from sites such as Beautybay.com for a very reasonable price.

4. Victoria's Secret Fragrance Mist

I have this mist in 'Love Spell' currently living in my bag. The scent is cherry blossom & peach, and smells like angels and unicorns and faeries. Seriously, if you like sweet scents, this is for you. A few spritz of this mist is a great pick-me-up during the day, especially in warmer weather!

Retails for around $15-20 and can usually be found in The Warehouse (NZ) or on auction sites like Trademe and Ebay (NZ and AUS).

5. Carmex Moisturising Lip Balm

My Lucas PawPaw balm was just not doing it for me any more so I am so glad I spotted this wee gem at the chemist. This is a nice thick balm which leaves a subtle gloss on the lips and smells of menthol. It tingles like crazy for the first couple of minutes you wear it but settles down soon after that. I noticed immediately that my lips were more conditioned and I've had good results with this. This can also be used on cold sores apparently but thank the lord I don't have that issue!

Retails for around $6.99 and can be found at selected pharmacies.

So there you have it, 5 great products for under $20 perfect for your handbag! What do you think of this list? Anything you would add to it?

Until next time,

Review: Natio Lip Butter in Peachy

The new Lip Butters are another offering from Natio's Sheer Delight range. 

The lip butters retail for around $19.50 NZD and are available in Farmers stores and selected pharmacies that stock Natio.

The lip butters only come in two shades, Candy (which is a dark pink shade) and Peachy, the one I purchased, which is pretty much what it says, a beautiful peachy pinky shade.

Product Description

The creamy texture, high shine and subtle colour glide on to accentuate the fullness of lips with a touch of soft pink or peach. Infused with a nourishing blend of plant extracts to keep lips soft, fresh and comfortable all day.

My Thoughts

These are another great addition to the Natio makeup range. They feel and apply like a balm on the lips, and provide just the right amount of colour. 

These are so much more comfortable than wearing a lipstick, so for those who normally steer clear of that kind of thing, this may be perfect for you.

Staying power is average for me (but then again lipsticks don't last long on me anyway....) 

They also don't have any noticeable scent, which is a nice change as usually Natio lipsticks stink to high heaven (like mum's lipsticks used to taste when you would sneak them on as a kid).

I think these are a great cruelty-free alternative to the Revlon Lip Butters, and definitely recommend you to try them out!

Here are a few pics so you can get an idea of the shade and look on the lips:

What do you think? Want to check them out?

Review: Dermalogica Dermal Clay Cleanser

I think keeping an eye out on daily deal websites is a very smart thing to do, especially in NZ where products tend to be very overpriced. Yes, usually all they have is a whole bunch of doodie, but every now and then you can find a true bargain.

This is where I found the Dermalogica Dermal Clay Cleanser. On The Warehouse daily deal page of all places. 

Normally Dermalogica products are way out of my price range, as they tend to start at about $60 - $70 in NZ stores, so I was very quick in snapping up this when I saw it, especially since I found out that Dermalogica are a cruelty-free company.

What the product claims:

Water-soluble Kaolin and Green clays combine with purifying extracts of Sambucus, Ivy and Lemon to remove excess oils and refine the skin's texture. Calming Cucumber and healing Sage soothe irritation, while refreshing Menthol revitalises even the most tired skin.

• Naturally-absorbent, Bentonite and Kaolin clays absorb excess oil.
• Astringent extracts of Sambucus, Ivy and Lemon remove excess oils and refine the skin's texture.
• Menthol, Sage, Cucumber and Milk Proteins help calm the skin.

Now I have combination skin, very dry on the t-zone but oily on my cheeks and chin area. I also have been having a lot of break-outs around my mouth lately which has left quite a few blemish scars (that usually take forever to fade on me).

This cleanser is recommended for more oily skin, so I tend to concentrate it on the mid to lower portions on my face, where I am oiliest and tend to break out more.

Here I'll show you a swatch of the cleanser on my hand:

As you can see, it's a nice thick cleanser that almost has the appearance of a mask on the face (and Dermalogica even say you can leave this on the skin for 5 minutes or so as a mask treatment).

It has a menthol scent and feels very soothing on the skin. Once rinsed off with warm water, the skin feels a little tingly and cool, like a mild version of when you wear a peppermint lip gloss.

My skin feels great after this. It feels and looks supremely clean, and my pores even look diminished.

