My Makeup Collection - Part 1

Being a beauty blogger, I have a fair amount of makeup. I was inspired by the lovely Sophie's series (you can check out her blog here) showcasing her impressive makeup collection, and after a little bit of convincing, I've given in and decided to show you all my collection!

I thought I'd start things off with base products; including primers, BB creams & tinted moisturisers, concealers, illuminators & highlighters. I decided that because I have way too many foundations, I'd save those for another post!

Revlon PhotoReady Perfecting Primer, Arbonne Primer*, Nude by Nature Undercover Airbrush Mineral Primer, Face of Australia Primer, Australis Primer, Australis Matte out Mattifying Face Base, Avon Face Perfector, Make Up For Ever High Definition Primer, Too Faced Primed & Poreless

Australis All Over Face & Body Tint, Nude by Nature BB 5-in-1 Miracle Cream, Garnier BB Cream (Light)*, Nivea BB Cream Light*, Nude by Nature Tinted Moisturiser, Garnier BB Cream (Medium)*

Nude by Nature Flawless Concealer, Rimmel London Wake Me Up Concealer, Covergirl TruConceal, Rimmel London Stay Matte Concealer, Cargo OneBase

Rimmel London Wake Me Up Instant Radiance Shimmer Touch, Nude by Nature Soft Focus Illuminator, Face of Australia Mineral Therapy Illuminator, Australis High Lights, Essence Circus Circus Highlighter, Essence Breaking Dawn Shimmer Powder, Essence Cherry Blossom Girl Shimmer Powder

Chi Chi Eye Brow Lift, Too Faced Shadow Insurance, Too Faced Lip Insurance

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If you'd like to read any in-depth reviews on any of the above products, just let me know and I'll see what I can do. In the meantime, the products I have reviewed have been linked back to the original post!

I hope you liked part one of my makeup collection! If you have a makeup collection post or series, make sure you link me to it, I'd love to check out your collection as well!

Have you tried any of these products? If so, what did you think?

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Products marked with a * were provided for my consideration. 

May Lip Factory

Last month I heard about the beauty subscription box Lip Factory; and so I decided to subscribe. I was a little hesitant to subscribe, as it is an American subscription box. They do ship internationally however it costs a little extra, and takes a little longer! But let's see if it's worth the wait!

I loved the packaging it came in, a box within a box, so it's very safe! 

The box itself was a little smaller than Bellabox.

This month's theme is Under The Veil. A cute theme. One thing I did notice about the card is that it doesn't give you a whole lot of information about the product like Australian beauty boxes do, although there is a lot of information about the products they've included on their website. 

The goodies inside.

Flat Sponge Blending Brush

I'm not sure what brand this is from, as it doesn't specify on the card. I've rarely seen this type of brush, so I'm happy to give this a go! According to the website this is supposed to be used for foundation. 

Pure Ceuticals Kukui Nut Mineral Scrub sample

I've never heard of this brand before, but I'm happy to give this a go! I'm a fan of scrubs, as you all know, so this is the perfect sample for me! A full sized product costs $40 US (and I don't want to know how much it would be in AU) so I'm pretty happy with this sample.

Studio 277 Eyelight Pigment in Kryptonite

Unfortunately my photo did not really show the colour very well, but it is a pretty bright, metallic olive green colour. I usually shy away from such colours as they aren't really "me" but it's certainly nice to have a colour like this in my collection, and I'm always happy to try new products!

NYX Round Gloss in Sparkle

I'm always happy to receive NYX as it's so tough to find here in Australia; although I'm not really liking the slight wear around the edges just under the lid. I'm not sure if it means that this lipgloss is really old, or if the packaging is just cheap (which is definitely likely with NYX!) Despite that, I'm happy to give this a go as I've never tried the NYX gloss before.

NYX Color Lip Balm in Arigato

I actually did not know this product existed, but I'll put that down to not hearing enough about NYX in Australia. This is actually a nice little lip balm, and has a really light coral/red colour which gives just the right amount of tint on the lips!

Bombshell Cosmetics Blush in Glowing Goddess

This is another brand I've never heard of, but always happy to give them a go. When I saw that it was in Glowing Goddess I expected a bronzier colour, but I'm really happy with the colour that I received. It's very wearable and pretty.

Studio 277 Lipgloss in Almost Nude

This is an absolute stunner of a colour! I'm in love. I've already tried the lipgloss itself and I really like how it feels on my lips. It's not too sticky and glides on nicely. I can see myself getting a lot of use out of this lovely colour.

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Overall, I'm pretty satisfied with this month's Lip Factory. I've seen a few other amazing boxes out there from previous months, and while this one didn't make me go "wow" I was happy to try out some brands I've never heard of before. I'm going to give them another month, and if I'm not wowed next time, I think I might give it up. Although it's a lovely box, I find the waiting time paired with the cost (around $30 with the exchange rate) might outweigh the excitement of getting makeup goodies all the way from the US.

