Empties #3 - Beauty ♡

I haven't done an empties in a while, and I was starting to look like a bit of a hoarder with all these empty bottles sitting around my room so I decided to take out my camera and write a post! 

WARNING: UNNECESSARY AMOUNTS OF FACE WASHES AHEAD

Bioré warming anti-blackhead cleanser - Fun fact: Biore changed their packaging of this product, so the first two facewashed on the top and bottom left are actually the same product just repackaged. Since I have two versions of it, needless to say that I love this facewash. I love the smell and I also love how it heats up when you use it and I also love how it makes my skin feel. It leaves my skin feeling really clean and fresh and this face wash is definitely of my favourites 

L'oreal gentle makeup remover - This is a pretty decent all round makeup remover, gets rid of all the stuff that you need to get rid of but after you use it your face feels like it has a sheet of oil left on it, despite the package saying that it won't leave your face feeling oily (don't trust them!)

Neutrogena blackhead eliminating daily scrub - Emphasis on the word scrub in this product, the scrub bits in the face wash are quite big and harsh and I could only use this face wash two or three times a week, otherwise it was too harsh for my skin. This face wash wasn't outstanding for me, but it did the job of getting my face clean and I love the smell as well

Nivea day cream - This was a staple for me last year, it left my face feeling very soft and moisturised and absorbed quite quickly. It also had SPF in it which was a bonus but considering it's summer currently I'd find this a bit too thick and creamy for summer. This is a great moisturiser for those winter months where you just need an extra bit of hydration

Simple moisturising facial wash - I really enjoyed using this face wash. Once again, I loved the smell but I mostly loved how it foamed up which isn't something I had ever seen in face washes before. This face wash is very very gentle on the skin but it still left my skin feeling clean and refreshed. Note to self: repurchase this at some point

What're some face washes you guys've been loving? I'm on the hunt for some new ones! 

Ciao x 

My Favourite Mascaras ♡

I must admit, I'm slightly ashamed to admit that I've tried pretty much every single drugstore mascara out there ... oh well. Here's my favourites from my vast ventures in the drugstore mascara world.

Firstly, I don't think there's a huge difference in quality when it comes to drugstore and high end mascaras, they all essentially do the same thing and the only huge variable (apart from price) is the brush. So I've vowed to only stick to drugstore mascaras, but if there are any really outstanding high end ones be sure to let me know!

My favourite mascara brand is Maybelline, I think their mascaras are just plain good. I can't really fault them. One of my favourites is the Maybelline Falsies. The brush has fiber bristles and it really fans out my lashes and gives them length and volume and is overall a great all rounder. The only criticism I've got is that once this mascara starts to dry out it gets extremely flaky and throughout the day bits of the mascara falls off from my lashes onto my undereye area, so I can only wear this mascara for about two months before it starts dying. But I love the way my eyelashes look with this mascara on, so for me it's worth the risk! :P  

Another favourite of mine is the Maybelline Pumped Up! Colossal. Me and this mascara have been through a lot together. When I first got it I wasn't a huge fan of it, I found the consistency of the mascara way too fluidy and I found it difficult to build coats of it on my lashes and I just didn't find that it too much for my lashes. I came back to it a few weeks later and gave it one last try and I absolutely loved it! I think the mascara itself had dried out a bit over the weeks, and so the formula was much easier for me to work with. Now this mascara gives my lashes a TON of volume, and lengthens them a bit as well, and unlike the Falsies it hasn't flaked on me yet. Definitely worth the wait for it to dry out. 

I have a third favourite as well, but I seem to have lost the bottle? No idea where it's gone to *cries* but my third favourite would've been the Maybelline Colossal Volume Express - Cat eyes. It comes in a yellow bottle and has a very skinny, curved wand. It doesn't give you a ton of volume but it makes your lashes look super duper long and I find that my lashes look slightly more curly when I wear this. It gives you long, spidery lashes so if that sounds like something you'd like then I highly recommend trying this mascara

Any other mascaras I should try out? Dare you to suggest one I haven't already tried x 

Ciao x

♡

Summer Holidays ♡

It's finally summer! 

