How Illamasqua pushed me out of my comfort zone

/
Wearing Illamasqua 

Wearing Illamasqua 

Earlier today I visited my local Illamasqua counter after spying Rebecca Romanin. Rebecca is one of Illamasqua's Melbourne-based makeup artists who also freelances when she's not painting pretty faces inside of Myer. To be honest I've been dying to have Rebecca do my makeup for ages since I started following her on Instagram -- all I had to do was quell my fangirl giddiness. 

For the sake of recalibration, here's what I look like on any given day of the week.

Hey there.

Hey there.

Close up of my eye makeup

Close up of my eye makeup

Can't forget about the lips

Can't forget about the lips

The initial consultation was brief -- we discussed my skin type (combination), eye colour (hazel) and the sorts of things I typically wear (neutral). Eventually, we both settled on a daytime look heavily leaning into nighttime with a purple theme. 

Here's a breakdown of what Rebecca used:

Eyes

Face

Lips

Rebecca was super sweet, talented, worked quickly and educated me while she moved along.

If you're ever in the market for new makeup, book in for a consultation to broaden your horizons. The makeup session was valued at $60.00 AUS (the minimum) which I was able to put toward my makeup purchase after we finished.

Shanghai Suzy Autumn Winter 2014 Wardrobe

/
Shanghai Suzy

Shanghai Suzy

Shanghai Suzy is absolutely mad for matte lipstick. Don't believe me?

Just ask the Misses.

Fallen in love

Fallen in love

Swatches (without flash) from left to right: Miss Tegan, Miss Sarah-Jane, Miss Maxima, Miss Simone, Miss Sophia, Miss Amy, Miss Melissa and Miss Kitty

Swatches (without flash) from left to right: Miss Tegan, Miss Sarah-Jane, Miss Maxima, Miss Simone, Miss Sophia, Miss Amy, Miss Melissa and Miss Kitty

Swatches (with flash) from left to right: Miss Tegan, Miss Sarah-Jane, Miss Maxima, Miss Simone, Miss Sophia, Miss Amy, Miss Melissa and Miss Kitty

Swatches (with flash) from left to right: Miss Tegan, Miss Sarah-Jane, Miss Maxima, Miss Simone, Miss Sophia, Miss Amy, Miss Melissa and Miss Kitty

A few months ago I tried Shanghai Suzy's lipstick and quickly got hooked on the Grape Hubba Bubba scent  and, of course, the colour selection too. For Autumn/Winter 2014 Shanghai Suzy creator, Joanna Wheaton, released eight matte shades spanning from cherry red to black plum.

Let's take a closer look at all eight shades, starting with the reds and corals first.

Swatches from left to right: Miss Tegan, Miss Sarah-Jane, Miss Maxima and Miss Simone

Swatches from left to right: Miss Tegan, Miss Sarah-Jane, Miss Maxima and Miss Simone

Miss Tegan (cherry)

Miss Tegan (cherry)

Miss Sarah-Jane (neon coral)

Miss Sarah-Jane (neon coral)

Miss Maxima (burnt orange)

Miss Maxima (burnt orange)

Miss Simone (baby coral)

Miss Simone (baby coral)

Finally, here are the pink and purple shades.

Swatches from left to right: Miss Sophia, Miss Amy, Miss Melissa and Miss Kitty

Swatches from left to right: Miss Sophia, Miss Amy, Miss Melissa and Miss Kitty

Miss Sophia (lilac)

Miss Sophia (lilac)

Miss Amy (baby pink)

Miss Amy (baby pink)

Miss Melissa (hot pink)

Miss Melissa (hot pink)

Miss Kitty (black plum)

Miss Kitty (black plum)

I know all too well that every single lipstick shade I come across won't suit my complexion; if this was the case I'd be a very happy, albeit broke, lady.

So, what worked?

  • Miss Melissa (my personal fav)
  • Miss Tegan
  • Miss Sarah-Jane
  • Miss Maxima
  • Miss Simone

What didn't?

  • Miss Sophia
  • Miss Amy

I'm still on the fence about Miss Kitty in terms of hue (felt very Lorde-inspired). Application was a bit tricky as well -- you need to have a steady hand and you absolutely must apply two to three coats as it goes on extremely patchy.

On average, Shanghai Suzy's matte formula sticks around for close to eight hours.

Tip #1: Make sure you keep a tube of chapstick nearby.

Tip #2: Be prepared to clean colour build-up at the inside of your lips (always happens with long-lasting lipstick).

The Bagful breakdown:

Total amount for Shanghai Suzy Lipstick:

  • $12.95/tube or $65.00 for all eight shades or buy three, get 1 free for $38.85. There's even an option to mix and match any eight shades for $65.00!

Value for money spent (performance and quality):

  • 9 out of 10 bags — Put simply, makeup is wicked expensive in this part of the world. Jo's made it possible for us to buy fashionable lipstick without breaking the bank.

Would another purchase be on the horizon?:

  • Matte for Autumn/Winter 2014 means we'll see more from the Nourish formula for Spring/Summer 2015! Can't wait.

