L'Occitane Almond Shower Oil | Review

When i think of luxury products there’s one company that comes to mind and that’s L’Occitane I’ve had my eyes on the L’Occitane Almond shower oil for quite some time and finally was able to pick it up on a recent shopping trip with friends.

This shower oil is one of the best purchases I have ever made and I don’t regret buying it particularly for the costly price. It is from the Almond collection as is obvious from the name and has the most delicious and luxurious scent that stays long after showering. There is nothing worse than buying a shower product that smells amazing in the shower but disappears afterwards! 

It leaves the skin feeling so soft and silky and doesn’t feel greasy which I was a little concerned about considering it is an oil. What’s different about this shower oil is that when coming in contact with water it melts into a smooth body milk. I have combination normal to dry skin but this product deeply moisturises my skin particularly in dry spots like my knees and elbows. This is also wonderful for soothing and hydrating damaged skin from sun or wind exposure. This shower oil doubles as an excellent shaving cream as it lathers nicely without being foamy making it much smoother and easier to shave. L’Occitane offers shower oil top ups as well which is an eco friendly alternative to repurchasing new bottles as well!

I can’t fault this product even the packaging is luxurious and the cap easy to use without being a screw-top that would be likely to spill and waste product. This will deffinetly be a repurchase. 

Have you tried the L’Occitane almond shower oil before?

Katie

You can also find me on Instagram and Twitter.

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Inglot Freedom system eyeshadow palette

If you haven't heard of Inglot then I don't know where you've been living. Inglot is in my top five for favourite eyeshadow products and it always astounds me how inexpensive they are. Every eyeshadow and I’m talking every eyeshadow is at $10 AUD, now just let that sink in. These eyeshadows are high end quality and cheaper than most drug store products. I kept looking for something wrong with them but I simply can’t I even adore the packaging which is simple, chic and of good quality so it makes traveling super easy. 

The Inglot range uses a ‘freedom’ system which pretty much involves choosing a palette from 1-20 and picking out your favourite eye shadows from their range. I originally started with a quad but also purchased a 10 shadow palette. What’s great about this is you can start off with just a few of your favourites if you are running low on money or want to wait for their new shadow release.

The eyeshadows themselves come in a range of colours and finishes that are all very pigmented, blendable and have excellent colour pay off. The shades I have in my collection are numbers 487 (shimmery purple), 153 (champagne), Shine 31 (soft taupe), Pearl  402 (medium brown), Pearl 423 (dark brown), Pearl 451 (charcoal), Shine 36 (medium grey), Pearl 447 (light grey) and Pearl 395 (creme). I absolutely love using pearl 395 as an inner lid highlight or dusted along my brow bone. 

Pearl 395, 153, Shine 31 and 487

Pearl 451, Shine 36 and Pearl 447

Pearl 423 and Pearl 402

The shades I own provide me with the option to create a natural, neutral or smoky eye look all from one customised palette which is really helpful to take with you on trips away from home. This also means you can buy one palette with multiple colours and switch it up to your liking. 

If you’re all for freedom and customisation with your eyeshadows these are deffinetly for you. Let me know in the comments below if you have tried any shadows from Inglot cosmetics.

Katie

You can also find me on Instagram and Twitter.

Find the Inglot range below.

INGLOT COSMETICS 

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Estée Lauder skin care | Review

One of the best feelings I think is the feeling of clean and fresh skin. Whether this is bright and early in the morning or after a long day. A great skincare routine can make all the difference but the products you use are even more so. 

I have tried many products when it comes to skincare, my skin is normal combination and can often be a little temperamental... nobody's perfect right? I have tried a huge range of brands from drugstore to high end and I have never found products that really make me and my skin happy. This was until I tried the skin care range by Esée Lauder. I have owned quite a few skin products by Estée Lauder over the years but these products are my favourite and definite must haves when it comes to my skin.

Estée Lauder DayWear moisturiser is the perfect moisturiser for all skin types it leaves my skin so soft and hydrated. I find it particularly helpful throughout summer time it prevents my skin from drying out and leaves it super soft. The textured is smooth and thin and doesn't leave a greasy feeling after application, the smell is also fresh and it just adds to that 'clean' feeling we all love. 