All in all it's a good box. If you live in the US, it's a really good box. You can find out more about the Lip Factory subscription box here.

What did you think of this month's Lip Factory? Have you tried any of these products before? If so, what did you think?

Bio Elixia Body Shaper Cellulite Contour Creme

Back in March, I received the Bio Elixia Body Shaper Cellulite Contour Creme - yes, a full sized product - in my Lust Have It! (You can check out the whole March box here.) Usually the Bio Elixia Body Shaper creme costs a massive $59, so to get this in the March Lust Have It was a very pleasant surprise!

I have been using this for a little bit over the suggested four weeks, so I'm ready to share my experience! Unfortunately I did not take before and after shots (although they may have been a little too candid - as I used this where majority of ladies get cellulite - my butt!)

The Body Shaper Cellulite Contour Creme says it reduces the appearance of bumps, dimples and bulges associated with cellulite, by an average of 57%. I love that this gives you a realistic goal, rather than empty promises of curing cellulite altogether. 

According to Bio Elixia, this has a blend of anti-oxidants, moisturisers and a patented TPM delivery technology - I'm not 100% sure on what that means, but apparently it helps increase the absorption of the other ingredients into the skin. Anything that helps my skin becoming smoother and firmer is fine by me!

At first I did turn my nose up at the scent a little, as it wasn't exactly the loveliest smelling cream. It wasn't the worst smelling cream, but it wasn't the greatest either. But after four weeks of using this, I grew to not mind it at all!

The cream itself was actually really smooth and blended very easily into the skin. It didn't leave me feeling greasy, and absorbed very quickly. You only need the smallest bit as a little does indeed go a long way. I applied day and night after showering.

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 I used this all over my upper thighs and derriere, for over four weeks, and I certainly did see a big difference. I had terrible cellulite all over that area, and I found that after using the Bio Elixia Body Shaper Cellulite Contour Creme really helped reduce any bumps and dimples, and that area was definitely smoother and sexier! The only suggestion I would make is to making sure you keep the area well exfoliated. I did find my pores clogged a little before I started exfoliating (yes, clogged pores on my butt is not a pretty sight!), but once I started exfoliating again, the clogged pores were no more!

I have kept using the Bio Elixia Body Shaper Cellulite Contour Creme, and will continue to do so to make sure my skin smooth and cellulite free! (Well, mostly!) I won't say that it cured my cellulite, because it did not. It did truly reduce cellulite symptoms, and I'm really happy with the results! I have tried other cellulite or contouring creams, a lot of which have not helped even the slightest, so I'm really pleased with this one!

You can find out more information here, on the Elixia website.

Have you tried the Bio Elixia Body Shaper Cellulite Contour Creme yet? If so, what did you think? 

BYS Lash Fibre Mascara

A little while ago, I was the lucky winner of a giveaway from BYS Cosmetics, which landed me with a bunch of amazing BYS Cosmetics goodies, as well as free tickets to the film The Host. (You can check out my winnings here.) One of the goodies I got was the BYS Lash Fibre Mascara set, which included a pre-coat and a mascara. I've never tried a Lash Fibre mascara before, so I was really excited to give this a go.

Luckily, BYS included some really easy to understand instructions, as I was a tiny bit lost beforehand!

The set comes with two mascaras - the mascara itself, and the pre-coat.

The Pre-Coat

The pre-coat is made up of tiny white fibre that you apply to your lashes, which is what gives you the effect of having longer lashes! Very innovative!

The Normal Mascara

The normal mascara (which can also be worn without the pre-coat) is actually very good for a discounted brand. I found there to be very minimal clumping (if any at all) and only one to two coats gave plenty of coverage and length.

Top left to right - No mascara, just mascara

Bottom left to right - Mascara & pre-coat, Finished effect

The process of how the Lash Fibre mascara works.

As you can see, the difference is fairly significant. As you can also probably tell, my natural eyelashes (on the right) are naturally long already. I'm very blessed, but the BYS Lash Fibre mascara really gives my eyelashes a bolder look, and gives me a false lash effect!

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Although my experience with lash fibre is extremely limited, I have to say I'm impressed. BYS has created a cheap and easy alternative to others on the market, while still maintaining excellent quality. I'm really happy with how my lashes look after using it, and while I do have long lashes already, it definitely gives them a boost!

You can buy the BYS Lash Fibre Mascara at leading BYS retailers such as K-Mart, or online at Fashion Addict (here) for only $9.99 - yes, you read that correctly! I applaud BYS Cosmetics - this is simply an amazing product which I will definitely be repurchasing once my current set runs out! I've already recommended it to my friends & family, and I recommend it to you!

Have you tried the BYS Lash Fibre Mascara yet? If so, what did you think? 

ORLY Mash Up Collection *

Back when I visited Salon Melbourne (you can read my entire post about that here) in April, I managed to pick up a few goodies at the ORLY stall. They were showcasing the new Mash Up Collection, and of course I fell in love.

