Product Review: Bare Essentials Lip Gloss and Foundation

Ok so for those of you who know my make up style, you would know i'm not afraid to 'look like i'm wearing make up'... There are people who want that natural, 'i'm not wearing foundation' look...Thats not me. I want my skin to look perfect, whatever it takes! Hence, i've never been a mineral make up fan. Untill i tried Bare Essentials.

Recently I have had a fair few breakouts that will not go away because I consistently put make up on. So i thought it was about time i tried mineral make up again. Thus i jumped at the opportunity when Bare Essentials went on sale! Usually $79...now $29.50... why wouldn't I??

The only problem I have had in the past with mineral make up is that they have all been matte finish, and to cover anything i've had to put a fair bit on, thus end up looking cakey. The selling point for me of  original formula was that it is luminous.

I have had so many compliments when wearing this at work, obviously fellow make up artists recognize I am not wearing as much foundation but still I get compliments. This product is best for people with normal to dry skin, but not to fret, their is a matte formula for those prone to oily skin!

The next product i've fallen for is the Buxom Lip gloss in Bunny. Its a beautiful coral colour that is exceptionally shiny that plumps your lips as well! This is now down to $18 as well as the rest of the Buxom range!

The Bare Essentials range has unfortunately been discontinued to make way for a new improved line. Pop into David Jones, Myer, Ella Rouge and selected salons to grab Bare Essentials at a discounted price!


Stay Glamorous!

Niki x

Benefit's B.Right skincare Launch

This post is well over due and I do apologize ( crazy uni assignments ).

I was lucky enough to attend the launch of Benefit Cosmetic's new skin care line b.right. As you know all Benefits products have witty names and the skin care line has followed in these footseps. B.Right is all about...you guessed it BRIGHT healthy glowing skin for that youthful appearance.

The lovely Annie and Maggie Ford Danielson who are not only the Daughters of Jean and the Nieces of Jane (The Co founders of Benefit ) but also the Global Make up Trend  Artists for the brand came out all the way from New York to hold the party. It was lovely to see that not only were they apart of the business because it was family tradition, but they are passionate about cosmetics and skin care.

Maggie and Annie ©johnmcrae

Before the explanations got started all the bloggers were treated to mini make overs by the lovely Benefit team, showcasing their amazing products. 

The Beautiful Angie Harrington from An Obsession with the Fabulous.

After the presentation of the beautiful new skincare that will leave you feeling and looking glamorous, we were invited to sample all the products. The line includes:

• its potent! eye cream. 
• total moisture face cream
• triple performing facial emulsion SPF 15 PA ++
• foamingly clean facial wash
• refined finish facial polish
• remove it! make up remover
• ultra radiance facial re-hydrating mist

These products  not only feel amazing but SMELL AMAZING! They are lightly scented with a subtle floral and cucumber fragrance. These products feel so refreshing when put on the skin, I absolutely love them all. As soon as they are launched in Australia, (May 21st) i will get my hands on the ones i didn't receive, especially the make up remover!

I was fortunate enough to take a way a goodie bag including the its potent! eye cream, the total moisture face cream and the triple performing facial emulsion. 

As you can see, I have started to use these products religiously! I find the triple performing facial emulsion best for day use under my primer, as it is very important to use sunscreen...wrinkles ARE NOT glamorous ladies! I use the eye cream day and night and the total moisture facial cream at night or after I have exfoliated my skin and feel as though it needs a bit of a lift!  The total moisture cream is intensely hydrating so I would advise sticking to the facial emulsion if you have oily skin. 

©johnmcrae

Angie (An Obsession with the Fabulous), Marlo (A Fatal Attraction to Cuteness) and myself. 

I had such an amazing time at this event, thanks to everyone from Benefit  for all their hard work, it was a glamorous night! Pop into your local Benefit counter in Myer from the 21st of May to try these wonderful products!

Stay Glamorous

Niki xx

Lee Stafford Event... and my personal styling session

I was lucky enough to attend (and actually get my own hair styled by)British hairdressing sensation Lee Stafford's event at the picturesque  Sergeants Mess in Chowder Bay. This man is the new God of Glamorous Hair.  Not only is he a fabulous hairdresser, he has created a glamorous line of incredible hair products that are for the modern woman and most importantly are affordable.

I was pleasantly surprised that Lee himself was out all the way from England, it shows enormous dedication and passion for his company which reflects on his immense involvement in the process of creating his products.

The morning started with Lee presenting to us the relaxed curl look that is quickly becoming a global phenomenon. He created this using his Glamorous curling wand, which unfortunately isn’t available in Australia but I will be doing everything I can to get my hands on one, even if I have to fly to England to get one myself!!

After the presentation I was so enthralled by the products I just had to have a go, luckily enough Lee himself offered to style my hair and give me personalised tips. I was honestly taken back; this man is not only a phenomenal hair dresser but a lovely down to earth man. 

He used his revolutionary Heat Protection spray with state of the art P2Fifty Complex which is proven to protect your hair up to 250 degrees, and with how hot modern styling tools get, this is a MUST have for everyone who styles their hair. Ladies and gentlemen, we all use sunscreen to protect our skin, we all NEED to use a hair protection spray, and at $13.95 for 200mls, we can’t afford not to use this gem!

