JORD Fieldcrest Watch in Maple Review!

Hi lovelies,

A few weeks ago, I was contacted by the lovely people at JORD to ask if I was interested in receiving one of their beautiful hand-crafted watches for consideration. Now, I'd been stalking following them over on Instagram for a while now, so naturally, my answer was a resounding YES, PLEASE! Quite frankly, I'm surprised they didn't hear my scream of enthusiasm all the way over in the U.S.! I picked the Fieldcrest watch in Maple because the classic, yet stylish design really appealed to me and the blond shade of the wood is versatile enough to go with most outfits.

In case you aren't familiar with JORD, they're based in the U.S. and have a range of beautiful wood watches, all made from sustainably sourced wood. These aren't just eye-catching, statement timepieces, but they are also incredibly light and comfortable to wear, particularly when it comes to the larger designs. The only drawback is that the wood grain does require a little more care with handling than your standard plastic and metal, so I wouldn't take this to the gym or the beach. The watches are considered to be splash-proof, but it's best to reduce exposure to water as it could affect the internal mechanical movement as well as the wood strap. Maintenance of the delicate wood grain is best achieved with rubbing the strap with some lemon or orange oil applied to a soft cotton cloth. The FAQ section on the JORD website also advises that wood can develop a natural patina over time, so you can choose to coat it with beeswax, butcher block oil or walnut oil to maintain the original finish.

Free international delivery is included in the price of the watch, and it took less than a week for the watch to reach me in Melbourne, which I found quite impressive. The watch was wrapped around a soft cushion and packaged in a beautiful wood grained slide-top box, as you can see in the photo below. Each watch is usually personally pre-sized according to the measurement chart on the website, however I measured mine a little too snugly, so the included extra links were something I was grateful to receive. I simply took it to a jeweler and asked them to increase the size by one extra link. There was also a warranty card included.

As you can see, the wooden theme is carried through the entire package with a little tag also made of wood attached! I quite like that added detail, it adds a lovely touch.

The stainless-steel butterfly clasp is quite sturdy, and most importantly, it's easy enough to manage single handed. You simply fold the wood together over the clasp and press down to snap it shut, and there are two push buttons on each side of the clasp that you push to release when you wish to take the watch off.

Here are some details on the watch as taken from the website. You can also visit their FAQ section for more information.

scratch-resistant mineral glass
deployment buckle with push buttons
case width: 39mm
case thickness: 11mm
lug ends: 49mm
band thickness: 20mm
band length: 195mm

I'm someone who loves wearing watches, and this has rapidly become a favourite in my collection! I love how lightweight and comfortable it is to wear, especially in the warmer months, and the unique wood finish has gotten me lots of compliments every time I've worn it!

Don't you think this watch is gorgeous, beauties? I've already got my eye on the Maple and Rose Gold watch from the Sidney series, it's such a stunning watch! Which one takes your fancy? You can view the whole range here.

It's almost Christmas, so if you've forgotten someone important, this might be a great way to make up for it!

Wishing you all a wonderful Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Much love,
MM.
x


Note: This product was kindly provided for editorial consideration. This has not affected my opinion in any way. For more information, please refer to my Disclosure Policy.

Wood Watches by JORD

My New York Beauty Haul!

Hi lovelies!

I'm sorry for the absence of late...2015 has been such a topsy turvy year for me and it's been hard to keep up a consistent blog schedule without a regular routine! Hopefully 2016 will be more consistent so I can get back to my regular blogging routine. Thank you all for bearing with me this whole time and still bothering to read my posts!

In the meantime, I was recently in New York for a whirlwind ten days with a group of friends at the end of November. It was an amazing trip and I really loved New York, I could actually see myself moving there if it wasn't for the extreme cold and the incredibly long flights! It was a bit of a dream come true to be able to see the Big Apple, and naturally, to be able to do a bit of beauty shopping! The exchange rate is a bit of a killer at the moment, but a lot of the prices were still better than what we get in Australia, and also, it was amazing to be able to shop at Sephora. The first time I entered a Sephora, I felt like a kid in a candy store! The sales assistants were incredibly lovely, and so excited when they learned I was a beauty blogger/makeup fanatic from Australia. We spent quite a while excitedly discussing makeup! I even got my makeup done there once. Like all makeup counters, the makeover was redeemable on products purchased so it was good fun and I got to try out a whole bunch of products I had my eye on.