I'm not gonna lie, I've never really liked summer. I know, I know but bear with me here. Summer to me just reminds me of sweat and being too hot and sticky all the time. And to make it worse I hate swimming so the only way I can cool down is by sticking my head inside the freezer. Me and summer have always had a love hate relationship, but I think that this year might just be my best summer ever. With my trust air conditioner by my side, I feel like I can conquer anything and three months of freedom sounds exactly like what I need at the moment. 

For those of you on the opposite side of the world who still have school... I'm sorry for your loss. Meanwhile here in New Zealand I'm planning what to do with my summer. Plans so far include:

• Shopping spree with my two best friends
• HUGE TV series marathon with my biffle (we plan on watching PLL and Game of Thrones!)
• Redecorate my room
• Colour run!
• Dye my hair light brown
• Go camping
• CHRISTMAS
• Blog upkeep (this'll be tricky)
• Overdose on blueberry ice cream

For those of you in summer, what're your plans? Let me know in the comments! :)

Ciao x
♡

Empties #2 - Hair & Makeup ♡

I had collected too much stuff to put it all into one, so I split it into two :P This is the first part of my empties .. haul, I suppose haha 

Clear scalp & hair mask - I loved this soooo much, it left my hair feeling super nourished and healthy and it smelt like classic shampoo, which I love :P If you're out looking for a hair mask this one ticks all the boxes for me

Maybelline mega plush mascara - This mascara is really good if you're going for a more natural look. It doesn't really lenghten but it adds some volume. Not too much, but just a bit. I don't know if anyone feels this way, but compared to other mascaras I have, this gives a very natural and minimal look. It's perfect if you're just starting out and want something very minimal and not very noticeable

Rimmel stay matte powder - This product is an absolute godsend. It smells incredible, it keeps me matte for ages, it's finely milled, it doesn't look cakey and my favourite thing about it is that it doesn't cost a thousand dollars. This is just all around perfect, I can't really fault it. As you can see from the photo my powder was in quite dire condition ... be careful not to drop them if you've got one haha :P

Collection lasting perfection concealer - I don't quite understand how I only used up one mascara but somehow used three concealers? Something clearly went awry here ahaha. I finished two of them with the shade Warm medium 3, and one in Fair 1. This concealer has always been a favourite of mine since I tried it, it's incredibly high coverage and blends very nicely and easily and is just all around very very good quality. It does crease on me, but I have not yet found a concealer that doesn't haha. Otherwise, this product is perfect. If it were a human it would be Johnny Depp *drools*

VO5 give me texture shampoo - I haven't exactly finished this product, I used it a few times and I did not like it at all so I'm throwing it out. It just left my hair feeling extremely dry and straw like and didn't do much else. My hair was no more texturised or voluminous than usual, it just felt more dry and got tangled more easily. Deepest apologies to all the VO5 fans out there, but this just did not agree with my hair 

Anyone else obsessed with the Collection concealer? Help me feel better about my addiction by telling me below :P

Ciao x

♡

Zoeva Rose Gold Brush Set - Review ♡

left to right
106/Powder, 102/Silk Finish, 112/Luxe Sheer Cheek, 110/Face Shape, 142/Concealer Buffer, 222/Luxe Soft Definer, 231/Luxe Petit Crease, 317/Wing Liner

After hearing so much hype from everyone everywhere about these brushes, and after wanting them for about two years, I finally bought them! :D 