We were introduced to a number of other products including his violet shampoo and conditioner from the Bleach Blonde range which appealed to me because I am still yet to find one that actually does anything for my hair, I cannot wait to get my hands on this stuff and update you on it!

Other products that are a must have are his Poker Straight Dry Shampoo, for every woman who doesn’t have the time to wash and style her hair every day, this is your best friend. Unlike other Dry Shampoo’s it uses Corn Starch instead of Rice Starch which makes it less heavy and will give that extra volume we all love!

Also if you have thick or unruly hair (like me) you should get your hands on the Blow Dry your hair faster spray. This product is a spray which detangles, reduces your blow drying time by 25-50% and protects hair up to 220 degrees! What else do you need! And for $9.95, why not?!

I know that when it comes to make up, i’ve always leant towards products created by professional makeup artists rather than just general brands, so I thought why not do the same with hair? Like most people I will spend however much it takes to keep my hair healthy and glamorous. Lee Stafford’s products are both innovative and affordable, everything the modern woman needs in hair care. Check out your local Priceline for these fabulous hair care products that will keep you looking glamorous!!

                  Me with my lovely goodie bag full of amazing products to try!

                             The beautiful Angie from anobsessionwiththefabulous.com with Lee.

My All Time Fav's.

I thought i would do a quick entry so you can all get an idea about my make up style. Here are my all time favourite beauty products and why. Enjoy!

Primer: Napoleon Perdis - Auto Pilot Pre Foundation Primer. I truly believe this man when he says "not to prime is a crime". This product has the perfect blend of silicone and moisturizing properties that you need in a primer. It glides on with ease, acts as a perfect new layer of skin and makes your make up last all day. Truly a must have product!

Foundation: Estee Lauder Double Wear / Double Wear Light or Revlon colourstay. A few months ago i went on the search for the perfect foundation, and it turns out i already had it, well had them i should say I searched far and wide on the cosmetics floor and i found them! Double wear  light is perfect for the day time, light natural coverage that STAYS PUT! And for night time / events the regular double wear, or Revlon Colorstay, i find these foundations very similar in texture/durability. It just depends on how tanned i am as to which brand i use.

Powder: Mac Studio Fix. Even though this isn't advertised as long wear it seriously stays put. It is perfect with a light dusting to set your foundation or as used as a powder foundation, its amazingly buildable and can be worn light or full coverage.This comes EVERYWHERE with me!

Bronzer: Christian Dior Healthy Glow Bronze in #3. I have a slight obsession with being tanned (in a healthy way, slip slop slap kids!) but i always used to find that if you used too much, most bronzers will make you look red. This Dior bronzer is the perfect golden tone for most fair to medium skin colours and will save you from looking like you are sunburnt!

Blush: YSL blush duo in #17. I am not a big fan of overly blushed cheeks, i find some people end up looking like a clown. This is my perfect nude blush, it is a soft pinky brown colour while matte sections and 2 shimmer sections to give you the perfect blend.

Mascara: Maybelline Falsies  / L'oreal Voluminous. Mascara is my ultimate beauty product. If i had to have one beauty product on an Island with me it would be mascara, hands down! Unfortunately you can't buy L'oreal Voluminous in Australia which sucks, luckily Maybelline's Falsies has an amazing spoon brush which gives extra curl to your lash, the bendy wand also helps  reach every single eye lash, and as the title entails, it gives you amazing volume and length for that false lash glam.


Eyeshadow: MAC. Colours differ all the time but these eyeshadows are amazing, they are pigment rich and easy to blend! Special mention to Napoleon Perdis in this category, i just don't think they have the colour range MAC do!



Of course all of these products are suited to what i look for in a particular beauty product, but after many years of research these are the best i have found, and amazing they are!

Stay Glamorous xx

Welcome!

A Big warm hello to all my Glamour sisters / brothers out there!

This is just a little post to introduce myself to the blogging world! I'm 23 years old from Sydney, Australia and have a somewhat unhealthy devotion to all things glamorous! These include (but are not limited to) Cosmetics, skin care, hair care and fashion!

I grew up as somewhat of a jock. If i wasn't at school i was at some kind of training, and i didn't quite catch on to the whole make up phenomenon as quick as my peers. I made up for this as soon as i started university, i got introduced to bronzer and mascara (which funnily enough are still my 2 quintessential beauty products) by my close high school friends and then explored the rest myself. I quickly became amazed at the tricks make up could perform so i invested more and more time over the years exploring make up to get to where I am now, that is, completely and utterly DEVOTED!

I have worked within the cosmetics industry for 5 years now, working with companies such as Clarins, Revlon, Napoleon Perdis and most recently Yves Saint Laurent. Working in a department store amongst the worlds most amazing beauty brands is utterly amazing, its like a female candy store. I explore and discover new amazing products each an every day, and I hope to share these with you through this blog!

Enjoy and if you have any questions, don't hesitate to contact me.

Yours in glamour,

Niki x