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.

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!

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!

LIP PICKS!

I've had lots of people ask me about what my favourite products are, so I've decided to start with my lip products.

As you guys know, I've been trying to work on creating more content, more often for my YouTube channel, and so here is another video for you guys to watch!

(Let me know in the comments how you prefer to get your beauty secrets. Do you like videos, or do you like to read and look at pics? A mixture of the two?)


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Go long! Brand new from Australis: long wearing lipstick.

This week I received an awesome package from Australis, containing their entire Go Long lipstick range!

They are long wearing (up to 10 hours!), kind and caring (with vitamin E, white tea leaf extract, rosehip oil, and mango butter) that feel really lovely and creamy on your lips, not sticky or dry like some long wear lipsticks can be.

I'll follow this up with some makeup looks and more in depth opinions next week, but I wanted to give you guys a look at these as soon as possible. Check out my video with first impressions and swatches of all 8 colours!



Fair disclosure: Australis sent me these products free of charge for my consideration. I am under no obligation to review them, but endeavour to give you guys accurate reviews of products that I genuinely enjoy and recommend.


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Australis Pout Paste: Review & swatches

 Yesterday I gave you guys my first impressions on the brand new Australis Pout Paste. Today, we'll have a closer look and see how it performs.

It comes in 3 different colours; Pash Me Pink, Berry Nice Kiss, and Love Bites. They are all super-pigmented and the colour really lasts. It's a sticky vinyl-sheen type of gloss feel, with the colour output and staying power of a lipstick!

Yesterday I compared them to OCC Lip Tar, and they really are very similar in their characteristics.

I do like that these ones have an applicator wand, though, and the fact that they are an aussie brand who are cruelty free is another couple of huge bonuses.

Unfortunately for my readers in the USA, I'm not 100% sure where/if you can get Australis products in the states, but try online, and see if you can find these. They're great value at $12.95AUD!

The colours in this picture from top to bottom are: Pash Me Pink, Berry Nice Kiss, and Love Bites.
You can see for yourselves how pigmented they are, and I didn't lay them on thick at all.

You can buy these online at www.australiscosmetics.com.au, or you can find a stockist near you on their website. I know that they are available at Priceline stores nationally.

First Impressions: Australis Pout Paste

I'll let the video do the talking for me today, stay tuned for a proper review of this product tomorrow!

I think I might have a problem....lip product excess!

 I posted a little while ago, a post about "goo hoarding". This week, I took a look in my lip products box (I have my makeup organized into 5 litre tubs, by product type), and it struck me that I may have a hoarding problem.
The picture above is the inside of my lip products box. Not even organized, just all thrown in there.

 First up, here they are, all organized and neat so that you can see what I have.

This first picture is lip care products (lip balms, etc), lip pencils, and plumping products, as well as a couple of sample sized Benefit tints.

Next up are my lipsticks. I don't have a lot of them, because I'm not really a lipstick kinda gal. If I had to choose a favourite, I'd go with the Modelco matte red one (second from left in the bottom row) because it's gorgeous and everything-proof!








Last of all, my lipglosses. So many of them that I need two pictures to show you!

As you can see, I really love my pink shades. For special occasions, I like a plum, and for everyday, I prefer nude-type shades.

My current favourites are the Benefit "life on the A list" salmon-y colour, and my new Yes to Carrots C-me-shine nude colour, as well as the Illamasqua one in Belladonna.

 In this last picture are my MAC glosses. Some are the real deal, some are knock-offs. I honestly can't tell the difference in the actual product itself.

Also there are some other brands here, the Max Factor sparkly one is super cute, the Bloom one is a lovely shade, and the Silk Oil of Morocco one is fantastic, and I love the colour, but it's more of a liquid lipstick than a gloss, and it wears off strangely, leaving a line of very light pink on your inner lip which just looks weird. It does smell amazing, though.

So...what do you think? Am I a hoarder? Is it time to do a cull of some of these products?None of them are particularly old, I just have so many of them, and i can't seem to stop acquiring more and more!

Trendsday: Bold lips!

 This season there's a great trend of bold lips! I am personally LOVING all the amazing new shades that we're seeing out and about.