The perfectly clean multi-action foam cleanser is my number one skin care product. It is my Holy Grail and I will never, never use anything else. My skin is prone to break outs but this clears everything up within 24 hours. It doubles as a purifying mask and leaves the skin feeling so incredibly clean and fresh. It foams up easily with little needed product and really opens up your pores. If you don't love that 'tight' feeling on your skin however I wouldn't recommend it as it leaves the skin tight once it is washed off; I however love this feeling so I can't find a fault even the smell is nice. 

The Advanced Night Repair under eye cream works miracles when it comes to minimising tired eyes and dark under eye circles. While not my all time favourite eye cream out of my Estée Lauder favourites it definitely makes the cut. This eye cream is medium to thick in consistency and almost gel like. I find the formula to be really smooth and it sinks in quickly without leaving any greasiness. If I wear this product before going out at night my foundation glides over it smoothly without caking up.

The Idealist pore minimising skin refinisher is amazing for leaving gorgeous fresh and hydrated skin. I love using this product in the morning or when going out to an important event. It is super luxurious to use and leaves the skin so smooth. It also really brightens and shrinks the pores. Combined with the foaming cleanser the refinisher works wonders for blemishes and combination skin types.

Have you tried any Estée Lauder skincare products before? Let me know your favourites.

Katie

You can also find me on Instagram and Twitter.

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Benefit boxes collection

Benefit has long been one of my favourite brands their packaging is just to die for in particular their Benefit 'boxes'. I have a few Benefit beauty box products that I have loved for a very long time, some of which are re purchases. I know the selection can be a little over whelming as there are so many different colours and shades to choose from so I thought I would share with you my favourites from the selection they sell. 

Out of all the Benefit boxes I own, Thrrrob is by far my favourite. This blush is ridiculously pigmented with excellent colour pay off. A little goes a very long way with this product which is great as I want it to last as long as possible. I haven't seen this product in store for a while now and I have a feeling it may have been discontinued so i'm using it sparingly. The colour of this blush is the perfect barbie rose pink with a matte finish. I have used this blush on my natural fair skin as well on tanned and it looks great on both. 

Dandelion is a pretty peachy ballerina pink that Benefit describes as a 'brightening' blush which is very true! This blush provides a super delicate and gentle flush to the cheeks. It is not as pigmented as Thrrrob but very buildable. The finish is relatively matte and slightly satin. 

As you can probably tell this blush I have owned for a very long time,unfortunately the Benefit box packaging, while very cute, are not very durable but it's what's on the inside that counts right? Sugarbomb is crazily shimmery with an almost satin finish every time I go to use it I feel like i'm about to apply sugar on my face so use it sparingly! This blush has four different shades which you could use separately but I prefer swirling all the shades together to create a soft pink. When using this blush I use a very little amount without a highlight as it really is super shimmery. 

Hoola is part of the Benefit box collection and is a bronzer...my absolute favourite bronzer might I add. I have just reached pan on this product and it is possibly one of the worst things to happen to a beauty lover! Hoola is the perfect soft brown matte bronzer which doesn't come off as muddy particularly on fairer skin tones. This product is buildable and pigmented but also effortless to blend which is always helpful when it comes to contouring. I use this both to contour my cheeks and nose but also to warm up my complexion. 

Do you own any Benefit beauty boxes? what are your thoughts, let me know which products I should try out!

Katie

You can also find me on Instagram and Twitter.

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Hourglass Modernist Eyeshadow Palette | Review

If you have been following me on Twitter then you should know by now how long I have been anticipating for the release of the Hourglass Modernist eyeshadow palettes. I first came across them while browsing through Sephora's online website looking for new beauty goodies I could pick up on my trip to Los Angeles this winter. In some ways I wish I had never seen them because I knew immediately I had to have at least one and that my bank account wouldn't be thanking me for it. 

It just so happens that I loved these palettes so much that I was the first person in Brisbane to purchase one from Mecca Maxima the day before the release date. Am I a dedicated beauty lover or what? The very helpful staff member was shocked to find out I even knew they existed as there had been limited advertising of the product in Australia. 

Now lets get to the palettes. I was shown all six colour palettes in the shades: Atmosphere ( cool neutrals), Colour Field (Olives), Exposure (Plums), Infinity (warm neutrals), Monochrome (Roses) and Obscura (Earth tones) all of which were beautiful. I found it very difficult to choose between Infinity, Monochrome and Obscura as all were gorgeous shades of browns and rose golds. Eventually, I decided on Obscura but promised myself that i'd go back for the others (as if i needed to). 

