September 2013 Her Fashion Box Review and Recap of the Blogger Brunch!

Hi lovelies!

Before we begin, a word of warning, this is going to be a very photo-heavy post! If you follow me on any of the social media channels, you might have noticed that I was fortunate enough to be invited to a blogger brunch hosted by the lovely Kath and Kerry from Her Fashion Box a couple of weeks ago. It was absolutely delightful finally meeting them in person, although I already felt like I knew them after having chatted with them for a few months through email, and from the interview I was fortunate enough to do with them a little while ago!

The blogger brunch was held at Top Paddock in Richmond, and we got to learn more about the girls and the inspiration behind the Her Fashion Box concept, together with the creative process that goes into the selection of goodies in each box. Both Kath and Kerry were wearing a few items from past boxes, and they were excellent models for their own products; it left me wanting to purchase everything that they were wearing (ladies, if you are reading this, please hurry up and open the online store)!

Here are some snapshots from the blogger brunch, just for your viewing pleasure!

The lovely table of hot pink boxes we were greeted with!

Keep reading after the jump!

My Marc Jacobs Perfume Collection - Daisy Eau So Fresh, Daisy solid perfume ring, Lola, Dot and Honey!

Hi lovelies,

In case you didn't know, I'm a bit mad about perfumes. I don't really believe in having a signature scent (for myself, anyway - I'd just get a bit tired of it if I wore it every day) and I love matching my fragrance to my mood/occasion! I also have lots of perfumes which have been given to me by people I love, and it never fails to make me think of them when I put it on (which is a reason why I love to gift perfumes too)!

As a result, I thought I'd share some perfume reviews from you from time to time, beginning with my Marc Jacobs collection! I love Marc Jacobs, he's such a talented designer and I adore everything he puts out, be it clothing, fragrances, sunglasses or his new makeup line. While I love the scent of the perfumes I have below, I also love the bottles; the designs are gorgeous and a fantastic way to 'pretty' up your dressing table! Without further ado, let's get on to looking at my little collection...

Keep reading after the jump!

September 2013 Lust Have It Fashion and Beauty (FaB) Launch Box Review!

Hi lovelies,

I received the very first Lust Have It Fashion and Beauty (FaB) launch box today! As promised in my sneak peek preview post, here are my thoughts on the box!

I received:

Aztec print scarf
DURI nail enamel in Pie in the Sky Green (mint)
DURI nail enamel in Call Me Maybe (pastel coral)
Mint green watch with rose gold accents
Tassel statement necklace

Everything was packaged in a soft, reusable tote bag (apparently there will be a different design every month). On to photos!

The goodies were all packaged in this cute tote bag.

Keep reading after the jump!

EXCLUSIVE PREVIEW: Lust Have It Fashion & Beauty (FaB) Launch Box!

Hi lovelies!


I have a special preview post for you today, and that's the very first ever Lust Have It FaB (Fashion and Beauty) box! Mine is currently winging its way to me (so I can't comment on quality, etc, I'll give you a full review when it arrives), but I was fortunate enough to receive a few photos of the box, so I can break the silence and show you what's in the box if you still wish to subscribe (but hurry, as there aren't many left)!

The items are Aztec themed, which is a very popular trend currently! The shades are also perfect for spring!

The launch FaB box has the following items:

Aztec print scarf
DURI nail enamel (2 gorgeous pastel shades)
Mint green watch with rose gold accents
Tassel statement necklace 

All packaged in a pretty, limited edition LHI tote bag! 

Here's a little sneak peek of the box:

And an official image!

What do you think, lovelies, are you keen to sign up? This box retails for $35 and you can sign up here. 
Remember, there aren't many left, so if you're keen, run, don't walk!
Much love,



MM.
x

September 2013 Violet Box Review!

Hi lovelies!

Imagine my surprise when I received another dispatch email from Violet Box, saying that another box was on the way! I was thrilled, naturally, and couldn't wait to tear into it when it arrived yesterday. It was a bright spot in my day as I've pinched my sciatic nerve and could barely walk by the end of the day!

