Wednesday 30 October 2013

HUMP DAY PAMPER SESSION/BRAND SPOTLIGHT - LONVITALITE

This week's pamper session is brought to you by Lonvitalite, whose story I tell you in the video below, as well as a quick show and tell on their products!


Monday 28 October 2013

MAKEUP YOUR EYE COLOUR.

I've been promising you guys for a while, a post to show you what the best eye makeup colours are for the major eye colours.

All of these pictures are my eyes, which are naturally green (and untouched in the purple makeup pic), but for the purposes of the makeup looks, I've retouched the eye colour in the gold/blue eyes and green/brown eyes pictures.



For blue eyes, gold or bronze colours are best. You always want to look opposite on the colour wheel for the colours that will compliment your eye colour.

 For brown eyes, your best bet is green shades.

Depending on whether you have a warmer shade or a cooler shade of brown, you can push it into teal shades, or more yellowish shades.

Brown can also work well with golden tones, also depending on the individual tone of your eye colour.


Last of all, green eyes. For me, this is something I've had the opportunity to experiment with a lot, because my eyes are naturally green, with grey and blue tint, depending on my mood or what makeup I wear.


 I find that the best colours to make my eyes really pop are purple tones, or a classic black smoky eye, which would work with any eye colour.

I hope this post has been helpful for you guys. If you have questions, pop me a comment down below and I'll try to answer it for you.

Sunday 27 October 2013

WEIRD JAPANESE BEAUTY PRODUCTS! DAISO HAUL.

Yesterday I went shopping with a friend, and we dropped into DAISO, which is a Japanese store, where everything is $2.80!

So much awesome stuff was found, and here are some of the beauty finds we came up with!


Thursday 24 October 2013

LUST HAVE IT OCTOBER 2013 UNBOXING AND REVIEW

 It's Lust Have It time again! Once again, the awesome people at LHI have sent me their box for my consideration, and I LOVE the new packaging that it's come in!

We've had a change from the floral designs, to more of an abstract, paint-splotched finish, which I personally prefer. It's absolutely gorgeous, but I know you guys want to know what's inside this little baby!

This month we have:
 Le Tan Wash Off, 40ml sample ($14.99 for 100ml) Fake tan that washes off! Need I say more?

Inika Mineral Eyeshadow, full sizde product (12ml, $25) Gorgeous, highly pigmented mineral eyeshadow. Mine is "Lemon Cream" and I love it!

Paula's Choice oil blotting papers, unsure how many I got...maybe 20? ($10.50 for 100) Oil blotting papers to keep you looking matte without the need for big makeup touchups.

Evo Ritual Salvation shampoo and conditioner, 50ml each (both $25 for 300ml) Treatment shampoo and conditioner. How can you go wrong? The packaging on these is really cute, too.

Smitten Whipped Tinted Mousse Moisturiser, unsure of sample size...15-20ml? ($25 for 30ml) A gorgeous, texturized whipped tinted moisturiser in exactly the right colour for my skin. Really looking forward to trying this. Very generous sample size, too.

Princesse Skincare Hyaluronic acid mask, full size product ($25) You can't really go too wrong with face masks. Hyularonic acid is naturally occurring in your skin, so shouldn't cause sensitivity issues. Can't wait to add this one to my pamper series.
Don't forget if you're not currently subscribed to LHI, you can get $5 off your first box (regular price $19.95) by using the code KATY at checkout. There is a button on the right hand side of my blog page that will take you straight to the LHI website!

If you want another look at the products, check out my video unboxing:


Monday 21 October 2013

MAKEUP: AN ACT OF BETRAYAL...?

Here's a little post, just to show the dramatic effect that makeup -can- have on a face. I'm often complimented on my lovely eyes, but it's almost always when I've dressed them up with a bit of colour and pop.

So, here you can see the difference between my eyes au naturale, and with makeup, lots of eyeliner and mascara, and a very fine pair of false lashes.

I've also defined my brows in the makeup shots, which does a lot for framing the eyes and completing the look.

I'm able to mask the large scar I have on the outer corner of one eye with makeup, cover up any imperfections, lengthen my lashes and define the inner rims of my eyes to make them look slightly smaller, yet wider-set (by using a very light colour in the inner corner.

The brow bone is highlighted in white, giving extra dimension to the area, and the crease of the eyelid is darkened to create artificial depth.

This post was inspired by an article I read, which claimed that makeup was deceitful, an act of betrayal.

What do you think?






