Thursday, 24 December 2015

Merry Christmas! (Or anything you like :D)




I'll be back in January, enjoy your holidays :)

Wednesday, 23 December 2015

Brazilian Butterfly - Tea Tree Body Lotion

Tea tree is not my favourite scent, and this was strong on the scent front.
I also don't believe tea tree to be a miracle anti-bacterial oil and I didn't see any amazing results to conclude otherwise.

A non-irritating lotion which was a bit thinner than I would have liked.

This was very blah to me, it didn't wow me, it just existed and I existed and we were both things at the same time.

A better lotion:

The Body Shop body butter is great!

Price: 3/5 ($18.00 for 200mL)
Scent: 2/5
Effectiveness: 2/5

Tuesday, 22 December 2015

Art break - Pot of Gold at the end of the rainbow for S

I asked my friend S (who I have been bffs with for ~20 years) what she wanted for her birthday this year. She said money.
Money is nice, but I had to think of a way to make it more annoying. 
S loves leprechauns, so I decided to put $30 (in gold, $1 coins) into a pot of gold at the end of a rainbow. 
I started with a large yoghourt  container and a clear piece of plastic:

Light reflection FTW!

Next I cut the plastic into an arch, to become my rainbow. I also cut the top of the container to make it more 'pot-like':

The arch is a little hard to see ATM.

I painted the arch up as a rainbow using acrylic paint. Acrylic paint would stick to the plastic well and give a good colour intensity:

There it is!
I also put a layer of modelling paste onto the pot, to give it a bit more of a bulge around the middle:



Pipe-cleaners were used to give the pot a bit more of a lip and some handles:

These were then covered in modelling paste to help blend them in and make them easier to paint: 


The inside of the pot was painted gold and the outside painted black (both using acrylic paint, for the colour intensity, ability to stick to the medium, and it dries quickly):


Finally the rainbow and some cotton ball clouds were stuck on using a hot glue gun. I also added some chocolate coins:


Final verdict: S loved it! :D

Monday, 21 December 2015

Skin Physics - Dragon's Blood Sculpting Gel

Fun fact: my favourite incense scent is dragon's blood. I just love how it smells and it just instantly transports me to covens and Spellbox.
Even my mum likes dragon's blood incense, and she hates almost everything!

So I had to try this face cream.  
It smelled faintly of dragon's blood and had a soft red tinge to it.
As for hydration, it was pretty good and it soaked in relatively quickly.

Unfortunately, it had a weird texture to it. Almost like it was rough, gritty on a chemical component level, and it upset my skin a little because of this.

"I just pissed off my skin" Solution:

"I'm sorry, face!" in a bottle :)

Price: 1/5 (~$50 for 50mL)
Scent: 4/5
Effectiveness: 2/5

Sunday, 20 December 2015

Garnier - Miracle Sleeping Cream

I brought this for camping (something all-in-one as opposed to my current 3 step process) and it was great ever since. This night cream has a bit of oil in it, so your face is better protected and hydrated while you sleep.
It soaks in well, has lavender oil to help you relax, and doesn't pill up.

I actually gave a jar to my alleged father, he has really fine skin and has not been taking care of it of late (~the past 60 years).

Price: 4/5 ($19.99 for 50mL)
Scent: 5/5
Effectiveness: 5/5

Saturday, 19 December 2015

Rimmel - Wonder'full Mascara with Argan Oil

Before we even get into the thing, lets just appreciate the brown-bronze metallic, cubist tube :3

Inside we have a decent, lash separating brush.
The formula smells like argan oil and vanila, and coats the lash smoothly with a good colour intensity.

This is an all round winner!

Price: 4/5 ($17.95)
Scent: 5/5
Effectiveness: 5/5

Friday, 18 December 2015

U by Kotex - Ultrathins - Sport Super

Before you complain that this is about feminine hygiene products, STFU.

These pads are super thin, but work great. Even for those mornings when you wake up in a pool of blood and you are 95% sure you didn't kill anyone.


Amnesia happens sometimes, so you can't be 100% sure.

They stay put, are super absorbent and the package design is pretty modern (which is important to me).

Price: 4/5 ($4.99 for 10)
Effectiveness: 5/5

Thursday, 17 December 2015

Macadamia Natural Oil - Luxurious Oil Treatment



I am usually not a fan of hair oils and conditioners, they can be too heavy for my super fine hair.
This oil treatment was ok, but hasn't really converted me.
I put it in after washing my hair and it did leave my hair a bit shinier, but it was still heavy.

The treatment does smell wonderful though.

Price: 2/5 ($15.96 for 30mL)
Scent: 4.5/5
Effectiveness: 2.5/5

Wednesday, 16 December 2015

QVS - 2 in 1 Retactable Eye Brush

I got this double-ended brush in a Bellabox and I have to say, it is great!