I promised to share photos of my makeup haul, so here it is! I'll apologise in advance for the lack of photo quality, I'm currently in Malaysia without my laptop or any of my blogging paraphernalia, so these flatlays are a bit rough! I stocked up pretty heavily on fragrances as you can't order these through mail forwarding companies due to the hazardous materials restrictions on fragrances and nail polishes.

First up, here are the four Black Friday deals I picked up. Each of these were $10 each. I initially ordered three packs as a trial and had it shipped to the apartment we were staying at, thinking the order would probably get cancelled, but it went through! I ended up returning one of the packs (the Smashbox primer duo pack) as it was a lot smaller than I had initially thought, and then picked up a further two packs in store from the limited stock they still had left.

NEST EDP rollerball trio pack (Verde, Dahlia, Indigo)
Tokyomilk Dark Femme Fatale pack with salted caramel lip balm and mini Tainted Love No. 62 perfume
CLEAN rollerball layering trio pack (Skin, Warm Cotton, Cashmere)
BUXOM Strut Your Stuff trio pack containing a deluxe Full-On Lipstick in Brooklyn, Lip Gloss in Rose Julep and eyeliner in Come Over.

I've always wanted to try the CLEAN and NEST perfumes, plus I adore Tokyomilk products, so I was very excited to pick these packs up for a bargain price.

Keep reading after the jump!

Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector Pressed, Spotlights and The One Brush Review + Swatches (and Giveaway)!!!

Hi lovelies!

Boy, do I have a fun treat in store for all of you! I've officially been running this blog for about 4 years now, so thank you all for sticking with me through everything. In keeping with tradition, I've got a review of some fab goodies, and then a blogiversary GIVEAWAY to share!

I've been obsessed with the Becca Shimmering Skin Perfectors since I tried the pressed highlighter in Opal (reviewed here), so I was thrilled when I was given the opportunity to trial the pressed highlighters in Moonstone and Topaz...as well as the Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector Spotlights (a trio of mini cream highlighters in shades Opal, Pearl and Champagne Gold). Champagne Pop is the collaboration shade that Becca released in conjunction with popular YouTube Guru Jaclyn Hill (which I bought as soon as it hit the market), so I thought I'd include swatches of that shade too.

Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector Pressed in Moonstone, Champagne Pop, Opal and Topaz, and Spotlights in Opal, Pearl and Champagne Gold.

I was also provided with the Becca The One Perfecting brush, a multitasking makeup brush that's supposed to be perfect for applying everything, including primer, foundation, highlighter and contour! Read on to see what I thought of these products...and then enter the giveaway that the lovely people at Ry.com.au were kind enough to provide for my readers to help celebrate the blog birthday!

Keep reading after the jump!

Halloween 2015 Nails!

Hi lovelies,

I do apologise for the lack of posts on the blog lately...somehow time has just gotten away from me! I promise to do better, and I have something very exciting coming up in the next couple of days...so do keep an eye out for it!

In the meantime, I couldn't let Halloween pass by without doing my nails in a simple look I'll call an arty take on your typical Halloween shades. I chose Revlon ColorStay Gel Envy colours in Hot Hand (orange) and BlackJack (black), using this technique described here.

 
Keep reading after the jump!

August 2015 (Birthday Box) Lust Have It Review!

Hi lovelies!

In case you've been avidly following my blog and are wondering where the July LHI review went...I'm afraid I ran out of time to write it before the birthday box showed up. *shamefaced look* (read why here). The August box marks LHI's birthday, so it's extra special! Here's what I received in my August box:

Red Carpet Kolour Body Glow in Medium (full sized)

Reed Orange and Poppy Seed Scrub (full sized)

Mellow Cosmetics Baked Eyeshadow in Olive (fill sized)

Mellow Cosmetics Mineral Auto Twist Liner in Navy (full sized)

Ulta3 Volume & Length Mascara (full sized)

All in all, with five full sized products in this month's box/bag, I think it's great value, and has a fun selection of products too! Let's take a look at some photos.

August 2015 Lust Have It Box.

Keep reading after the jump!

M.A.C. Haute Dogs Collection Review.

