Wednesday 26 June 2013

Update:Blog news...and I'm sick again!

Hey guys, I know it's been a while between posts....again.

There are a few things going on with me/the blog at the moment, and I figured I should post a little update to let you guys know where I'm at and what you can expect in the future.

First of all, yay winter! Max and I both have the dreaded lurgy, so in addition to dealing with my own illness, I'm trying to tend to a sick almost-3-year-old which leaves very little time for even cleaning my house or dragging myself through the shower, so the thought of putting on makeup to make content for you guys is kinda beyond me right now. I know you all understand.

SO...what's going on with the blog for the future plans and stuff? WELL. I recently completed the pilot course from YouTube Creator Academy, and I'm all kinds of motivated to push my content in the YouTube direction, so that means you'll see more video content from me, which I'll cross-post here to the blog. My posts will be put on a regular schedule, once or twice a week, which I'm still figuring out, and then in between, you'll be able to follow me on facebook, twitter and instagram to get your fix of beauty secrets.

You'll also be able to follow my vlog channel, which I intend to make more active now that I'm training for Tough Mudder and out and about more often. I may even do some one-take vlogs several times a week, just to get my life out there into the Youtube community.

In the works right now are a couple of tag videos, including a cross-promotion with another beauty youtuber, which I can't wait to film. The thought of collaborating with other aussies beauty vloggers is a very exciting one!

I will be filming some stuff over the weekend, including my Violet Box first impressions/review, and should get a schedule sorted out over the next week or so. Just be patient with me, we'll get there. I'm also going to film the "50 facts about me" tag, which will give you some more insight into my life and why I'm so bloody busy all the time!

In the meantime, why not head on over to my Youtube channels, and don't forget to subscribe while you're there!

My beauty channel
My second channel for vlogs and other fun stuff (profanity warning on most of my videos there)

You can also find me on Twitter @katy_lylak
and on facebook (don't forget to hit the "like" button!)
Also on instagram @katylylak #KBCOMUNITY

Coming up very soon, there will be a giveaway, I'm not 100% sure how I'll run it just yet, but it'll be awesome, I promise. Once I've been to the USA in August, I'll have some "can't get in aus" goodies as a special treat for some aussie readers, and don't forget to tune in for my USA vlogs, which I'm sure my boyfriend will just -love- being a part of (haha). I wonder if an aussie accent will be enough for Sephora to let me film in store?

So just stay tuned, I haven't forgotten about you all. You can look forward to some more great content super soon.

Katy <3

Wednesday 19 June 2013

LUST HAVE IT JUNE 2013

I received my Lust Have It June box, and I'm suitably impressed, which puts me in a tough position, because I have one more box subscription than I can realistically afford.

Over the next few days, I'll review bellabox and violet box for this month, and y'all can tell me which ones you think I should keep and which one I should get rid of.

Here's a video review of the LHI box for June:






Monday 17 June 2013

Matte is the new black! Brand new mattifying products from Australis.

 Last week, I received a surprise in the mail from the amazing people at Australis, and I was suer-stoked to find that their new mattifying products were inside!

I've been eyeing off the lip mattifyer for a while, and I am really really impressed with it and the other two products in here.

I've made a review video, which you can view at the end of this post, but here is a short rundown of each product:
The new Matte Up foundation is amazing, the packaging is super awesome, with a sponge and a mirror included in the compact, and at $14.95, you really can't go wrong with this cream-to-powder gem.

Next up is Matte out, a mattifying base product designed to be used under your foundation to keep your oily areas matte all day long. it works like a dream, and despite it being purple in the tube, it goes on clear. At $13.95 it's an amazingly innovative product that really hits the spot.
















Last but not least is Matte Me, a mattifying base coat for lips. I tried it with an australis lipstick AND a MAC lipstick, and it worked really well at bringing the shine off of the lip product and mattifying without drying out. This one is $12.95 and worth every cent.
Here's my makeup look, using all three products. The picture is untouched digitally, and no filters were used. I'm calling this a big win for the makeup industry and for Australis. Well done! Keep the awesome products coming. I can't wait to see what they come up with next!

Fair and full disclosure. I was sent these products by Australis, free of charge, for my consideration. I was under no obligation to review them at all. I endeavour to bring you honest reviews of products that I have genuinely tried and enjoyed.