This eyeshadow has five finely-milled shades including one highlighting shade in a soft cream with a slight satin-matte finish. I love using this all over my lid as a base however it is slightly too powdery like the other 4 shades so it takes a little more product to stick and stay on the lid.  The palette also includes a soft chocolate brown, warm brown with a metallic and super sparkly finish as well as a dark matte brown and copper bronze also with a metallic finish. My favourite shade would definitely have to be the third which looks beautiful either all over the lid or as a crease shade.

All shades are super creamy when swatched but when applying onto the lid are quite dry so they do take quite a bit of effort to blend and get great colour pay off which disappointed me a bit for the price. However, when applied properly you can create very gorgeous shadow looks with more time. The range of matte, metallic and satin finishes provides a number of neutral to smokey looks and the massive mirror makes it super handy to apply on the go or to touch up. 

Overall, I do love this eyeshadow palette the uniqueness of the eyeshadow pans I find so incredible and innovative and it is for that reason that I wanted one so badly. However, I do not think that the price which I believe to be around $75-76 AUD is worth it. While the shadows are gorgeous the texture has been really disappointing as I was expecting super high quality for a product worth so much. If you are willing to fork out so much on an eyeshadow palette and not feel so guilty afterwards then this palette is for you as you can achieve a number of gorgeous looks, it just may take you a little while.

Have you tried any other palettes from the Hourglass Modernist Eyeshadow range? Let me know.

Katie

You can also find me on Instagram and Twitter.

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L'Occitane | Review

I call this post L'Occitane Review as the experience I had within the store was so amazing that I felt I had to review it as well as the luxurious product I purchased while there. 

Before this visit I had never stepped foot into a L'Occitane store and I am so glad that I did! I have never received such impeccable customer service in my entire life, there is nothing worse than going into a new store even any store and receive bad customer service! As I said I had never been to L'Occitane and was overwhelmed with the amount of products that I had never heard of but the lovely lady working was so incredibly helpful she knew everything about everything and it was so refreshing. She was able to tell us so much about products but didn't stick around like a second shadow, there wasn't once where I felt pressured into purchasing something. Other than the service L'Occitane also offers a cup of Lavender tea as you enter the store which I though was such a lovely touch as well as the spritz of perfume on tissue paper and personalised product samples inside of the take home bag.

Okay! lets get onto the product review. There were a huge number of products that I wanted to purchase during my visit to L'Occitane however there was one that really captured my eye. And that was the Cherry Blossom Shimmering Lotion. This is the most luxurious moisturiser I have ever owned and I can't see myself picking up another.

This shimmering lotion has a incredibly light formula and quite thin in consistency which absorbs quickly into the skin leaving behind a very subtle iridescent sparkle to the skin. I love using this for special occasions or for those times where I really just need a good pamper night. The subtle shimmer is so beautiful when caught by the light which is lovely to have a product which moisturises and can be seen on the skin. 

The scent of this lotion reminds me of spring time it is so fresh and floral without being overpowering  and has a scent that lasts almost all night or day. I have once or twice used more product on my arms as a soft and pretty scent rather than using a perfume. L'Occitane Cherry Blossom Shimmering Lotion is enriched with shea butter making it extremely hydrating for a product that has such a thin consistency. Cherry extract from the Luberon region of Provence adds to the beautiful light fragrance of this lotion which has quickly become my new favourite scent. If the scent doesn't entice you than the packaging surely will, I think I'm a sucker for anything pink, silver or floral.

I thought I would also leave a short wish list of L'Occitane products that I hope to try out and think you should to. Have you tried this lotion? let me know.

FLEURS DE CERISIER L'EAU

ALMOND MILK CONCENTRATE

PIVOINE FLORA SHIMMERING OIL

ALMOND SHOWER OIL

Katie

You can also find me on Instagram and Twitter.

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Estée Lauder Double Wear Foundation | Review

If you have been following my blog lately you would know that I am not a huge lover of changing up my foundation routine. Once I find something and I love it I will stick with it and so branching out and trying a new foundation has been a huge step. After seeing the review of this foundation by Danielle Mansutti I was already hooked, this combined with the fact that the price has dropped from around $70 to $50 pushed me to pick it up; and I am not disappointed in the slightest. 

