Priceline Haul!

While out shopping over the weekend I noticed that Priceline is having some pretty good deals at the moment so I picked up a couple of things.

One of the deals I was most excited about is that the Model's Prefer skincare line is currently 50% off until the 11th of Feb. Wanting to take advantage of this great deal I went ahead and picked up a back up of my favourite bb cream of the moment from them (see why I love it here). I also used this deal to try out one of the products I have had my eye on for a while which is the Deep Repair Anti-Age Serum. 

This product resembles the YSL Forever Youth Liberator Serum, which I received a sample of in one of my monthly subscription boxes a while ago and subsequently fell in love with it. All would have been well except for it's enormous price tag! So I thought I would pick up the MP version while on special and see if it was comparable. 

I've been using it for the past few days and so far I haven't noticed anything substantially different with my skin (which luckily has been pretty good lately - despite my sweaty new job as Blake's apprentice!) although it does feel lovely to apply. Not quite as lovely as the YSL but it will do for now. Perhaps closer to the wedding I will invest in the YSL as a special treat but for the moment it's just too pricey.

The last item I bought was the new Covergirl Mascara named Clump Crusher. It's another version of the orange tubed LashBlast formula, which is one of my holy grail mascaras, so I am pretty eager to test this baby out. 

The brush is the same rubber bristled kind as with the original but this version has a curve to it. I'm not expecting it to be drastically different from the original version but for $10 (it's on sale until Feb 11th then goes up to $17.95) I thought I'd test it out.

Have you tried any of these products? What do you think of them?

Hannah xox

January Lust Have It!

It's the end of January already can you believe it?? I received my Lust Have It! box yesterday and was surprised by its smaller than average box. When I opened it up the reason became apparent, the packaging has changed back to the old Glossybox style sturdy reusable cardboard boxes. 

This box has a lift up lid which closes with a magnet and is a pretty lilac with a pink flower pattern. I will definitely be using this as some kind of storage in my house as it's just so pretty.

Now onto the loot!! Here is what was in this months box;

1. Nude by Nature BB 5-in-1 Miracle Cream (Full size 50mL - $19.95)

As you probably know by now I'm a big fan of BB creams, so much so I now use them on a daily basis over foundation. This is one that I haven't tried before so I am very excited to test it out. It says that it "hydrates, corrects, perfects, protects and gives your skin natural radiance". The one thing that stands out about this is that it has quite a strong fruity scent almost lemon like which I haven't come across before.

2. Face of Australia Bronzing Loose Powder (Full size - $12.95 for 20g)

Another thing I haven't tried yet, in fact I have never before tried a loose powder bronzer so once again I'm pretty excited to test this out. It feels amazingly silky and finely milled and has a really nice sheen to it, however, I think it's a little bit too light to be used as a bronzer but it would be really nice dusted over the collarbones and chest.

3. Lust Have It! Kabuki Brush (Full size - $19.95)

It seems like this is going to be an ongoing thing with lust have it putting their own branded items in the boxes, which I don't have a problem with as long as they are useful and good quality. This kabuki brush is super soft, however it absolutely stinks! and I have already noticed a few bristles have shed so it probably will end up at the back of one of my drawers unfortunately.

4. & 5. GKMBJ Latic Hydrating Shampoo & GKMBJ Fortifying Honey Creme (30g sample - 280mL $19.95)

My mum has tried a sample of this and said that she really loved it and was going to buy a bottle of it so that makes me excited to test these out. The bottles look very sleek although they do smell a bit funny in my opinion.

6. Amuse Nail Lacquer - Atomic Orange (Full size - 18mL $13.95)

I love neon polishes and this neon orange is right up my alley, in fact I still have the residue of a similar nail colour on my toes right now! haha

Value of the Box = $19.95 + $12.95 + $19.95 + ~2.13 + ~2.13 + $13.95 = $71.06

I think they have done a really good job with the first box of the year. For starters the new packaging is gorgeous and there was four full size products inside! I love it when these boxes include makeup items and to get a new bb cream to try is pretty exciting for me!

