February Lust Have It!

Today I finally received my February Lust Have It, and was not at all surprised by the contents - as I have already seen practically ever other beauty blogger's post about it! (No thanks to Australia Post's slow delivery in my area!)

I was extremely sad to see that they did not include the decorative box this month, because of "weight restrictions" which I believe is completely untrue. My box was very lightweight, but I did notice that the big full sized tanning product didn't fit in last month's box. This is why I think the box wasn't included, to be honest.

Lust Have It also mentioned across their social media platforms that some boxes were missing a product, also due to the shipping restrictions. Uh huh.

Summer Tan by Mancine in Dark

I'm always happy for a full sized product, but sadly for me, I won't use this, as I do not tan at all. I love my white skin, so this has been gifted to my sister, as she is a tanning nut! The packaging looks really cute, though, so if I was too tan, I'd probably give this a go! (Well, if I got a lighter shade maybe.)

Camouflage Colour Nail Polish in Brick

I've already read a lot of complaints about this colour, and yes, it's not for everyone, so I can see where they are coming from. I do love the packaging, though, and I'm sure I could use this colour for nail art sometime in the future? I'm slightly disappointed that I didn't get some of the other gorgeous colours - I've seen a beautiful metallic green that made my eyes envy with the same colour!

Styli-Style L3 Timeless Lipstick

This box isn't all bad! I'm always happy to get make-up, because if it's not something I like, I won't feel bad passing it on to somebody else! The colour is very rich and dark, and will be a perfect addition to my winter accessories! 

Lon Vitalite Crystal Moisturising Hand Mask

After reading more than a few reviews on this box, and seeing people being upset about this - yet happy they didn't receive the whitening mask, has made me realise how judgmental I have become of the products. The whitening hand mask doesn't make your hands white overnight, it's something that is going to take forever. Using it once won't change your hand colour, and I should know as I've reviewed it here. This is actually a lovely and welcome product to receive. 

Kerastase Paris Nectar Thermique - Missing Product


This saddened me, as this is certainly something I would try. No sachet means it would probably last me a few uses, so it would be a lovely addition.

--

All in all, I was a bit disappointed in this box. Sure, some of the things were lovely, but then I turn around and look at some of the other boxes (particularly this one from the lovely Kat) and can't help but feel jealous. The very presence of Lancome cannot even compare to receiving a full sized lipstick from a brand I've never heard, so I can't help but feel I've been cheated by the subscription boxes yet again.

What did you think of this box? Do you think the lack of the box & extra product was really due to shipping restrictions, or just due to the fact they couldn't fit the tanning product in the box? Do you think I have a case of wanting what I can't have, or do you think I have a right to be genuinely disenchanted by this box, especially in comparison to Kat's?

Furless Cosmetics Must Have Professional Makeup Brush Set

If you've been reading my blog for a while, you'll already know that I'm absolutely addicted to makeup brushes! I'm always on the look out for new brushes, especially brush kits! I noticed the Australian brand Furless Cosmetics was becoming fairly popular among bloggers for their cruelty free brush kits, so of course I needed to try them out!

I decided on the most expensive, luxurious set they have, the Must Have Professional Makeup Brush set! The set includes 20 brushes in total, wrapped up in a gorgeous vegan case that also doubles as a brush belt! This set is specifically designed for the pros, but I just couldn't pass it up myself!

As you can see, the set itself is extremely luxurious, and the soft vegan case is just gorgeous, with a lot of extra space to add any extra brushes you might want to add!

Three of my favourite brushes. 

The brushes themselves are 100% vegan and halal, which makes them the perfect choice for anybody. The colours chosen by Furless Cosmetics are exquisite, with royal blue handles and gold trimmings, a set fit for a princess! 

The brushes themselves are extraordinarily soft, and in using them, it was not hard to forget that the brushes were using only synthetic bristles, as they felt so real. 

The bristles hold product very well, unlike some synthetic brushes I have tried in the past. They were also very easy to clean, and I did not have any problems with the colour running or shedding.

Brush heaven!

