I've recently found a new idea that I really like the sound of...Top Five Friday! Every second Friday I am going to be letting you know what my top five things are. This is going to include EVERYTHING as well. For example it will include Make Up, Hair, Recipes, Clothing and Accessories, Books and so much more. So stay tuned! My first Top Five Friday will be next Friday
If you have any requests for Top Five topics just let me know in the comments section below Nicole xx
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So I have been looking at BH Cosmetics for a long time now so I decided to grab a few bits and pieces to try and review! The first thing I got is the one I was most excited about, the BH Cosmetics That's Heart Palette. This gorgeous palette was developed with Youtuber Heart D from her channel That's Heart. Firstly the packaging is beautiful. This is one thing that definitely caught my eye. This palette contains 8 eyeshadows, a blush, and Bronzer and highlight. The Bronzer, blush and highlight all look to be beautiful colours. The eyeshadows are all shimmers, but not heavy glittery ones. There is a good range of colours which include some gorgeous brights! I'll be doing a How To and Review of this so stay tuned for that! I've been wanting the Naked Palette forever so as a substitute I decided to try the BH Forever Nude Palette. This palette has 6 eyeshadows, a highlight, blush, bronzer and 2 lipsticks. The Bronzer is quite light but the blush is a peachy pinky. The eyeshadows are basically all shimmers and are in varying shades of pink/purple and bronze/gold. They would definitely create some gorgeous day time looks and I can't wait to play! The lipsticks come in a neutral peach nude and a mid tones neutral pink. The downside of this palette is that the packaging is plastic and cheap looking. It looks like it could be a child's play palette so it's a little disappointing but I look forward to trying the products. I also grabbed one of the blush duos in Daisy. This duo has a highlight and blush and looks so stunning. The blush is a peachy pink and looks like it will create a soft flushed look and the highlights a golden/yellow tone which I think will be amazing on yellow based skin tones. The packaging of this is so beautiful, it's a soft lilac with multi coloured daisies all over it and I love it! The last thing I got was a lipstick. This is the BH Cosmetics Creme Luxe Lipstick in Vixen. This is a gorgeous plummy purple that is on the bright side but looks like it will be buildable for a deep colour. I have been searching for a deep plum for a while and this looks a tad light for what I was looking for, but I can't wait to wear it regardless. The formula seems creamy and doesn't smudge to much on the back of my hand so looks like it could be a winner. Let me know of you have tried BH Cosmetics and what you thought! Nicole xx I love doing tags! And when I came across this one from one of my favourite Youtubes Essie Button, I knew I had to do it! So here is a tag all about all my favourite lip products! Favourite Lip Balm/Treatment - This has to be my Nivea Lip Butter! I have a whole post dedicated to this amazing Lip Balm but to sum it up, it is so moisturizing, tastes amazing and is just a really lovely product for the lips. It comes in quite a few different flavours/scents and is a really good price. Best Eye Catching Red - I would have to give this to my ELF Matte Lip Colour in Rich Red. This is quite a new product to my collection. This comes in the form of a wind up pencil with a tip that's quite defined, which makes it really easy for application. The red is a rich medium red with orange undertones and like the name would suggest, it's matte. It wears really well and I only really have to touch it up after eating. It's also really reasonably priced so I really want to try some new colours! Best Luxury and Best Drug Store - My best luxury lipstick is currently my most worn one too and that is MAC Blankety. This is an Amplified Finish and is the perfect peachy brown nude. Because it's an Amplified is soo pigmented and incredibly creamy too. My best drug store is Maybelline Brazen Berry. This is quite a bright purple lipstick and I absolutely adore it. It's so bright and fun and the formulas pretty nice too. It applies easily without any lip pencil and stays nice and bright for hours. I've tried a couple of Maybelline lippys and haven't like them but this one is definitely a good formula. Best MAC Lipstick - This would have to be the one I just talked about. Looove MAC Blankety! The Most Disappointing - This would be Maybelline Neon Red, this is from there colour sensations range so one would assume the colour is...well sensational. But it is anything but. The colour in the tube is bright and beautiful but the pigmentation just isn't there. You need to layer and layer AND layer to get any pigment and even then it just doesn't wear well. After apply several coats I found it just sunk into lines (which I didn't even know I had, that no other lipsticks have ever sunk