Hi lovelies,

This post was meant to go live late last week, but I've been busy battling a few things that haven't left much energy for blogging! My credit card was compromised while traveling interstate so I lost almost $3k to scammers, I'm still in the process of trying to sort out a dispute with my bank. I also had a guy in a hire van hit my parked car a couple of weeks ago, so I've been busy trying to sort out car insurance/car repairs...and then my shower sprung a leak and I didn't have hot water, and naturally it had to happen over a weekend so I couldn't get it fixed until the Monday! There were also a few other niggling little issues that happened in between, so it's been a bit eventful of late!

Anyhow, without further ado, did you know that M.A.C. came up with a cute collection called Haute Dogs, which launched in Australia on the 7th of September? I thought it was the most adorable thing ever, and as a dog lover, I was thrilled to receive a few products to play with! The Haute Dogs Collection is from the Mineralize range, there are baked eyeshadow quads, fluidline liners, nail lacquers, lipsticks, lip pencils, lip glasses and brow pencils, as well as several face products and brushes. I think the cover photo is really interesting, don't you?

Image sourced from M.A.C. Cosmetics Australia.

I was fortunate enough to be sent two eyeshadow quads, Posh Pedigree and Pure Bred, as well as a nude lipstick in Rare Breed. A word of warning, this is going to be a very photo-heavy post!

There are a total of three quads in this collection, and I received Pure Bred, which is a collection of brown/plum shades, and Posh Pedigree, which is a collection of taupes/greys. Both quads are gorgeous and I'm hard pressed to pick a favourite. Rare Breed is a pretty rosy nude brown lipstick.

Keep reading after the jump!

Eye of Horus Babylon Brown Liquid Define and Nile Dual Brow Perfect Review.

Hi lovelies,

I apologise for being a bit quiet on the blog over the past couple of weeks. A friend of mine got married interstate and so a few of us made the trip out, it was such a gorgeous wedding!

Anyhow, I wanted to share a gorgeous parcel I received from one of my favourite beauty brands, Eye of Horus Cosmetics (you can read my review of their eye pencils here). They sent me a pack containing two beautiful necklaces, as well as two of their recently released products; the Babylon Brown liquid define (liquid eyeliner) and the Nile Dual Brow Perfect (dark brown pencil and brow gel).

Now, if you know me at all, you'll know that I never leave home without having my brows done and eyeliner on. I also have an obsession with liquid liner, so I was really excited to try these!

Eye of Horus Goddess Pack.

Keep reading after the jump!

July 2015 US Haul.

Hi lovelies!

I have a US shopping haul to share! I'd bought a few little bits and bobs over the past couple of months and just left it at my parcel forwarder until I was ready to ship it, as it works out cheaper to ship in mass. I also picked up a couple of things for a few friends so everything is pictured in the first photo below, but the rest of this post will be on everything I purchased for myself.

Here's the combined haul, and yes, we picked up four Becca x Jaclyn Hill Champagne Pop Shimmering Skin Perfector Pressed Highlighters (gosh, that's a mouthful) between us!

The mass haul.

Now, here's everything that I picked up for myself.

Coastal Scents had a big sale a couple of months ago so I picked up 28 eye shadow hot pots for just under $1 USD each. I also picked up an empty eyeshadow palette to store them in. I do have quite a few z-palettes but I prefer palettes which are built to size, as it's much easier to keep clean and just looks a lot nicer. I added a single eyeshadow brush to my order because I like having several base brushes on hand when I'm doing my eye makeup. Shipping to Australia would have been quite pricy for the weight, so I sent it to my parcel forwarding address and stored it there until I was ready to ship a few orders in one consignment.

Coastal Scents hot pots, empty 28 pan palette and  eyeshadow brush.

Some of the shades do look quite similar, but unfortunately that's what happens when you pick shades based on swatches you've googled online! I tried to get a good selection of colours and neutrals. I'm not entirely sure what happened to one of the shadow pans (second from left on the second row) as it looks like it had a good chunk gouged out of it, but luckily, the rest arrived intact.

 
On to the gorgeous Becca x Jaclyn Hill Champagne Pop Highlighter. I love Jaclyn so I really wanted this highlighter shade. I've been totally obsessed with my Becca Highlighter in Opal (reviewed here) since I got it, so I want to collect all the shades that Becca have!

 Becca x Jaclyn Hill Shimmering Skin Perfector Pressed in Champagne Pop.

Aside from the box, there's nothing to differentiate this highlighter from the rest in the Becca shimmering skin perfector pressed range, so you have to flip it over to check the name on the back.

