Lancome L'Absolu Nu Lipstick

Are you looking for strong colour in your lipstick?
Maybe long lasting?
Or perhaps a lipstick that will condition your lips at the same time?

Well, look no further! Go out and check out Lancome's L'Absolu Nu lipsticks!

http://makeup411.com/products/id/3958/

I love these lipsticks (I really like most of Lancome's lipsticks... but I'm not a fan of their Juicy Tubes). You can use them in conjunction with a lip liner, but they look great on their own as well.

The colour is long lasting and I only need to re-apply after eating. Also, the formula conditions my lips and stops them from flaking and drying out. There is only a slight fragrance, which is fine by me. Others who rather a fragrance free product my find this a little annoying.

I purchased mine from the Myer Lancome counter and I think they're about AU$48.

Also, I thought I'd let you know what I purchased at my last Lancome visit in David Jones (full haul to come).

- One 'Rouge In Love' long lasting lipstick

- Teint Idole Ultra 24H long lasting founding

- Gift pack of Genifique (20mL Genifique, 1 mask, sample size of Visionnaire, and moisturiser)

The gift pack was great value at only AU$80 and is available in lieu of Mother's Day. If you've always wanted to try Genifique but could never justify the +AU$100 for 30mL then this is a great way to purchase it.

Laters,

Ivy

Clio - Waterproof Brush Liner (Kill Black)

Firstly... apologies as I have been M.I.A for the past three weeks. I really need to find my camera cable so I can download my pics... I guess I could use my phone... but the photos aren't as good. Excuses excuses! For the time being I will use some pics from the Internet.

Today's review is on Clio Professional, Waterproof Brush Liner in 1 Black.

Pic used from eBay

http://icyabstract.onsugar.com/Goodies-CLIO-Professional-Contest-win-Girls-Generation-Tickets-20537896

I was previously using some MAC Gel Liner in black however, I then had pink eye and had to bin it in case it contained the bacteria. Sad I know. So when I was at my local Korean make up store I picked up this Clio liner. The liner also contained a mini mascara however, I haven't used it yet.

Purchased from Konad on George St. It's on the same side as the Event Cinemas but a block heading south. They sell lots of Korean clothes and BB Creams etc. You can also buy some Clio products from S A Hair Nail & Beauty Suppliers, level 8 in the Dymocks Building on George St. Other Korean shops along Pitt St and Sussex St also sell Clio products as it's quite popular in Korea. I mean Hyori Lee is the face of Clio (if you don't know who this is youtube her... like now, U Go Girl).

Price - AU$20 approx. I think I may have received a discount when I purchased this so I'm not sure how much I paid in the end however, looking on the net it appears the average price for the eyeliner alone is around AU$20.

Quality - Nice and black, superfine tip, doesn't run out of liquid during application, long lasting (therefore, doesn't fade half way through the day) and it is waterproof.

Usage - I use this every day I apply make up, on my top lid. I usually wing my liner up at the ends.

Verdict - I love this liner. I was almost going to buy the Lancome Artliner however decided against it as many beauty reviews complained about having to drip the brush back into the container to pick up more product. The lid of the Clio liner keeps the brush nice and moist with black liner. Hopefully this liner will last at least 3 months and if it does I'll be happy with that.

I'm still a huge fan of gel liners, however in the morning when I'm applying my liner I want to be super quick cause I've probably woken up late. This is the perfect way to apply liner in a quick and precise way. Not bad Clio!

Laters,
Ivy

P.S - Lancome haul to be posted soon as I just spent AU$193 last Friday at the Lancome counter at DJ's. ^_^

UPDATE - 6 May 2012
I have found my camera cord so I have updated this post with my pics of the product.
Also the packaging has the cost on it! So, this product is AU$28.90 from Konad on George St. This is for both the eyeliner and the mascara.

Make Up Store - Cyber Shadow & Glitter eye shadows

Eye shadow! Today's review is on the Make Up Store's Cyber Shadow in Metallic Wave and Glitter in UFO.

Let's look at the Cyber Shadow in Metallic Wave first!
I quite like Metallic Wave. It's very bright and highly pigmented, which is nice. I usually use this on the outer corner of my lids and then I use a lighter blue on the inner corner. It doesn't crease (I always prime my eyelids with urban decay lid primer when using strong colours) and I really like the application. You only need a little bit of product on your eye shadow brush as a little goes a long way!

Price AUD$32

Now le'ts move onto the Glitter in UFO.
I originally wanted this particular glitter combo after looking at some make up pictures in the Jemma Kidd make up book. When using this product you'll need to apply a cream shadow or cream pencil first so the glitter can adhere to your eye lid. I usually apply a MAC paint pot (painterly) to my lid and then apply the UFO glitter on top in a patting motion with an eye shadow brush. This really looks amazing if you're going out paired with some nice big lashes.

Price AUD$26


Where can you buy Make Up Store products.... you can buy them at Myer in Sydney City as well as other locations around the county. (http://www.makeupstore.se/auen/stores.php)

Check out these products online - http://www.makeupstore.se/auen/home.php

Laters,
Ivy

MAC Lipstick - Viva Glam V

Yeh... LIPSTICK!!!

Not just any lipstick ... it's a MAC lipstick!

Today's product is the MAC Viva Glam V lipstick.. affectionately known as the "bridal lipstick".

The great thing about the Viva Glam lipstick and lipglass is all money received goes towards the MAC AIDS Fund.



Here are some photos of the Viva Glam V lipstick.

It's a great subtle rose/pink colour which is a great colour for bridal make up, and is the lipstick I wore at my wedding. The Mac Makeup Artist dubbed it "the bridal lipstick" as every bride wears it (this could be a passing phase, but was very popular according to the makeup artist at the time).

