Review: Australis Extender Lash & Brow Clear Mascara

Just a quick and easy review today. I love my eyebrows, they require waxing about twice a year and have a nice natural shape but they get quite unruly. I have one tiny section that pokes downwards and makes it looks like I shaved off half my eyebrow.

Enter the Australis Extender Lash and Brow Masacara! At $19.95ZND it's s steal too. You simply apply it like a mascara, but to your brows. I use small strokes upwards to make sure my brows are fully covered, and then push them back down into shape with the wand.

It doesn't leave any obvious signs either - no weird clumping, smells, or gelled looking brows. My only issue with it does lie with the wand - it's a great, thick wand but it's quite long and difficult to use so close to your eyes. If you have smaller brows than mine, I can imagine it being a pain in the ass to use.

Overall, I am super pleased with this product. It's cheap and does the job. The clear packaging is handy to see how much you have left and the product itself is inoffensive. Also - Australis doesn't test on animals!

I highly recommend this if you're after a quick drying clear brow gel (or for your eyelashes, but I can't comment on it's usability for that) for every day use. While I'm new to the whole brow game, I know that this is a great product that I'll be using more often. It's nice knowing that when I wake up, my eyebrows will actually look like eyebrows and not like random hairs glued above my eyes, yay!

PS. Happy halloween! I wish I had a super cool halloween post set up but with exams/life, it's been too busy!

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Review: Revlon Lash Potion Volume + Length Mascara by Grow Luscious (Waterproof, Black)

Apologies for the lack of posts! Alongside having a hectic exam schedule, my home internet has stopped working so I'm in the university computer lab typing and scheduling a few posts. This computer isn't having any of it so apologies in advance, sigh.

So anyway, I was wowed by the packaging of this mascara and convinced myself to buy it, despite quite a few less than stellar reviews. As per the title, I bought the waterproof black version, and while it works, it has far too many frustrating aspects for me to be completely happy with my purchase.

Firstly, I have no idea what is going on with the title. Who/what is 'Grow Luscious'? Should I know this? And does this mascara have a lash serum in it? So many questions and no answers.

I am happy with how the product works though. As you can see, the brush is nice and thick and makes my lashes certainly look longer. But that is where it stops. I find that it's a very clumpy formula. It takes a lot for my lashes to clump and this mascara would literally stick them together. Not very cute.

Also, it's impossible to get off! I use my trusty Neutrogena eye makeup remover and have had no problems ever removing waterproof eye makeup with it but even after two applications of makeup remover - nada. Which I find ridiculous as I have a FEAR of going to bed with mascara on and the fact that this is the most difficult thing to take off? No way. 

And I want to love this mascara, I really do! The packaging is gorgeous, the tube is huge and the brush is great + it's marketed by Emma Stone! But I can't. I got it on sale for $22.95NZD at Farmers, and it normally retails for $27.95NZD so I guess it's a good thing I didn't pay full price? I am going to try and continue using it,over the summer it will be especially handy but UGH.

Left: with mascara Right: without

So as you can see, it gives good volume and length but it smells weird, it's clumpy and it just won't come off! Please let me know if you've had any success with other brands of makeup remover getting rid of it because I want to love and cherish this mascara but I just can't. Sorry Revlon! :(

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NOTW #1: OPI's 'Berlin There Done That' ft. Planks A Lot

Starting off my nail of the week series with my favourite nail polish ever - Berlin There, Done That from the OPI 2012 Germany collection. It's a simplistic brown/grey that I love. I have so many bright polishes but I keep coming back to this one. This is my go to polish when I need something neutral or I'm not feeling my other bright colours. It always applies evenly, opaque after one coat and it's gorgeous. 

Sadly, my nails are in an awful state due to stress (as you can probably see) but I had to showcase this wonderful polish because if you don't own it, you probably should. The 2012 Germany collection was amazing.

On my "feature nail" I have Planks A Lot from OPI's Pirates of the Caribbean collection. It's a gorgeous light purple, which I usually wear with a matte top coat because it looks wonderful. It would look great on all skin colours and you can probably pick it up the cheap due to it being such an old collection. 