 Becca x Jaclyn Hill Shimmering Skin Perfector Pressed in Champagne Pop.

Overall, though, this is a simply gorgeous shade and I'll have swatches of the different shades in a separate post coming shortly. I have absolutely no regrets buying this!

 Becca x Jaclyn Hill Shimmering Skin Perfector Pressed in Champagne Pop.

Last but not least, I've been longing for several MAC lipstick shades so I picked up these five lipsticks, Steam Heat, Girl About Town, Brick-O-La, Craving and Mehr. I initially purchased Steam Heat from the Limited Edition Wash and Dry Collection when it first launched, but I was fortunate enough to receive the same shade as a PR gift, so I'll either sell this one or keep it as a backup. Swatches and review here, if you'd like to check it out. I absolutely love this collection, the packaging is just so bright and summery!

MAC lipsticks.

MAC lipsticks.

I can't wait to play with my new lovelies, they look so gorgeous!

Let me know if you'd like to see reviews of anything in particular! Here's one last photo of everything I picked up!

What have you hauled recently? Let me know in the comments, I love a good haul!

Much love,
MM.
x

Lancome Tresor Midnight Rose Review.

Hi lovelies,

I have a review on one of my favourite perfumes to share with you today...Tresor Midnight Rose Eau de Parfum by Lancome. I must say that Lancome has a special place in my heart when it comes to perfumes, because my first ever perfume was actually from Lancome. It was gifted to me on my 16th birthday, and while that particular fragrance has long since been discontinued, the long lasting yet subtle scent was one that stayed in my memory for years.

Lancome Tresor Midnight Rose Eau de Parfum.

Midnight Rose was released in 2011, and is part of the Tresor line of fragrances. I would describe it as a fruity, floral perfume with vanilla and woodsy undertones to provide some depth. What I love about the perfume is its subtle sillage, yet the Eau de Parfum formula manages to linger on my skin for hours after application. The bottle is simple, yet classy in design, and adds a touch of beauty to any dresser, with the deep purple at the base graduating to an pale lilac at the top. There is also a pretty purple satin rose on the cap to provide a touch of femininity.

Keep reading after the jump!

Lancome Tresor Midnight Rose Eau de Parfum.

I have a weakness for feminine, sultry and mysterious scents, and this is certainly no exception. I always get plenty of compliments when I wear this, and it's versatile enough to wear both to the office, as well as on special occasions (cough*date nights*cough) when you wish to impress. I've worn this twice in the past week and both times, I've been complimented on my fragrance and asked what I was wearing! I'd say that's a 100% success rate!

I like to layer this on for extra longevity on special occasions, applying the scented lotion directly onto moist skin after my shower, and then applying the perfume to my pulse points for additional impact (you can check out this post I wrote a while ago for extra tips on how to get the most out of your fragrance application). I've found that the best time to purchase both the lotion and the fragrance is in a coffret, as it provides much better value. It's even better if you can manage to pick up the shower gel at the same time.

Lancome Tresor Midnight Rose Eau de Parfum fragrance and body lotion.

I'm actually on my second bottle of this particular fragrance, and as I'm already almost halfway through, I've got my eye on this particular coffret from Active Skin. They also have some other great bargains that I'm finding extremely tempting! Orders above $95 are free, and they offer same day dispatch for orders placed before 2 pm, plus you can redeem points from purchases to be used as discounts against future purchases! Win!

Have you tried this perfume before, lovelies? What are your favourite scents? Let me know in the comments so I can go check them out!

Much love,
MM.
x

Violet Box Build A Box Review.

Hi lovelies!

If you're a regular to my blog, you'll know I'm a huge fan of the Violet Box subscription service. Every now and then, though, VB offer something a bit different, and that's the opportunity to choose your own products from a list on the website. This is known as 'Building Your Own Box' and essentially consists of 2 skincare selections, 2 makeup selections and 2 hair/lifestyle selections.

The website was having some difficulties when I first tried to build my box, due to overwhelming demand, so I ended up just shutting it down and getting back to it at a later time. I did have a bit of a problem with some of my initial picks getting sold out, and then, my order sort of disappeared into the ether and wasn't dispatched until I called Violet Box almost a week later to confirm that my box had been dispatched. Luckily, they were really good about sorting out the error and they were also kind enough to let me substitute one of my original skincare picks with a makeup item that had been dropped from my selection from the original order, so I ended up with 3 makeup items instead. Here's what I chose for my box!

