SNEAK PEEK! OPI's brand new San Francisco collection!

I managed to get a sneak peek at OPI's brand new San Francisco collection a couple of weeks ago, and I wanted to wait until after the release date to show you guys and make sure that you could all rush out straight away and find these gorgeous shades in your Myer and David Jones stores!

I was sent 4 of what I consider to be the best shades to try out and show you guys, and the video shows you some great ideas for nail art, as well as some awesome swatches. This collection is quite jam packed with real winning shades, from garnet reds to teals and browns, and even a holographic type of colour that I found to be really unusual and particularly appealing.

The colours, as OPI describe them, are as follows:

A-Piers to Be Tan – a chocolaty caramel tan

Dining al Frisco – feast your eyes on this fresh shade of blue

Haven’t the Foggiest – it wouldn’t be San Francisco without this misty grey

Peace & Love & OPI – an unusual holographic blend of eggplant and sage – very funky

Keeping Suzi at Bay – an assertive navy blue

Incognito in Sausalito – keep this almost-black blue under wraps

Lost on Lombard – you will get all dizzy with the glorious shade of garnet

I Knead Sour-Dough – a warm toasty brown

Muir Muir on the Wall – a trailblazing shade of plum, just ask the magic mirror

In the Cable Car-Pool Lane – get taken away with this rich burgundy.

Embarca-Dare Ya! – a marvelous magenta

First Date at the Golden Gate – a shimmery ruby

It’s All San Andreas’s Fault (Liquid Sand) – a textured earthy taupe

Wharf! Wharf! Wharf! (Liquid Sand) – a textured rich matte blue

Alcatraz…Rocks.  (Liquid Sand) – a textured shade of grey

Which one is your favourite? Is there a shade you're just dying to get your hands on? Let me know in the comments section.

Mini Chi Chi haul and makeup look

Today I went to Gloss to "try out" my visa load and go travel card for when I go to Texas, and I had no idea what I was going to buy.....until I saw the big sign that said "50% OFF SELECTED CHI CHI PRODUCTS!!!!"

It was decided at that point that I would like to spend a little bit of money and pick up a few chi chi products. I have a couple of things from the brand, but haven't really tried out much of their stuff. Now I have a gorgeous green eyeliner in "Glamazon", a to-die-for pink matte creme lipstick in "Flirt", a shimmery awesome metallic eyeshadow crayon in "Barbarella", and my favourite item, an absolutely gorgeous eyeshadow quad in "Paparazzi Princess".

With the exception of the green eyeliner, I later decided that they would make a really gorgeous, understated makeup look, which I have created here for you. If you guys want to see a tutorial of this look, please let me know, and I'll make a video either while I'm away, or when I get back.

Let's have a closer look at the products I used in the makeup look:


Metallic eyeshadow crayon in "Barbarella".

This is a fantastic product either for an eyeshadow base, to highlight the inner corner, or even blended out as an under-brow highlight. It has a beautiful gold sheen, but isn't overpowering. It's an awesome team player for any makeup look.



Viva la Diva matte lipstick in "flirt"

This lipstick is my ideal. It's the perfect shade of pink, its creme finish is so comfortable and luxurious-feeling on the lips, and it has a matte finish to die for. I can really see this becoming my go-to lip product once Liptember is over. I loveloveLOVE the packaging. It's really beautifully designed, and the lipstick closes really solidly, the lid clicking into place and reassuring you that you won't find your awesome lippie smeared all over the inside of your handbag.

 Last of all, my very favourite of the haul, my new eyeshadow quad in "Paparazzi Princess". The colours are stunning, a perfectly put-together quad for me. I love the gold and pink shades, and they really suit my skintone. There's enough highlight and shadow here to create a really multi-dimensional look, but it's still simple enough for daytime wear. This is a really great all-purpose palette, and I see myself using it for daytime looks, night time looks, and special date makeup.

My look was completed using my normal foundation products and eyeliners/mascaras, but I did use the light pink eyeshadow from this quad as a blush and the lightest colour as a highlight. I think it really lends itself to the multi-purpose very well.

