Sunday, November 27, 2011

Update and some Italian cosmetics!!

Hey guys,

I have been a bad blogger I know. My reasons for not posting?? Well I have been a bit busy becoming a new aunty! My sis had her baby on Wednesday morning a little boy named Logan :) He's such a cutie!

Blake and I have also been very busy renovating and gardening. We scored a whole lot of free plants this weekend from my mum's new neighbours so we have been putting them in all day! But don't worry because I'm back now and will have a few hauls coming soon. I went a bit mad online shopping (some for xmas presents and some for me) and am currently waiting on 5 packages haha I told you I went mad. 

Today I wanted to share some items I have had for a little while that mum kindly bought me when she visited Italy earlier this year. They are from Italian brand Kiko Cosmetics, which I had never heard of before but was very impressed with given the pretty packaging and super bright colours. 

I think she went a bit blue crazy when she bought these as I got a navy blue nail polish, a turquoise waterproof liquid liner, a dark shimmery mineralised eyeshadow and a four colour palette containing a bright purple, dark blue, light blue and black.

Kiko Colour Sphere Eye Shadow in No 26 (RRP 5.90EUR ~$8AUD)




This mineralised eyeshadow is a gorgeous purpley black colour with a tonne of shimmer. It has gorgeous pink and purple duo chromes throughout which look amazing when the sun hits it. I am yet to wear this on my eyes but its swatches beautifully. The packaging is great too, to me it is a cross between the Nars rubbery black packaging and the MAC packaging. 

Here it is swatched. On the left is it applied dry without a primer and on the right is it applied wet still with no primer. 


I know this next picture is super blurred but I had to show you so you could see the gorgeous sparkles in this shadow.



Kiko Colour Fever Eyeshadow Palette in 06 Elegant Nocturnal Tones (RRP 12.90EUR ~$17.60AUD)




This palette is really bright and super pigmented! At first I was worried I wouldn't get much use out of it but it's now my new favourite for creating my night out eyes. I love using the black and the dark blue for a navy smokey eye. The packaging of this is amazing, especially considering it is only the equivalent of $17 aussie dollars. It comes in a velvet pouch, much like your luxury makeup brands and the case is a gorgeous bronze colour with a huge mirror inside. 

I couldn't believe my eyes when I swatched these shadows. They appear exactly the same as the pan!


Swatched in the sun
Swatched in the shade

Kiko Waterproof Liquid Eyeliner in 03 (RRP 5.90EUR ~$8AUD)


When this eyeliner says it's waterproof you better believe it. Swatch this with caution people! I had this on my hand for no kidding three days without fading or budging..it means business. I would also advise caution when applying as it can be pretty hard to remove. But it is stunning, the colour isn't one I would wear on a daily basis but for when I am feeling experimental it is beautiful.

hehe!

Kiko Nail Lacquer - I can't seem to find an identifiable colour or number but its royal blue lol (RRP3.90EURO ~$5.30AUD)


I haven't tried this polish out yet so I can't comment on formula but the colour is very pretty. It's a royal blue colour that has turquoise duo chrome.

I feel very jealous of those of you that have a Kiko shop near you. I would love to trawl through it, especially considering the surprisingly cheap prices! I guess there is always Ebay haha

Have you guys tried this brand?? Do you rock super bright colours??

Hannah xoxo

Ps Do you like my new product photos? I made a light-box last weekend so now I can take photos when it's dark or the weathers crap :)

Monday, November 21, 2011

Review: Ulta3 Eyeshadow Palette

Hey guys,

So today I wanted to review for you an eyeshadow palette I picked up a while back which I featured in my last favourites post. 

Ulta3 Eyeshadow Palette in Money Bags

It is by the brand Ulta3 who many aussies know for their great value nail polishes. It was only recently I discovered that they actually do make-up as well when I saw a stand at my local Terry White Chemist. 

There were a couple of different palettes but this one in particular caught my eye because of the burnt orange shade. If you've been reading my blog for a while you know I am a sucker for anything orange-toned. This one is called Money Bags which is kinda ironic as these palettes retail for $6.95AUD making them a damn good deal.

Back of palette

What I love about this palette is that it has a great choice of colours. You have your lid, highlight, crease and definer colour all in the one palette, which makes it a great choice for travel. 