Eyetini Cream Shadow in Spiced Rum (full sized)

Jing Ai Velvet Shine Lip Jewel in Pink A Boo (full sized)

Be a Bombshell Eyeshadow Quad in Madrid (full sized)

Gascoigne and King travel candle in Love Vanilla (full sized - but this is a travel candle)

Hair&Me Hair Rejuvenation Treatment (full sized)

Lon Vitalite Collagen Crystal Eye Mask (deluxe sample)

Everything I received in my Build A Box.
Gascoigne & King Love Vanilla candle, Lon Vitalite eye mask, Hair&Me hair treatment, Eyetini cream shadow, Jing Ai lip crayon and Be A Bombshell eyeshadow quad.

Keep reading after the jump!

Floral Offerings from Fresh Flowers!

Hi lovelies!

Now, you may have gathered this from reading the blog, but, I'm a pretty girly girl. Being a typical girly girl, I absolutely love fresh flowers. There's nothing quite like having a bouquet of flowers around the house to brighten things up and make you feel really feminine, which is why I was absolutely thrilled when I was contacted by Fresh Flowers and offered a bouquet of my choice. Fresh Flowers are located in Sydney but deliver to most major states (Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, Brisbane and Perth), with same day delivery offered if the order is put in before 2 pm!

The bouquet I selected is called 'The Sweetness' and is actually meant to be a congratulatory bouquet, but I simply couldn't resist the pretty pastel pink and white posy, as well as the adorable little teddy bear! Don't worry, I'm very far off from having a child of my own, so that soft toy is going to be mine, all mine! Bear with me, this is going to be a very photo-heavy post!

The Sweetness bouquet is made up of beautiful pink and white carnations, roses and daisies. It comes in a hessian wrapped plastic vase so you don't have to take the bouquet apart to put it in a vase. If I'm completely honest, that was a huge selling point for me as I didn't have to look for an appropriately sized vase. Topping up water is also quite easy, simply use a glass to pour some water in at the top.

Keep reading after the jump!

Eye Allergies/Infections...Symptoms, Causes & Management.

Hi lovelies!

Wow, two posts from me in as many days, we are on a roll this week! I'd like to talk about something a bit different today, eye allergies/infections. The reason this has been on my mind is because a friend of mine recently reacted quite badly to some new makeup, waking up with red, swollen and teary eyes the day after wearing it. In addition, I went over to spend some time with my baby nephews the other day only to find out that they had conjunctivitis (fortunately, I don't seem to have caught it), but it made me think about the possibility of eye allergies and the implications on our beauty regimes.

Symptoms

So, what are the symptoms of eye allergies? You suddenly find your eyes are watering, red, itchy or burning, and you may not even know why. The problem is that the causes are varied and could be one of many things, or even a combination of several things!

Causes

Some common causes include catching an infection from someone else, an allergic reaction to makeup/dust/chemicals; the list is endless. I once picked up an eye infection from excess dust that was in the air as a result of construction work on house next door. What's even more frustrating is that allergies can be triggered from using new products, but can also happen literally overnight from using products that you've used for a long time too. I don't just mean from using products that you've had for a long time (but please do keep an eye on expiration dates and try to throw out what you've had for a while) but also, products that you've repurchased and kept using over an extended period of time. Pay especially close attention to mascara because it's the best breeding ground for bacteria that can then easily get into your eyes and cause an infection.

Management/treatment

Please keep in mind that I'm in no means an expert on the topic, but here are some things that I find beneficial.

1) Always make sure your makeup brushes are clean.
I can't stress enough how important it is to sanitise your makeup brushes, because it's the best way to spread an infection. I know it can be a bit of a pain to constantly wash your brushes but invest in a good cleaning spray (I use the Inglot brush cleanser) to clean between uses and deep clean my brushes every so often.

2) Use a sanitising spray on your makeup every so often.
I give my eyeshadow palettes and lipstick a spray with Isocol every so often. I bought mine from Priceline for just under $10, and decanted it into a cute spray bottle I picked up from Daiso.

Isocol Antiseptic Spray.

3) Switch to spectacles if you have an infection.
If, like me, you're a religious contact lenses wearer, do yourself a favour and stay off the lenses until your eyes have recovered.

