Product Review: ELF Long-Lasting Lustrous Eyeshadows

Hey Everyone,

Just a really quick review for you today as ELF has FINALLY arrived in Australia. I picked up the first colour Soiree up at Kmart for $8 and then Toast and Gala from iHerb on sale for $3 each.

Let me say that I love these and I am so happy they are in my life. They have an unusually dense, almost bouncy mousse like texture a nice colour range. I will say that the colour is very sheer but I love them for the amount of shimmer and glitter they have in them. So I will jump straight in to colour reviews.

 

Soiree:

A dark pink/plum colour with a lot of pink silver and gold glitter in it. I love to use this over a dark black smokey eye as the colour really picks up and looks gorgeous.

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Gala:

This is a beautiful cool toned dark brown with purple, red, silver and gold shimmer and glitter particles shot through it. I love to pat this over a bold brown smokey eye to really liven up the look and it is stunning!

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Toast:

Probably my favourite because it is the most versatile and neutral one I have. It is a gorgeous gold colour with gold shimmer running through it. I love this one when I don’t want to spend much time on my makeup when I’m going out, I just put a sheer wash of this all over the eyelid with a bold winged eyeliner and a dark red lip and then I am good to go. Below is a photo of it pushed over the eyelid with nothing underneath.

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So I do love these, I would say I most often use them to finish off a night time eye look instead of by themselves as they are so glittery and sheer. It does set so it isn’t like other cream eyeshadows that move all over your face but in saying that the shimmer/glitter does move around on my eyelid which isn’t a biggie but something that does annoy me slightly. Also another downside to this product is that the name aren’t written on the actual containers. I do highly recommend these though, do you have any? If so which is your favourite?

Talk to you all soon

xx Amelia and Carla

Perfume Masterclass

We build our wardrobes to fit different seasons and occasions, so why not our fragrance portfolio? When it comes to developing your own style and fashion, your fragrance is your ultimate accessory.

This week I was lucky enough to join five other ladies in a Pefume Masterclass at David Jones taught by the ever-so stylish and wise Lucy Borland, the National Training Director of Agence de Parfum. Lucy walked us through the basics of attempting to find what style of fragrance would best suit us as well as providing some insight into why it is we adore our favourite perfumes so much.

Ever smelt a perfume on a friend and adored it, only to detest it when you try it on yourself? There are many factors that effect how a perfume will wear on you; namely diet, hormones and the natural acid levels in your skin. We are all individuals, we have different taste in fashion, food, wine and music so why not perfume? Lucy showed us the Michael Edwards fragrance wheel, which colourfully describes that there are roughly four categories for perfume fragrance (Oriental, Floral, Woody and Fresh) and within those four there are further sub-categories. Majority of us will have a natural inclination towards one of these categories, and you should attempt to build your fragrance portfolio from there.

One of my favourite fragrance brands is Creed. The first fragrance by  Creed was made in 1781 for King George III. To this day, Creed is one of the most successful fragrance brands in the world. They design perfumes for specific people, eg. Lady Di and Audrey Hepburn, that can only be released to the public 5 years after their death, and only with permission from the family. The perfume to the left ‘Spring Flower’ was commissioned for Audrey Hepburn and is one of the most gorgeous bottles I’ve ever seen in my life. Creed has an extremely extensive collection and is worth a look if you are ever at a DJs near you. For further information on the history of the perfumes and the brand click here: http://www.creedboutique.com/

One of the most important things I took from the masterclass was where exactly to spray perfume. I knew neck, and wrists, but in fact one of the best places to spray your perfume is the back of your neck. There it holds for the longest period of time and gives you that ‘wrap around’ feeling of the lingering fragrance. Other good locations include all pulse points like the back of your knees, elbows and wrists. Lucy also recommended that spraying your perfume on warm skin straight after a shower will help with having a longer wear.

If anyone is interested in learning more about fragrance and how to find the best scents for you, Lucy will be running more of these Perfume Masterclasses, comment below for details of the most upcoming masterclass so the information is up to date each time you ask. I had the best time and I would highly recommend it.