into) and tended to move around alot which is just a pain. Liner, Yes or No - Yes and No! I think with darker lippys it's a must, some of of darker lippys wear really well so I do have a few that I don't have to wear them with. But for my nudes and a couple of my other bright lippys and don't bother. I guess it just depends on your personal preference! Best Gloss - Gloss is actually something I never wear. I've just never really liked it to be honest. Something Extra - I want to give a little mention to my favourite Matte lip product, this is the Australis Velour Lips in Pa-Ree which is the Nude shade. This is more of a brown nude and reminds me of the Kylie Jenner lip that's so popular. This is a nude that would suit any skin tone and it wears amazingly. When you first apply it, it looks like a creamy matte but then it almost sets to a true matte and doesn't budge. It also smells INCREDIBLE!! It smells like grapes and it makes you want to eat it, this smell does fade when it turns to matte though. The Velour Lips come in five shades (but I have heard there are more coming!) and I will definitely be trying as many as I can and reviewing them at a later date. I couldn't recommend these lip products enough! I tag everyone that likes the sound of this tag to do it! Nicole xx So we are well into Winter now and with the change of season, comes the change of beauty products! So I have separated this into four sections of my absolute essentials. One of my year round (but especially Winter) must haves are face masks. I do these at least twice a week and think they are a really important part of my skin care regime. The first mask is the one I use all year round, it's the Michael Todd Kaolin Clay Detox Mask and it's amazing! I'm not going to go too much into this (because there is a blog post all about it coming!) but it basically helps to control oil and helps to clear impurities. I like to include a couple of packet masks into my routine, depending on my skins needs. I have been loving the Formula 10.0.6 Pores Be Pure and Oil Absorbing Mud Mask. The Pores Be Pure Mask is a deep clarifying mask and it helps to clear out any make up or dirt. The Oil Absorbing Mask does just as the name suggests, it helps to absorb all the excess oil from your skin. I find this mask works extremely well but it can create quite a stinging sensation that is pretty uncomfortable. I would not suggest this if you have sensitive skin but for my oily skin the results are really good. These packet masks come in packs of two and I find I can get two uses out of one packet so they do last quite a while. Probably the most important beauty product for Winter is a good Moisturizer. My all time favourite one that I use all year round is the Elizabeth Arden Visible Difference, Skin Balancing Lotion for Combination Skin. I have done a post all about this, so I'll link it below but this is the most hydrating Moisturizer without being too heavy or greasy on the skin and I highly recommend it! It comes in different formulas, for different skin needs so there is something for everyone. The one in the blue tub is my Night Cream and this is the Nivea Regenerating Night Cream. This cream is so hydrating on the skin and I always apply it mid-evening and let it absorb overnight. By the morning my skin is almost a little too hydrated but I always cleanse my skin first thing so this stops this from being an issue. The little tube is the Elizabeth Arden Optimizing Skin Serum, this is designed to be used before your moisturizer to just give it an extra boost. I only really use it around my eyes instead of a eye cream and I love it! Staying on the hydrating subject, hair is just as important! I like to keep up a routine that will keep my hair hydrated all year around and I find these products are perfect during Winter. The product on the left is the Garnier Fructis Colour Last Conditioner. If you have fine hair, you know the struggle is real, when it comes to finding a light yet moisturising conditioner. So far this is the best Supermarket brand conditioner that I've found. I apply it mid lengths to ends and I find that it is hydrating without the weight. It also smells amazing and the shape of the bottle is perfect, it's so slim that you can fit even more products in the shower ha ha. The product on the right is Schwarzkopf BC Colour Save Treatment. This bottle has lasted me ages and it is one of my favourite hair treatments. I use it at least once a week, leave it in for five minutes then rinse. Because it is a treatment is is a little weighty but I find that what it does for the hair is so amazing this isn't an issue. This treatment basically sorts my hair out! It makes it feel soft and silky and helps my comb to glide through it. It also gives it an amazing shine. The last essentials for Winter are lipsticks. During Winter my selection gets a little more boring then what it is in Summer. My favourites at the moment are ones I've talked about over and over but they are MAC Blankety and ELF Matte Lip Colour in Rich Red. Like I said I have posted