What did you guys think of this box? Have you tried any of these products??

Hannah xox

Review: LORAC Pro Palette

Today I have for you a review of a much-raved about eyeshadow palette among the online beauty world. It is the LORAC Pro Palette.

Here it is!

When this palette was released it caused a great stir among beauty lovers for the simple fact that it is a neutral eyeshadow palette containing half matte and half shimmer eyeshadows.

The reason this was such a big deal is because this is not often done when releasing eyeshadow palettes...the reason? Because shimmery colours are a lot prettier than matte ones and therefore a lot more tempting for buyers!

Comes with a baby eye primer.
Packaged in a rubberised heavy duty cardboard.

However, as most beauty lovers know, matte eyeshadows are essential for giving your eyeshadow look dimension and can be very flattering on the eyes, especially on older eyes.

In my opinion this palette has the perfect array of colours for a neutral eyeshadow palette. You've got your base colours, highlight colours, all over lid colours, crease colours, defining colours, a couple of fun colours thrown in, colours for the perfect smokey eye and of course the always needed matte black shadow. Altogether there are 16 shades with each shade containing 0.55 grams. It also comes with a mini Behind the Scenes Eye Primer, which I don't find to be anything special, just your average eye primer.

Isn't it pretty!

The texture of these shadows are buttery smooth and feel amazing to swatch. Due to their softness they can result in fall out, if you are not careful when placing the colour onto your eye. I would recommend tapping off any excess that's on your brush before you apply which should combat any fall out.

So exactly what colours do you get? Here's a rundown;

Shades on the left hand side.

White - pure white matte shade, perfect for an inner corner highlight, a base or brow bone highlight.
Nude - a shimmery pale pink colour, perfect for brightening the eyes.
Cream - matte cream shade, this shade can be a bit patchy but good to use as an all over base colour.
Champagne - a very pretty shimmery champagne colour with tiny white sparkles - lovely as a highlight or lid colour.
Taupe - a mid toned matte brown, not really a taupe but the perfect blending colour.
Gold - a very bright rich gold colour that leans towards an orange toned gold, this is an amazing lid colour.
Lt Pink - a matte light true baby pink, this is great for brightening the inner corner.
Lt Bronze - a gorgeous light bronze, looks very pretty swept over the lid.

Shades on the right hand side.

Mauve - a matte purple toned brown, this is one of my favourite colours as it's perfect for adding dimension and blending out the crease.
Pewter - your typical taupe colour (think MAC's satin taupe).
Sable - a rich warm toned matte chocolate brown.
Garnet - a gorgeous rusty colour, my favourite of them all! (This would be amazing on blue eyes!)
Espresso - a dark chocolate brown colour, perfect for the outer corner and to use under the eyes.
Deep Purple - a super dark vibrant purple colour with tiny, almost unnoticeable, specs of red glitters.
Black - a great matte black that everyone needs to deepen a look or to use as liner.
Slate - that perfect blueish grey colour to create a dark smokey eye.

Top matte colours in order (no flash)

Top matte colours in order (flash)

Bottom shimmery colours in order (no flash)

Bottom shimmery colours in order (flash)

The only downside to this palette for me is that some of the shades are a bit too soft and can create fall out, as you can see from this picture after I had swatched the shades. The packaging can also get pretty dirty, however, this isn't a big turnoff for me as most makeup does this.

Getting a little messy from all that swatching!

I highly recommend investing in this palette if you are new to eyeshadow or if you are simply a neutral eyeshadow lover. The combination of so many matte and shimmer colours in a range of neutral shades makes it the perfect palette, not to mention the ease at which the shadows apply to the eye along with their great blend-ability and pigmentation. The slim line packaging and large mirror also make it a great travel companion.

Packaging compared to Naked 1 & 2, a lot slimmer but roughly same size.