Let us know where you think you sit in the wheel. Hope you enjoyed this post and maybe see you at a Fragrance Masterclass soon.

-Rubenesque xoxo

Review: Maybelline Color Tattoos

Hello lovelies!

Today I want to share my (embarrassing) obsession with the Maybelline Color Tattoos. I freaking love these things, I have very oily eyelids and the Color Tattoos are my saviour. Although I like the UDPP and the Two Faced Shadow Insurance primers they just don’t work as well as a product that sets, in my opinion at least.  I use these beauties almost everyday alone or underneath eyeshadows.  When I am going out or having a formal event to attend I can guarantee that I have one of these on. So lets jump into swatches and individual colour reviews!

Tough as Taupe– this is the first colour I ever bought so it has as special place in my heart and I adore it. This is not as creamy as the Barely Branded shade but I would definitely not call it dry. I have smaller eyes so when I want to do a dark, dark smokey eye I don’t like to use blacks because it can make my eyes look even smaller so I use this colour! I put this all around the eye, then I grab a similar colour and really blend it out, lots of mascara and flawless skin perfects this look.

Inked in Pink– I would have to say this is my favourite shade. It is a great metallic baby doll pink that makes my green eyes look greener without an in-your-face colour. It is very wearable and perfect for everyday. I love to wear this shade by itself with heaps of mascara, rosy cheeks and bright berry lip

Painted purple– Now I have to say that I am a little disappointed with this colour, I thought it was going to be brilliant but it is very sheer. Don’t get me wrong it is still a lovely colour and has a great consistency but I would have preferred an opaque formula.

Bad to the Bronze–  I did not get this colour for sooooo long and Carla kept telling me to get but I thought it just looked boring but there was a sale, one thing lead to another and this baby ended up in my collection. I am so glad it did! It is a mid toned bronze colour with quite a lot of shimmer shot through. This is so perfect by itself but I reckon it would be great smoked out with a darker brown for an evening look.

Barely Branded– a staple in anyone’s collection whether it be this product or something similar. It is a beautiful opaque champagne colour that is extremely creamy and is perfect for an eyeshadow base. I also wear it alone with a tonne of mascara for a great everyday look or as an inner corner highlight

Pomegranate Punk– A great deep red/purple/burgundy colour. I would highly recommend this colour for blue and green eyes as it will make them look so much brighter. Again it has a very creamy consistency and I love to use this as an eyeliner and as a great smokey eye colour.

Bold Gold– a gorgeous almost olive gold with fine glitter particles throughout. I love this by itself or another favourite look is to smoke it out with a dark purple and push some gold glitter over the whole lid, perfect modern smokey great for any formal occasion. I have to say though this Color Tattoo is slightly drier than some of the others, probably due to the glitter particles.

Electric blue– Okay this colour is a perfect smokey eye base but my favourite way to use it is as an eyeliner! Because these cream shadows do set they can be used as an eyeliner and I love it, I wear a thin line for a more day look and I have worn it out as a graphic eyeliner and it looks fabulous!

They boast a 24hr wear and although I can’t confirm this, as the longest I have worn them is 16hrs, I can confirm that after 16hrs they are just as vibrant as when you first put them on and show no sign of moving. For Victorians they are almost always on sale (or part of a deal) at Chemist Warehouse, I got mine for between $5-$8 each which beats the full price of $15.

So final verdict? I love them! They do not budge, they are super creamy, easy to apply, opaque, and will last you all day and all night. The colour range is fabulous and can be worn for everyday and evening looks, although I think they are missing a dark green and a dark purple, then it would be complete. Like a said before I wear these under eye shadows, alone and as eyeliner.

Tell me your favourites!