The thing to remember about wearing a bold lip is not to go overboard with the eye makeup. You don't want to end up looking like a clown or an '80s throwback.

Here are a few examples from my personal collection.

How about you? Do you love the bold lip trend? Would you/do you wear it?

The most awesome matte lipstick I've tried: Model Co Party Proof

Shopping at Gloss the other day, I came across a stand of Model Co lipsticks that looked amazing. The red, in particular, caught my eye, and I had to have it once I also noticed that it's matte.

I'm loving the vintage glamour look that's so trendy right now. It's really right up my alley, so a gorgeous matte red lipstick was just what I needed.

Add to the awesomeness of the colour the fact that it's party proof (and I still have the marks on my arm 24 hours later AFTER using wipes on it immediately when I swatched yesterday and having a shower this morning to prove it), and you have the recipe for a really awesome makeup product.

It comes in 12 colours, and retails for $16.95. As far as I know, the line is exclusive to Gloss, or online from Model Co at www.modelcocosmetics.com/lips/party-proof-lipstick-1.html

The lipstick has a nifty mirror on the side of the tube, so you never have to fish around in your bag for a compact when you're reapplying (which should happen so rarely, you'd wonder why they bothered!).

I'm looking forward to doing a tutorial really soon using this lipstick. I have a feeling it's about to become a staple in my kit.

All in all, a really good all-rounder. I will definitely be buying more of these in neutral shades for everyday wear.

Monday how-to by request: Red Lips

This week's how-to Monday is by request from reader Jenni, who asked me to do a how-to about red lipstick and how to make it look good, no matter your skin tone.

Well, to begin with, the main thing you want to do to achieve that timeless bombshell look with red lipstick is to apply a second coat of mascara, some black liquid liner, maybe some false lashes, and keep the eye makeup simple and elegant. Use neautral tones, lighter shades, perhaps a very delicately smoked eye. The easiest way to end up looking more drag queen than silver screen princess is to over-do the eye makeup and team it with bright red lips.

Thursday Reviews: Australis Rush Hour Palette.

 In amongst my discount makeup haul the other day, I picked up this awesome Australis Cosmetics Rush Hour "Pinks on the go" Palette. It has everything you need to create colour on your face in one handy little compact. First, let me apologize for the state of my brows. Next Monday's how-to is DIY eyebrow waxing, and I'm leaving them just a little longer than I usually would, especially when I know they are going to be photographed!

So, let's have a look at this palette. It has a handy lip brush and sponge tip applicator included in the packaging, but you'll have to carry a blush brush along with your mascara for this one. Still, with everything else you need already in the compact, it takes up almost no space even in a handbag! The blush is a soft, creamy peach-pink, perfect for most skintones that would suit the rest of the palette. Then we have a quad of eyeshadows, which I've used all of in my makeup look below.

There is a very light, shimmery ice-pink, which I've used up to the brow bone, a dusty pink which I've used over the entire lid and blended in just above the crease, an almost-plum hue which looks lovely over the entire lid, and a brown, which I've used into my outer corners for a bit of depth. Overall, I think it's created quite a good look. To that, I added my usual combination of gel liner and pencil liner, and a super volumizing mascara, and I was all done with the eyes.

I applied the blush sparingly, as I don't like to go out all rouged-up, but it's definitely a product that you could build up if you wanted to create a more intense colour.

The tonings of this palette suit my complexion perfectly, so I'm really happy with my purchase.

Then it was onto the lips for a finishing touch. There are 2 lip glosses, in nude-pink tones, and a lipstick in this dusty pink colour that I've used in the makeup look. It went on really smoothly, and has lasted through eating and drinking several hours after I applied it. The bonus of it is that if I do need to reapply, it's all right there in my handbag, brush and all!

I'm really pleased with this palette. It's definitely something I'll use "on the go", as the name suggests, as well as at home on a regular basis. And here's the best part...the RRP on this little gem is $12.95... yes, that's not a typo. All Australis products retail for less than $20, a fact that they are very proud of. It means that everyone can afford great quality, animal friendly products from a well established (25 years!!!!) company with a great name.

Well done, Australis!