Making Me Blush

Dandelion by Benefit, Cherub by Daniel Sandler, Strawberry Pure Mineral Blush by The Cosmetic Kitchen and Revlon PhotoReady Sculpting Blush Palette in 001 Pink Rose

Blush can be so tricky. There is a fine line between looking delightfully blushed as if some fine gentleman just complimented your new hair do' and looking like you have a rash on your face.

Personally, I like my blush to look like I’ve been in the snow for a little bit longer than I should have, so i use pretty pink colours to mimic a natural flush.

Benefit Dandelion

This was the first blush I ever purchased and the best every day beauty you could ask for. While it does have a slight shimmer to it, when on the skin it isn't glittery but has light reflecting pigments to help the sun shine off your face in all the right places (not your T-Zone). Benefit also provide a perfect little brush in each package to help you apply this dream powder so there is no need to buy a separate brush to accompany it, though I do use this with the Real Techniques Buffing Brush to get a bit more precision. One of the biggest mistakes people make with blush is going too heavy handed and not gradually building up the colour therefore ending up with two nice big coloured circles on their face. This blush is so light that it is impossible to apply too much product. A must for every makeup bag.

Daniel Sandler Watercolour Fluid Blusher in Cherub

This is a funny little liquid blush that to use you have to shake up and then literally paint on your face. A tiny bit goes a very long way, so you only need a few dots for gloriously glowy cheeks. This blush is best suited for dewy make-up, so skip the powder foundation and go for liquid. The colour is absolutely perfect for achieving a gorgeous natural blush, but can be a bit tricky to master at first. So before you wear it out to some important wedding/date/meeting/space adventure be sure to practice, practice, practice (not affiliated with shine, shine, shine). I use the Eco Tools foundation brush to apply this, because I found that a flat, thin foundation brush allows a more natural finish than a stippling or buffing brush would.

The Cosmetic Kitchen Pure Mineral Blush in Strawberry 

This little diddy I received in the notorious Lust Have It beauty box. It is a beautiful colour and also a pure mineral makeup product which means it is actually great for the skin, healthy to wear regularly and non comedogenic. Though this it is not great for is your bathroom and you may want to put down some towels or create a plastic wrap Dexter killing room type situation when you apply it because it gets EVERYWHERE. It is a loose powder blush so it gets messy and this isn't helped by the fact that it comes in a screw top lid, so you're basically screwed both literally and figuratively (but not sexually). Though it is worth it for the dusty pink, natural looking colour you get. The shade of this blush makes it perfect for all skin tones, especially darker ones. The Cosmetic Kitchen are also certified vegan and cruelty free, so big ticks for this!

Revlon PhotoReady Sculpting Blush Palette in 001 Pink Rose 

If you are looking to get all Kim Kardashian and define those golden cheekbones of yours, then this is a great palette to help you start. It is basically 'Contouring 101', you cannot mess this up. Revlon even have step-by-step instructions on the back of the packaging that is so simple, even alpacas could learn. This palette comes with three colours: A pink blush, a bronze contour shade and a champagne highlighting shade. The bronze contour shade is light enough for translucent folk that have the skin tone of an A4 piece of white printer paper like I do. So if you've got gorgeous darker skin, you may need to substitute a darker colour for the contour shade but otherwise you are good to go. Just please don't do Kim K things while under the cheek conturing influence of this blush, i.e, name your child North or have a sexual escapade with Ray J on camera.

Top 6 Bright Lipsticks & A Few Personal Stories

From Left to Right: Chanel Rouge Allure in 64 Enthusiast, Chanel Rouge Allure in 03 Provocative, Revlon Superlustrous Creme in 677 Siren, Revlon Superlustrous Creme in 720 Fire & Ice, Revlon Living in 70 Orange Flip and Revlon Living in 36 Orchid Beach.

Lipsticks are my favourite makeup product more than any other. I find them so enchanting, all the colours and the way they can dress up a face. Eyebrows may frame the face, but a great lipstick sets it alive. Bright colours are always better in my opinion, they make you look cheery and friendly and easy to talk to, three qualities that the world really does need right now. I have too many lipsticks, especially those of the bright variety; too many I would like to admit to. Sit in my car and there will be lipsticks hidden everywhere. In the doors, the glove box, under the seat and even in the ashtray. I'm not a smoker, I never will be, and the ashtray is the perfect size for my YSL Rouge Pur Couture in Le Orange.

Narrowing down the list of my favourites was hard, 5 seemed like a good number for a list, but I couldn't get it that low, so here I present to you my top 6 bright lipsticks:

Chanel Rouge Allure in 64 Enthusiast

The first product from Chanel that I purchased. I was so excited, the shiny packaging, the black bow tied around the handles, everything about it was so classic. The girl at the boutique and I spent more time chatting than actually picking out the lipstick, she asked me what colour I was after and I said a bright classic red colour that you would have seen on movies stars of the 1940's and 50's. She plucked it straight out of the row of black and gold cases and I’ve been in love ever since. The texture of the lipstick is creamy and smooth and just glides over lips. It's a really hydrating and soothing lipstick with a cherry red colour. Not too bright or clownish, but subdued enough to be able to wear to work if you work in a corporate environment. 