4) Use medicated products like allergy eye drops.
I've used the Optrex medicated eye drops in the past to alleviate soreness and soothe my eyes.

If all else fails and your eyes aren't getting any better, please make an appointment to see your doctor! You don't want to suffer for too long and run the risk of damaging your eyes!

Have you had eye allergies/infections lately, lovelies? What do you do when you're faced with one? If you have any tips, please share them in the comments!

Much love,
MM.
x


*This post was written in collaboration with Optrex.

June 2015 Lust Have It Review!

Hi lovelies!

It seemed like it was only a couple of weeks ago that the May Lust Have It arrived, so I was quite surprised when the June LHI arrived late last week! This box looked pretty good, with a good mix of skincare, haircare and makeup. Here's what I received this month:

Teeez Trend Cosmetics lipstick in Classy Caramel (full sized)

NAK Thermal Shield (full sized)

Chapstick Hydration Lock lip balm (full sized)

The Cosmetic Kitchen Peppermint Foot Mask & Wake Up Body Scrub (one each - deluxe samples)

June 2015 Lust Have It Box.

Keep reading after the jump!

Dolce & Gabbana The One Perfume and Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector Pressed in Opal.

Hi lovelies!

I hope you've all been well, and keeping warm this cold winter (if you're The lovely people at Recreate Yourself (Ry.com.au) recently offered me the opportunity to try their website out. I was given the generous opportunity to pick something out and experience their service for myself.

With a generous array of skincare, haircare, perfumes and cosmetics on offer, it was no easy feat trying to decide what to pick, but I went with the Dolce & Gabbana The One EDP Perfume, which I'd always wanted, and the Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector Pressed in Opal, which has been on my wishlist for ages!

Dolce & Gabbana The One perfume and Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector Pressed in Opal.

I picked out my items on a Wednesday, the dispatch email was sent out to me on the Thursday and I received my items the following Monday! I'd say 3 day shipping (business days, that is) for standard shipping to Victoria is really good! I also received two cute little freebies with my order, an ASAP cleansing gel sample and a mini nail file.

Keep reading after the jump!

May 2015 Lust Have It Review!

Hi lovelies,

How are we all keeping now that winter is upon us? Luckily, the contents of my May Lust Have It are perfect for pampering my skin in the colder weather we're currently facing! I'm a little behind with my box reviews thanks to being away for so long and also because the boxes from Lust Have It got a little mixed up...they skipped the April box to get back on track.

So here's what I received in my May box.

Bloom foundation stick in Base One (full sized)

SOAK hair shine shampoo (deluxe sample)
SOAK hair revive conditioner (deluxe sample)
SOAK skin booster body lotion (deluxe sample)

HOLA seaweed moisturising essence (full sized)

NUXE huile prodigieuse body oil (sample)

LONVITALITE 24k active face mask
LONVITALITE 24k active eye mask (one sample each)

I believe Lust Have It have done away with the pink mesh bag from previous months, as the contents now arrive in a cardboard sleeve wrapped with pink tissue paper. It's a bit of a shame as the pink mesh bags were quite cute, and very handy!

May 2015 Lust Have It.

Keep reading after the jump!

M.A.C Wash & Dry Limited Edition Collection - Steam Heat Lipstick and Warm Wash Eyeshadow Palette.

Hi lovelies,

I've totally fallen in love with the M.A.C Limited Edition Collections...they never fail to suck me in with the beautiful new packaging, plus we all know what a weakness I have for those dreaded two words - LIMITED EDITION. I wouldn't say I ordinarily succumb to FOMO (Fear of Missing Out) but it does happen when it comes to makeup, because nothing says regret like that makeup you didn't buy, am I right?!

The new Wash & Dry Collection launched online in Australia last week, but many of the items sold out quite quickly. The good news, however, is that the collection launches in Australian stores today, the 1st of June, so there's still time to run in and get the items you're lusting over.

I was fortunate enough to be sent the lipstick in Steam Heat, a cherry red, and the Warm Wash eyeshadow palette, pictured below. Bear with me, this is going to be a very photo-heavy post as I love the packaging of this collection, it's so cheerfully bright and gorgeous!

M.A.C. Wash & Dry Collection - Warm Wash Eyeshadow Palette and Steam Heat Lipstick.

Keep reading after the jump!