Sunday 20 October 2013

TUTORIAL: MODELS PREFER SWEET KISSES TIN

This week, I had a little play with my new palette from Models Prefer, which I showed you guys the other day. Here is my first makeup look from the palette:


Friday 18 October 2013

BELLABOX OCTOBER 2013 - FIRST LOOK!


This is the second month in a row that I've received my bellabox without an actual box, and last month it was because there was too much stuff to physically fit in a box. This month, I'm left thinking "What the hell, bb?"

This month is their birthday celebration box, and I have to admit, I am slightly disappointed, mainly because of all the hype in the lead-up. Maybe I read the articles on bb's website wrong, but I was under the impression that everyone was getting high end products like L'Occitane hand cream, and I can't remember what the other products were.

Here's what is actually in it:

Alfaparf Semi Di Lino Shampoo and mask - both sample size.
Beyonce Heat EDT - sample size
Vaseline Ultimate 10 - sample size
Nivea Visage Daily Essentials Moisturising day Cream - teeny tiny sample size
L'Oreal Paris Shine Caresse lip colour - Full size product RRP $23.95
Bonus- L'Oreal nutrilift gold anti ageing serum foundation - sachet sample.

Stay tuned later today for an unboxing video and more thoughts on this month's offering from Bellabox.

MAKEUP SKILLZ: APPLYING FOUNDATION WITH A BRUSH

This time, I've made you guys an awesome tutorial video about how I apply foundation with a brush.


Tomorrow, I'll show you the rest of the look, using my Models Prefer Sweet Kisses tin!



Thursday 17 October 2013

OMG AMAZING! MODELS PREFER SWEET KISSES PALETTE TIN REVIEW/FIRST LOOK!


This week, I've picked up the most awesome palette I've ever owned, and I didn't even have to save up my pennies for it!

Models Prefer have launched a brand new set called Sweet Kisses, which comes in an absolutely gorgeous "chocolate tin" packaging, and has all sorts of really cute, sweet-themed names.

The tin contains 16 eyeshadows, 2 blushes, bronzer and illuminator, eyeshadow primer, brow gel, mascara and a dual-ended eyeshadow brush.

I'll go through the individual products and let you know my first impressions of them




First, the actual tin. It's very pretty, lightweight, yet sturdy enough to be a really great packaging that you can count on not to break, and the lid is hinged, which means that you never have to search for the different parts of the tin when you're done with your makeup look.

Next, the primer, which reminds me a lot of Too Faced shadow insurance. The formula is creamy and not greasy, and seems like a really great primer for use to ensure your shadow doesn't move or crease during the day.

Next up are the face products. The bronzer is great, not too dark, but enough to get a gorgeous contour, it's silky and goes on beautifully with a contouring brush. The same goes for the illuminator. It's not overpowering, but definitely shows up on the skin, and feels great on the face.

The 2 shades of blush are awesome for pretty much any skintone, and considering the fact that you can mix them together, I think there's something for any cheek there, if you get creative with the bronzer and illuminator also.

Next, we have the duo eyeshadow brush, which is very dense, a flat shader on one end, and a crease brush on the other. They feel good, not as soft as I generally like, but sometimes that's good to help to pack the colour on when you're doing a really awesome eyeshadow look. I'm yet to use it on my actual eye, so I'll let you guys know how I go with that.


There is a clear brow gel, which has a pretty standard traditional spooly brush, which always comes in handy, and a black volumising mascara, with a thinner plastic (spiky-looking) brush, the kind that are popular at the moment. Once I've done a look from this palette, I'll let you know my thoughts on the mascara. It's difficult to judge it without giving it a really good go.




The actual inner packaging is lightweight foam board, which gives a nicer look than just thin plastic or cardboard, but allows for depotting very easily.


Last of all, here are some shots of the eyeshadows up close, so that you can see the kinds of colours that are included. I think the range is fantastic, and I can't wait to use them to create some really great looks for you guys.

Well done, Models Prefer! I'm really impressed with this tin, and can't wait to see what's next from the brand.

This tin is available from Priceline and Priceline Pharmacy (I got mine from their online store) for $25! Go get one!









Wednesday 16 October 2013

REVIEW: MODELS PREFER BEAUTY TO GO CREAM AND COMPACT BLUSH



Yesterday , while I was out and about, I stopped by at Priceline to see if they had a particular product that I was looking for. They didn't yet have the thing that I eventually came home and bought from their online store, but they did have a little stand of Models Prefer sets that were reduced in price, and I managed to pick up some bargains!

One of those bargains was this amazing little blush set, called Beauty to go cream and compact blush, which contains two similarly toned blushes, one in cream form, and the other a powder!