about these (or have posts coming!) so I'll keep it brief. MAC Blankety is a stunning peachy brown nude, it's a lovely creamy formula and it wears really well. ELF Matte Lip Colour in Rich Red is a mid toned Rich Red which doesn't go matte and dry. It's a gorgeous creamy lipstick and I find it last for hours without major transfer. It's also really affordable and comes in a range of colours. Well there are my Winter Essentials, what are your must have Winter products? Nicole xx Link to the Elizabeth Arden Moisturizer Blog post: http://nicolesbeautyspot.weebly.com/blog/moisturiser-review-elizabeth-arden-visible-difference I haven't done many fashion related posts, buts it's something I really want to get in to! I have seen alot of styling videos and pictures everywhere of tartan. I love the way tartan looks and all the different colours it comes in. I love red though, especially when it comes to clothing I love the way any shade of red looks against my skin tone so it's something I always gravitate towards. So today I though I would write a post about the Tartan pieces I have and how I style them. The first piece I've got is a tartan dress which was from Cotton On. This dress has a square neckline with little buttons on each shoulder for detail. It is a baby doll shape but shows the silhouette alot better. It hits a couple of inches above the knee so it's really easy to wear. It is sort of a faded looking red with a dark navy blue and black checkered pattern. In Winter I style this with my leather jacket, tights and my grungy looking boots (these are featured in my Top 5 Shoes post) I always wear my hair down and big and curly! If I want something a bit more casual I'll wear just a cardi, tights and plain ankle boots. In summer I'll wear it really casually with just either jandals or slip on shoes and probably no cardi. If it is a cooler day I think it would look great worn over top of a plain white tshirt. The second piece I have is a Tartan shirt I found at Temt. This is a basic shirt that tapers in slightly at the waist, has a high collar and rolled up sleeves. This has a black chiffon/polyester material for pockets and I wasn't sure about this when I brought it but now I quite like them! I love how vintage a tartan shirt is, so for Winter I love wearing this shirt with my hair up and some over sized cat eye glasses. I usually wear these with a plain pair of blue denim jeans. I recently got a pair of really high waisted black skinny jeans and I really like the way the shirt looks tucked into them. I have also worn it open over a plain black maxi for a more casual feel. In Summer I am going to style this shirt open, with a pair of cut off denim and white singlet. I definitely want to get a pair of high waisted black shorts so I can recreate my Winter look too. I think a shirt is such a staple piece in the wardrobe and I love the fun that the tartan brings. This shirt is also a pretty bright red which I absolutely love. So these are the only pieces of tartan I have but I have to say I'm hooked!! I've seen a gorgeous bralet and kimono that I NEED but haven't quite yet justified ha ha. Let me know if you love Tartan like I do and how you style it. Nicole xx I love trying new foundations, especially one that has such a good reputation! I recently have decided to invest in MAC Prolongwear and have been using it for around a month now so decided it was time to do a review. Before buying I had to do a bit of research, there are so many options with MAC foundation shades that it can be a little confusing. But basically you can choose from NC or NW, NC is cool and NW is warm. I have a yellow undertone to my skin so going with NW is a great option. You then need to choose your shade. Luckily I had a friend with a MAC kit so I got a play with a few foundations and settled on NW15, this is the second lightest shade. When I first tried this foundation I used it with my usualy flat top foundation brush. I used one pump like I do my normal foundations and spread it round before blending it in. It was awful. I had way to much foundation and for some reason it seperated on my nose. I had to actually take it off then reapply to get a good finish and even then I wasn't very impressed. I wanted to try it again though so I decided to use an ELF stippling brush which is usually used for blush (I wrote about this in my last ELF Haul Blog). I then applied half a pump to the back of my hand and dipped the brush in it then blended it out on to my face. This worked alot better but I then felt the foundation was just too light. I balanced it out with some bronzer but it's such a shame. I do feel that it tends to go a little cakey through out the day, particularly around my nose and chin. It does have a good converage and the texture of the product it self is really nice. I will be buying it in a shade darker and mixing the two to reach my perfect shade but until then I have found that I'm just not really reaching for this foundation. I like something thats hassle free and I can literally slap on and it will even