After using this morning and night for about two weeks, my blemish scars around my mouth have noticeably reduced (hooray!) and it even seems to halt the flare up of any new blemishes as soon as I put the cleanser on.

So yes, I am very happy with this cleanser. I know that the price tag for these products are a little hefty, but I do recommend saving up and grabbing one of these products, especially  if you are having trouble with your skin. 

Review: Australis Primer

I used to be a sceptic about primers (or maybe I was just lazy) but now I can't get enough of them. 

This beauty is a relatively new offering from Australis, contains 40ml of product (which is excellent), and retails for around the $20 NZD mark.

PRODUCT CLAIM

A skin and foundation primer formulated as a film forming polymer complex with hold-fast compounds. Contains hydrating botanicals such as cucumber and rose extracts, vitamins A, E and C and honey, aloe vera and lavender extracts.

The perfect product for a fresher complexion and longer-lasting foundation. Moisture-protective and hydrating formula that creates a smooth skin canvas for perfect make-up application that lasts longer.

I found this primer to be quite decent. After 8 hours of work, I saw that my foundation had held in place noticeably better than when I did not use a primer.

The formula has a thin, almost gel-like consistency and absorbs into the face quickly.

Here is a swatch of the primer on my hand:

I definitely will no longer be skipping the primer step now in my make-up routine. I think it is especially good for those of us with dry skin, as it helps to form a barrier between our moisturiser and foundation.

The only thing I'm missing with this primer is an SPF (as I think the more SPF we can get onto our skin the better), but this is only a minor complaint.

Oh - and a major bonus - this product is classified as vegan friendly. Now that is fantastic!

Australis Show Stopper Gloss Sticks in Fairy Floss and Fireworks [Review & Swatches]

Let me start off by saying these things are great.

I bought the gloss sticks in the shades 'Fairy Floss' and 'Fireworks'.

What the product claims:

High shine, high colour and high impact semi-stain! A highly pigmented gloss stick that provides a solid coverage that is non-sticky and easy to wear.

Kiss-proof with intense colour payoff that provides a lipstick, gloss and liner all in one!

I think this is one of the only times I've experienced that the product description provided by the company is actually 100% accurate.

The pigmentation of these gloss sticks is impressive, the formula goes on smoothly and feels light and moisturising on the lips, and the finish is bold colour with a slight glossy look.

Here it is swatched and on my lips-

(T-B) Fairy Floss and Fireworks

Fairy Floss Gloss Stick

Fireworks Gloss Stick

Fairy Floss is a barbie pink colour that at first is a little overwhelming on the lips, but settles down into a nice baby-pink shade after rubbing lips together for a bit. It has no shimmer or sparkle, and it's worth noting that both of these colours don't have any horrible smell or taste.

Fireworks is an extremely pigmented pink-red-purple hybrid shade that has a subtle red sparkle. 

Like the product claims I don't find you need any liner or balm beforehand when applying this, it truly is a one product does all. 

Lasting power is very good, but even once it has rubbed off it leaves a nice subtle stain behind on the lips (Fireworks especially looks great a a stain).

These gloss sticks are available at Farmers, Kmart and selected pharmacies and I suggest you go check them out!

Natio Cream Eyeshadow in Cocoa [Review & Swatches]

I noticed last time I was in Farmers that one of my favourite brands Natio has recently introduced a new range of products called Sheer Delight.

It includes a new offering of lip butters, liquid eyeliner, nail polishes, mascara, a beautiful blush and bronze palette and what I am reviewing today, cream eyeshadow.

The cream eyeshadow's come in three shades, Marshmellow (light pink), Cinnamon (beige shimmer) and the one I purchased, Cocoa. 

Here is what the product claims:

The innovative creamy formula dries to a smudge-proof pearl finish. Softly illuminate, open and enhance eyes with a veil of luminescent colour that can be layered to go from natural to high impact.

What I think: 

Cocoa is the perfect taupy-bronze shade. It is seriously amazing and I am in love with it. I'll show you a few swatches on my hand and applied on my lid so you can appreciate its beauty too.

Natio Cocoa Cream Eyeshadow Swatch

Natio Cocoa Cream Eyeshadow

The tube has a doe-foot applicator which makes placing the formula on the eyes very easy. You can make this a light wash of colour or build it up to make a super easy smoky eye. The packaging is also gorgeous!

I think you get the best result with applying it where you want it on your eye with the applicator, and then using a soft blending brush or a finger, smudging out the line. 