The one that I got is a lovely peach-toned set, and I can really see myself using them to death.

The cream blush is called Tickled Pink, it's very smooth and luxurious-feeling, and blends out beautifully. The pigment is strong, so building it up from a very light touch would be the way to go with it, I think, unless you're a fan of the scarlet fever look.

The powder is called Desk to Date, and I can see how just a light brush of this on your cheeks would be the perfect daytime look, with the option to amp it up a little later for a glam night time "date" look.

The swatches here on my arm are Cream blush in Tickled Pink at the top and Compact blush in Desk to Date at the bottom.


 These little sets are well worth a look. Models Prefer is exclusive to Priceline and Priceline Pharmacy, and is available nation-wide.

Thursday 10 October 2013

SPRING FLING: KATY'S SPRING ESSENTIALS

Spring has most definitely sprung and I'm ready for a bit of a change up in my makeup routine as the months get warmer.

Here are a few of my essential items for spring, and heading into summer:

Number one, hands down, and without a doubt is sunscreen. I have very fair, sun-sensitive skin. Having now traveled overseas as an adult, I can definitely say that the sunshine we get here is so much harsher than other places, even in Texas, where it's like an oven 9 months of the year, I just didn't feel the sun beating down on me like I do at home. Dylan Moran famously jokes in his stand-up routine that Australia is three quarters of a mile away from the sun.
I like Neutrogena's Ultra Sheer dry touch sunblock. It's SPF 70, and it has one of the less-greasy feels. Every sunblock is going to feel like sunblock on your skin. There's just no getting around it. I think we just have to sacrifice a tiny bit in the warmer months especially, to have our skin protected.

Next is Red Velvet soap from The Soap Bakery (Vic). These guys are in the process of getting their website up and running, but can be found at local farmers markets around Melbourne. I highly recommend a trip out to one of the local markets to smell their awesome scents. My favourites right now are Red Velvet and Chai.


Super awesome for spring are these Lonvitalite cloth facial and hand masks. They allow you to take a 20 minute break to take care of your skin. Springtime is a really beautiful time of year, but there are so many allergens in the air! Take the time to give your skin a break and a bit of rehab with their awesome masks.



Every girl needs a really fantastic lip treatment, and I've found one of the best. Sukin's nourishing lip treatment is absolutely beautiful, and very reasonably priced. It keeps my lips soft and nourished, and I'm always happy about that.

Looking for a bit of extra oomph without wearing really heavy false lashes? I love Eylure naturalites. They are lightweight, natural-looking lashes that will give you just a touch of extra pizazz without weighing down your eyes. Perfect for warmer weather.






As it starts to heat up, I like to go for a less-heavy approach to makeup, and my lips are a great place to start. Switching heavy lipsticks for Revlon Lip Butter in Peach Parfait, or Kissable Balm Stain in Honey, are a couple of my perfect ways to finish a springtime look.






Keeping it light is something I'll also switch to for my eye makeup, so I switch up from my heavy mascaras to something a little lighter, and Rimmel Lash Accelerator Endless mascara is a really good one for giving length and definition without weighing down the lashes.





Next up, for lightening the look on my face, Revlon's new Nearly Naked foundation is perfect for springtime wear. A gorgeous, lightweight coverage, which can be worn alone for a dewy look, or with the pressed powder for a more matte finish, it won't leave your skin feeling cakey at all, which is awesome when the heat increases.




Last of all, my nail polish picks for spring are mostly lighter colours, some neons and pastels, but definitely keeping it a bit lighter and brighter than your usual winter nails is the way to go. I love these colours from Sinful Colors, OPI and Sephora by OPI.


Wednesday 9 October 2013

PAMPER TIME! LONVITALITE COLLAGEN EYE MASK REVIEW

 This week, I'm all about relaxing. After a break from medication to control my anxiety (because I needed pain meds more urgently for my leg), I'm at the point where everything is just a little too stressful, and I need to concentrate on balancing out the anxiety again.

I'm getting my body used to the meds again,(over the counter sleep aids, which help tremendously - it's amazing what a decent night's sleep will do for a body), and I'm taking some time out to just relax and take care of myself.

That's where the awesome people at Lonvitalite come in. They have sent me one of every product to have a look at and review, and those of you who have been reading since the beginning already know I'm a massive fan of their products!

This one is my favourite quick-pick-me-up product of theirs, and it's the easiest and least intrusive one. Their C8 collagen crystal eye mask just sits on the face, under the eye, and works its magic there for 10-20 minutes while you chill out and read a book, surf the net, or even just close your eyes and zone out for a bit.