Chanel Rouge Allure in 03 Provocative

A few years ago I was having a bit of a rough time and my mum took me out of the house to cheer me up. She took me out to breakfast and then to the Chanel beauty boutique to pick me out a lipstick. I was originally going to pick another red colour (what a shocker) but she picked up this shimmery fuchsia colour that to be honest I wouldn't have really picked out myself. So I sat down and the makeup artist painted my lips with Provocative and I loved it, a colour that I normally wouldn't have given a shot looked beautiful. I'm not a very shimmery lipstick lover, but this one just spoke to me. When you wear it, the light reflects the shimmer pigments in the lipstick and makes your lips sing, and it also looks like a dream against pale ivory skin tones. Now whenever I’m having a rough day I put this lipstick on to cheer myself up and remind me that life gets better. To see sunny skies you have to have weathered a few rough seas. 

Revlon Superlustrous Crème in 677 Siren

This is a very strange colour that is hard to describe and can be tricky to wear, so you have to be careful not to wash out your complexion. It's a sheer-ish lipstick that is a mix of pale orange and pink and is a beautiful accompaniment to pretty spring floral outfits. If you are a bit wary of bright lipsticks and you're looking to ease into bold colours, this is the perfect starting point!

Revlon Superlustrous Crème in 720 Fire & Ice

Fire and Ice is the little black dress of all lipsticks, nothing will ever beat it or even come close, and it remains one of, if not the most historical lipstick from Revlon. While I save my Chanel Enthusiast for special occasions like weddings and dates, I wear Fire and Ice constantly. I wear it to work, to the post office and when I’m filling up my car with petrol. It makes your teeth look perfectly white and is the perfect balance of not too sheer but not too cakey in colour. When I was in Uni I would bartend at a nightclub on Fridays to save up money. When I first started there I had platinum blonde hair and would wear this lipstick every time I went in and the friendly drunks would call me mini Marilyn. Then I dyed my hair brown, then black, and then I chopped off my hair and grew it out again. My appearance would constantly change, so much so that the security guard who would walk me to my car at night said if I ever needed to, I could easily skip the country. The only thing that stayed consistent with my appearance was this lipstick. It is my good old faithful and one I will never stop wearing. Best worn with the MAC Redd lipstick liner and Clinique Chubby Stick in Chunky Cherry underneath to complete the perfect red lip.

Revlon Living in 70 Orange Flip

This is a beautiful bright orange colour that looks amazing on all skin tones and is perfect for spring. It's a bold choice and once wearing this you only need minimal makeup because it is such a showstopper. I love this lipstick even more because it has a story to it. A girl I knew once told me she admired the lipsticks I constantly wore and asked me to recommend some and this was one of them. I thought the colour would look beautiful on her complexion, and I wasn't wrong when she came back the next day wearing Orange Flip. The following week she was not wearing lipstick at all. I asked her why and she responded, "My boyfriend didn't like it" and that he wouldn't let her wear it anymore. There is nothing that grinds my gears more than spouses (not just men exclusively) banning their other half from wearing or using certain products just because it is not their personal taste, or in some cases makes them feel inadequate. Wear what you love with pride, because YOU love it, not because someone else told you should or shouldn't be wearing it. They aren't you; only you should make choices for your appearance. Unless your other half is deathly allergic to some ingredient in the lipstick that makes their lips fall off or puts them six feet under, and if they aren't then wear it with pride. I'm sure you don't like their fedora or boat shoes either, but doesn't mean that you will ban it from their closet, because you're a cool chick who stands up for individuality and personal choices.

Revlon Living in 36 Orchid Beach

Oh Orchid Beach, you frisky little beauty. You see, Orchid Beach is an EXACT duplicate of the YSL Rouge Pur #49 in colour, texture and pretty looks. The reason the original YSL did not make the cut of this list is due to the fact it is basically double the price of the Revlon one. Yep. And from someone who owns both of these lipsticks I honestly can't tell the difference between these two finds. Save some serious coin and pick up the Revlon lipstick if you're after a dazzling hot pink lipstick for summer.

Beauty Subscription Boxes

If you're stuck in a beauty product Déjà Vu, let me write you a prescription. Listen closely; 2-3 times a month of beauty subscription services will help cure you of your ailment. If you have some spare cash at the end of the month I encourage you to treat yourself! 

These boxes give you a great way to try out so many different products without a pricey financial commitment and can be tailored to your skin type, hair colour, skin tone and eye colour. As a girl with sensitive oily skin prone to break outs, I have to be extremely careful with the skincare and makeup products I use on this mug of mine. I have spent many dollars on some flashy skincare with rave Google reviews only to be left with a rash on my face, a sore wallet and more unused products piling up in my bathroom. Beauty subscription boxes cost between $15-$25 and offer up to six or seven mini (or sometimes full size products) for you to play around with and that really floats my boat.