Here's what I received in my September Violet Box:

The Vintage Cosmetic Company floral slanted tweezers (full sized)

The Vintage Cosmetic Company emery board (full sized)

NS-5 Cuticle and Nail Complex (full sized)

Sinful nail polish (full sized)

Eleven Australia's miracle hair treatment (deluxe sample)

Timeless Truth Stem Cell extract mask (full sized)

There was also a discount card offer for Swissdent whitening toothpaste. On to photos!

September 2013 Violet Box

Keep reading after the jump!

NOTD: P!NK Inspired Nails!

Hi lovelies!

Happy Saturday! At the time of publishing this, I'm currently away on a MUCH NEEDED girly weekend with some beautiful girl friends, including the gorgeous Ms Jelena! We'll be away for less than 48 hours but hopefully it gives us a bit of time to recharge our batteries. :)

In the meantime, I'm going to leave you with a filler short and sweet post so you don't miss me too much (I'd like to think I'm missed when I don't post for a couple of days, so please don't disillusion me)! I mentioned a couple of weeks ago that I was fortunate enough to win tickets to see P!NK, and promised to share the inspired nail art post I wore in honour of the concert, so here it is!

Veet (yes, the hair remover brand) ran a little promotion on their Facebook page a little while ago, and they sent out three polishes called Amy (hot pink), Kelly (coral) and Chloe (soft pink) to the first 500 people to participate. I used Amy (the only one I've tried so far) as my base, and ORLY Liquid Vinyl for the nail art. Apologies for how dry my skin looked in the photos, I think I should've used some hand cream before taking photos!

 Let me know if you want a tutorial to show you how I did it, it's really easy, I promise. :)

Here's what I came up with, I wanted something that was girly, but a little edgy, just like P!NK!

That's all for now, lovelies! Hope you liked it!

Much love,
MM.
x

Fashion Addict Review and Haul!

Hi lovelies!

As some of you know, Fashion Addict are a great online store which sell great makeup items, like BYS, Revlon, Face of Australia and many others! They often have items that are hard to find elsewhere (and at discounted prices, yay), making them a great retail destination, but did you know they also have really cute accessories for sale?

When I was contacted a little while ago and asked if I was interested in trying out several items, my answer was a resounding 'yes'!! I had rather an enjoyable time browsing the website, and picked out these three items below.

Teal and Gold Scarf (Crushed Look)

I've been really into scarves lately, and this pretty teal and gold scarf caught my eye immediately. I was a little surprised when it turned up as it looked a bit different from the photo on the website, but it's still a really pretty scarf and the square shape makes it unique.

(Image taken from the Fashion Addict website)

Teal and Gold Scarf

This is what the scarf looks like on its own. It's got a metallic look to it, which is something a bit different!

Keep reading after the jump!

Liptember 2013 | Kiss Away The Blues with Liptember Purple!

Hi lovelies!

I'd like to share a very special post with you today. It's September, otherwise known as Liptember! If you aren't familiar with Liptember, it's all about having fun with lipstick for a serious cause - Women's Mental Health, which includes anxiety, depression, post natal depression, menopausal change, dementia and self-image. All funds raised in September are donated to Liptember's mental health beneficiaries, the Centre for Women's Mental Health and LIFELINE.

You can participate in Liptember through three different ways:

a) Purchasing an official Liptember lipstick from My Chemist, Chemist Warehouse and My Beauty Spot (there are two kinds - Revlon lipsticks and 'challenge' lipsticks made independently by Chemist Warehouse);
b) Fundraising by pledging to wear an official Liptember lipstick every day during the whole month of September, and asking your family and friends to sponsor you (it's never too late to join in!!!); and,
c) Sponsoring someone who is participating in Liptember by donating on the website.