I'm so pleased with this set, as the look is beyond elegant. It's a brush kit that not only looks beautiful, but feels beautiful! 

Furless Cosmetics also sent me a bonus brush, which was a really lovely touch, and a mark of excellent customer service! They sent me the gorgeous Punk Pink Blush brush, which usually retails at $5.95!

The quality of this brush was also amazing, and I just love the colours! This one is very soft, and on the smaller side compared to other blush brushes I usually use, so it was the perfect travel sized blush brush!

--

All in all, I was extremely happy with the service from Furless Cosmetics. My package came within a few days (even though the estimated time was longer, always a plus) and the added extra of a free gift was so lovely, as it was definitely not expected!

The brush kit has certainly exceeded my expectations, especially for a vegan company. Each brush is extremely soft, and does it's intended job perfectly! I've had no problems with them whatsoever, and would definitely recommend them to anybody looking for a good brush set! For those of you who don't want to pay the entire $149.95 that this gorgeous kit is worth, you can certainly check out their other kits, or even singular brushes, as they are all equally amazing in quality!

You can buy from Furless Cosmetics here! 

This product was paid by me, however I did receive a discount as I am part of the Furless Cosmetics Affiliate program. For more information, see my Disclosure Policy here, and the Furless Cosmetics Affiliate program details here.

Rimmel London Match Perfection Foundation

The new Rimmel London Match Perfection Foundation has finally reached Australian shores! I was really excited for these to launch, as I'm a huge fan of every other Rimmel London foundation I've tried. The great thing about this new foundation is that it's a new formulation which includes SPF 15. Anything with that added protection get's a plus in my books!

The other great thing about this foundation is that it comes in a whopping 12 shades! That's right, 12! Not 5 shades - 12 shades! That means there is a shade for practically anybody. So, you can see why I'm excited!

I have three of the lighter shades to show you today. My first instinct was to pick the first colour, 010 Light Porcelain. This is the very lightest shade in the range, and I had a feeling this was perfect. I also have 071 Porcelain which is the next lightest up, and then 100 Ivory which is a little bit darker. 

From left to right: 010 Light Porcelain, 071 Porcelain, 100 Ivory

010 Light Porcelain

Like I mentioned before, this was the first one I reached to try. Being the lightest colour with every other brand, I was naturally drawn to the lightest possible shade. After trying it, it was almost too light. When blended, it matches my skin tone almost perfectly. (A little on the lighter side - I'm not complaining though!) After years of having foundation slightly too dark, it was refreshing!

071 Porcelain

This particular shade was pink based, as you can probably see. At first glance, I figured this would be far too pink for me. But, like the first shade, once blended it actually smoothed well into my skin tone, and although it did give me a little more colour than I was used to, it worked well.

200 Ivory

This was the darkest shade I had to try, and my first instinct was to avoid it altogether. It's yellow based, and looked far too dark for my complexion. Once I tried it on my face, I was pleasantly surprised with the outcome, and this has since become my favourite shade to wear! It gives the most natural match, which was a shock, as it's the fourth lightest colour in this range!

--

Before I tried it, I'd heard a lot of people commenting on the texture of the formula, saying that the coverage was far too sheer. Upon trying it, I did at first feel the same. The formula is indeed sheer, and certainly does not give the amount of coverage that the Rimmel London Match Perfection Gel Foundation gives.

Upon wearing all the shades for a few days each, and then later on when I started wearing Ivory more than often, I decided I actually really liked the formula. Not only was the colour a perfect match for me, but I found that it was not so much a foundation to cover your skin, but to work with your skin - it gave me the appearance of "my skin but better."

It truly did give my skin an illuminating glow, and really did work well with the texture of my skin. Like I said though, this is a sheer foundation which is meant to work with your skin for a better appearance. I did find with matching the Stay Matte powder that the foundation worked even better, so if you are finding that the formulation is too sheer, this could help the problem.

--

Overall, I'm actually very happy with this foundation. The range of shades are absolutely brilliant, and I would say this is certainly "Match Perfection!" (Pun intended, sorry!)