I got these brushes about maybe two months ago and I've been using them every single time I've put makeup on. Not just to test them out but because I am actually obsessed with them.
I got them from the Zoeva website. The shipping and handling was great, I got them within a week I think and they came in a big box with lots of padding so there was no damage at all. The brushes themselves were all wrapped individually and they were put inside of the brown Zoeva bag that you get. The brown bag you get is really nicely sized and the material is beautiful and would be perfect if you wanted to take your brushes somewhere with you.
All the brushes in this set are absolutely gorgeous, there's 8 in the set and each one of them has a matte black handle with a stunning rose gold barrel, ugh they're so pretty. I love these not just because they look adorable on my vanity but also because they're actually such amazing quality. They're all soooo incredibly soft *drools*. They're not incredibly soft to begin with but I found that the more you use them the softer they get. I've used them heaps and washed them heaps and none of them have stained or shed.
To begin with I found that the three luxe brushes were the scratchiest, I presume it's because they're made from natural hair. But after washing them and using them they got softer and softer so I guess this set of brushes needs a bit of breaking in haha.

I think these brushes are really really reasonably priced and they look super duper stunning, and they're all really soft and just absolutely incredible quality. These have been my new favourite brushes for a while, if I could I would definitely marry them <3

PS. They're dirty in the first photo but they're brand new in the second one so you can see how they wear out and stuff. After washing them they always look brand new though! :)

Have any of you guys tried these brushes? Let me know your thoughts!
Ciao x
♡

Lipstick Splurge ♡

Rimmel Kate Moss in 106 - I've had other Rimmel lipsticks previously and the Kate Moss collection has always been my absolute favourite. They're so incredibly pigmented and glide on really nicely and they don't dry your lips out either! Their formula is just incredible and they stain your lips slighty as well so they last really well. I even love the smell of them!
Loréal Colour Riche in 600 Doutzen's Nude (Privee by Doutzen collection) and 286 The Queen's Kiss (Project Runway collection) - Firstly, these lipsticks smell so good. Best. Smelling. Lipsticks. Ever. I love the two colour I picked up in these, one's more of a nude and the other ones a berry purple colour that would look really nice in the colder months. These lipsticks are have a glossy finish and are decently pigmented, they're also super buttery and moisturising as well. 

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Maybelline Colour Drama in 630 Nude Perfection and 510 Red Essential - These lip pencils are a new release from Maybelline and there's been a lot of hype about them going around, and rightly so! They're sooooo creamy and easy to apply. They're also really pigmented and last really well too. I can't really fault these, they're just stunning. I picked up two, one's a dark berry red and the other one is a stunning Kylie Jenner esque nude colour.

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Rimmel Apocalips in 501 Stellar - I have no idea why I've not heard so much hype about these lip laquers cus dangggg, this impressed me sooo much! The colour I picked up in this is a gorgeous bright neon fuschia. It's so incredibly pigmented, it's unbelievable, definitely one of the most pigmented things I have ever used, I was so blown away by this. Despite being so pigmented it's super easy to apply with the doe foot applicator. It has a very glossy finish but it lasts really well as well. If you've not yet tried these I would highly recommend trying one out! 

I definitely don't need to buy any more lipsticks for a while now (although we all know I probably will haha). Thanks for reading, ciao! x 

♡

Drugstore Makeup Hurl ♡

♥︎ Face ♥︎

Rimmel Wake Me up in 030 Classic Beige - This concealer has very quickly become one of my favourites. It's not crazy high coverage like the Collection lasting perfection, I'd say it's around medium coverage but it blends out very very easily and is very dewy and looks extremely natural under your eyes. It's also the first concealer I've ever used that has actually matched my skin tone, so if you have light yellow undertoned skin like me, this is perfect!

Maybelline Fit-Me in Medium Pink - This blush is well pigmented, blends well and gives a nice flush of colour. The colour I have in this is also perfect for those of you going into spring and summer.

