Wish List #2

1. Camomile Sumptuous Cleansing Butter

I tried a sample of this last week and I'm in love! It's so silky and soothing, smells light yet lovely and takes makeup off like nothing else. Also - it takes off eye makeup like a dream! I try to avoid waterproof mascaras but this took mine off without even trying. I plan on purchasing this after using up current makeup remover wipes.

2. OCC Lip Tar in Harlot

I need more! Ever since I got my last two (Hoochie and Meta) in my Lipstick Republic haul, I'm obsessed. I love how vibrant and sleek this red is. I've been searching for the perfect red lipstick but after seeing swatches of this, I might have to purchase this instead.

3. Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturising Lotion+

I don't have a nighttime moisturiser. I ran out, like, last month and have just never gotten around to buying a new one. My skin isn't much worse off but because it's winter, it needs that little bit more at night. After hearing about Clinique reformulating this cult classic, I'm super keen to give it a go, despite the scary price tag.

4. Sleek Luminaire Under Eye Concealer

Finally, like has been hard for me lately and sleepless nights have taken their toll. I never used to get under eye circles of any form but now mine are black as night so it's time to give something a go. I like the sound of this Sleek one due to the price, the quality of their products and the cute little pen applicator it comes in. This will certainly be purchased sooner rather than later.

What's on your current wish list?

xo Bridget

Haul: Lipstick Republic

I have been on the lookout for purple lipsticks for the past few weeks, sadly finding nothing. I decided to have a look around for lip tars but - surprise, surprise, you cannot buy them ANYWHERE in New Zealand. I ended up on lipstickrepublic.com.au and found myself ordering OCC's Hoochie lip tar, then deciding shipping was so expensive that I ordered all this to get free shipping! It arrived 7 days after I ordered, everything in perfect condition, I am so pleased and will totally be ordering from them again.

Price wise - super cheap. Lip tars were $18AUS and they had almost every colour, I was in beauty heaven. So here I have my first haul post featuring all the fabulous goodies I got (and more)!

Review: The Aromatherapy Company Rose & Patchouli Hand and Body Lotion

Please ignore my sad, discarded brushes in the background and the horrendous 'garden' outside my window.

I've only recently gotten into the good habit of moisturising after showering. I have been using the Ro's Argan Body Conditioner by Lush but nothing beats the real thing. I actually got this in candle form for Christmas and loved it so much that I bought the matching moisturiser!

I love this stuff, especially for after showering because it smells delicious without being overpowering and it sinks in so quickly! I have used many delicious smelling moisturisers in my time but none have been as good as this. It's also quite thick but easy to rub in, I find I only need to use one pump per body part (is this normal??) but, as you can see, I still have plenty left after many uses.

Unfortunately, I don't know how available this is outside of New Zealand, due to it being made here but it's a high quality brand so I'm sure it's floating around department stores somewhere. Price wise, it is rather expensive. I bought this for $16.99NZD (an exam time treat) but unless you're buying supermarket brand moisturisers, you'd be looking at this price anyway.

It's well worth it though - the smell is amazing, sinks in quickly and you can fell your skin sucking uo the moisture, especially if yours is as winter-parched as mine is.

Have you discovered your perfect post-shower moisturiser?

xo Bridget

Beauty Bargain: BYS Mega Shine Lipgloss in 'Perfect Purple'

In New Zealand, true beauty bargains are hard to find due to how freaking expensive cosmetics are here. Fortunately, the internet exists but it will never beat wandering the aisles of Farmers and stumbling upon something that catches your eye at a price that won't make you cringe.

Enter BYS. I've used a few of their products before - mainly nail polishes, but they recently entered the market via Kmart. After reading a post on xoVain about clear lip glosses, I was keen to get my own but ended up falling back into old ways AKA buying what I wanted but in purple.

Fortunately for me, it wasn't such a bad choice. I usually hate wearing lip glosses but I feel so abnormal walking around uni in full makeup so I usually omit the lipstick in favour of a Revlon lip butter or tinted lip balms.

This product reminds me of the makeup I used as a kid - pungent candy scents, little to no pigmentation but so much fun. BYS's megashine lipglosses are exactly that - they smell like candy (in this case bublegum) and leave your lips glossy and gorgeous.

As you can see, there is very little pigmentation. It applies pretty much like a clear gloss unless you pack it on like you did when you were 8. It is long lasting, even through drinking (eating, not so much) and it smells ridiculously tacky and amazing.

I love how this product is like a throwback to my childhood but still maintains itself as a serious product. After using this, I'd consider buying a clear one to put over matte lipsticks due to the staying power this product has. It was super cheap too at $5NZD. You do get what you pay for, don't go expecting some miracle product, but it works and I love it.

What was your favourite childhood lipgloss?

xo Bridget

Review: Ro's Argan Body Conditioner by Lush

I'll start off with this - if you are like me and never moisturise below the neck line, buy this. Just do it. I've recently seen Vaseline Spray 'n Go moisturisers floating around the internet but nothing has arrived here in NZ yet so I've been using this until something a little easier arrives. Not to say this isn't brilliant - it's arguably the best $40 I've ever spent on something that isn't makeup.