Hope you enjoyed

xxx

Amelia and Carla

Makeup of the Day! (with links for all products)

(Images of final look below)

Tropicoral set – http://www.sephora.com/go-tropicoral-lip-cheek-kit-P375251

Dallas – http://www.benefitcosmetics.com/product/view/dallas

Gimme Brow – http://www.benefitcosmetics.com/product/view/gimme-brow

Volume de Chanel – http://www.chanel.com/en_AU/fragrance-beauty/Makeup-Mascara-LE-VOLUME-DE-CHANEL-147260 (full review here https://rubenesquebeautyblog.wordpress.com/2013/07/05/battle-of-the-mascaras/)

Bobbi Brown BB Cream (SPF35) – http://www.bobbibrown.com.au/products/9447/Makeup/Face/BB-Cream/index.tmpl?cm_sp=Gnav-_-Makeup-_-Face-BBCream#

Revlon Colourburst (027 ‘Juicy Papaya’) -http://www.priceline.com.au/cosmetics/lips/lipstick/colorburst-lip-butter-2.55-g1

Pleats Please (Issey Miyake) – http://www.isseymiyake.com/en/brands/pleats_please.html

M.A.C. Powder Blush (Sprinsheen) – http://www.maccosmetics.com.au/products/spp/shaded.tmpl?CATEGORY_ID=CAT156&PRODUCT_ID=PROD329&SKU_ID=SKU3766

Hope this has helped you find some of the products you’ve been searching for. Would love to hear from you to find out about any new products (especially in the coral range)! If you like any of these images, we do #motd posts all the time on our instagram and would love if you could check us out @rubenesquebeautyblog, hit us up with a comment so we can find you too!

Thanks,

-Rubenesque xoxo

HOW TO: Graphic Eyeliner

With the big lead up to the Virgin Australia Melbourne Fashion Festival in March we thought we would bring you another on trend look inspired by the looks from the ss14 fashion weeks and from the recent #VAMFF makeup trials. Drum roll please (even though the title gave it away)……. GRAPHIC EYELINER!

This is a trend that has been on the catwalk for years and years but we thought we could show you a completely goof proof way of achieving this super fierce eyeliner look.

Step 1: Remove all traces of makeup and apply a trusted eyeshadow base. We recommend Two Faced Shadow Insurance or a MAC paint pot

Step 2: Sticky Tape! With this you need to put the piece of tape on your hand to remove most of the stickiness and then place it on the outer part of the eye. You need to make sure the edge of the tape follows the imaginary line that connects your nostril to the corner of your eye. And please try to place the tape under your bottom lashes.

Step 3: choose your eyeliner! I used a gel eyeliner but I think it would have been better to use a liquid so you can get a more precise line.

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Step 4: Now armed with your eyeliner, start with a super dramatic flick and note that you do not have to be even a little bit neat as the tape is your lifesaver.

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Step 5: Draw a thin-ish line across the top lashline

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Step 6: Build up the line so most of your eyelid is covered by the eyeliner, then clean up the line so it is nice and smooth. (If you are having difficulties with this we would recommend the Simple Makeup Corrector Pen or a fine brush dipped in makeup remover.)

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Step 7: The most exciting part! Remove the sticky tape and voila, you have a crisp perfect line. Add mascara and you’re done!

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(All the steps from here on are optional)

Step 8: Apply eyeliner to your inner rims and waterline

Step 9: Smudge a dark eyeshadow close to your lashline for a smokey-er effect and to minimise the appearance of smaller eyes.

 

That’s all! We hope you liked it! I have worn this eyeliner out a few times and I love to mix up the colours, I have worn navy, dark green and dark purple graphic eyeliner looks before. I would recommend pairing this bold eye with a ponytail, contoured cheeks and a nude glossy lip. If you are looking for a budge proof liquid eyeliner I would suggest checking out the Kiss Me Heroine Liquid Eyeliner, I have been using this product for three years now and I swear by it.

If you have any questions, recommendations or requests please leave them down below.

Have a lovely day!

Love from Amelia and Carla

FRANCE: The place to be for skincare!

Hey lovelies!

So I just got back from an incredible 6 week trip overseas! And now it’s time to share with you all the amazing products I sourced in my travels!