I'm definitely a new chi chi (prounced "she-she", with a french accent) devotee, and I even changed my Sephora budget for when I'm in the states to accommodate more chi chi purchases when I return. I have my eye on their mosaic blushes and their gorgeous foundations, which come in a really awesome range of shades.

Check them out at Myer, Target and Gloss!

BELLABOX AUGUST 2013

I received my Bellabox this morning, and quickly rushed home to make the unboxing video for you guys.
I'm semi-disappointed because one of the products is very misleading in its size, but overall quite happy with the products that I received, even though they are all sample-sized and we received no full size products. I'll be really interested to see what others get in their boxes before I decide if I got the dud box this month. The Talavou Naturals product is inside a full sized container, but here's what's inside it:

Check out my video for the full scoop on what I got in my Bellabox this month:

CAUSES: LIPTEMBER

Can you see that there is a theme this week here on Katy's Beauty Secrets? I'm interested in all the different causes that beauty brands are getting involved in over the next few months, and this particular one has sparked my interest so much that I am getting directly involved.

I don't often share really personal details about my life here, but I feel like my story is one that a lot of women can relate to. I am a diagnosed anxiety sufferer. I'm a single mum, I have a very busy life, and on top of all of that, I am (along with my amazing partner, who is so supportive in every way) managing a VERY long distance relationship, which will require more time, perhaps even a couple of years, before we can be together permanently. After speaking to my doctor about my anxiety problems, we have concluded that my anxiety is definitely situationally-based, and that the best way to treat my anxiety is with over-the-counter medications to help me sleep better (insomnia is a big side effect of the anxiety), and a prescribed medication which I can take if things get a little overwhelming. It helps me to be able to treat the anxiety directly, and only when it is at an unmanageable level, rather than blanket-coating with a combined medication. That's what works for me. Everyone is different, and manages their stuff in their own way.

That is why Liptember appeals to me so personally, because Liptember is to raise funds, awareness of, and support for Women's mental illness. I am lucky. My condition is very minor, compared to what some women go through, and I want to help out in any way that I can.

So what's the deal with Liptember?
Well, basically, I'll be sponsored to wear a specific lipstick, which I'll go into more detail about below, for the entire month of September. No matter what look I'm wearing, it will be my Liptember lippie that I wear. You guys can look forward to some tutorials of different ways to dress up the same lippie next month. I am even going to wear my Liptember lippie when I run Tough Mudder on the 14th of September! Really, it's just a donation to the cause, but the buying and wearing of the specifically marketed Liptember lippies adds a bit of extra fundraising, through the brand partners releasing the lipsticks, and just a bit of fun, to make the people involved feel like there's something they are actively doing to  "earn" their sponsors' donations.

All funds raised from Liptember will be donated to the Centre for Women's Mental Health and Lifeline Australia. Studies on mental health patients are largely done on male patients, and then applied to women, which often misses the mark. For example, postnatal and menopausal related depressions are not the same as general depression, and women's situational depressions and anxieties often stem from different causes than men's. Hence the need for specific research into women's mental illness. This by no means suggests that women are more important than men in this regard, but this cause is specifically targeted towards women's mental health issues.



So, let's hear all about the official lipsticks, shall we?
Revlon are an official brand partner of Liptember, and they have released 4 exclusive shades especially for the event. There's a red, a pink, a coral and a grape colour, so there is something to suit anyone's taste. They are $9.99 and available from Chemist Warehouse, My Chemist and My Beauty Spot.

I chose "Liptember Pink", obviously that was the go-to choice for me, as I'm a pink lipstick lover. That is the lipstick that I'll be wearing, rain, hail or shine in September.

As with any Revlon lipstick, they are lovely and creamy on the lips, the colour lasts well, and they don't dry out or feel gross on your lips at all.

Like I said, they are available in 4 different colours, and I actually think I'll be sad if mine runs out and I can't replace it after Liptember is over. Maybe I should buy a couple more, just in case.

If you want to get involved in Liptember, head on over to THEIR WEBSITE and sign up, or donate to someone who is raising funds. If you would like to sponsor me for Liptember, you can head on over to MY SPONSORSHIP PAGE and donate directly there.

