August 20, 2014

New gal on the block: Dusty Girls

August 20, 2014/ Nicole McIntyre

Night Fall Natural Mineral Mascara (bottom) and Pacific Ocean Shimmer Natural Shimmering Lip Gloss (top)

Why Dusty Girls you ask? Well this sister brand to Moogoo is emulating the skins' look and feel after spending a day in the country -- slightly dusty, but glowing. While I can't attest to this sort of experience personally having grown up in a fairly Americana suburb myself, I do, however, appreciate their ethos.

This petite makeup collection (eight items in total, with a few colour options) IMHO, targets three specific groups:

A young demographic, e.g., tweens and late teens
Makeup newbies
Low maintenance gals on the go

Imagine Britney Spears' "I'm not a girl, not yet a woman" country bumpkin charm prior to breaking up with Mr. JT.

The packaging is sweet and easy to bust into if you're impatient like me; colour coordinated boxes, complete with application tips, house these goodies. As for the tubes, they are rubberised (similar to NARS) in order to assist maintaining a proper hold during application (klutz-free, for the win).

Night Fall Natural Mineral Mascara - Ahh, pitch black, clump-free lashes -- it's a mascara that lengthens and plumps, it's practically a dream. Then the nightmare rudely interrupts, prepare yourselves for panda eyes! Dun-dun-dun!!

Over the past several weeks I've worn Night Fall Natural Mineral Mascara out and about with Scott and during the day to work. For short stints this mascara is perfect, but after hour five or so you've reached panda bear territory.

Wearing Night Fall Natural Mineral Mascara — Wearing Night Fall Natural Mineral Mascara

Pacific Ocean Shimmer Natural Shimmering Lip Gloss

Swatch of Pacific Ocean Shimmer Natural Shimmering Lip Gloss — Swatch of Pacific Ocean Shimmer Natural Shimmering Lip Gloss

Pacific Ocean Shimmer Natural Shimmering Lip Gloss - An easy-peasy gloss which leaves your lips looking like the crests on the waves of an ocean (hey, Hawaii). It's non-sticky, almost colourless, moisturising and lasts around three hours tops.

Dusty Girls does not test on animals.

The Bagful breakdown:

Total amount for Dusty Girls' Night Fall Natural Mineral Mascara and Pacific Ocean Shimmer Natural Shimmering Lip Gloss:

$18.50 AUS (mascara) and $14.50 AUS (lip gloss)

Value for money spent (performance and quality):

Mascara: 5 out of 10 bags — These eyes are crying
Lip Gloss: 8 out of 10 bags — Grab and go

Would another purchase be on the horizon?:

Wish I could test their products out in store as this range is exclusively sold online ATM.

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

July 05, 2014

Addicted to Dior Addict Fluid Sticks

July 05, 2014/ Nicole McIntyre

Dior Addict Fluid Sticks (from top to bottom) in Mirage, Vertigo and Kiss Me

All three are being put through their paces. Dior Addict Fluid Sticks aren't your typical lip gloss formula -- lightweight, non-sticky and unscented.

I'm in love. Review and swatches to follow.

May 10, 2014

A glimpse at the lips: Bite Beauty's Deconstructed Rose Library

May 10, 2014/ Nicole McIntyre

Well, folks, it's taken me a couple of weeks to get through all twelve shades, but we made it!

Phoe. I'm pooped.

I peeled back each petal, layer by layer and eventually reached the matter of things.

While Bite may offer long-lasting lip pencils, these glosses, however, won't stick around for all that long -- two to three hours is all you'll really get. Luckily the darker shades will leave behind a subtle stain.

To boot, like a moth to a flame, my hair got blown onto my lips way more than I would've liked.

What is with that phenomenon?

Another downer? The petite tubes (.05oz/1.40G per tube) have narrow necks which made it difficult to pull out enough product on the first go; Amy of Cafe Makeup shared the same experience as I.

As for the rose scent, I feared it would be too strong and overbearing for my nose. Yet in the end it was quite delicate and pleasing -- never fake or forced and it [the scent] typically wore off in a matter of minutes.

Oh and it tastes sweet, like honey, which may or may not effect wear time. Nom, nom.

Swatches of the Deconstructed Rose Lip Gloss Library (without flash)

Swatches of the Deconstructed Rose Lip Gloss Library (with flash)

Smeared swatches - from left to right (top) and from right to left (bottom) to get a better idea of what they'd look like when layered

Shade  8 - muted cherry — Shade 8 - muted cherry

Shades 1 through 6 are for the swipe and go kind of gals. The only colour disparity, to my eyes, was shade 4 (lower left corner) -- doesn't it stick out like a sore thumb? It's loaded with pigment and throws off the colour scale, don't you think? Perhaps my bouquet got a bit confused.

Shades 7 through 12 hit the sweet spot. They're all loaded with colour -- this, my friends, is what Bite is all about -- high wattage colour that doesn't quit (most of the time).

The Deconstructed Rose Library IMHO is great value for money. You get a few of your go-tos and several shades you might not necessarily gravitate toward.

I really hope you enjoyed this comprehensive look at Bite's latest compilation of colours. Now, please hand it back, because this book is long overdue.

And to all the mothers out there -- Happy Mother's Day! This includes you, P-Cakes! Call you tomorrow :)

The Bagful breakdown:

Total amount for Bite Beauty's Deconstructed Rose Library:

$49.00 USD - exclusively sold at Sephora

Value for money spent (performance and quality):

8 out of 10 bags — Plush, never sticky and always sweet.

Would another purchase be on the horizon?:

BB for lips! What will they think of next?

April 27, 2014

Bite Beauty's Deconstructed Rose Lip Gloss Library

April 27, 2014/ Nicole McIntyre

When Scott's colleague Tacita mentioned she was heading to the US for the Easter break, she kindly offered to pick a few things up for me while there. Mind you, I sat on this for a few weeks with the hope something would eventually tickle my fancy.

Laurie of 312 Beauty absolutely stole my heart when she shared the news about Deconstructed Rose, so on the list it went.

Bite Beauty's Deconstructed Rose Lip Gloss Library* contains 12 shades (.05 ounces/tube) -- these were specifically picked for their delicacy, likeness and also for the emotions one feels when given a rose or bouquet of roses.

Here's what Bite Beauty has to say about their limited edition collection:

"The glosses are infused with the powerful and potent distilled essential oil, Rose Otto. This highly concentrated ingredient offers a complex array of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants perfect for a deliciously glossy lip."

I've only had a chance to swatch Deconstructed Rose on the inside of my arm, but here are a few of my initial thoughts..

rose scented
slightly tacky
the lighter shades are on the translucent side
the size of the doe foot applicator was not reduced

For kicks I smeared the swatches from left to right (top) and from right to left (bottom) to get a better idea of what they'd look like when layered

Over the course of this week I'll try out all 12 shades in order to write up a proper review; I'll also post pictures of my smacker wearing every shade (not all at once, of course :P).

The Deconstructed Rose Lip Gloss Library ($49.00 USD) is exclusively sold at Sephora.

*Christian Slater not included.