Need more convincing? Let me share some information gathered from the Liptember website:

• There is little mental health research based on women;
• More focus needs to be placed on treating men and women separately when it comes to mental health;
• Suicide is the biggest single cause of death for Australian women aged 18 to 34;
• One in three Australian women will suffer depression or anxiety during their lifetime;
• Women are more susceptible to anxiety and depression than men; and,
• Post natal depression affects 15% of women within the first year after childbirth.

I was offered the chance to participate in a special way, by creating a signature look using one of the official Liptember shades. The shade I was sent was Liptember Purple, which is one of the challenge shades created by Chemist Warehouse (there is also a blue, pink, yellow and mint shade available).

Liptember 2013 Purple (challenge shade available exclusively from Chemist Warehouse).

I was pleasantly surprised by the quality and pigmentation of this lipstick. The deep purple looks quite confronting in the tube, but it's actually surprisingly versatile; it goes on quite soft and creamy for a natural, berry lip, but you can also build it up to a deep purple for a more intense look. After some deliberation, I decided to come up with a rather creative look to do this lipstick justice, but I will also include a more natural look with the lipstick at the end of this post, to show you just how versatile it is!

This look was created using 3 layers of Liptember Purple on my lips, and then I gently pressed some of the eyeshadow used on my eyes onto the centre of my lips to give it a duochrome look. 

Keep reading after the jump!

Five minutes with...Kath and Kerry, founders of Her Fashion Box (and a Giveaway)!

Hi lovelies!

Happy Sunday! I hope you've all had a great weekend! I've got a new interview for you to read today, with the lovely beauties behind the Her Fashion Box brand! Please forgive me for being a bit tardy with my interview series, I actually already have four more lined up to go, I've just been a bit amiss about sending them live! Please stay tuned as they are all very fascinating reads!

If you aren't familiar with Her Fashion Box, it's a monthly subscription box containing both beauty and fashion products. You can choose to subscribe to the full monthly box for $39.95, or alternatively, pick the boxette, which is the mini version of the full box and retails for $24.95. Click here for more information!

Image provided by Her Fashion Box.

Keep reading after the jump!

The Skincare Tag.

Hi lovelies!

I was tagged by the lovely Kat from Kitsch Snitch and Evelyn from Cotton Candy Diva in this rather interesting skincare tag. [Note: If I've forgotten anyone else who tagged me, I'm so sorry, I always have the best intentions to do these things and then I forget! Let me know if you have and I will add your name in!]. Oh, and I'm also going to be really naughty and not include photos, because if we have to wait till the weekend for some good light...I will probably forget to do this altogether.

1) Describe your skincare routine in five words…
Simple, quick, straightforward, targeted, consistent.

2) What’s your skin type?
This is a tough one since I started on Roaccutane, but let's call it combination-normal.

3) What’s your favourite skin care product?
Shu Uemura fresh pore clarifying cleansing oil, it takes all my makeup off and leaves my skin feeling supple and soft.

4) Top Blemish Zapper?
I'm currently using the Aphelia Cosmetology Oasis Rapid Action Pen. It's been pretty helpful so far!

5) Face wipes, yay or nay?
Nay. The only times I use face wipes are if I'm travelling (and feeling desperate) or when I'm taking swatch photos for the blog. Otherwise, I always, always, always cleanse my makeup off properly.

6) Toner, yay or nay? 
I used to be a religious proponent of toner, then stopped for a while. I've just started using it daily again though!

7) High End Skincare or High End Makeup?
I'm going to say High End Skincare. I don't really know why. I think it's just that the quality of makeup has improved so significantly lately, that even low end products have outstanding quality. Also, I don't change my skincare anywhere near as much as I change my makeup, so I'd rather have 5-10 different low end products for the cost of 1 really high end product (there are exceptions, of course, but I'm speaking generally here).

8) What’s the most unusual skincare product you’ve tried?
I'm pretty boring when it comes to skincare! But I might try my hair at a snail serum moisturiser soon...(Wish me luck).