I'll be posting countless Instagram pics of myself during Liptember wearing the lipstick, so if you're interested in seeing some fun pics as well as some challenges and other fun stuff during Liptember, you can follow me on Instagram @katylylak.

Get involved! It's a great cause, and it should be lots of fun!

JULY FAVOURITES AND DOLLAR COSMETIC CLUB HAUL!

I finally got around to filming my July favourites video! I had a whole bunch of stuff to show you guys this month, so please bear with me while you watch this 16 minute video.

Also included as a favourite are all of the products that I got in the DCC July Bravehearts fundraiser, and there are some really great ones!

Check it out!

Supernutrient: Rose Hip Oil

I've recently been doing some research into "bio" oils, and things which claim to fix scars, psoriasis and other chronic skin conditions, and the one thing that keeps popping up on my radar is Rose Hip.

Now, this is by no means a new concept, but I do feel the need to share what I've learned with you guys, because it really is fantastic.

The traditional "beauty" way to apply rose hips is by using the oil of rose hips directly onto the skin. It contains fatty acids, antioxidants, vitamins and essential nutrients, which helps to repair skin damage, and to promote healthy growth of new skin cells. Everyone I've spoken to about it, and the reviews I have read, have all been very, very positive.

You literally need 2 drops of rose hip oil for your whole face. As it is, after all, an oil, we don't want to slather it all over our face, because that's going to unbalance things and cause us problems.

So what can we use rose hip oil for?

As a daily moisturiser, particularly for dry skin.
As a treatment for anti-age.
As a treatment for psoriasis and other chronic skin conditions, including eczema,  acne scarring and lupus rashes.
As a treatment to assist in the prevention of stretchmarks.
As a treatment to reduce the appearance of existing stretchmarks.
As a treatment to reduce the appearance of scars.
As a treatment to assist in the correction of uneven skintone.

So, as you can see, it's pretty much a fantastic all-rounder product, it's all natural, and it's readily available.

I do want to recommend one particular brand, both because they have a fantastic range of skincare options, but also because they are teaming up with the McGrath foundation for the next 3 months to raise $20,000 for breast cancer research. They are also an Australian company, which is just awesome.

Sukin Certified Organic Rose Hip Oil is, at $19.95 (25ml) and $32.95 (50ml), an incredibly affordable product, and with their pledge to donate $20,000 to the McGrath Foundation, I can't think of a better place to put my Rose Hip spending money.

Sukin Certified Organic Rose Hip Oil is sourced from wild-grown rose hips, and cold pressed to harness the maximum amount of super-nutritive goodness. 98% of users would recommend this product to you, and I'm happy to say that I am among them (and that this is not a sponsored post, nor have I received free product).

You can find it from now until the end of October at selected pharmacy and health food stores nationally including Priceline, Chemist Warehouse, My Chemist and Terry White Chemists.(Limited time only, while stocks last.) Look for the pink box to ensure you're helping to support their breast cancer fundraiser.

OPI Special Breast Cancer awareness pack

Every year, I can't wait for the special OPI pack that finds its way into stores in September or October for the National Breast Cancer Foundation. Pink of Hearts is a pack of two nail colours, full sized and in the pink theme, this year with bonus nail stickers and crystals, which you can find in David Jones from September 13 at $24.95.
100% of profits from the sale of these packs is donated to the National Breast Cancer Foundation, a cause close to my own heart, as I have several family members who have fought and won the battle with breast cancer.

Pinking of you

More than a glimmer

My mum's older sister, my Paternal Grandmother, my Dad's younger sister, and my "adopted" mum, who is my close friend's Mother, have all done battle with the dreaded Breast Cancer beast, and I am particularly mindful of checking myself out regularly. Early detection is our greatest weapon in the fight against Breast Cancer, while the research continues in hopes of finding a cure or prevention. OPI are continuing to help out with that every year, and for that, I applaud them.


Quite aside from the awesomeness of their cause, who needs an excuse to go and buy a couple of new nail polishes!?!?
I will definitely be out to get mine when they hit the stores next month, make sure you keep an eye out for them too.

In the meantime, here are some pics of last year's Pink of Hearts colours, "I think in pink", and "You glitter be good to me", and some arty ideas I had for their use.