Basically, this is a skin conditioner. You use it right at the end of your shower, just slather it on like a body wash, then lightly wash it off and jump out of the shower. It moisturises your skin, keeping it silky smooth with the power of rose petals. You also smell delicious, I love going to bed after using this because not only am I nicely moisturised but I also smell so yummy.

I highly recommend this. It's super moisturising and smells so good, and it also feels super soothing on the skin so I'd imagine this would work well for those with sensitive skin. I also sometimes use it as a shaving gel because it's so soothing and creamy.

Though it's very pricey ($40NZ) I still recommend it. I loved it so much that I asked it they'd be making any more, but the shop assistant said no so I'd recommend getting this while they still have it. I'm not a huge fan of roses but the scent is subtle in this too - totally natural.

What is your favourite easy breezy moisturiser?

xo Bridget

Review: Saigon Summer by MAC

As I said in my earlier summer essentials post, I've already started the process of getting my makeup summer ready. I've been tempted by orange lipsticks for a while now and I finally decided to take the plunge the other day. I chose Saigon Summer by MAC because it's a buildable orange - I didn't want full on bright orange in one swipe, so this is good for those of you, like me, who'd rather take baby steps.



Here it is in natural light. As you can see, it's still a bright orange but also has a slight shimmer in the lips which is only noticeable when you're outside. I'm already in love with this colour and have been wearing it inappropriately with my winter coats all week. I love the sheerness of it (it's a cremesheen lipstick) and yet the colour that it still delivers.

Here are the swatches. As you can see, it builds well so it can cater for those who want a sheer orange but have darker lips. My lips are a natural dark pink so regular sheer lipsticks just don't do it for me. I find two swipes of this is perfect - and as all MAC lipsticks do, it lasts all day without feathering (I rarely use lip pencils with my high end lipsticks because I've never needed to).

Due to it being cremesheen, it did come off more easily while eating and drinking, though this is never usually an issue for me because I love whipping out tubes of lipstick mid-lecture and re-applying it. If I'm paying $40 for a lipstick, I want everyone to know what brand I'm wearing.

Overall, I'm super pleased with this lipstick. I can tell it'll be a summer staple for me, I just wish it was a little more matte so it lasted better. I'd highly recommend this because of it's shimmer, buildability  (is that a word?) and the perfect orange.

What is your staple summer lipstick?

xo Bridget

♡ My Top 5 Summer Essentials ♡

It's still cold and horrible winter here but I have my eyes set firmly on summer - and what will be on my face. I'm lucky enough to be going away for 2 weeks in January to Nelson to soak up the sun, so naturally I've already started a list of what I want to bring and what I need to buy. I decided that while I'm organising myself, I'd help you guys out who are probably experiencing much warmer weather than I am right now. So here we have my top 5 Summer essentials (AKA what I plan on having plenty of once the weather hits the double digits).

Review: NARS 'Nico' Highlighter/Blush

My first NARS product! And I am in love with it. I chose to go for a more subtle product to get the ball rolling and that one is 'Nico' -  more of a highlighter than a blush, it gives s subtle shimmer  and a tiny amount of colour, depending on your skin tone. Trust such a quality company to create the perfect shimmery champagne coloured blush that suits everyone -  I feel like this is the Orgasm of highlighters.

Anyway, I usually apply Nico as my final product, after powder and blush. I apply it to my cheekbones and the bridge of my nose to give a bit of contour and shimmer. In the sunlight, it gives a gorgeous bronzer-like radiance in the sense that it defines whatever part of your face you've applied it to. At nighttime, I apply it super heavily so in the artificial light, it appears as more of a shimmer.

As you can see, it is a classic nude/champagne colour. Because it has little pigmentation, it would suit all skin tones as a highlighter or an overall shimmer. The pigmentation isn't horribly dark on pale tones, and I doubt it would appear too light in dark tones because this product is less of a blush.

Swatching was difficult as it was hard to get a decent photo of it blended into my skin. You can see that even on my pale as a ghost arm, it still applies nice and evenly, no orange tones to make you look like you've abused the bronzer.

I love this product because I can use it for both day and night. It gives the perfect amount of shimmer that looks gorgeous in the natural light without being over the top. You can never apply too much of this product either, making it safe for all skin tones.

I bought this online for $40NZD, which was such a bargain. After using this, I definitely want to add a few more NARS blushes to my collection, the quality is just so spot on. The packaging is sturdy, so it'll last well in a handbag and you get plenty of product (4.5g/0.15oz) so it'll  be a while before I hit the pan. I've been using it nearly every day, and you can see that I've hardly made a dent in the pan. Such good quality and value for money - I'm honestly ashamed that it's taken me so long to get myself one of these.

xo Bridget

Review: Sleek True Colour Lipstick in 'Heartbreaker'

I love and hate matte lipsticks, especially in the winter. I love their staying power and highly pigmented colour but my poor lips end up looking awful. In spite of this, I've been wearing this lipstick quite a few days of the week. It's a gorgeous vibrant (perhaps verging on neon...) pink that clings like nothing else.