my skin out and give me great coverage in one step. The staying power of this foundation is pretty good, if you powder areas throughout the day and to be honest I've never really had this problem before. I have to admit I don't really understand the hype surrounding this product. It is a nice foundation but I can't say it's any better then my fraction of the price ELF or Australis Foundations. I'm going to keep trying with it and I think I will figure out a way to use it and love it but untilt hen if you have any suggestions or tips please do let me know! Nicole xx Normally I don't include alot of colour in my everyday make up routine, I'm not sure why but I just like to keep it super simple. I keep seeing photos of a new trend called Double Eyeliner. This is basically a normal cat eye with another line of colour on top of it. I decided to try it one day after work, so that if I didn't like it I wouldn't be stuck with it the whole day! I don't actually own any bright coloured eyeliners so I decided to try it with eyeshadow and a thin eyeliner brush. I have green eyes so I really wanted to try a bright green...the closest thing I have however is a turquoise. I started at the thickest part of my eyeliner which is at the outer corner of my eye and slowly drew the line on top of the line I had created earlier in the day. I ended up slightly extended it toward the inner corner of my eye as I felt it looked unfinished otherwise. This only took a matter of minutes and I think it's a really nice look. From a distance it isn't too notice but up close it gives a really nice pop to the eye. I don't know if it's something I would wear everyday but it's definitely a bit of fun and would be good for a night out even. Let me know if you give this look a good and what you think of it! Nicole xx If you know me, you'll know I LOVE liquid eyeliner. So today I thought I would do a post all about the eyeliners I have tried, love and hated! I have one Gel Eyeliner thrown in there as well that I just couldn't leave out. So keep reading to find out what I use to achieve my perfect Cat Eye. First up is the Australis Intensifeye Liquid Eyeliner in Blackest Black. I have been using this eyeliner for years and when I first started using liquid eyeliner I loved this. After trying lots of other brands I decided to give this another try and I don't know if the formula is different but I just don't like it anymore. The brush is so thick and the product itself is a strange texture. The only good thing would be is that it is really, really black and glossy, the staying power is amazing. Maybe try a using a smaller brush...unless you like a thick line. Next is the Jordana Liquid Liner in Black. Jordana is an American brand and has quite a few good products, I use their brow powder and blushes and love them. When I first got this eyeliner I found the brush was a bit of a pain but the formula itself was good. I got sick of using another brush with it so I ended up putting it in my kit and it was great in there. I found that it dried up super quickly though and started going patchy which I hate. For the price it's great but there's definitely better options out there. This is the NYX Studio Liquid Liner in Extreme Black. NYX is an American brand and is very reasonably priced. When I first got this Liquid Liner I was quite happy with it aside from the brush. The brush is so skinny that it takes a while to get a nice cat eye but if you like a thin line or just want to line your lashes without it being obvious this is a good eyeliner for you. It dries up really quick though so be aware that you will have to repurchase often. NYX is generally a great make up brand though so give there products a go! Next up is I've of my favourite liquid eye liners! This is the Designer Brands Fine Eye Liner in Black. This eyeliner dries quickly and is super black and glossy looking. I've found in wears really well through out the day and I only have to touch up if I've rubbed my eye or something along those lines. The packaging isn't the nicest but for $4.00 it's an absolute steak and definitely worth a try. This eyeliner was a favourite of mine got years! It is the Kleancolor Eyeliner Precision Waterproof Eyeliner in Black. The only thing about this eyeliner is that there are really good batches of it and really bad batches of it. If it's a good batch the brush is really flexible, the liner itself is smooth and glossy black and it is so easy to apply. If it's a bad patch then the brush is stiff and can scratch the lid, the liner itself is too watery and seperates and it applies like a nightmare. I did used to get into the habit of keeping my good wands because often it's just the wand that us awful but lately it's been the product itself too. If you get a good one you'll absolutely love using it..but I don't think it's worth the risk, it is only $3.00 though. This next eyeliner is the same as the first one but in a different colour. This is the Australis Intensifeye Liquid Eyeliner in Black Shimmer. This is a similar formula to the other