If you are a fan of the Urban Decay Naked palettes you will definitely love this palette too. I have both and can honestly say that I love them all equally.

The LORAC Pro Palette can be purchased from Sephora for $42USD, for those of us in Australia I bought mine from a highly reputable Ebay seller that can be found here for about $70AUD (all up).

Do any of you own this palette? What do you think of it, worth the hype?

Hannah xox

NOTD: Red with a hint of Sparkle

I've never been a huge fan of red nail polish...shocking I know as it's probably one of the more popular colours to sport on your nails. I'm not sure why it just never appealed to me until lately when I started to crave red, possibly due to it just being the festive season.

Anyway I gave in to this new found temptation and purchased a dark red polish as well as a red glitter polish and decided I'd give it a whirl.

The polish I went for is the Sally Hansen Hard as Nails Xtreme Wear Nail Colour (phew thats a mouthful!) in 90 Brick Wall which is a deep blood red colour. These are my favourite polishes in terms of application and staying power. They have a wide flat brush which makes application so simple, even for those of us that aren't the best at applying polish. They also last a long time on the nails without chipping, the longest of any brand I have tried.

The glitter I added to my ring finger is an Ulta3 Nail Colour in Disco Fever. This glitter has all different sizes of red glitters and applies evenly on the nails. There is nothing I hate more than a glitter polish that deposits barely any glitter to your nail! grr Ulta3 is another brand of polish I love, they apply well and best of all are super cheap and come in a tonne of colours! (I got this one for $2AUD)

I love how this looks with my new ring!! :)

What do you think of red polish? Love or Loathe?

Hannah xox

Where have I been?? Exciting News

Hello! Long time no post I know.

But it was for a good reason I promise...

BLAKE AND I GOT ENGAGED!!

Yay :) Yup we are getting married and I couldn't be happier. 

It all started with me coming home from work on the 12th (the day before my birthday) to a house full of balloons and a sign on the wall telling me to pack my bags. As you can imagine I was pretty stoked, Blake had arranged with my work for me to have some time off and he booked us flights to his home town Geelong, Victoria. 

So that night was spent packing and the next morning we were on a plane to Geelong :)

The proposal happened on Saturday afternoon (15th Dec). He told me we were heading to his brother's place which is on the coast, however, we were going a different route then normal *my first hint something was going on* Blake then announced that we'd just quickly pop down to Bell's Beach to take a look at the surf.

It was at the look out at Bell's Beach where he popped the question. I wasn't all that shocked as I had been expecting him to ask me for a while now but I still cried when he asked!

The biggest shock was how gorgeous the ring he chose was and that he had chosen it all by himself! No-one else knew what was going on. 

The next day we got to celebrate with Blake's family and friends and even had my mum, step-dad, sister and nephew surprise us by flying overnight to be with us to celebrate on Sunday.

It was very much a whirl-wind trip and things have just been so busy since with Christmas yesterday and starting to plan the wedding! Blake originally told me I had 2 months but I have managed to sort some sense into him and give us until October next year haha.

So yeah that is where I have been! I will be sure to start more regular posting again soon. 

I hope you all had a very Merry Christmas and are gearing up for a great new years!!

Hannah xox

Review: Mask in a Cup

At home face masks are one of my little luxuries in life. I love whacking a mask on when I am feeling stressed and it instantly relaxes me. Mud masks are probably my favourite kind of mask so when I was offered the chance to test out a few from Terra 2Skin I jumped at the opportunity. 

Mask in a Cup is made from active clays "which are extracted under strict conditions and naturally sun-dried to ensure that their active mineral contents and rich trace elements are retained, silica, magnesium, potassium, calcium, iron, phosphorous and zinc to name a few".

I was very interested in the how the clay was beneficial for the skin. Terra 2Skin explains that the clay is "naturally absorbent, detoxifying and draws toxins, excess oil and impurities from the skin." They also explain that "the rich minerals and trace elements naturally contained within the clay are also a drink for your skin, replenishing the necessary nutrients that our busy lifestyle, lack of sleep or pollution may have depleted".