Although it is sheer, I feel that any skin type could make this work with the right shade, and with a good powder for a finished look.

You can buy the Rimmel London Match Perfection Foundation in it's 12 shade glory for only $17.95 at leading retailers!


This product was kindly provided for my consideration.

Birthday Gift Haul - Picture Heavy

On the 9th of February, it was my birthday! If you follow me via Twitter (you can social stalk me here), then you'll know that my boyfriend was planning on taking me out for a shopping trip! Again, if you follow me, you'll know that I ended up not spending too much, because I hate Australia RRP!

The first thing I ended up with was MOR goodies! I actually don't own anything from MOR but have always wanted to, so I figured now was as good a time as any to pick some up! I chose two mini hand-creams, Lychee Flower and Blood Orange. I also chose a candle in Marshmallow Petite! They all smell incredible!

Of course a trip to Priceline was in order, which resulted in a few goodies I've been wanting for a while now. I was lucky enough to find some of the Cherry Blossom Girl collection from Essence, so I picked up the body shimmer, the eye palette, the two eyeliners and the lipstick pencil in "It's Peach Not Cherry." I also picked up an Essence Nude Glam polish. 

I also got an Australis Double Decker eyeshadow and an Australis Show Stopper lipstick pencil. I also chose a Rimmel London ScandalEyes pencil in Navy, which my boyfriend actually chose!

I had a few books on my wishlist as well, and I was lucky enough to pick up Making Faces and Timeless Makeup! I really struggle with inspiration when it comes to my make-up looks, so these will really help!

I had a few friends over on the day after my birthday, and they obviously read my wishlist! My lovely friend purchased ALL of the nail polishes from the Essence Cherry Blossom Collection! I was so pleased to get all of them and not just some, as all of the colours are very unique and lovely!

The same friend - who obviously reads my blog and realises how much I love Lush and The Body Shop - picked up a few extra goodies for me as well! She picked the Yuzu & Cocoa Bubbleroon, which looks like a macaroon! It smells amazing, and she said that this one is her all time favourite! She also got me FUN in pink! Apparently FUN can do practically anything, so we'll see how it goes! She has recently been in Europe, so she also picked me up The Body Shop Chocomania Body Wash, which I have already tried in the past and love!

My best friend figured I'd always need more space when it comes to make-up and jewellery, so she gave me this absolute gorgeous vintage looking jewellery box! She also gave me an absolutely beautiful vintage looking pocket mirror! 

My other friend, whose birthday just passed, bought me two gorgeous candles, that smell amazing, and an OPI nail polish in Pedal Faster Suzi, which is a really lovely colour! 

My other two friends gave me a bag full of goodies! This included a sheet mask from The Face Shop, a mini bottle of The Body Shop Cherry Blossom Body Wash! They also gifted me some Avon Body Wash, and a cute Lush bubble stick!

They also gave me this gorgeous perfume, which smells really unique! It's from a brand I've never heard of called Jeanne Arthes, but don't you just love the packaging! The perfume itself is called Perfume Room, very cute!

Spoilt for choice! They also gave me a bunch of cute earrings, and a very gorgeous pearl necklace! Needless to say, I definitely felt special!

My sister was a bit broke this week, but she was still nice enough to get me some goodies for my birthday! She knows I like tea, so she gave me the T2 special Melbourne Breakfast blend, and a gorgeous Maxwell & Williams love heart cake stand!

I went shopping again with my boyfriend's cash, as I hadn't spend everything he gave me yet! I decided to venture into Lovisa, but because I wanted absolutely everything, I had a really hard time choosing just a few items. My boyfriend chose the two rings, a cute mood ring which I probably wouldn't have chosen myself, but does look pretty on, and a very cute fox ring! I picked the skull necklace, but only because I'm weird and like skulls!

I'm a big fan of ponti pants, so I picked up three pairs, and a pair of gorgeous boraque leggings! 

I absolutely love boots, and I wish it was winter all the time so I could wear them all year round! I recently cleaned out my shoe collection and realised I had no classic black boots left! I couldn't go past these, as they were too cute!