one and I actually brought it thinking it was the plain black one! This eyeliner doesn't have the same opacity as the other one and has a gold shimmer through it that isn't really obvious when wearing it. It sort of shows up brown/bronze on the eyes so is good if your after something not as intense as a black eyeliner. Last but not least is my absolute eyeliner. This is the Loreal Infalliable 24H Lacquer Liner in Blackest Black. This is a gel liner and I've heard it's really comparable to MAC's Black Track Gel Eye Liner. This comes with a little brush and it's actually a really good brush. This eyeliner stays put ALL DAY and is really smooth and creamy to apply. It then dries to a matte finish but isn't drying what so ever. I've only had this eye liner for around a month and I haven't even put a slight dent in it, it has also fast become my go to eyeliner. So there are all the eyeliners I've owned over the past few years. Some I love and some I can't stand! I hope this gives you some inspiration, especially if you are after a new eyeliner. Nicole xx So about a month ago (when I did my first ELF haul) I got a couple of the raved about Hurraw Lip Balms. I thought I would do a short review on them incase you are interested it trying them. These lip balms are Premium organic, vegan and have all raw ingredients so they are good for your body...and lips. The first one I got was the Black Cherry Tinted Lip Balm. This lip balm smells amazing!! It reminds me of some kind of candy I had years ago but I can't remember what it was. This lip balm looks like it's a deep red and gives a slight tint to the lips but nothing dramatic. It's mositurising and the flavour isn't overpowering and fades quite quickly. The other one I got is the Grapefruit Lipbalm. This one smells and tastes just like grapefruit and is so refreshing on the lips. This one just comes up clear on the lips but is just as hydrating as the cherry one. All in all these lip balms are really lovely. I apply them 3-4 times a day and have found my lips haven't dried out at all this Winter. They are only a few dollars each and the fact that they are completely organic is a really strong selling point. I think i still prefer my Nivea Lip Butter but these are still a great option and quite a bit cheaper. Definitely worth giving a go. Nicole xx I thought I would do this How To as applying make up is a completely new concept to me...as in less then a week new! So this week I got glasses, they aren't for everyday wear but more for working on the computer, TV and up close make up/hair work. Because I work a few days a week on a computer I decided I needed to come up with some sort of routine that worked well with wearing glasses! I wanted to keep this as simple as possible but I wanted it to be similar to a look I would be comfortable wearing on a daily basis. I came up with this basic look using only seven products! All of these are cheap but great quality make up and are easily accessible in New Zealand. So let's get started! I think one of the most important steps (especially for Oily skin) is Primer. So first thing I did was apply a thin layer of my Australis Primer and I gave it about 5 minutes to fully absorb into my skin. Next using a Flat Top Stippling brush I applied my ELF Flawless Finish Foundation in Porcelain, I didn't apply this to my forehead but just blended this out over my face and applied a little extra to my chin for extra coverage. I skipped my concealer routine as I didn't feel I really needed it. So I then applied the ELF Translucent Matifying Powder with a big fluffy brush over my face, paying extra attention to my chin and nose. I then drew a basic cat eye using my new favourite eye product, the Loreal Infalible 24 Hour Lacquer Liner in Blackest Black. I have a review coming up on this amazing eyeliner so keep an eye out! I then curled my lashes and applied a generous coating of the Revlon Lash Potion Mascara in Blackest Black, this mascara makes it look like you are wearing falseys! It flares out and lengthens my lashes amazingly without clumping. I absolutely love it. I then wanted to give my face a little colour and dimension so I used the ELF contouring Blush and Bronzing Powder but really lightly, I didn't do a strong contour just a soft layer and I also applied it very lightly over my face to give my skin a healthier appearance. I then applied the blush very lightly to the apples of my cheeks and blended it towards to hair line softly. I didn't feel like wearing lipstick today so I just applied a thin layer of the Nivea Lip Butter in Caramel Cream and that was it! So basic and easy, I love the way the cat eye looks with the dark frame of the glasses. I left the rest of my face quite basic so the attention would be drawn to my eyes. I'm really happy with the finished product and I think this is a great way to feel more confident if you are new to glasses. Let me know if you try this look or if you would like to see more make up or hair looks with glasses Nicole xx |
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