Hourglass Ambient Lighting Blush

/
Hourglass Ambient Lighting Blush

Hourglass Ambient Lighting Blush

If a freshly cut stone could talk, it would say, "I so know how Hourglass' Ambient Lighting Blush came to life. Just think of me, time, the combination of elements and the acceleration of said time."

Igneous rock in a pressed palette

Igneous rock in a pressed palette

I'll spare you with too many thoughts about Hourglass' Ambient Lighting Blush.  Suffice it to say, it's [the blush] proving to be more popular than their Ambient Lighting Powder. On a whim I snatched up Radiant Magenta and Dim Infusion during a pre-release sale from Sephora -- I knew my patience wouldn't stand for the trans-Pacific lag time between the US and Australia.

Radiant Magenta (golden fuchsia) 

Radiant Magenta (golden fuchsia) 

Swatch of Radiant Magenta

Swatch of Radiant Magenta

Wearing Radiant Magenta on my cheeks and Burberry's Sweet Pea on my lips

Wearing Radiant Magenta on my cheeks and Burberry's Sweet Pea on my lips

Radiant Magenta is a power player as it's always prepared to go big with very little effort.

This is my fresh from the gym flush minus the workout.

If you love NARS Orgasm, then you'll certainly cherish Radiant Magenta.

Dim Infusion (subdued coral)

Dim Infusion (subdued coral)

Swatch of Dim Infusion

Swatch of Dim Infusion

Wearing Dim Infusion on my cheeks and NARS New Lover on my lips

Wearing Dim Infusion on my cheeks and NARS New Lover on my lips

Dim Infusion is timid, but give it time -- with a little convincing Dim Infusion will come out to play.

Lusting for a Hawaiian glow? Dim Infusion is the mai tai of your eye.

Swatches from left to right: Radiant Magenta (left), Dim Infusion layered over Radiant Magenta (middle) and Dim Infusion (right)

Swatches from left to right: Radiant Magenta (left), Dim Infusion layered over Radiant Magenta (middle) and Dim Infusion (right)

Four other shades are ready for the taking (as described by Sephora)...

  • Diffused Heat (Vibrant poppy blush combined with Diffused Light for a subtle halo effect)
  • Luminous Flush (Champagne rose blush fused with Luminous Light to evoke a candlelit glimmer)
  • Mood Exposure (Soft plum blush fused with Mood Light to brighten the complexion)
  • Ethereal Glow (Cool pink blush fused with Ethereal Light for a moonlit luminosity)

The Bagful breakdown:

Total amount for Hourglass Ambient Lighting Blush:

Value for money spent (performance and quality):

  • 7 out of 10 bags — Hourglass could've been more generous with the palette size.

Would another purchase be on the horizon?:

  • If Hourglass offers a blush trio similar to the Ambient Lighting Palette released for Holiday 2013, I'd plunk down money for that.

The bee's knees? Burt's Bees Shea Butter Hand Repair Cream and Beeswax Lip Balm

/
Burt's Bees Beeswax Lip Balm & Shea Butter Hand Reair Cream

Burt's Bees Beeswax Lip Balm & Shea Butter Hand Reair Cream

Bees, they work in wondrous ways and we get to benefit from the fruits of their labour.

I'm looking at you, Teddy Bear jar filled with honey! You sweeten my tea, naturally.

But what about the remnants? I'm glad you asked.

Burt's Bees Beeswax Lip Balm (say that three times, fast) -- the Beeswax locks down moisture, while the Peppermint tinge serves as a treat for the nose and the lips and Vitatmin E serves as the conditioner. A recycled plastic tube filled with goodness awaits to work hard for your smacker.

Deep beneath the scent of peppermint lies a smoky, almost medicinal note which I attribute to the presence of rosemary. The consistency is far lighter than many other chapstick brands I've used over the years; a thin film coats the lips and only lasted for a few hours. Lana Del Rey soft without the bee sting (*cough* filler) puffiness. Just wish it had SPF.

Now, the Shea Butter Hand Repair Cream. Hmm, not gonna lie, but this stuff is pungent. It smells like clay mixed with craft paste (the kind used in Kindergarten) and Calamine Lotion. Truth be told, I have a bit of a ritual -- after I apply my hand lotion I love to take a quick whiff, it's sort of my own Mary Katherine Gallagher thing. Despite being left with soft hands, I just can't get past the nostril flaring sensory overload. It's Mother Nature in the form of a tube.

Yes, I'll go sit in the corner now with my stinky, silky, smooth hands.

The Bagful breakdown:

Total amount for Burt's Bees:

Value for money spent (performance and quality):

  • 7 out of 10 bags for the Beeswax Lip Balm — I'm a Chapstick gal through and through
  • 5 out of 10 bags for the Shea Butter Hand Repair Cream — can we infuse it with something sweet like vanilla?

Would another purchase be on the horizon?:

  • Burt's Bees Lip Shimmer is effortless and perfect for low-maintenance gals and for lippie newbies.

*PR sample provided –  Thoughts and ramblings written here are completely my own.