This foundation is very different to my coveted NARS Sheer Glow particularly in terms of its finish and consistency. Double Wear has a relatively thick consistency with a semi matte finish. Because of this the foundation lasts much longer particularly through hot days and decreases those horrid 'smile lines' even after long periods of time. I put this foundation on in the morning and by night it was pretty much exactly the same after one or two touch ups with powder. The thickness of the foundation also decreases my skin from getting as oily in my T Zone which is absolutely amazing for nights out and as a plus it has not broken me out.

Estée Lauder Double Wear has incredible coverage and only requires one layer for a perfect flawless finish on the skin. I was concerned at the beginning that the foundation would feel very caky and heavy on my skin due to the thickness however this wasn't the case in fact it is quite lightweight however not as much as NARS. 

There is only one problem I have with Double Wear and that is the colour range. I have very pale skin and so I automatically had to pick up the lightest shade in Cool Bone without being colour matched however it is still slightly too dark and I have to blend it a lot down my neck. However, once blended it is almost perfect.

I think for how incredible this foundation is the cost is well worth it and I definitely recommend picking it up particularly if you have oily or oily-combination skin or just have that troubling T zone. Let me know if you have tried this amazing foundation or have any questions.

Katie

You can also find me on Instagram and Twitter.

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Drugstore beauty sale

Is there anything more beautiful than seeing row after row of makeup? Yes... Row after row of makeup on sale, although I think my bank account disagrees. After a lunch date with my best friend we were caught by a drugstore sale and like any other pair of beauty obsessed girls with shopping withdrawals for things we really didn't need we caved. I picked up only a few things and thought I would share and give a little mini review on the things I purchased. 

The first two products I picked up were re purchases these were the Rimmel Stay Matte translucent setting powder and the Maybelline Master Precise liquid eyeliner. Both these products are my two favourite drugstore purchases as a use them both each and every single time I do my makeup. The Maybelline liquid eyeliner is the only I have found with the thinnest nib which is great for getting super close to the lash line and creating a very crisp line when creating a winged liner. Stay Matte powder is excellent at setting my foundation it lasts pretty much all day apart from in my T zone which needs re applying throughout the day. The only thing I don't love about it is its scent. It has quite a peculiar scent which reminds me of crushed coral? strange, however it is a super inexpensive setting powder that gets the job done. 

The next two products I picked up after seeing a recommendation on Youtube from Zoella. These are the Revlon Colorstay Moisture Stains in the shades LA Exclusive and Parisian Passion. 

These lip stains are gorgeous on my lips, the pigmentation in the tube is amazing and on the lips both shades leave a lovely sheer glaze of glossy colour. I find that the shade LA Exclusive is much more pink-nude on the lips than in the tube but the shade is still gorgeous and looks lovely over nude lipstick. Parisian Passion is the perfect plum shade for Autumn and Winter which has a colour payoff very similar to that in the tube. This shade provides the perfect amount of sheer colour to the lips which is great for those of you who aren't as daring with your lip shades but still want something different and bold for the cooler months. Now I can't almost wait for Autumn to come around so I can wear this shade out. What i also love about these moisture stains is they have a cooling effect on my lips and are very creamy and hydrating. 

And finally I picked up a Ciaté Caviar Manicure nail set with the shade Strawberry Milkshake. I have always wanted to try the Ciaté nail polishes but was always put off by the caviar set but decided since it was on sale to try it out. What firsts attracts me to these nail polishes it the packaging, it it so polished and chic and I adore the unique bottle style and bows. I love this gorgeous baby pink shade it deffinetly screams Strawberry Milshake and has a nice creamy formula that isn't too thick. I found it a bit difficult at first to apply the micro beads onto my nail (I opted for one feature nail as I thought all five was a bit OTT for me) and had to reapply the pink shade again as it dries pretty quickly and the beads wouldn't stick, so I recommend applying them as soon as the second coat is on. 

I actually ended up loving the look of the caviar nails it is very different to what I have used before but I love the contrast of colours and textures and i think it would be great for a night out or formal occasion. The only thing I haven't loved so far is the beads tend to fall off quickly (mind you I didn't use a top coat) I had a shower after they had dried shortly after and a lot of beads came off, this also could be because the set was on sale.  Have you tried this set and had similar problems? let me know. 

Have you tried any of these drugstore beauty finds? or know of any dupes? I'm looking to try some new liquid eyeliners. Leave me some suggestions below.

Katie 

You can also find me on Instagram and Twitter.