My favourites for skincare:

• Bioderma Créaline H20
• Bioderma Atoderm Stick Lêvres Lip Balm
• NUXE Reve de Miel Ultra-Nourishing Lip Balm
• La Roche Possay Effaclar A.I. Corrector cream

All the hype surrounding Bioderma Créaline Water…SO. AMAZING. I. CAN’T. EVEN. EXPRESS. It is the best makeup remover I have ever used! Best paired with a cotton pad as to not waste any product, one pad was enough to remove majority of my makeup before attacking my face with my favourite cleansing oil by Shu Umera. My skin has never felt better. I don’t even understand how this product works, I mean it’s pretty much water but all your makeup just glides off without putting up I fight. I don’t know how I lived without this for so long.

It was winter over in Europe so I was determined to find a great lip balm to prevent my lips from drying. I found two! The first, a lighter option, is the Bioderma Atoderm Stick Lêvres Lip Balm. Lightly fragranced and soft to the touch, this lipbalm was my savior while I was over there. Will be a must have in my handbag this coming winter in Melbourne. And second, the miracle treatment lip balm: NUXE Reve de Miel Ultra-Nourishing Lip Balm! Thick, soft and amazingly hydrating, I would put this on before bed and wake up with the most amazingly smooth and soft lips.  The most amazing thing…you barely need any product to cover your lips. For the 14euro price tag it’s definitely worth it.

And lastly, the La Roche Possay Effaclar A.I. Corrector cream. It is the best blemish cream I have ever tried in my life! I know this seems ludicrous, my enthusiasm towards these French products, but wow…the French really know what they are doing when it comes to skincare. Travelling from Switzerland over to India my skin was not doing great with all the airplane travel and from the freezing cold of the north of India, down to the boiling 80% humidity south. Everytime I felt a pimple coming on, I would just put some of this miracle gel on and it would be significantly reduced in appearance by morning. I never expect treatment creams to be miracle workers and make a blemish disappear overnight but this product is the closest I’ve come to finding such a thing.

So these are my top recommendations for French skincare. I hope this post has helped some of you get some ideas of products to look out for in the future. Please let us know if you have any other amazing skincare recommendations! Always looking to try and review new products 🙂

-Rubenesque xoxo

HOW TO: Catwalk to Sidewalk Glitter Edition ss14

The best of the best in fashion are currently in the middle of showcasing their spring summer collections 2014 and with the Virgin Australia Melbourne Fashion Festival on it’s way we thought it was tutorial time with some high fashion inspiration!

The haute couture ss14 Paris fashion week has just ended with the makeup trends ranging from metallic smokey eyes to very clean ‘no makeup’ looks. London ss14 also featured the ‘no makeup’  look along with red lips and natural eyebrows. One of my favourite looks from both the recent fashion weeks was the gorgeous holographic silver glitter eyes featured in the Chanel haute couture collection showcased in Paris.

L’oreal have just realised the photos of the makeup trails for the Virgin Australia Melbourne Fashion Festival starting in mid March. All the images are stunning but the one that caught my eye was this makeup look featuring fresh skin, bold brows, a dark berry lip and gold leaf in the centre of the eyelid.

( photo credit to Style Melbourne – http://stylemelbourne.com/ )

So I decided to create a makeup look inspired by the colours in the photo above. Hope you enjoy!

1. Eyes first, glitter is messy. Here I placed the Maybelline Colour Tattoo in Bold Gold all over the eyelid with my finger.

2. Next I placed another colour tattoo (Barley Branded) in the inner corners of the eye and part of the way along the lower lashline.

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3. On a blending brush I then put Snakebite from the Naked 2 palette in the crease and along the lower lashline. Don’t be afraid to blend this quite far up to the brow bone.

4. Grab any white or nude coloured eyeliner and put it in your waterline. Here I use Rimmel London Scandaleyes Kohl Kajal eyeliner in Nude.

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5. Getting a small amount of gold glitter on my finger, I then patted it all over the eyelid. (To clean up fallout use a piece of sticky tape)

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6. I then applied a generous coat of Revlon Grow Luscious to the lashes and followed with a pair of half lashes that flare out at the outer edges.

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7. Moving on to the face: I used an Illamasqua primer and Maybelline Fit Me Foundation with a dense buffing brush. Following that I used a Mehron concealer quad under my eyes and set my T zone with Ben Nye loose translucent powder.