Rimmel Stay Matte in 001 Transparent - This was a repurchase from me as my other one was not only almost used up, but also completely ruined as I dropped it on the floor and it smashed (oops). This powder is my holy grail, it's very finely milled and doesn't look cakey, it keeps me matte for the school day without needing to top up and it even smells delicious haha :)

♥︎ Eyes ♥︎

Maybelline Colour Tattoo in 05 Too Cool and 55 Inked in Pink - I've had colour tattoos before and I've loved them so I decided to get more. They're great as a base under other colours, or even on their own. They last for ages as the name would suggest, are easy to work with and blend and the colours are absolutely stunning 

NYC Trio Eyeshadow in 781 Long Beach Sands - All the colours in this trio are shimmery, and they're super pigmented, I have found that they are however slightly powdery but it's nothing that you can't work with with some good tools

Art Deco single eyeshadows in 554 and 530 - Both shades I've picked up are mattes and they're both super pigmented and easy to blend and buttery and all that good stuff. I can't really fault them, they're brilliant. Their casing is also magnetic so you can stick them into Z palettes. 

LA.Girl Glide Gel Liner in very black - This glides on without any tugging or problems and it's crazy pigmented. I bought it mainly cus it says it's a gel which made me think that it would last in my tightline and waterline much longer, and I'm not sure if it's a placebo or not but I'm pretty sure that it lasts longer than any of the other eyeliners I've tried putting in my waterline haha 

Kingdom Liquid Eyeliner - My mom bought me this from Japan and it's pen shape makes it super easy to work with. The liner flows out soooo well and it applies super easily as well. It's one of the easiest liquid liners I've ever used, I'd highly recommend this and I'm gonna be very sad when it runs out :( 

Have you guys tried any of these? Let me know your thoughts! 
Ciao x
♡

End of Summer Clothing Haul ♡

I recently found these photos of a clothing haul from around December that I was meant to a blog post on but must've forgotten to haha, so here they are, 4 months later :P

 

These playsuits are both from Boohoo and I got them for $12 each I believe. They're both a similar style, they have a low back and a v-neck at the front. They're both super duper flowly and loose and are made out of the comfiest material ever! I've worn these out heaps and they're just so comfy and easy to wear. The top one is plain black and the bottom one is white with little strawberries on it. Both are in size 6.

 With the strawberry playsuit, I'm also wearing my white cardigan which is from Glassons and I believe they're still selling them. 

(PS. Sorry for the photo quality on the second strawberry playsuit photo!) 
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 As you can see, I have an ever so slight playsuit obsession. This one I got from Supré and it's a simple grey playsuit with a wrap at the front. It comes in slightly around the waist but is still quite loose and comfy. I thought it would look really over a bikini or to go to the beach with (not that I ever go to the beach, but one can dream haha)

This shirt I got for my mom since we're both unhealthily obsessed with the Big Bang Theory, but it was so cute I just had to put it on here. I tied it up on the side since it was really big on me and I wore them with my ripped shorts that I got ages ago from Supré, and the shirt is from Jayjays

This dress was from Factorie and it's a skater dress so it hugs your top half and then flares out. It's light blue with little white flowers on them and I just thought that it was soooo cute. This dress also looks great with the cardigan that I got. I don't know why I'm covering my body so much in this photo, so sorry that you can't really see anything haha :/
I'm wearing this dress with a flower crown that I picked up from Jayjays 

Here's a more close up photo of the flower crown, I am absolutely obsessed with it. It has little leaves and white flowers it fits perfectly. I have an absolutely tiny little pea head but I've found that most of the headbands from Jayjays fit me really really well, so if you have a little pea head like me go to Jayjays to look for some stuff, I find they fit super well :)

 So um actually, I splurged again on clothes last week since me and my two best friends went shopping together so I have another clothing haul coming up very soon, but I stumbled upon these photos the other day so I decided to put these up first haha. Whoops. 