The formula is truly excellent, much better than other cream eyeshadows I've tried where when you try to blend it out you end up removing most of the product. Not so on this one!

This product has really simplified my eye makeup routine in the morning. This, some eyeliner and mascara and I'm good to go, and it looks like I spent much more time on it than I really did.

From memory I believe this retails for $15.50 NZD, which is quite reasonable for the quality of the product.

I'm looking forward to trying out the rest of the Sheer Delight line from Natio, most especially the other two cream shadows!

Review: Australis Paparazzi Perfect HD Foundation

I've been impressed recently with the range and quality of Australis products, and spying this foundation on the Australis shelves decided to give this foundation a go.

What the product claims:

The intelligent mix of High Definition balancing pigments with their amazing light reflecting properties creates flawless even skin perfection under any light. Combined with White Sapphire soft focus pigments, skin tone appears smooth, and imperfections are corrected. Vitamin E and calendula oil assist to moisturise and soothe the skin.

Fear the camera flash no more! A flawless, smooth complexion is achieved in any light. It provides a medium to heavy coverage with a subtly dewy finish.

My Thoughts:


First of all, I love the packaging. It looks a bit classy, is light so is easy to travel with, and best of all has a pump.

I do disagree with the claim that it provides medium to full coverage. I would classify this as a barely medium coverage foundation - which is fine - but not what it is advertised as.

Here are a few swatches of it on my hand and a before and after of my face.

The shade I purchased is the lightest available, nude. This shade is perfect for my NC20ish skin, but for those of a lighter skin tone, you may be out of luck. The shade range is one of the downsides of most Australis foundations.


The consistency of the foundation is nice and easily blendable, and as stated previously has about a medium coverage. It covers the redness on my cheeks well, but concealer is definitely still necessary for blemishes and under the eyes.


The foundation has SPF15 which is excellent, and quite a strong floral-ish smell when first applied (but this doesn't linger long). You also get a decent amount of product for the price so it should last you a while as not even a full pump is needed for the face.


I think this retails for around the $22-23 dollar mark which is relatively inexpensive for a NZ foundation, and is available  in Farmers, Kmart and selected pharmacies.


Overall I'm pretty happy with this foundation. I was looking for a more medium to full coverage as the product stated, but this foundation is still a nice addition to my makeup collection.
                                       


[Edit: After playing around with different methods of application I've found great results with using a BB cream underneath, and a buffing brush or foundation brush to apply. Almost flawless!]

BB Cream Review - Natio vs. Palmer's BB Cream

BB cream's have been described as a tinted moisturiser on steroids, combining multiple functions into one product including sunscreen, primer and foundation.

It's no wonder they have become so popular the world over, perfect for those days where a full foundation routine is just not gonna happen, because sometimes...

Because of the BB cream craze, I've decided to do a comparison between two cruelty-free BB creams readily available on New Zealand shelves to see which one is worth your time and money.



What they both claim: 



Natio Pure Mineral Skin Perfecting BB Cream SPF 15

Hydrate, protect and instantly correct with the 7-in-1 beauty balm. The cream provides lasting hydration, SPF 15 protection and skin tone correction while concealing imperfections and soothing redness for even natural coverage and a healthy glow.




Palmer's Eventone BB Cream

Palmer's Cocoa Butter Formula Eventone BB Cream (Beauty Balm Cream) is a multifunctional formula that targets discoloration and spots while providing natural pigment-perfecting coverage and SPF 15 protection from the sun.  Formulated with our Tone Enhancing Complex + Mineral pigment to even skin tone, renew radiance and leave skin with a flawless finish.






Points of Interest:

• The Natio BB cream retails at around $19.50 for 50g of product. 
• It comes in three shades, fair, medium and tan.
• It contains SPF15.

• The Palmer's BB cream retails at around $15.50 for 30ml of product.
• It only comes in two shades, fair/light and medium/dark.
• It also contains SPF15.

Both BB creams are available at Farmers and selected pharmacies.

Swatches:

(L-R) Palmer's BB Cream, Natio BB Cream

(L-R) Palmer's BB Cream, Natio BB Cream

I purchased the Palmer's BB cream in fair/light, and the Natio BB cream in fair.


As you can clearly see from the swatches, the Palmer's BB cream is significantly lighter than the Natio one. Once applied and blended onto the face however, I can't notice a huge difference as they both adapt well to my fair skin (around NW20 in MAC for reference) however I do think the Natio one probably suits me more.