I also got some small slip on booties that I could wear basically anywhere, as they'll be great for winter as well! They have little studs, which adds to the cuteness! 

My mum took me shopping for my birthday as well. The first store we went into was a shoe store, and we didn't need to go anywhere else! I got these amazing boots, which are really easy to walk in and look amazing! I'm so pleased with them! They had another pair with studs all over them, but I figured these would be more "timeless." 

With my mum I also picked up these flats, which can be worn anywhere. They are super comfortable, as well! 

I have been seeing these studded slippers everywhere these days, and so of course I had to have some. My mum got these ones for me, under $20, what a bargain! They are really comfortable and look great with anything, I've worn them every time I've been out since!

--

So there you have it! I was extremely spoiled this year by my friends and family, and I'm very thankful for their generosity! I did get a few other goodies from my other friends that weren't beauty or fashion related, so I figured you wouldn't really want to see that!

Hopefully you liked my birthday haul! If there's anything you would like me to review or share more of, just ask me and I'll be sure to try my best!

So what do you think of all my new goodies?


Don't forget to enter my Birthday Giveaway!

February Bellabox

A few days ago I received the February Bellabox. After a disappointing January Bellabox (you can read about it here), I was expecting a lot more from this month. February is the month of love, so I was expecting a little extra of it from Bellabox.

The card was cute, at the very least.

The wrapping paper was cute, too. I liked the little extra effort.

The box contents. Hm. I'm not overly impressed.

Eye of Horus Eyeliner in Charcoal Obsidian Goddess

This was exciting, to say in the least. I've had my eye on Eye of Horus products for a little while now, so this is something I will actually use. It's a full sized make-up product, so I'm definitely not complaining. I was lucky enough to receive the black eyeliner, whereas I know some boxes received the bronze. The black does have a little bit of glitter, although I really like it!

John Frieda Frizz-Ease Dream Curls Curl Perfecting Spray

I'm actually really happy to receive this also! I love John Frieda products, and I often wear my hair in curls, so this will be used often! If I end up liking it, I can see myself buying the full product!

U Skin Solutions Clean & Go Exfoliating Gel Cleanser

Wow, this is such a tiny sample. I'm sure U Skin Solutions are a great brand, it's just going to be very hard to tell from such a small sample. The other option was to receive a Clarifying Gel, so I'd prefer exfoliation products.

Fing'rs Nail Makeup

Hmm this is an interesting product. The design is not me at all, but each to their own. The other design I've seen floating around is a pink design, which I probably would have preferred. Maybe these will go okay on my toes? I'm not overly impressed, but at least it's not all bad.

Banana Boat Sport SPF 30+

According to Bellabox, this was a bonus product. I think that's a little rich. Even so, I'm always happy to receive sunscreen. It is disappointing that this is in a sachet, but I'll have to make do. 

I had already received this in the June Lust Have It (read here), and I have hardly used it. I don't usually use dry shampoos, as my hair is too long, so I'm not sure whether or not I'll use this. I may give this over to my sister to see if she likes it.

--

So, overall, I'm not overly pleased with this month's Bellabox. I was disappointed that I wasn't one of the lucky three subscribers that found a little blue box among their samples, but there was a small chance I would be one of those subscribers anyway. I'm more disappointed that the samples were nothing overly special, especially for the month of love.

I've seen that the other box has basically the same items, except instead of the nail stickers, there is a Sally Hansen nail polish, which I would have definitely preferred. Oh well, can't win them all.

My one problem with Bellabox is that they no longer write on your card what type of box you are receiving, so you are somewhat under the impression that everyone is getting the same thing. I think it's a little bit misleading, especially as I'm one of the unlucky subscribers who seem to get the "bad" box every single time. I'm seriously considering unsubscribing, but I'm not sure, as I'm worried that next month will be a fantastic box and I'll miss out.

Any suggestions, beauties? Would you unsubscribe if you kept getting the "bad" box? What do you think of this box? Do you think it's worth $15?

If you have written up a post featuring another box, let me know! I'd love to see what other subscribers are getting!