I also love the packaging, surprising given the price. It comes in a clear plastic case...I know what you are thinking cheap brand, crappy plastic packaging that will break as soon as you touch it but this is a whole lot sturdier than your regular cheapo packaging. Proven as I have dropped this a few times and it hasn't shown as much as a scratch! It also has a cute little flower detail in the corner which adds a little something extra. 

Look at that beautiful burnt orange!!

Now onto the actual shadows. They are very pigmented and soft, however the darker shades are a tad on the crumbly side so you do get a little fallout if you aren't careful with placement. I find that with a primer underneath these shadows will last me a working day without creasing, however they do tend to fade a little towards the end of the day. 

Swatches in the shade

The four shades are a light shimmery cream colour which is perfect for highlighting, a light creamy golden colour with a very pretty sheen to it, a gorgeous burnt orange which also has a nice sheen and a dark brown colour with some red and golden micro shimmer. None of the colours are matte, however the orange and creamy gold are less shimmery than the other two so when your eye won't look like just a big spec of glitter. The colours in this palette are definitely on the warmer side so those of you who like cool tones I suggest trying one of the other palettes in the line.


Swatches in sunlight

Would I re-purchase? Yes absolutely in fact I will probably collect them all!

Ulta3 eyeshadow palettes are available at your local Terry White Chemist or anywhere that stocks Ulta3. Aussie girls can call the consumer hotline on 1800 181 040 for stockists. International ladies sorry but I think it's an aussie only brand :( 


Have you guys tried any Ulta3 make-up?? What are your thoughts?

Hannah xoxo

Monday, November 14, 2011

Giveaway Winner!!

Hey all you lovely people!

I just want to say a big thank-you to all who entered my 100 follower giveaway. I had so many entries! I have just picked a winner at random using random.org (I tried to get it to show up on here but for the life of me couldn't figure it out) so without further ado the winner is..........


Gianna from Makeup and Me

Congratulations Gianna!! I have e-mailed you :) 
Once again thanks to all of you who entered!!! Also thanks to all my followers, I hope I can continue to entertain you all with my posts :)
Hannah xoxox

Monday, November 7, 2011

October Faves and Empties!!

Better late than never right?? haha 

I'm going to begin this post by saying what I say every time I do a favourites post...I can't believe how fast this year is going!! November already? Are you kidding me?!!!

Anyway onto the products that I have been loving this month.

October Favourites!!

1. Ulta3 Eyeshadow Palette in Money Bags ($6.95AUD from Terry White Chemist)

Since buying this palette I have been using it pretty much everyday. It's so compact and has all the colours I need to create a nice neutral look, which makes my morning makeup routine go a lot faster. The colours are very pigmented and soft and they apply nicely to the eyes. The only downside is they are a tiny bit crumbly. 

Ulta3 Eyeshadow Palette in Money Bags

2. Savvy by DB Jumbo Bronzer in Terracotta ($9.95AUD from Priceline)

I have previously given my thoughts on this bronzer here. It's a great cheap matte bronzer perfect for contouring!

Savvy by DB Jumbo Bronzer in Terracotta

3. Dior Highlighter in Amber Diamond ($50.50AUD from Strawberrynet.com)

This is the prettiest makeup product I own (also the most expensive!). It is a gorgeous subtle highlighter that just makes you feel instantly prettier. 

Dior Amber Diamond

4. Urban Decay Eyeshadow in Sin ($10.99USD from Allcosmeticswholesale.com)

Speaking of highlighters I have been loving using Sin as a cheek highlight this month. It's more of an obvious looking highlighter but still looks really gorgeous. 

Urban Decay eyeshadow in Sin

5. MAC Cream Blush in Ladyblush ($41AUD from MAC)

My mum recently gave this to me after her trip overseas. I had been lusting after it for a long time and I love it. It's been on my cheeks pretty much the whole of October. It's a gorgeous natural pinky colour. (For some reason it looks a lot more apricot toned in the picture and swatch but its more of a pink)

MAC Cream Blush in Ladyblush

6. The Lip Combo of MAC's Girl About Town lipstick ($36AUD from MAC) and Nars Lipgloss in Turkish Delight ($24USD from Kissandmakeupny.com)

I didn't think Girl About Town suited me until one night when I added Turkish Delight over the top of it and it looked amazing! (See swatch below) It tones it down slightly while making it a little less harsh and cool-toned against my pale skin. This has been my go-to lip combo for nights out this month.