For those with a more medium skin tone, the Palmer's shade range may be an issue for you as they only offer a very light option and a significantly darker option. Perhaps mixing the two shades together would work out (but that is an extra expense).


Both give a light coverage, enough to even out the skin and take away redness, but not enough to cover blemishes (but what bb cream can do that really!), but I do find that the Natio one gives a more even-toned finish on my skin ironically.


The Natio BB cream does have a runnier texture, and allows more time to blend onto the face to achieve an even look, while the Palmer's cream is thicker and you have to be somewhat speedy as it sinks in quite quickly.


The Natio cream has the typical Natio scent- slightly herbal and pleasant. The Palmer's cream smells just like a nice light facial sunscreen. Both scents do not last long however.


The Natio BB cream leaves a dewy finish, but that can be settled down with powder if wished. I do find that after 4-6 hours of use the dewiness returns, so I think this BB cream would be more suitable for a dryer skin type.
The Palmer's BB cream has a more matte finish, and works well under a foundation if more coverage is needed. This BB cream I think would be better for an oilier skin type.




Final Thoughts:

Overall I think both products are pretty decent and definitely worth the money if you are looking for a quick and easy base for your skin.
I personally prefer the Natio BB cream, just because it is coming into Winter and I prefer a dewier texture in the colder weather.
Both creams also work well as a base under foundation which is useful for those wanting more coverage, as well as getting some SPF factor which is very important especially in New Zealand.



[EDIT: The Natio BB cream recently won the 2013 Prix de Marie Claire Beauty Award so I guess I'm not the only one loving it!]



Hope you've found this helpful in your search for a good BB cream!

------Wet n Wild, Jordana & Kleancolor Goodies-------

Hey guys, this is my second mini haul type thing with products purchased from BeautyJoint.com!

First up we have the third Wet n Wild Mega Last Matte Lip Cover I've bought in the shade Rose Bud 904B

 This shade is perfect for those who are not quite ready for a full on red lip but still want noticeable colour.

Very pigmented on the lips, and like the other matte lip covers will benefit from a balm underneath. This shows up on my lips as a dark pinky/red and is a classic lip shade I think everyone should have in their collection.

Rose Bud 904B

 

Next up we have the Jordana Lip Out Loud Gloss in the shade E-123

Holy moly this one reeks of Watermelon! If that's your thing you'll be loving this one, if not...maybe this isn't the gloss for you.

It's a sheer red tinted gloss with a fine pink shimmer through out. It doesn't make your lips look too hoochie mamma though so that is a point in its favour.

                               

What I really like about this gloss is the formula. It gives a nice subtle gloss on the lips and doesn't have that horrible tackiness that some glosses give you.

Now, my Australis Brow Pencil in light brown was quickly running out so I decided to give the Wet n Wild Color Icon Brow & Eye Liner in the shade Taupe a go.

I'm still a bit hesitant as to whether I love this or not as my Australis one is pretty much perfect in every way.

The formula is very creamy  and has an almost waxy finish, which is excellent for filling in the brows but not so much for lining the eyes as I think it would tend to smudge and run a bit.

Here it is in the shade Taupe-

It's almost too dark for my light brown/ ash brows, but I find if I'm a light hand with it and spoolie it out afterwards like a mad woman it gives a nice finish I'm happy with.

Did I mention this thing is freakishly long? It ain't gonna be running out for a while that is for sure!

And last but not least....two new nail polishes by Kleancolor in the colours Sangria Burst and Pastel Orange.

Sangria Burst & Pastel Orange

This was my first time trying out any Kleancolor products so I had no idea what to expect. Overall, I'm 50-50 with these.

The price is fantastic of course and the shade ranges really good. The brush is a nice size, however the formula isn't spectacular... but what can you expect from $2 nail polishes? The first coat goes on very streaky, but another coat on top plus a nice top coat gives a good finish.

I'm loving the pastel orange shade, it's a nice neutral-with-a-twist colour that I don't think I'll get sick of quickly.

Sangria Burst is bright. I mean B-R-I-G-H-T. Like pretty much neon. Not exactly what I was looking for but okay I guess for an 80's party of some sort.

Now I just need an 80's party to go to....any one...?

 

Kleancolor Nail Lacquer in Pastel Orange 

Kleancolour Nail Lacquer in Sangria Burst               

So yeah, that's it guys! What do you think? I think my favourite out of this lot is the Rose Bud lippy. Definitely wearing that one tomorrow.