They are the perfect autumn colours, for those of you in the Northern Hemisphere, yet here in the South, they suit Spring perfectly too.

xo Bridget

PS. Photo was taken pre-blog change over, ignore the watermark. 

Swappin' Things Around A Little...

Hey all, just writing a quick post to talk about my blog change. Same blog, same everything but with a new name! I'm still working on my theme, just keeping it basic. Naturally I chose to change it all up during the middle of my exams, but c'est la vie.

New blog URL: http://lemonbridget.blogspot.co.nz/

I'm changing it on Bloglovin too, so don't forget to switch it over on there as well.

Hope you're having a wonderful day filled with fabulous beauty and warm weather.

Bridget xo Follow my blog with Bloglovin

Review: The Body Shop Radiance Highlighting Pearls

I am a huge shimmer fan. If it's shimmery or glittery in any way, I need to own it. I don't have much experience with beauty products from The Body Shop but their Radiance Highlighting Pearls definitely makes me want to venture out there a little bit more.

So this product is a series of small spheres in gorgeous pearlescent colours that when applied with a blush brush to the face (or even elsewhere on the body) leaves a gorgeous shimmer that contours in the right light, and leaves the face looking fresh and illuminated.

The pearls come in 3 colours - yellow, pink and a white pearl colour that leaves little pigmentation on the skin, but instead leaves a gorgeous shimmer. I love using this when it's a sunny day out to highlight my cheeks and nose, or to add flair to an otherwise neutral face.

As you can see, the pearls are quite pigmented but these colours don't show on the skin. I love the packaging (with a gorgeous gold lid and clear base so you can see the product inside) and how the pearls are loose, but I do wish that they were compact - they do run quite loose which can be irritating because they can get stuck in your brush.

This product is such good value for money. I bought this in store for $40NZD, so it's budget friendly, but the product will last a long time too. I usually do two or three swipes with the brush to pick up product so your money goes a long way.

I love how fresh faced this product is, it would work for every skin tone as it isn't drying, overly pigmented or frustrating to use. Even on dryer skin, the individual pearls feel almost hydrating, it's difficult to describe until you swatch them. Overall, I'm super impressed with this and am keen to try out their bronzing version.

xo Bridget

Review: OCC Lip Tar Stained Gloss in 'Meta'

So I just had a Pepsi Max Kick and I think I can actually feel my blood in my veins so I apologise for any insanity that comes out via this post. But in a special way, it might also help me articulate my love for this lip tar! I bought this from Lipstick Republic a month or so ago and I adore it! Stained glosses are a genius idea and I definitely want to purchase a few more colours.

So I bought Meta, a vibrant orange-red in the tube, but applies as more of an orange-pink on the lips, but I assume this would change depending on pigmentation etc. Unlike a regular lip tar, you can be more liberal with the amount of product used, making it a bit easier for beginners. It also means you can apply it more sheer.

Like the lip tars, stained glosses last for a few hours, though the gloss dissipates once you've had a drink or two. I always wear a clear lip pencil to contain it because I'm assuming that lip tars would bleed easily without it due to their texture. The stain for Meta isn't too obvious due to it's colour and my own lip colour.

Speaking of texture, the stained glosses are still silky soft and smell of sweet peppermint (which I love!). I also love the packaging - super easy to throw in my purse as the lip tar tube comes in a plastic ziploc bag with a mini brush for easy application. 

I bought this for $18AUD at lipstickrepublic.com and I fully plan or purchasing more. I love how it has all the elements of a lip tar, but as a gloss so it feels far more hydrating and less harsh on my lips, especially when they're still recovering from winter. The price is appropriate too, considering the sheer amount of product you get. Meta has totally been a game changer for me and the perfect introduction into OCC lip tars.

xo Bridget

Review: Kate Moss for Rimmel Lasting Finish Matte Lipstick in '04'

I absolutely adore Kate Moss for Rimmel lipsticks, and this one is no different. I bought this late last year, wore it once, and then never wore it again because I felt it was just too dark. I've bought it back out of the cupboard though, and I'm trying to give it another go, pairing it with simple eyes and shimmery cheeks.