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8. I then slightly contoured with NYX blush in Taupe and applied a pink gold blush

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9. aaaannnnd finally I applied a deep berry colour to my lips, any will do but I used Rimmel London’s lipstick in Starry Eyes (it didn’t come up as dark in photos).

Here is the final look (sorry the photo is blurry)

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So I hoped you liked it. Please comment for any blog/video requests or if you have any questions 🙂

For more information on the Virgin Australia Melbourne Fashion Festival check out their website – http://www.vamff.com.au hopefully see some of you lovely ladies there!

Thanks

Amelia and Carla

HOW TO: Secrets of Sexy, Healthy Hair!

It’s Winter here in Australia, which means dry, unhealthy hair. But even for those of you that have just been through Summer, hours in chlorinated pools alongside heat styling before nights out can also do a fair amount of damage.

When it comes to the maintenance and repair of your hair there are a few simple steps to keeping it healthy and sexy smooth!

1. Heat Protectant ProductsBoth Amelia and I have naturally straight hair, but that doesn’t mean we don’t use heat styling. Most people make the mistake of not considering a hair dryer as a heat styling tool. BIG MISTAKE! When you are applying that much heat to your hair you are attempting to rapidly remove the moisture (being the excess water…) but often it takes the natural moisture from it too, especially at the ends. Leading to split ends and dry looking, listless hair.

So when using a hair straightener, curling wand or hair dryer…make sure you apply a heat protectant product beforehand. My personal favourite at the moment is REDKEN ‘heat styling-satinwear 02’ this is a serum so should be applied to wet hair…for straightening or curling of dry hair I would recommend using a spray version instead.

 

2. Treatments

Treatments are a great way to restore life to your hair. Where heat protectant products act as preventative measures against damaged hair, treatments are a great way to fix already unhealthy hair.

I have colour treated hair which is a sure-fire way to damage your hair straight out. I went from brown to dark auburn to an orange blonde, so as you can imagine…my hair is not loving me right now.

My favourite treatments right now are’ Mythic Oil’ by L’Oreal Paris which is a nourishing hair mask for all hair types and the Pantene ‘3 minute miracle’ which is an intensive treatment for severely damaged hair. Both of these work wonders in minutes!

3. Invest in good quality shampoos and conditioners

It seems like such a simple thing to say…but it’s actually really important.

Those products we all love, you know the ones that smell like a perfumery or a candy store? They are the ones to avoid. I know, I know…it’s incredibly depressing, but those products contain a lot of perfumed chemicals that end up causing a damaging, drying effects long term. Try to look for organic shampoos and conditioners (often they can smell amazing but don’t contain the same chemicals as the bad ones because the scents are organic and natural.)

My all time favourite shampoo and conditioner are part of the Moroccan Oil series but they can cost a pretty penny. Looking to go organic? A great brand to try is Organix.

And last but not least…

4. Try to not wash your hair too often

Again…a fairly simple thing to suggest. But washing your hair too often removes the natural oils from your hair, causing damage. At the same time, your hair is forced to produce more oils at a faster rate in order to compensate for the ones being washed away…this results in your hair getting greasy sooner.

I’m not telling you to go around with greasy hair and avoid washing it, but try to use things like dry shampoo to make your hair last that extra day without washing. My favourite dry shampoo at the moment is by Batiste in the Tropical scent! YUM!

There we have it! I hope this post has helped some of you with your hair care! Let me know if you incorporate any of these things into your new regime and if they work for you. Or if you are already doing these things and have some great brand suggestions I’d love to hear from you!

– Rubenesque xoxo

Beauty Blogging: Instagram Style

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July Favourites!

So for our very first ‘Monthly Favourites’ we decided to make a youtube video. Hope you all enjoy!

Some featured brands include theBalm, Maybelline, Rimmel, Chanel, Tony Moly, Benefit and Eyeko!

Would really appreciate it if you could subscribe or check out our other videos. If you also have a youtube please comment with the link, we’d love to check out your videos too!
One of the best things about the beauty community on wordpress is that everyone is really supportive of each other. Would be amazing to spread the love ❤