I find that it really helps with my eye bags and dark circles. It feels really nice on the skin, and even with my sensitive skin, it causes no irritation whatsoever.


I'll be doing an entire-brand review with some more information for you guys later in the week. I really think that Lonvitalite is a company worth supporting. They have come from expensive, salon-only products, to affordable (for the same product - I've tried their 24K gold mask before and after the restructure, and it's exactly the same) products that anyone can get their hands on!

Even better than that, you can get yourself an awesome 10% discount on their entire range just by using the code KATY at checkout (click the ad in my right bar to go straight to the website)! That's amazing value, and I'm really happy to be able to offer that to you guys. Get it while it lasts! Check out their awesome range of skincare facial cloth masks, hand and eye masks at www.lonvitalite.com.au today!


Tuesday 8 October 2013

MAKEUP SKILLZ: MAKE YOUR LIPSTICK LAST

Here's a skill I get asked about a lot. How to make lipstick last as long as possible. It's really pretty simple when you get down to it. You need to layer and build the colour as well as you can in order to keep it on your lips for longer.

Usually, I'll combine a liner, a lipstick and a gloss to achieve this. Usually, I only have to carry the gloss for touch-ups and that keeps me going all day. Here, I've chosen asap mineral lip pencil, ChiChi viva la diva lipstick, and Revlon lip butter.

Step 1: Liner. Use the pencil to line your lips, then colour in your entire lips with the pencil to get a really good covering of colour as a base. This will have a better overall look if your lips are well taken care of.

Step 2: Lipstick. Apply a generous coat of your lipstick, making sure you don't get it all over your teeth and that you've covered the entire lip.

Step 3: Blot. Using a tissue, clamp your lips down to blot away some of the lipstick colour. This will allow your lipstick to dry a little bit more and the colour will adhere better to the lip liner.

Step 4: Gloss. Apply a slick of lip gloss over the top as a finishing coat. If you like a more matte look, you can use another coat of lipstick instead.

And that's it. That's all I do. To me, that seems like a lot of mucking around, but I suppose it only takes a few minutes to make sure you get a really long lasting colour. Obviously it helps if you're using a long wear lipstick, too.

Monday 7 October 2013

LIFE/INJURY UPDATE


So, as you all know, I've been a bit cooped up in the house lately following my injury, and I wanted to update you all on how that's going, since I've had some lovely messages asking after me.

It's been a pretty long 3 weeks since it all happened, and I've had lots of doctors appointments and hospital visits and different pieces of equipment to help me get around.

First, I started out in a makeshift cast, a "back slab" of plaster, bound up with bandages. I couldn't walk on that at all, and needed both a wheelchair and crutches to get around. The picture here on the left is how my foot looked when we took the plaster off. The swelling and bruising had subsided considerably, but it still looked quite a mess.

After my first hospital visit with the Orthopedic surgeon, I was fitted with a moon boot and told to remain non weight bearing for 2 weeks. That was a loooong 2 weeks. The boot is heavy and not the most comfortable thing in the world, but at least I can take a shower and sleep in comfort because I can remove it pretty much whenever I need to.

A few days before my 2 weeks of non weight bearing was up, I started physiotherapy. My therapist, Caitlin is amazing, and she tries to be as gentle as possible, whilst also getting the best results we're able to. She informed me that I'll be doing physio for at least 2 months, and gave me exercises to do every day, which I'm trying to make sure I do enough of. One of my main concerns is that the injured leg has lost quite a bit of muscle mass, and I know that's to be expected, but it's still quite shocking to look at. We'll be slowly rehabilitating my leg and getting me to a point where I am fully functioning again. That time cannot come fast enough for me.

Right now, I've been weight bearing, hobbling around on the moonboot for about 5 days, and it's getting easier. The ankle aches at the end of the day, but I think that's pretty normal. I'm weight bearing in the boot for 2 more weeks, then the boot comes off and I learn how to use the joint properly again without the support of the boot. I believe it will be braced for a little while, just with a basic ankle brace that I can get at the chemist. Here's what it looks like now. It almost looks like a proper ankle again, not a big swollen bruised up mess.

I'm looking forward to getting on with my fitness goals, and have set myself some new achievements to unlock. I'll be walking a marathon at some point next year, after I'm fully healed and I've worked my stamina back up to a point where I'm happy to push myself again.

I'll do another update in a couple of weeks when I'm out of the boot and on the road to proper recovery. Thank you all, those of you who have been concerned and asked about it. It means a lot to know you all care.