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Wednesday 12 June 2013

How to: Minimize large pores.

First, a disclaimer: I suffer from mild Trypophobia. During my research for this article, I experienced some of my common symptoms, so if you have Trypo, I might advise reading this without looking at the pictures...or thinking too much about it.

I had a question from a reader during the week, about how to minimize the size of her pores. it really got me to thinking, because there are many causes of large pores, and many ways to assist in shrinking them away. For this post, I want to concentrate on non-hereditary causes, and non-cosmetic treatments.

The most common cause of large pores is clogged pores. Naturally the pore is open to allow toxins to travel away from the dermal layer and out of your body. This is where a daily hygiene and skin care routine comes in. Our bodies aren't all that good at really getting rid of everything that's inside the pore, especially when our hormones are fluctutaing (such as during puberty, or in the later stages of life, the use of contraceptive pills, pregnancy, and eventually menopause). This is how we form blackheads, whiteheads, acne, all of those beautiful, lovely, awesome skin conditions. A buildup of sebum, toxins, skin cells and other pollutants become trapped inside the pore.

I'll stop my skin story right there at what happens before that buildup becomes infected (and becomes a pimple). The pore expands in an attempt to release its contents, causing the appearance over over-large pores externally.

Here's how to fix the problem before it gets worse. Stick to a weekly routine of cleansing away the toxins and buildup of oils and dead skin cells from your face (and your body!!!) This should include using a gentle cleanser every day, and exfoliating at least once a week with a product specifically designed for the purpose. OR you can exfoliate your skin very nicely using baking soda. Pour a little into your hand, mix with warm water to form a paste, and use in a circular motion over your face, paying special attention to the sides of your nose, your chin and your forehead. Please be very gentle near your eyes, as the skin there is very delicate.

If the cause of your large pores was indeed toxin buildup, you should see an improvement in pore size almost immediately.

Sometimes, it's due to other factors and can be hereditary, and in those cases, there are other products that we can look at for the temporary treatment of large pores. I'll leave that for another post.

What other treatments do you know of for large pores?

Monday 10 June 2013

TAG! Colours of the Rainbow.

I just did the YouTube tag "Colours of the Rainbow", in which I show you guys a product in every colour from the rainbow. Here's the video for that, and some pics of other Rainbow-Coloured items I love:










Friday 7 June 2013

Review: Rimmel London Lash Accelerator Endless Mascara

It's rare that I get really excited about a mascara, because I've tried so many of them, and they basically all do the same (ish) thing.

When I discovered this new one from Rimmel London, it was on sale and came with a free waterproof eyeliner, and I'm not going to lie, that was the large part of the appeal for me.

But then I did some research, and I tried it out, and oh boy, this is really a great product to get excited about!

Not only does it have the latest trend of fibres in the formula to lengthen and thicken lashes, it also helps you grow your own natural lashes with a growth formula built into it!

In just over a week of casual use (3 or 4 wears), I have noticed a difference in the look of my natural lashes when I have no product on them, and when I am wearing it, it's a fantastic lifting, separating, lengthening and volumising mascara. I love it!

I got this on sale at Chemist Warehouse for about 8 bucks (with a free eyeliner), but you can find this little beauty at Priceline, Kmart, Target, Big W, Coles supermarkets & selected pharmacies nationally.
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Tuesday 4 June 2013

Great Gatsby Inspired Makeup Tutorial and update.

It's been a long time between posts, and I feel like I owe you guys an explanation for that.

Some of you know that my son went overseas to visit with my family in England. He returned home last Tuesday, and we've been busy welcoming him home and making some changed to his bedroom, and unfortunately, that came at the cost of my blogging time.

For the next two weeks, I'm participating in the pilot run of YouTube's Creator Academy program, an online course designed to help YouTube creators put out better content and improve their channels, brands, and general viewability. As a YouTube partner, this course can help me to earn money from my blogging and vlogging and so it's in my best interests to make it a priority. You can look forward to better quality content from me very soon!

So please bear with me, and I'll be back to our regular scheduled programming very soon.

In the meantime, I've filmed a Great Gatsby Inspired Makeup Tutorial for you guys. The eye look is a basic nude/brown smoky eye which also looks great teamed with a more subdued lip.


Enjoy! I'll post more as I get a moment, and hopefully within 2 weeks, once I've completed my course requirements, I'll get back to daily posts.