5 minute face

I have officially reached the stage where I look terrible without make up.  As much as I loathe applying make up, I especially loathe how horrible I look bare faced.  While I still use make up, I am forcing myself to at least wear a little bit when I'm going to work or out in public (except the grocery store, the grocery store does not judge my bare face).  

I am a big fan of BB creams.  While I will forever remain loyal to my Armani Luminous Silk foundation, after much trial and error the L'oreal BB cream is my holy grail.  As you apply it, it transforms in front of you to suit your complexion.  And with continuous wear, I see an improvement in my skin.  If need be I build some coverage with a mineral foundation, curl my lashes, apply a coat of mascara and use to Bloom cream blush.  And if I have a bit more time I also use some brown eye liner. Baby steps.

Tales from my suitcase

I travel with a small, purple suitcase purchased in Target in 1997 for $39 before I went on my first trip to Sydney.  It's seen half the world and most of Australia.  I can't bear to let it go.  It's still in one piece so there's no need to replace it.  And what I love the most about that suitcase is that it cannot possibly fit more than 22 kg, so there's never any danger of being over the weight limit.

The New Zealand trip is completely glamour free, so the make up bag contains the following, as carried in a linen Aesop drawstring bag and a small make up bag.

tissues, antibactorial wipes, contact lenses, cotton balls, cotton tips, gloss, microfibre cloth, Rosebud Salve, Twizermann Tweezers, Bandaids, La Prairie SPF Day Cream, Eye of Horus Mascara, Giorgio Armani Lumious Silk Powder (just enough coverage and a bit of colour,) Bloom Cosmetics Illuminator, Natio Kabuki Brush, Mini Dove soap bar, hair ties, Sebastian Light shampoo & conditioner in Muji travel tubes, Kielh's Creme de Corps, Aesop Ginger Flight Therapy, Aesop hand balm, Trilogy Rosehip oil to soothe my windburnt skin at night, La Prairie cream cleanser, Garnier BB cream, Schick Quattro - the best razor everrrrrr, Embryollise Lait Cream - a French pharmacy delight. The skin miracle worker. 

Eyes of Horus mascara and pencils

I have been a loyal Diorshow girl my entire adult life.  While I would occasionally get angry at myself for paying $50 for mascara and try something new, I always went back.  About 12 months ago Diorshow started to flake on my lashes, so I added a coat Maybelline The Falsies over two coats of Diorshow for the best results.  So what was a $50 mascara ended up being a $70 mascara.  Ouch.

A few months ago, I came across Eyes of Horus, an all natural Aussie owned range of products, suitable for even the most sensitive of eyes.  The products are all made in the style of old Egyptian eye make up using plant based oils and waxes.   

Let me be honest.  What Diorshow?  I have never come across an eyeliner that didn't smudge until I came across Eyes of Horus.  And although the mascara doesn't leave my lashes soft like Diorshow did, it does everything else better.  It doesn't flake.  It doesn't smudge. It won't clump.  It's bullet proof.  For a mid price range product which is also all natural I am now a loyal user and advocate.  And check out their microfiber cloth if you've not used one before.  Your skin will thank you for it.

Please note that this is an honest review.  I have not been paid in money or product for this post. 

Lets talk make up!

For someone to who hardly wears make up on a day to day basis, I have a lot of it sitting in two draws at home.  Samples? YES.  Gift with purchase? SURE.  Sad thing is I use most of it once, twice and often never.

I do have some Holy Grail products however that I have come to love over the years and repurchase once they run out.  It's not a huge aray or products, but it's worth sharing with you, my readers.

Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturiser

I know you're rolling your eyes and thinking "couldn't she be a bit more original" but really this product deserves all the praise it receives.  It's wonderful for us lazy time pressed folk who are rushing out the door in the morning.  Applied with fingers like a moisturiser, it plumps and gives skin a bit of colour and glow.  It's not going to provide full (or even medium) coverage or cover pores if they're large, but it will be be enough for a quick pick up.  It really is fabulous.

Chanel Teint Innocence SPF 12 Foundation

My skin has an olive undertone but on face value (pardon the pun) looks rather pale, so make up counter girls are forever sending me off with really pale foundation that makes me look like a washed out Morticia in photos.  When I broke up with my ex a few years back, my cousin came to stay with me.  She was working at Chanel at the time and had a suitcase of make up with her - and that's when I fell in love with this foundation and found the right colour for myself, by playing with various shades and taking photos of myself to find the right one!  I sometimes alternate with Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk Foundation, but I still think this is one superior.  It glides on really nicely, blends well, stays put and provides great coverage without looking caked on.  EXACTLY what one expects of foundation!