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Beauty favourites of 2014

It's that time of year again to start fresh, create new years resolutions and most importantly find new beauty goodies to fall in love with. I have delved into my beauty drawers and spent quite a bit of time deciding which products were my absolute favourites of 2014 so that you can hopefully find some new favourites for this coming year. A few of these have been my favourites for a while and because of that I of course used and loved them most during the past year. 

The three eye products I have adored this past year have included the Too Faced Romantic Eye Palette, Maybelline Colour tattoo in 07 Barely Branded and Mac's mineralised eyeshadow due in Pretty and Prim.

I love the quality and creaminess of the colour tattoo eyeshadow, I love using this as a base for my eyeshadow it brings out and intensifies the colour onto so perfectly which I really like considering this is a drugstore product. The texture and application is smooth and even applies well over foundation which has been 'set' before hand. This has also been a perfect shade at highlighting my brow bone and inner corner, Mac's mineralised skin finish in Soft & Gentle looks super lovely onto of this particularly in the inner corner. This is the only Maybelline Colour tattoo that I have tried out so if you have tried other shades and loved them be sure to let me know!

Like any other mac eyeshadow, the mineralised eyeshadow duo in Pretty and Prim has stolen my heart with its gorgeous shade and application. I think I just honestly love the look of this eyeshadow, I can remember buying it and not wanting to use it less I ruin it or use it up to quickly. This eyeshadow includes two shades a rosy pink and a slightly metallic deep berry shade. These shades I find aren't as pigmented as I like when used dry but work beautifully when using a dampened brush, but of course mineralised eyeshadows are supposed to work better when wet. This used onto of barely branded works miracles. 

The Too Faced Romantic eyeshadow palette was one of the very first palettes I purchased and therefore has well and truly become one of my favourite products of all time, as you can clearly tell from the state of it! This product like most Too Faced eyeshadow palettes has 3 highlighting shades the first of which I have almost used up. I have used this palette so much in 2014 it is the perfect neutral palette for everyday use but also includes a deep black and purple which I have used to create a quick day to night look when going from place to place.  I love pairing the shades in this palette which the Mac duo.

My favourite cheek products of 2014 have been Benefit bronzer in Hoola and Nars blush in deep throat. I love love love, benefit Hoola more than any product I own. It is the perfect soft brown for fair skin for both contour and to bronze up the skin. This product isn't muddy or hard to blend but in fact blends seamlessly. I love using the bronzer with deep throat blush. This blush is very pigmented and applies smoothly and is super flattering for all skin shades, I find it gives my skin a very natural flush to my cheeks. This blush is a a very deep, warm shade which Nars describes as ' peach pink' with subtle gold glitter. 

I have three lip favourites for 2014 all by Mac (surprise surprise), two lipsticks and one lip pencil. The first in Creme Cup is my cult favourite lipstick, If I could only choose one lip product it would be this one and I would not be disappointed in the slightest. Creme cup is a pink based nude with blue undertones, which is super flattering with my natural fair skin as it doesn't wash me out at all. I've also included in my favourites the most perfect autumn/winter shade in Media which is a gorgeous deep red wine shade which doesn't look 'vampy' on fair skin. I love pairing this with my lipliner favourite in Talk that Talk from the RiRi hearts Mac collection which is a dark plum shade. I apply this either all over my lips or as normal outlining the lips before applying Media. 

While Mac holds my heart in terms of lipsticks, Nars face products will always be my favourite. The Nars sheer glow foundation is what first introduced me to Nars face products but my 2014 favourite is deffinetly the Nars creamy concealer. Firstly, what is great about this product is the huge range of shades available which is perfect for my skin shade as i always struggle so much with finding the right shade for me. I use two shades in Chantilly and Vanilla. This concealer is perfect at covering under eye circles, highlighting and decreasing the look of puffy under eyes. It is super creamy as the name suggests and last a very long time without creasing depending on which setting powder used. 

And finally, while not technically a makeup product but deffinetly beauty related is my Ted Baker Lewi floral printed wash bag.

I have a weakness for all things Ted Baker, but this wash bag is probably the most gorgeous one i have seen from past collections. While it's missing the iconic Ted Baker bow this wash bag displays a beautiful floral print in pastel shades (another weakness) with a stunning satin light blue interior. This wash bag fits pretty much all of the makeup I need for a trip away including brushes, which makes it the perfect size for traveling. 

Speaking of travelling this year I will be visiting America for the first time and am very much looking forward to it! What are you looking forward to for 2015? let me know in the comments.

Katie

you can also find me on Instagram and Twitter.

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