The mask was super easy to use. All you need to do is lift off the lid, add 30mL of water and stir using the spatula provided. The instructions explain to only use the wooden spatula provided as metal can affect the  clays elements. Using this spatula you then apply the mask to your face. It is very easy to control as it has a paste like consistency that slides onto your skin.

There is quite a lot of product in the container, even after layering it on I still had plenty for another use. You could definitely get three uses out of the one container. It says you can store it for 2-3 days under cling-wrap, otherwise you could simply split up the powder into three uses before adding the water.

When applied to the skin it has a cooling feeling and as it dries it tightens on the skin. The drying time depends on the thickness of application. With a thin layer it took about ten-fifteen minutes to dry. The instructions tell you to remove the mask with warm water, but if you are anything like me I love pulling off the big chunks of clay first before I remove the remainder with water. (Yeah I'm a sicko like that...you know the kind of people that use the pore strips and examine what comes out - that's me! haha)

The mask left my skin feeling clean and looking brighter. I definitely recommend these masks, they made my skin feel really clean and soft and it was super easy to use. The benefits of the clay on your skin are also very impressive.

Before

Just applied

Mask drying (I put a bit too
much on the cheeks!)

After

Mask in a Cup retails for $8.99AUD each and can be purchased here. I definitely recommend trying these out especially if you like mud masks. They are great value as you can get at least 3 uses from each cup. There are a few different kinds to choose from; including ones for dry skin, oily skin, aged skin, tired skin and sensitive skin.

Have you tried these out?? Are you a face mask fan??

Hannah xox

**Product provided for review, but my opinion is 100% honest as per my disclosure policy :)

Lust Have It! November

November...it's november guys...Christmas is less than 4 weeks away and I have done absolutely nothing to prepare for it! ahhhhhhh

Ok so lets get on with it. This months came in another little make up bag, however, the accompanying card revealed that this will be the last bag and from now on they will be in "collectible packaging". I am hoping this means a return to the old Glossybox style packaging of the cute boxes as I found them to be really handy to store things.

Here is what was inside;

1. ModelCo Fibre Lashxtend Mascara (Full size - $28.00)

I was excited to see a full sized makeup item in the bag this month. Fibre mascaras are really great at lengthening your lashes as they have tiny fibres in them which adhere to your lash hair making them longer. I have tried a few in the past and got great results so I am keen to see if this is any good.

2. Davroe Hair Wellness Argan Oil (Full size - $23.95)

Blake dropped my bottle of Moroccan Oil a while back and I haven't yet re-purchased it so I was happy to see this in my bag. Will give it a go and see if I like it more than the Moroccan Oil. I like the Davroe brand, they are an Australian made brand using pure plant extracts and are vegan friendly.

3. Face of Australia Purifying Cleansing Wipes (Full size - $4.95)

I go through makeup wipes so fast so I was glad to see a pack of these in the bag. I have never tried FOA's version as I usually just buy the el cheapo $2 ones from the supermarket haha

4. Star & Rose Hologram Tweezers (Full Size - $9.95)

I am forever losing tweezers so these were a welcome addition. The holographic print is really cute and the tips seem very precise. They remind me a lot of my Tweezerman tweezers which I lost....see what did I tell you! haha

5. Lomasi Body Creme in Cucumber & Aloe (30mL sample - $22.95 for 236mL)

This body cream smells just like cucumber and aloe and has a lovely texture to it, its quite thin but still moisturising. I've never heard of the brand before and can't find much about them online but I wasn't impressed to read that the cream contains palm oil.

Total value: $28.00 + $23.95 + $4.95 + $9.95 + $2.91 = $69.76

I was very impressed with this months bag, 4 of the 5 items were full sized and things that I would actually use! The one let down was the cream, but I will still use it up.

What did you think of this month?? Any idea what the packaging will change to?

Hannah xox