I do however ALWAYS apply foundation with the Giorgio Armani Foundation Brush.  It's a lot less messy and a lot more hygenic than using fingers.

Diorshow Mascara

Need I say any more?  Only mascara that I've ever used that fattens my lashes and leaves them soft and supple rather than dry and brittle.  It's also easy to remove with cleanser and warm water without scrubbing or washing the face 3 times.

Dior Skinflash Radiance Booster Pen

In my humble opinion, this is so much better than YSL Touche Eclat.  YSL TE goes on really cakey for me and I find it to be really "thin" and "runny" and not really effective at what it's meant to do.  The Dior Booster Pen is great.  It helps diminish shadows and I often it wear it even if I'm not wearing any other make up.  My eye area is very difficult to maintain and this product is a treat.  I'm so glad I found this.

I also love myself a light dusting of MAC Mineralise Skin Finishes.  I have a few.  They will last me 30 years but they're so pretty and versatile!

Smiths Rosebud Salve

You maybe thinking that all of my products are high end.  And yes they are, apart from this Rosebud Salve which costs a grand total of $7 a pot.  It's an amazing lip balm, dry skin saviour, cuticle cream and elbow skin softener.  Do not EVER go anywhere cold without it.

The reason most of my products are high end, is because I have a skin tone that is tricky to match and in Australia at least, Priceline (the 'low end' make up mecca) does not actually have samples of anything bar lipstick.  Things are usually packaged, then sticky taped, then security tagged that I feel like a criminal touching them.  More security than at Tiffany's!  Why would I want to pay $40 for a Rimmel foundation that I cannot try, when I can get my favourite Chanel from a counter like a civilised human being for just a bit more?  And because I don't wear make up every day, most of these products last me 6-12 months. 

Now tell me, what are your HL products?  What can't you live without?  What do you always repurchase?  I would love to know!

L'OREAL SMOOTHING RESURFACING PRIMER

L'oreal is the buzz word this week isn't it?

I got a tiny sample in Vogue so tried it under my make up yesterday morning as I had the time.  When not using tinted moisturiser I use Armani Luminous Silk Foundation, which I love, except that I get a shiny face a few hours into my day no matter what the weather's like outside.

I had been running around all day and night in the head with no time to powder and when I got home after a 14 hour day, my face was shiny, EXCEPT for the t zone area where I had applied the primer!

Yes it retails for AUD39.95, while it's USD12.95 in the States (!!!!!!!!!) (which is about AUD15), so yes it's expensive for a pharmacy brand, but it does what it says it will a lot better than any other primer I tried.

I used the resurfacing one which goes on like a smooth cream and my foundation followed on nicely.  I've got myself a jar so I'll see how it goes as I continue to use it.

There are two product variations

1. SMOOTHING RESURFACING PRIMER

• Unique texture, fills fine lines and masks pores

• Skin looks smoother and feels resurfaced

• Ideal for normal to dry skin

1. ANTI-SHINE MATTIFYING PRIMER

• Wrinkles, open pores and fine lines disappear

• Beautiful matte, smooth and velvety finish

• Idea for oily to slightly oily skin

Nude Perfection

I am not a lip colour wear.  I have about 7-8 lipglosses, which I almost never wear, except when I'm wearing a full face of make up, which is almost never and only two lipsticks, both of which were purchase for a special occasion.

I went into MAC last weekend as I was wandering down Chapel St, so I thought I'd have a look see. 

The "Warm & Cosy" collection caught my eye right away!

maccosmetics.com.au

One of the reasons I don't wear lip colour is that I cannot find the perfect one.  Since I was 15, I have searched high and low for a nude beige/pink lipcolour.. the "newsreader" colour as I liked to call it.  Something that gave my lips a colour, but did not take away from the rest of me to scream lipstick! Yet still ensured I wasn't washed out and my teeth did not appear yellow.

Low and behold the MAGIC of MAC's amplied creme lipstick in the "Warm Me Up" colourway.

Warm Me Up is a creamy medium pink with a little warmed-up yellow in it. MAC says it’s a neutral pink, but I think it has a lil’ warmth in it still! It has a nice amplified finish, so it’s rich in pigmentation and goes on smooth and creamy and leaves my lips feeling moist and plump.

I am soooooooooooooooooo in love.  I am tempted to purchase another tube as it's limited edition.. but I will probably never get through it.  I'll see if I wear it all the time over the next 2 weeks before I decide whether to repurchase or not.

Here's some colour swatches and things I lifted off makeupalley.com and such.

Middle colour...