Both ends come with a cap, to keep your purse clean, and they are retractable, so the bristles don't get all jacked up when you re-cap.
The brushes pick up product well and do not loose bristles everywhere.

Just a really great eyeshadow brush.

Price: 4.5/5 ($6.99)
Effectiveness: 5/5

Tuesday, 15 December 2015

Schwarzkopf - Nordic Blonde, L1++ Ultimate Lightener

I used this to bleach my hair when transitioning from dark to hot pink.
I would have taken photos, but because the amount of red in my hair it came out orange.
Here is a close approximation to how it looked:


Not the bombshell blonde I imagined, but it was my own fault.
This product was easy to use, smelt terrible (like a bleach will), and didn't damage my hair.

And it let me achieve this:

<3

Price: 4/5 ($10.79 a box)
Scent: 0/5 (bleach)
Effectiveness: 4.5/5

Monday, 14 December 2015

Masquerade! - My Scheming - Q10 & Royal Jelly Double Lifting Mask

This mask covers the neck as well as the face, which is fun.
It smells mildly spicy and fruity, but it is faint.

Sunday, 13 December 2015

Masquerade! - Pure Smile - Diamond Essence Mask


I wear a lot of diamonds (tiny ones, but they still count). I love diamonds! So you can see the appeal of this mask.


This sheet mask had a white fruit (nashi pear, lychee, pear) scent


Ingredients include diamond powder, collagen, hyaluronic acid and vitamin E.

Saturday, 12 December 2015

Paula's Choice - Clinical KP Treatment Cloths

KP stands for Keratosis pilaris, also known as 'Chicken skin'.
And to take directly from Wikipedia, it is an"autosomal dominant, genetic follicular condition characterized by the appearance of rough, slightly red bumps on light skin and brown bumps on darker skin."

I do not have KP and I received these in a Bellabox.

These wipes do contain salicylic acid, a known treatment for pimples, so I used them to cleanse my face after work.

These towelettes were dry and scratchy and were a poor choice for make-up removal.
I didn't notice any change in pimples or redness.

If I had KP, I could be a better judge, but as it I didn't really like these.

Price: 1/5 ($8.00 for 10 cloths)
Scent: 1/5 (smells like a burnt Alka-Seltzer, if that's even possible)
Effectiveness: 1/5

Friday, 11 December 2015

Masquerade! - Pure Smile - Royal Jelly Essence Mask

To me, this mask smelt faintly of honey and pear.
In addition to royal jelly, it also contains vitamin E, collagen, hyaluronic acid and arbutin.

Thursday, 10 December 2015

Australian Gold - Face Guard Sunscreen Stick

I picked this up in Los Angeles, USA of all places. This is not a brand I have ever seen in Australia (which is kind of odd because it even has a koala on it)
It is SPF 50 and I used it on my arms primarily.

It smells strongly of coconut and doesn't leave your skin shiny or oily.

It's a shame I have used it all up.

Price: 3/5 ($6.15 for 14g)
Scent: 3.5/5
Effectiveness: 5/5

Wednesday, 9 December 2015

Masquerade! - Pure Smile - Ruby Essence Mask

This was a really fun one, love the gemstone reference (I love gemstones, I collect them).

This sheet mask had a red floral scent <3

Ingredients include collagen, hyaluronic acid and vitamin E.

Tuesday, 8 December 2015

Revlon - Age Defying with DNA Advantage, Powder

This was a cool little compact with (I got the) translucent powder.

The powder itself was great! Took away shine, didn't make me look like a ghost, didn't fall out of the pan, didn't crack, and was sufficiently picked up by the brush.

The container was great! Held the brush in place and didn't leak.

The brush itself was the only drawback. It kept loosing bristles all over my face, even till the last use.

Having said that, I didn't mind too much. I used ALL the product!

Price: 2.5/5 ($34.95)
Scent: 2.5/5 (Don't sniff white powder, no noticeable scent)
Effectiveness: 4.5/5

Monday, 7 December 2015

Masquerade! - Jurlique - Purely Age-Defying, Firming Treatment Mask


This mask covers the face and neck, which is fun. However, for a high end brand, this mask was too dry. 

It also smelt like Alka-seltzer and pepper :( I was really disappointed.

Sunday, 6 December 2015

Palmolive - Body Polish Passionfruit

This is an exfoliating body wash which smells wonderfully true to real passionfruit! There is also an element of peach, which is listed in the ingredients.

The best thing about this wash is the exfoliating component is made of ground up fruit seeds... WHICH ARE BIODEGRADABLE! 

It also lathers and cleans the skin really well.

Price: 5/5 ($6.79 for 400mL)
Scent: 5/5
Effectiveness: 5/5

Saturday, 5 December 2015

Same Product, Different Colour - Schwarzkopf - Live Colour - Ultra Brights, Cotton Candy Pink


My mum has this theory that hair dye gives you cancer and the darker the dye, the worse it is... I do not agree.
However, to keep her happy when I needed to touch up my pink hair, I went with a pastel pink dye.