Lush Cosmetics | A review of Yummy Mummy Shower Gel and Body Conditioner and Love You Mum Soap.

Hi lovelies,

The lovely people over at Lush Cosmetics sent me a gorgeous pack a couple of weeks ago, containing several goodies from the limited edition Mother's Day Range. I received the Yummy Mummy Shower Gel and Body Conditioner, Love You Mum Soap, Mother Superior Bubbleroon and Rose Bombshell Bath Bomb.

Lush Cosmetics Goodies.

Aren't they simply gorgeous? What I love about Lush is the products aren't just cute, they are also freshly made by hand, ethically conscious, smell amazing and have the cutest names! I think that's a fair few reasons to love Lush!

Keep reading after the jump!

The Sisterhood of World Tag!

Hi lovelies!

I've got some great news, I'm back in Melbourne! Did you miss me? This means that regular beauty blogging will now resume! To kick things off, I'm going to begin with this cute tag that the lovely Samileen from A Beauty Detour tagged me on. Do check our her blog, it's full of well written posts, great blogging advice and beautiful photos (her account is one of my favourite Insta accounts, too)! Let's hop to this, shall we?

Oh, and if you happen to like the photo above, it's one of my amateur attempts at photography! I've opened a new account on Instagram (called @thepixtress) which you can follow me on for more of the same!

Keep reading after the jump!

Sleek Makeup Blush by 3 Palettes in Sugar and Flame Review & Swatches.

Hi lovelies,

I've got a quick and easy review today for you, and that's on two Blush by 3 palettes called Sugar and Flame from Sleek Makeup. I already own a couple of other shade collections in these blush palettes, together with several blush singles, but I left them all in Melbourne. I picked up these two additions to my collection a few months ago when Luxola had a sale and I really like both, though I'll admit to having a preference for Sugar.

Sleek Blush By 3 palettes in Flame (left) and Sugar (right).

Sleek Blush By 3 palettes in Flame (left) and Sugar (right).

Both palettes are warm toned, with each palette containing 3 matte/shimmer shades in complementary colours (hence the Blush by 3 name).Each trio is housed in a sturdy, slim and compact plastic case which shuts securely and fits neatly into the palm of your hand. Each compact also has a large mirror built into the lid, which I seldom use but still love to see included! The only (slight) complaint I have on the packaging is that it's a little difficult to determine which palette you've picked up without flipping it over to see the name on the bottom.

Keep reading after the jump!

Gerard Cosmetics Lipsticks in Nude, 1995, Fire Engine, Berry Smoothie and Rodeo Drive Review & Swatches.

Hi lovelies!

Oh wow, how time flies! I can't believe it's been six weeks since I last blogged. I'm not sure how time got away from me, but it's been partly because I was housesitting while my parents were away and then I caught a really bad bout of the flu...above all, it's just a little difficult blogging regularly when you're away from your usual set-up. Anyhow, I do feel terrible about it and I promise to do better!

Gerard Cosmetics Lipsticks.

I have some beautiful lipsticks to show you today from Gerard Cosmetics. If you aren't familiar with Gerard Cosmetics, they're a popular American brand that's receiving a lot of airplay with beauty bloggers/Youtubers of late. The 1995 lipstick is probably the most popular shade in the range, as it was a collaboration between world-famous makeup artist/Youtube guru Jaclyn Hill, and the CEO of Gerard Cosmetics, Jennifer Gerard. 1995 is meant to resemble the neutral brick brown lips that the supermodels wore in..you guessed it, 1995!

Keep reading after the jump!

2014 Birthday Haul Part 2 - Sephora US.

Hi lovelies,

Here is the long overdue second haul post I promised (you can see parts 1 and 3 here and here). Before I continue, I’m just going to apologise for the fact that some of the items are permanently out of stock. That’s the problem with blogging about limited edition items, you need to do it ASAP or it’s gone, and I always feel awful blogging about things which are no longer available to purchase.

Everything in this haul was purchased from Sephora, with the exception of that single MAC lipstick. Here’s the photo of everything I picked up in this haul. Be warned, this is going to be very photo heavy!

Keep reading after the jump!

MUA Makeup Academy Undress Your Skin Highlighting Powder in Pink Shimmer Review + Swatches.