And with that, I present to you 3 beauty subscription services that I have tried for your perusal:

1. Bellabox:

Bellabox was the first BSS (Beauty Subscription Service, getting fun with acronyms) that I tried, and it took a lot of humming and ahhing, about six months and a half price discount code to get me in on the action. Bellabox is a great service, the box always arrives on time and beautifully packaged. BB (loving my acronyms tonight) also send you a tracking code as soon as your box ships so those pesky little beauty elves in your 'hood can't pinch your goodies. So many brands have wooed me through this service (I’m especially talking to you La Roche Posay & Anastasia Beverly Hills) and are great if you're first getting started in this big bad world of sparkly eye shadow. Bonus points for BB including in last months box a free issue of InStyle magazine, because as a glossy mag hag, this pleased me greatly.

Positives:

•   Reliable
•   Different range of products each month
•   Shipped in adorable polka dot boxes
•   Great extras - magazines and other sweet deals
•   The cheapest subscription box in Australia

Negatives

•   Can run a bit behind in shipping


Website: http://bellabox.com.au/

Price: $15 (with free courier shipping)

2. Violetbox:

Look Bellabox, as pretty as you are, Violetbox has won my heart. No hard feelings, it's just that I’m pretty easily won over with lots of full-size products and freebies like adorable polka dot makeup bags.Violetbox is an amazing BSS and are very generous with the extras they include. Case in point, last month for the VB (Violetbox, sorry Victoria Beckham fans out there) birthday celebration, subscribers were treated to a free makeup bag, a full-sized GHD styling crème, nail polish duo and eyebrow pencil as well as some adorable sample products. VB is the most expensive of the BSS but they really are worth it for the quality of the products you are receiving.

Positives:

• Great brands featured
• Great bonuses
• Amazing Service
• Lots of full sized products included

Negative:

•   The most expensive

Price: $22.95 (Shipping Included)

Website: http://www.violetbox.com.au/

3. Lust Have It:

Oh Lust Have It, you are the underdog of the beauty subscription services, still trying to find your feet in this mad world. I used to have a monthly subscription to LHI, but sadly had to cancel after two months as the products and service were just not that great. When the first box arrived (you are supposed to receive Lust Have It packaged in cosmetic bags each month), i was a tad disappointed with the products i found inside:

•   Appelles Soap - I love soap and this one was from an Australian company.

•   Mary Kay lip product - Meh. The colour was ok, but it was in a weird pot with a brush you had to paint on. Also Mary Kay just don't appeal to me, it has a bit of an Avon vibe.

•   Coral Colours Eye shadow Trio - Another brand that doesn't appeal to me. I have tried their products in the past and they just aren't that great quality. Also it didn't help that this trio was of the pink, baby blue and white variety. No thank you.

•   Coral Colours Eyebrow Pencil in Dark Brown - My blonde brows did not agree with this.

•   The Cosmetic Kitchen Mineral Blush - I loved it, my cat on the other hand did not as she was sitting at my feet and copped the strawberry coloured blush all over her white coat (her fur, not some fancy white Burberry trench coat) when I opened the product. Loose blush and twist top lids do not mix manufacturing people!

So that was the first month and i wanted to give it another chance in case I just subscribed at a bit of a dud month. The next month was not that great either, with Lust Have It surprising me with two packages instead of the one I’m subscribed to (I sent it back, it would be bad karma to keep). I'm talking cheap toe separators and files. The saving grace was the La Roche Posay sample and the free nail polish. Though I did get my free makeup bag, which I use to neatly store the chargers for my electric toothbrush and clarisonic (small victory). 


Sidenote: I don't have any photos of my Lust Have It packages because they just were not that lust worthy.


Positives: 

• Free makeup bag each month 

Negatives:

•   Unreliable service
•   Brands featured aren't that great


Price: $19.95

Website: http://www.lusthaveit.com.au/

Welcome Sugars!

So I have decided to start a blog, how very 2009 of me. Oh well, late bloomers are always the prettiest aren't they? I'll just keep telling myself that. After having lunch with my delightful friend Lucy, who for the past few months (along with other friends) has been drilling it into me that I need to start a beauty-esque blog to plate up some sweet wisdom; i took her advice and finally caved. I have just finished my degree at RMIT University, which was a Bachelor of Communication (Public Relations) with a major in politics and economics, and since graduation isn't until December, I have a few months to kill.


I am, by no means, a flashy beauty expert covered in bells, whistles, glitter and razzle dazzle, I’m just a run of the mill girl who reads a lot of glossy magazines, subscribes to a lot of beauty boxes and has tried A LOT of products. And I mean A LOT, a pretty hefty amount. There has been so much trial error, I think it would be quite handy to jot it all down to save some gals out there the pain of a terrible product and provide a short cut to the amazing ones.


So sit back, relax with some chocolate and a cup of tea or wine (actually go for the wine) and follow me on a journey of lipsticks and liquid liner. 


Oh and for those wondering about the name of my blog, Sugar was the name of my first horse and also a reference to my sweet tooth. 
x

Kate Spade wallet, which suffers the most during a beauty shopping rampage