It improved the colour quite a bit (my hair being bleached at this stage) and being the blogging genius that I am, I didn't take any before and after photos.

Friday, 4 December 2015

Batiste Dry Shampoo - Floral & Flirty Blush

My sister loves dry shampoo, so I thought I would give it a try. There were a range of scents available in the Batiste range, so I picked pink. XP

It smells nice enough and it does take that greasy look away... but I can't deal with how it feels!

It feels like there is dirt on my head! Each time I used it I just had to wash it out as soon as possible.

It was good for adding volume to my hair though, so I used up the rest of the can as a styling product.

"I don't want greasy hair but don't have time to wash it" Solution:

Talcum powder is a preferred remedy of mine, feels less like dirt in your hair. Just remember to brush it through fully.

Price: 3.5/5 ($9.99 for 200mL)
Scent: 3/5
Effectiveness: 2.5/5

Thursday, 3 December 2015

Masquerade! - Etude House - I Need You, Mango!

This sheet mask had a faint, lovely smell of mangos (even though the taste of mangos reminds me of a medication I was taking when I had a fit [read: one-off seizure], I don't mind the smell).

Meant to be nourishing and firming (I just felt hydration).

Wednesday, 2 December 2015

Masquerade! - Pure Smile, Strawberry Essence Mask


This sheet mask smelled moderately of strawberries (strong scent in the sheet mask world)! 
It was awesome!

It is meant to be brightening and moisturising, I only really saw a hydrating effect. 

It also contains vitamin E, collagen, hyaluronic acid and arbutin.

Monday, 30 November 2015

Brite - Make Me Pastel Pink Shampoo


I was using this while I had pink hair to maintain the colour intensity.
This did add significant colour and cleaned well (which is nice for a dual-purpose shampoo).
The only issue I have with it is some staining of my neck (which the shampoo tends to run down), but this is mild.

Price: 3/5 ($19.99 for 300mL)
Scent: 2/5 (generic mild alkali smell)
Effectiveness: 4.5/5
And I'm back!

Thank you for your patience (Not that you had much of a say in the matter).

Thesis is in the correction stage (English and layout) so it is almost complete, have done my final talk (so that's out of the way).



Let's get back to beauty!

As a change, I think I will start reviewing non-finished items as well, but only make-up. This is just because it takes so long to use up a lipstick or powder completely, that by the time you read about it, you can no longer get it.

So expect more lipsticks and nail polishes!

Also, for images, I will upload them from now on rather than using URLs, so they remain even if a link no longer works. (This is more of a note for me, I guess) :p

Wednesday, 7 October 2015

To be the lamest...

I have to take a little break, followers, but for a DAMN good reason!

See, the thing is, I need to finish my thesis. 
Normally I don't like to open up about these things, because I don't like people knowing what I need to do... but if you are feeling so inclined, you can hold me accountable!

I need my thesis done, before the sun sets on the last day of November...

Like in the Hobbit, on Durin's Day...The dragon in the mountain is unemployment!

SO there will be a break in posts... but I should return in December.

Feel free to message me words of encouragement/ nag me to get my butt into gear!

***inspirational music***


In the meantime, feel free to add me on Snapchat if you are so inclined. Username is 'mozmox3', which gives you the name 'BlushTailedPossum'  :D

(yes, it took me a bit to think of that one.. a Brush Tailed Possum is a native Australian animal, for my overseas readers... and most will know that blush is a type of makeup for the cheeks)




brb xoxoxo

Tuesday, 6 October 2015

Masquerade! - nügg Face Mask - exfoliating


This mask had jojoba beads in it, so I spent a little more time rubbing it on my skin. It also has cranberry seed oil and left my skin feeling smooth.

Monday, 5 October 2015

Masquerade! - nügg Face Mask - hydrating

With camellia seed oil and spirulina extract, this mask was lovely after a big weekend.

Sunday, 4 October 2015

Revlon Professional - Nutri Color Creme - Fondant Colors, 005 pink


This seemed like a lovely colour, but I fear my unbleached hair was too dark to notice any change after using this product.
Otherwise it was easy enough to work with :)

The name bugs me, it is not a fondant (too runny) and it is spelt 'colour'!

I can't really say much more, I just wanted it to refresh my pink hair and it did that to an extent 

Price: 1/5 (rrp $24.95 for 100mL)
Scent: 4/5 (kind of floral)
Effectiveness: 3/5

Saturday, 3 October 2015

Masquerade! - Dewytree - Squalane Resilience Solution Mask


The packaging is cute, shaped like a Doctor's lab coat.
This mask felt really nice, with lots of solution on the sheet and Kerasgen and Squalane.

Friday, 2 October 2015

Masquerade! - Etude House - I need you, Honey!

It smells like honey!!! So lovely! 
In addtition to honey, it has honeysuckle, ginkgo biloba and grapefruit.