Hi lovelies,

I have a quick little review of a pretty highlighting powder from Makeup Academy (MUA) to show you today. If you've been following me for a while, you'll know that I'm a huge MUA fan; I've liked almost everything I've bought from them thus far (more MUA reviews here). They have quite a few sales from time to time, so I like to wait for the specials with free or low shipping to buy. I picked up this highlighter in October when I realised I only brought one highlighter with me to Malaysia.

This highlighter is available in both gold and pink, but I chose pink to try because the Sleek MakeUP highlighter I brought with me was gold. That's a decision I've come to regret, as I wish I'd picked up both shades now!

MUA Makeup Academy Undress Your Skin Highlighting Powder in Pink Shimmer.

It comes packaged in a clear compact which clicks shut quite securely. The compact isn't the most luxe in design. but it's functional and sturdy which is all that matters, really. The highlighter itself is beautiful, with a gorgeous embossed pattern slightly reminiscent of oceanic waves, as you can see from the photo below.

MUA Makeup Academy Undress Your Skin Highlighting Powder in Pink Shimmer.

When I ran my finger across the compact to swatch it, I was surprised at how rough and gritty it felt, but it actually swatches very smoothly on skin, appearing as a cool-toned silvery pink. This powder applies beautifully, giving skin a subtle, luminous radiance when applied with a fluffy brush, though you can also build it up if you want that shimmery look the magazines always seem to have. I use my Real Techniques blusher brush to apply this highlighter, I think it's too bulky to be used for blush but perfect for highlighter.

I love how pigmented this Pink Shimmer shade is, the swatch below is with just one swipe over the pan. It's also great for highlighting the brow bone, and can even be used as an eyeshadow when applied with a damp brush.

MUA Makeup Academy Undress Your Skin Highlighting Powder in Pink Shimmer Swatch (daylight).

Do you like the look of this highlighter, lovelies? A part of me is massively in love just because of how pretty it looks in the palette! This palette is available for £3 from the MUA website, quite a bargain!

Much love,
MM.
x

14 Simple Nail Polish Hacks You Need To Know.

Hello lovelies!

In keeping with my post here, I've decided to get back into the habit of doing more editorials here on The Made Up Maiden. I'd almost forgotten how much fun they are! One thing I get asked for by a lot of readers on my Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and in real life are tips on how I manage to get my manicures and nail art done, so here are some handy tips that I hope you'll find as useful as I do!

More photos of this manicure here.

1) Finding the lid of your favourite polish jammed shut? Hold it under hot water or immerse it in a bowl of hot water to help loosen the lid.

2) This photo from Nailed-It perfectly demonstrates the technique I use when painting my nails. If you follow it well, you'll never have a problem with painting your nails! Remember, practice makes perfect, so if you fail, try and try again!

Keep reading after the jump!

Blue and red stamping fun with the Konad M98 plate.

Hi lovelies,

As you might be able to tell, I ran out of ideas with what to call this manicure. Any suggestions? If so, leave them in the comments, because I'd dearly love to hear it!

I used the double stamping technique for this mani where I stamped over a white polish base with the red Konad polish, and then stamped with the blue Konad polish over the top. I used the same plate design for both sets of stamping, which is the abstract geometric design pictured below. For some reason, it was smudging slightly as it came off the Konad plate, so it's not my neatest work, but let's consider this a work in progress since I've never used the double stamping method before!

Keep reading after the jump! 

2014 Birthday (and Black Friday) Haul Part 3 - Sephora, Tarte & Lorac.

Hi lovelies!

Oh dear, I've been a bad, bad beauty blogger. I was going to write this post on what I received in my third (and last) Birthday and Black Friday haul when I realised...I still hadn't written up the second part!!! It somehow completely slipped my mind!!! Never mind, better late than never, right? I'm happy to write it up and share what I got in my second shipment if you want to see it. Let me know in the comments if you do!

So this haul started off as a few small bits and bobs I got from Sephora, because I was issued with a $25USD VIB gift card. I then decided to add some Black Friday deals from the end of November, as well as some Christmas gifts. Unfortunately, some of the packages showed up in ridiculously large boxes...we're talking about 5 boxes resulting in 12 kgs of volumetric weight when everything could have been repacked into 1 small box resulting in 2.5 kg weight, so I then had to schedule a repack. Unfortunately, it took almost 2 weeks for this to get through, which is why I only received it a few days ago.

Anyway, here is everything I received in this last haul.

Keep reading after the jump!