Nars lipgloss in Turkish Delight and MAC's lipstick in Girl About Town


7. MAC MSF Natural in Light/Medium ($47AUD from MAC)

I love this face powder. It looks so natural on the skin. I either use this lightly as a setting powder or with a setting spray to dampen it and then I buff it into the skin as my foundation. Either way it looks great.

MAC MSF Natural in Light/Medium

And those are my (late) favourites for the month of October. I hope you enjoyed!! 


Haha you didn't think I would leave you hanging like that did you....Here are the swatches ;)

L-R: Terracotta Bronzer, Amber Diamond, Ladyblush, Sin,
Girl About Town and Turkish Delight.

I also wanted to include a few empties in this post as I only had 4 and didn't think it warranted a separate post. So here is what I finished this October :)

October Empties!!

These are all products I love and will continue to buy over and over. First is the pink Dove deodarant. I use Dove deodorant as I love the scents they have and I find them quite moisturising. I also find they last the whole day which is always a plus. 

Next is my favourite body wash, it's the Original Source Shea Butter and Honey Shower Cream. I buy this from my local supermarket and am so in love with it. It has the most amazing creamy honey scent. 

Blake and I both use the Redwin Vitamen E Cream as our daily moisturiser and both love it. It is so moisturising and I swear this is a big reason why my skin has cleared up so much. The best bit? It's only $3 from Priceline. 

Lastly is the Nivea lip balm in Hydro Care. This is my favourite out of this line of lip balms and probably one of my fave balms in general. It's super moisturising and lasts a long time on the lips. 

What were your favourites this past month? And what have you guys used up???

Hannah xoxo

P.S. Don't forget to enter my 100 follower giveaway, open until the 13th November!! See the post below this one.


Tuesday, November 1, 2011

100 FOLLOWER GIVEAWAY!!!!!!!!!!! :)

Hey guys,

So today I hit a huge milestone in my blogging life. I reached 100 followers :) I am so excited there are so many of you who enjoy reading my blog. It really means the world to me that you follow my ramblings and comment on my posts.

So as a thanks to you guys I am holding a little giveaway for you all :) I tried to pick out products that I really love and that I have featured on my blog before so you guys could try them if you win.

Without further ado...here are the prizes :)


2x Garnier Miracle Skin Perfector BB Cream's in Light and Medium. Review here.


A 2 pack of Cellulose Sponges. Review here.


Ulta3 Nail polishes in Midnight Fever and Twilight Fever. NOTD's here and here.


2 BYS Lipsticks in Sassy Salmon and Beautifully Bare.


Savvy by DB Bronzer in Terracotta. First impression here.


Face of Australia HD Liquid Eyeliner in Black. One of my HG products shown here.


Australis Creme Colour in Flirtatious Pink. Review here.


BYS Blush in Peach Sundae. HG status here.


BYS Blush in Coral. Review here.


Beauty Blender with a sample of the Beauty Blender Cleanser.


Model's Prefer makeup bag.


And here's the stash all together :) 

Now for the rules :)
  • Open internationally.
  • Must be over 18 or have parent/guardian's permission to give me your mailing address.
  • Must reply to winning e-mail within 48hrs or I will pick a new winner.
  • This giveaway will be open until Sunday 13th November at 11.59PM Perth time (GMT+8)

How to enter?
  • Must be a follower of this blog via GFC (1 entry)
  • Follow me on twitter @beautydwnunder (+1)
  • Tweet about this giveaway, making sure to include my twitter handle @beautydwnunder (+1)
  • Link to this giveaway on your blog (+1)

Then just comment on this post telling me what you have done. If you tweet or post about this giveaway please include the link to your tweet/post :) Also include an e-mail address that I can contact you on if you win!!!

Good luck everyone :) I hope you like the prizes I have picked out!!


Hannnah xoxo

Disclaimer: All products were purchased by me with the exception of the two Garnier BB creams, which I received in a giveaway but as I won two giveaways for these I decided to include these two in my giveaway. Also the Beauty Blender has been opened but never touched. I bought the two pack and kept one for myself. It is still in the original packet and comes with the brochures and sample of the cleanser.