9) You’re in a French pharmacy and can only pick one item – what is it?
Ooh, another toughie! I'd have said Bioderma (the Crealine makeup remover is tres magnifique) or La Roche-Posay, but since they are now available here in Australia, I will go with Vichy. :)

10) Tell us your top skincare tip
ALWAYS cleanse before going to bed at night, even if you haven't used makeup that day. You still need to cleanse your skin of the dust, grime and natural oils that have built up on your skin!

Sending a big thank you to Kat and Evelyn for tagging me! I'm not going to tag anyone because I'm quite late with this, but if you'd like to do the tag, I'd love to read your answers!

What would your top skincare tip be?

Much love,
MM.
x

Product Review: Maybelline Color Whisper Lip Colour and Swatches.

Hi lovelies,

Apologies for not having blogged for a few days, things have been a bit crazed at work and I've been exhausted! I also pulled a muscle in my back last week so I've been trying to take things easy!

I have a new review to share with you today, and that's of some lovely new lipsticks from the Maybelline range, the Color Whispers! I was fortunate enough to receive the entire range in my Maybelline advent calendar for Christmas in July, and you could probably hear my squeals of joy from a block away!

According to Maybelline, these lip colours are 'lightweight, sheer colour that doesn't cake the lips, the weightless gel formula glides on for a smooth finish'. These are available in eight shades:

25 - Lust for Blush (creamy rose nude)
40 - Orange Attitude (orange)
45 - Who Wore It Red-Er (red - but swatches more like fuchsia)
55 - One Size Fits Pearl (sheer pearl)
60 - Petal Rebel (petal pink)
65 - Pink Possibilities (bright pink)
90 - Oh La Lilac (lilac)
95 - Mad for Magenta (magenta)

The packaging is cute and the transparent cases allow you to see which shade you've picked up; however, some of them are deceptively close in colour so it's quite possible to accidentally pick up the wrong shade!

Maybelline Color Whisper lip colour.

Read more after the jump!

Product Review: Sally Hansen Fuzzy Coat and Swatches.

Hello lovelies,

Textured nails certainly look like they are here to stay; I've shown you several Liquid Sand polishes in the past, and we've also gone through various phases with caviar, glitter and sugar nails...which is why I jumped at the chance to try the latest offering from Sally Hansen - Fuzzy Coat nails!

When I first heard the term 'Fuzzy Coat', I expected them to be similar to velvet nails, just easier to apply (and perhaps a bit more long-wearing). In actuality though, these polishes are more like glitter polishes, except with plastic, matte bar particles to simulate a woolly/fibrous texture, like that of cashmere or mohair!

I was sent three different shades to try; Peach Fuzz (pale yellow and peach bar glitter), Tight Knit (blue and white bar glitter) and Tweedy (black and white bar glitter). What I love most is that the glitter particles are suspended in a clear base, which makes it perfect for layering with different undies (i.e. under different layered polishes, not knickers)! I personally like it when these are layered over contrasting shades. You can still choose to use them on their own for a unique look, but it's hard to reach a fully opaque look so you can still see a bit of visible nail layer underneath.

Prepare for photo overload!

Here is Peach Fuzz on it's lonesome, this seemed to intrigue the guys I work with as I received quite a few comments on my nails (not to mention some awkward patting of my nails)!

Sally Hansen Fuzzy Coat in Peach Fuzz - 3 coats.

Read more after the jump!

Signature Makeup Look.

Hello lovelies,

Happy Wednesday! It's time to show you the latest look I've done for the weekly tag over at Aqeela's blog!

The theme this week was 'signature' makeup look...that really got me thinking. As someone who chops and changes her look quite often, and also often switches between playing up her eyes and lips, it's been a lot harder to 'pin' down my style lately! However, one look I tend to go for when I'm pressed for time is bronzed/gold eyes, liquid liner, a touch of blush and a bold lip (for cheerful colour), so I decided to use that as my inspiration for this look.

Here's what I came up with, it was nice and simple!

Keep reading after the jump!