Like the other Kate Moss lipsticks, the quality is bang on. Super cute packaging, with highly pigmented lip colours that last for hours.

The product in the tube is really true to colour, as most Kate Moss lipsticks are. It appears as a gorgeous dark plum, and as you can see from the swatches, it applies like that too. While it applies as a dark plum on the lip, it does fade and bleed easily. It fades to a cute lighter purple, but it leaves a dark rim around your lips, and without a lip liner, it bleeds due to it being such a creamy lip colour (despite being matte finish??).

The colour in the swatch photo is a little lighter than in real life, I'm still trying to figure out why Blogger alters my photos when I upload them to fix this. But as you can see, the pigmentation is great, despite it not lasting long. Perhaps wearing a dark lip liner all over the lip would help, but not by much.

I love the packaging - a cute black tube with Kate's signature is a nice touch. It's sturdy, but still plastic. Nothing amazing but it's easily identifiable in my sea of lipsticks. 

It's definitely worth the $10NZD (retails at $15NZD) I bought it for, and I would totally pay full price because these lipsticks are worth it. I've tried a few other Rimmel lipsticks, but none compare to their Kate Moss 'collections'. 

If you're looking for a deep plum lipstick, I wouldn't recommend this one. MAC's Rebel is generally the way to go for longevity (or even Talk That Talk from the RiRi Hearts collection) but it's always difficult with a colour such as this. If you're willing to reapply every hour, this lipstick is worth it. I love wearing it with an understated eye, usually just a swipe of gold on my lids with mascara, nothing crazy. Otherwise, this was a good start for me getting into darker lips and I still love it with all my Kate Moss adoring heart.

xo Bridget

Review: Revlon Lip Butter in 'Lollipop'

It was about time I added to my Revlon lip butter collection to prepare my little collection ready for summer (any excuse to buy more makeup, I know). I decided to go for a soft pink to accentuate my natural lip colour and match all the beautiful flowers.

First off, the product shown in the tube is very true to colour, which most lip butters appear to be. It is a vivid pink both in the tube and on the lips, which wasn't what I was really after but it seemed to work out for the best in the end. This colour would look gorgeous on all skin tones - complementing tans, while not washing out pale ones.

I have no idea why my arm looks so freaky! This photo looked a lot different in Picasa, so apologies for Blogger being annoying.

For longevity, it's hard to judge. It's rub off easily if you eat or drink but leave a subtle pink tint to my lips, which I quite like. You can tell they won't last hours on the lips though, but they're very easy to apply, even without a mirror because they're more like a chap stick so there's that, I guess. 

The colour is very vivid, more so than I was expecting. If you have naturally pinky lips, it will be even more vivid. I was expecting the colour to be more subdued but I found a way to get the best of both worlds!

Revlon Lip Butter w/ Baby Lips underneath.

In this photo, you can see the colour is far more sheer. To do this, I applied Maybelline Baby Lips (any chap stick will work though) and then dabbed the lip butter on lightly so I was getting the beautiful pink, but it wasn't too bright. As you can see, it ends up looking similar to a lip stain but far more moisturising. 

Straight out of the tube. Again. Blogger does strange things to my photos but the lipstick colour is true 2 lyf.

In the second photo, I have applied it right out of the tube so you can see how truly vivid it is. I've definitely warmed to this colour the more I've worn it but I'm saving the full colour for when it warms up a tad.

The packaging is nice and sturdy, I can easily chuck it in my bag and not have to worry, but with the summer heat coming up, I am worried about the lipstick melting because lip butters are more susceptible to that stuff. I wish I had a mini fridge on my vanity to keep my lipsticks in!

Money wise, it is pricey when you buy them in stores, but I got mine for $15NZD online, and they're well worth it. I do find myself using this and my other lip butters every other day and the product disappears quite quickly but it's still well worth it, especially due to the wide colour range. 

xo Bridget

PS. I've started adding photos of the makeup on my skin now due to weather improving. It was so difficult trying to get realistic photos of lipsticks in the cold winter light. Any suggestions for future posts or improvements are totally welcome! ◕‿◕