The idea of this collection is to take a risk and wear the Mash Up collection instead of the same dreary old winter colours; with the collection inspired by all the crazy designs of this fashion season.

There are a total of six colours in the collection, and I love every one of them! (The only two colours I'm missing is a beautiful creamy lavender and a lovely magenta chrome.)

Mayhem Mentality, Sparkling Garbage, Pretty Ugly, Choreographed Chaos

I absolutely love the names in this collection! They are really out there and strange! The colours are absolutely gorgeous, too! They are so bright and colourful, perfect for the summer months - but very different and exciting for the winter ones! My favourite is Mayhem Mentality, a really vibrant orange cream colour! As usual with ORLY polishes, they are long lasting and opaque after just two coats.

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I'm really excited about this collection! I'll definitely be picking up the other two colours to make the collection complete! I love the colours, and the quality is excellent. As usual, I'm loving the quality of ORLY polishes!

Have you tried out the new ORLY Mash Up collection yet? If so, what did you think?

Some of these items were provided for my consideration.

May Bellabox

Every month I say I'm going to unsubscribe, and every month I forget, so here we are with another edition of Bellabox. I'm actually finding them better as each month goes by, so I'm fine with not having unsubscribed.This month's theme was Beauty SOS, so I was very excited to see what might be included.

I really like the designs on the back of the card, very cute!

Some very interesting goodies...

La Roche-Posay Effaclar Purifying Foaming Gel & Effaclar Duo

I've never heard of this brand before, but I'm really interested. The brand looks a little medicinal (which isn't a bad thing) so I am excited to give them a go. The foaming gel for sensitive skin is a cleanser designed to eliminate impurities, while the duo is used to remove excess dirt and oils.

Ahava Time To Treat Comforting Cream

This is a cute little sample, and a great size for a cream. I believe this might be like a moisturiser, as the card describes it as something to use on sensitive skin.

Manicare Duo Mascara Brushes

I've seen these before and have always been interested, but have never picked them up. I can't wait to test these out to see how they go! I think this is a great addition for the theme!

Lon Vitalite Coconut Milk Hydrating & Nourishing Facial Mask

I've used a lot of Lon Vitalite products previously, so I know these are amazing quality. A hydrating and nourishing mask is a good addition to this box!

Suigo Vital Nutrition Intensive Hair Repair Treatment

Just recently I tested out some Suigo products and fell in love! I can't wait to give this treatment a go to see how it goes!

Bloom Shadow Liner in Charcoal Grey

I'm a fan of Bloom cosmetics already, so I'm excited to get this! I like that I received "charcoal grey" instead of black, so it's more of a unique colour.

Nanoblur 

I've actually heard a little bit about this recently, but wasn't too sure what it was. The card says it's a gel liquid that refracts light to make your skin look flawless. I'll have to read up on it a little more, as I'm not sure when to use it in my skin regime, but I'm sure I'll work it out!

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Overall I'm actually pretty pleased with this month's box. I'll get use out of everything included this month, and there's nothing in there that I wouldn't use! I think I'll stick around to see how the next box goes, as I think they're really beginning to listen to their subscribers.

You can find out more information about Bellabox here.

Have you received your Bellabox yet? If so, what did you think? 

Illamasqua Powder Blush Duo No. 2 *

A little while ago I received the amazing Illamasqua Powder Blush Duo to test out, and I have been loving it! This is an extremely belated review, as I have been enjoying using it so much!

The Illamasqua Powder Blush Duo is part of the beautiful I'mperfection collection.

The Illamasqua Powder Blush Duo features two gorgeous powder blushes, Katie and Ambition.

Katie is a gorgeous light matte pink, while Ambition is a richer shimmer rose colour. This is a fantastic mixture of colours, featuring matte and shimmer, with colours on either end of the pink spectrum - perfect for a duo. This duo also features a small mirror, so perfect for travelling or keeping in your handbag!

As usual with Illamasqua, the quality of the blushes are amazing. The colours are really rich and pigmented, and have very long lasting power. The colours are also really easy to blend, with very little fall-out.

Katie & Ambition
Katie is a little on the lighter side (but can be built up to ridiculous proportions to make you look akin to a barbie doll) whereas Ambition is already super pigmented with no real need to be built up for a strong look, yet can be blended for a softer finish.

Katie is one of my favourites to use as it's a very cute and girly colour, and perfect for a day-time look. I love using Ambition for a stronger look in the evenings. 

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Overall, this has to be one of my favourite products from Illamasqau so far. I love the idea of putting two blushes together, especially two so different. The Illamasqua Powder Blush Duo costs £26 which calculates to about $40AU; but will set you back only $39AU from an Illamasqua counter in Myer or online here. Some may find this price a little steep for a blush duo, but I think it's fairly reasonable. (A single blush costing $28.)

Have you tried the Illamasqau Powder Blush Duo yet? If so, what did you think? What other Illamasqua blushes have you tried?

This product was provided for consideration.