Ciao
♡

2014 Holy Grails ♡

It's crazy to think that 2014 is over, but it was one of the best years of my entire life and I want this year to be ever more full of laughs and memories so that when I'm old and have thirty grand children I can tell them that I had the best teenage years ever! :P

I've used a lot of products throughout the year but there are some that have definitely stuck out to me more than others, stuff that I've always gone back to and always have in my collection, in other words my holy grails haha 

Foundation - Revlon Nearly Naked. It's very liquidy and easy to blend and gives low-medium coverage, which I like. It looks very very natural on the skin and if you're looking for a low coverage foundation I would definitely recommend this 

Concealer - Collection Lasting Perfection. I cannot say enough good things about this. This is very very high coverage so it's perfect for your worst spots or dark under eye circles and it lasts for aaaages! I've also swum with this on and found that it's actually waterproof as well :)

Blush - Nyx Cream Blush in Rose Petal. Shannon from shaaanxo on YouTube raved about these a while back and said she prefers the Nyx cream blushes to the Mac ones. I've never tried the Mac ones but I agree that these are incredible! I can't really fault this product, it's just incredible

Powder - Rimmel Stay Matte. Everyone has raved about this powder at one point or another, it's lightweight and finely milled and just does the job wonderfully. It even smells delicious haha

Eyebrows - Milani Brow-Fix. This was in my last haul and I mentioned how it might be my new holy grail eyebrow product. It is. Pigmented, stays on for ages, not powdery at all, if you like powder for your eyebrows you should definitely give this a whirl 

Cream Eye shadow - Maybelline Colour tatoos. These have been a staple for me all year and I have two in my collection, Bad to the Bronze and Barely Branded. I tend to use Bad to the Bronze on a daily basis, usually on its own and I just smoke it out slightly. It's very pigmented, creamy, easy to blend and long lasting and looks very very pretty on it's own, or even as a base :)

Eye shadow - Wet n Wild Colour trio. Again, I can't fault these. These eyeshadows are just incredible. They're also really super cheap which is an added bonus and means you can buy ALL OF THEM!! I just love these eyeshadows to death, the one I have is in Walking on Eggshells 

Eyeliner - Maybelline Eyestudio. This is the first gel eyeliner I've ever tried and I'm like completely converted now. It lasts sooo much longer than liquid eyeliner and it's not as difficult or scary to put on as I thought. If you've never tried a gel eyeliner I highly recommend them

Lipstick - Rimmel Kate Moss 107. These are slightly drying so I normally wear a chapstick under them first but they're mega mega pigmented, smell delicious and last ages (considering you don't eat haha)
L'Oreal Colour Riche in Make me Blush (left) and The Muse's Kiss (right). These are slightly glossy and smell SO GOOD. They're also well pigmented and also last decently :) The packaging is also really cute ... just saying haha 

Brushes - BH cosmetics pink-a-dot brush set. I got these a while back and have absolutely fallen in love with them. They're ridiculously soft and haven't shed yet and most of the brushes in the collection are very dense and just very well made. In particular my staples from the set are the powder brush, blush brush, smudge brush (which I use for eyebrows) and the eyeshadow brush.
Real techniques duo-fibre collection (limited edition, sorry!). I don't tend to use the other two in the collection but the contour brush I love! I don't actually use it for its intended purpose, I use it for concealer. I find it fits underneath my eyes perfectly and unlike brushes with dense bristles that just pack on the product the duo fibre just lightly pats it on and feathers it out ... I can't explain it, I've just found that this brush applies concealer like nothing else. It's also dirty in the picture, I know but I couldn't be bothered washing it just for the sake of this photo haha

Day moisturiser - Clinique moisture surge. I've raved about this before, it's very very liquidy and dissapears once it's on your face. It's also very moisturising and since it absorbs instantly, makeup is super easy to apply over it 
Nivea Day cream. I use this instead of the Clinique when I'm gonna be outside since it has SPF30 in it and the Clinique doesn't have sunscreen. It's very moisturising although I prefer the Clinique cus the Nivea one doesn't absorb as quickly as the Clinique and sits on my skin for a while

Night moisturiser - Aveeno positively radiant. This is another new find for me but I absolutely love it. I've seen results from it that I haven't with other night creams I've tried. It feels like water and it absorbs very quickly and it's just incredible and every morning my skin feels sooooo super soft :)

Comment down below what your favourite parts of 2014 are! Beauty or otherwise :)

Ciao! xx
♡