I usually wear this on its own during the day (without lip pencil or lipgloss) and it's a great colour which will go with everything.

Cost is AU$36.00 and can be purchased at any MAC counter. I bought mine at David Jones.

Like any lipstick, I usually have to apply this after eating. The formula is lovely and smooth, and it keeps my lips moisturised.

Overall I'm a big fan of this shade and it's a staple in my makeup bag.

Laters,

Ivy

Baby Wipes - to assist the reduction of zits/spots/pimples

Baby Wipes?!?!??!

I know what you're thinking. Strange... how is this going to help clean up zits? My husband told me about this as he suffered from teenage acne. Basically he had acne along his chin and on his forehead as he would lean his face on his hands at school. He then used baby wipes (the cleansing ones) after all his meals as it was an easy way to remember to keep the cleansing up. He saw improvement within days... and a month later most of the zits had cleared up and all that was left were scars. Over time these also faded.

Key - consistently keeping your face clean and free of bacteria.
This means that your pores won't become infected and cause zits!

I know that this isn't the ultimate way to clear up your skin, as there are many different types of acne and you should consult your doctor or skin care specialist. It's a good start though.

My experience -

Background - At the moment, I lean my chin on my hands when I'm sitting at my desk. Result - zits all over my chin.

As a teen I had them on my forehead and it would have been due to hormones. At the time I just used Clinique's 3 step system and they ended up going away once my hormones settled down! Phew!

These days my chin zits are due to the bacteria on my hands. I generally think of myself as a clean person, but we all have bacteria on our hands even if we wash and sanitise them all the time! So my husband reminded me of his baby wipe trick! It worked! Thank goodness!

Method - Buy some cleansing baby wipes. I bought the below pack from Priceline as it's a good size to fit in my bag. They're only AU$2.99!!!!

I still keep to my regular morning and night cleansing, but during the day I would wipe just my chin with a baby wipe after each time I ate. This meant that any food that was wiped on my chin from my napkin would also be cleaned off at the same time as removing the bacteria that was already on there from my hands.

Results - This combined with me no touching my face has resulted in a huge reduction of zits on my chin. I currently have one right near my bottom lip but other than that I am only left with 48 (yes I counted them for this post) zit scars! At any one time I use to have 3-5 zits on my chin but not anymore. I noticed an improvement after just 3 days. My zits dried up and then vanished!

Note - This isn't going to work for everyone and is just my experience. There are many great cleansing systems out on the market to help you with your zits as everyone has different skin and reasons for developing zits in the first place. If you have any concerns about your skin you should consult your doctor.


So go out and buy some baby wipes if you want to help your skin battle bad zit cause bacteria!


Laters,
Ivy

Sea Salt Spray by Lee Stafford

Sea salt spray... you say.... hmmm... I'll give anything a go once!

When I had medium length hair (those were the days... I kind of wish I still had long hair) I purchased the above - Lee Stafford Sea Salt Spray, to give my hair that 'just went to the beach' look. Not really a good idea since I have thick hair... my bad.

I purchased it from Priceline for AU$12.29 - 150ml.

The directions are - spray approx. 50 times (yes that's right... a mere 50 times... ) in towel dried hair, then blow dry or you can leave it in to dry naturally. You can also apply it to dry hair. It has 26 minerals with promineral complex of dead sea salts.... and a bunch of other items to protect and repair your hair from free radicals.

So, my hair is thick and naturally wavy and when I applied this product it went a little crazy looking and gluggy feeling. I think if you had thin hair and wanted some extra volume then this would work for you and is a great alternative to using other expensive products and then heat as you can just let it dry naturally. It smells nice but can be a little crusty in your hair, giving you that authentic sea feeling.

Sadly... I won't be using this very often.

Laters,
Ivy

Fibrewig Mascara by Imju

Mascara! Where to start?!

I have short lashes that point straight out. No long lovely curly lashes for me! This makes mascara very important. I'm looking for length but it's also important that I use more of a wax (or drier) based mascara so it will hold the curl from my lash curler.

I tried using Fibrewig a while ago now and I must say it's really going to give you the length you're looking for.

Breakdown - It claims to give length as it has little black fibres that stick to your natural lashes. It also claims that it won't smudge, and that it will easily come off with warm water.

Sounds too good to be true hu? Well, it actually works and does all of these things! When you apply it, you use the tip vertically and push up along your lashes so the fibers stick to your natural lashes. Then you wiggle the brush from side to side horizontally from root to tip. It's a nice black colour as well. It doesn't smudge which is great because I really can't stand the whole black rings on the bottom on my eyes half way through the afternoon. When it comes to removing it you just need to wet your eyes and then you can gently rub the mascara off between your fingers. I use a cotton pad with eye makeup remover which removes the mascara.

Where do you buy it? I bought mine at a store in Chinatown Sydney (I have no idea what it's called, but it's the really pink one near the Asian music and DVD store....I know that doesn't really give you an idea) but I know they sell it at AKA Cosmetics. I think I paid around AU$35-40, but it's worth it.

How long does it last? I had mine for 3 months and then I threw it out (being the good mascara wearer... I never keep any mascara longer than 3 months in fear of pink eye and other eye infections). I probably used 2 coats per day.

Did I buy it again? No. The only reason being is that I love checking out new products. Even if the current one was great (which this one is great) I can't help but trying a new product just to see what it's like. I know..... I'm really a lost cause like this!

Highly recommend Aqua Beauty Dream Land - has great reviews on products and a fantastic review on Fibrewig Mascara. Check it out!
http://aquabeautydream.blogspot.com.au/2010/09/tubing-mascara-review-1-original.html

Happy mascara-ing,
Ivy