Clinique Chubby Stick - Review

Clinique Image

I have a soft spot in my heart for Clinique. It was the first high end department store brand that I ever purchased. My first foray into Clinique was the 3-Step skincare system which I am still using 18 months later. I loved it so much I went back to my favourite Clinique counter (Myer Bendigo) a couple of months later and purchased foundation, eyeshadow, mascara, eyeliner well pretty much everything I need to do my make up and proceeded to throw out a lot of my other drugstore products.

I was super excited to see Clinique were releasing Chubby Sticks last year and I could not wait to get my mitts on some. I actually made a special trip to a Clinique counter an hour away to get them (I've said it before, I am a beauty addict). I purchased two that day and have since purchased another four but my Mum nicked one and being a super daughter, I let her keep it so its not shown here.

Chubby Sticks are a lip product I reach for very often. They are a tinted lip balm that I find very moisturising. I get dry lips very easily and there are some days that I can't wear lipstick but I still want colour and shine on my lips.

I love how these apply a nice veil of colour that is moisturising and lasts for a good couple of hours before reapplication is needed. They come packaged in a cute wind up crayon looking tube. This is great because unlike some other gloss sticks, you do not need a sharpener.

I also love that Clinique called them 'Chubby Stick' in a world where skinny is in, I think its great that Clinique weren't afraid to step out of the norm. Plus I think the name is cute. :-)

The shades I have in order of left to right in the photo above are:

• 02 Whole Lotta Honey - a nice nude that is not dark on the lips
• 04 Mega Melon - a brown, pink that is slightly coral on the lips
• 05 Chunky Cherry - a bright red that is quite sheer on the lips
• 06 Woppin' Watermelon - a bright pink (my favourite)
• 07 Super Strawberry - a darker pink that looks plumish on the lips

There is eight shades in total but the others are browns and I personally don't wear much brown on my lips. I love my Chubby Sticks and if you don't have one already I suggest you run (and fast) to your nearest counter to get your own!


Availability: Clinique counters, clinique.com.au
Price: AUD$35 for 3g

Do you love Chubby Sticks?

My Nails are Wearing... Revlon & Australis

I chose to use this blue because it reminded me of the blue of the Australian flag. It is a Revlon Top Speed nail enamel in 730 Royal. I applied two coats and I found it dried quite matte and I like my sparkle. I then applied one coat of Australis Crystal Colour Top Coat in Speck-tacular.

I am really happy with how this looks and I have been wearing it for two days with very miminal chipping.

Oops I went Shopping...

I am not ashamed to admit this, I have a problem. A make up addiction. Whenever I go shopping, I subconsciously look for make up. I went grocery shopping today with the family and was very excited to find an Australis make up display cue the happy dance!

I was even more excited to see there was Gift With Purchase (GWP) offer on too! I ended up picking up two nail polishes, nail polish remover, a lipstick and of course the GWP.

The pinky-red nail polish is called Vampy and has little flecks of glitter, it is very pretty. The other nail polish is a clear too coat with 'Holographic Reflective Flakes' and as you should know by know I am all about the glitter, so I am very excited to give this a go. The nail polishes were $7.95 each and I have been impressed by them in the past. I have never used Australis nail polish remover before but I had run out of my other one, so I thought I would try this as its only $4.95 for 150ml.

I also picked up my second Australis Colour Inject Mineral Lipstick. Last time I purchased a bright pink (Flamenco) so this time I went for a more neutral pink. I chose Jive which is a nice pale baby pink - excellent for everyday wear. This was only $12.95 - bargain!

The GWP was a gold glomesh cosmetic bag. Inside the bag is a mini Paparazzi Perfect HD in Poser - a slightly shimmery bronze. The other item is a 45g Le Tan Flawless Legs in Deep Bronze. A nice little gift for purchasing.

Australis is one of my favourite budget  cosmetics brands, the most expensive items are around $20. I have found the quality of all there items to be exceptional for the price. I definitely recommend (if you haven't already) that you check out your closest Australis display.

What is your favourite Australis product? What do you think of Australis?  

Oops I went Shopping...

I made a couple of sneaky eBay purchases last week and they arrived today. I am very happy with my purchases so I thought I would share.

I purchased a Chanel Rogue Allure Velvet lipstick in 36 La Caline. This is a rosy pink with plum undertones. A very pretty muted colour. It is actually a little darker than I would normally go for but I'll give it a go and if I don't like it, my Mum will gladly have it. These retail for $50.00 and I paid $11.50 I already own one and this is definitely genuine.

Now onto the item I just had to have! A Tom Ford eyeshadow quad. This is in the shade 08 Sahara Haze and it is just so beautiful. There is four shades ranging from a shimmery gold to a glittery black. From my light swatching I can already tell these are highly pigmented and buttery soft. A full review will be coming soon once I have had a good play around with it.

This product retails for $100.00 and I paid $48.20 - BARGAIN! I already think this is going to be a favourite.

I purchase items from eBay occasionally. It can be risky because there is so many counterfeit products out there. I have a couple of sellers I trust and buy from. I have purchased a fake item on eBay before but got my money back. My advice is the price is too good, pictures don't show the product properly and if it just doesn't seem right - don't buy. Always pay with Pay Pal when purchasing on eBay.

Do you purchase from eBay? Any bargains you've gotten? Any sellers you recommend?

My Nails are Wearing... Bloom & Essie

I know I only made a 'My Nails are Wearing' post the other day but I had already had that polish on for about 4 days and I decided I needed a change.

I applied two thin coats of Bloom nail polish in The Cassette Society II, this is a charcoal creme colour. I then applied one coat of Essie LuxeEffect nail polish in Shine of the Times. This a pretty flaky glitter. For a top coat I used Essie's 3 Way Glaze. I just have a mini size bottle of this from a set, I actually quite like it and it definitely prolongs the wear of my polish. I think it will run out soon and can't seem to find a full size bottle, so I will need a new top coat.

I love how these nails look. In different light the glitter can look so different. In some lights it is gold, in some green or red or purple. It is really beautiful to look at.

What's on your nails at the moment? Have you used any of these polishes before? Any recommendations for a new top coat?

Lisa Eldridge's Marilyn Monroe Tutorial

Lisa Eldridge is an amazing professional make up artist who posts videos on YouTube. I personally love watching her, she is wonderful in front of the camera and I have watched many of her videos more than once.

Her newest video is just one I had to share. It is a tutorial on Marilyn Monroe and a kind of history lesson is included. I strongly suggest if you are a beauty fan you check out this video it is AMAZING!



I just think this recreation is excellent and by far the best I have ever watched. If you like this video make sure you check out the rest of Lisa's channel and her website.

I can't wait to give this look a go, as I said before it is pretty amazing.

What do you think of the video? Love Lisa like I do?

Oops I went Shopping...

I have been buying beauty products from StrawberryNET for about a year now and never had a problem until my order last week which happened to be my 18th order. I ordered three items and they came in the mail within a week.

However when I opened the parcel I knew instantly that one item was not right. I ordered a Benefit Georgia boxed powder. One that I have been wanting for ages but it is discontinued. So I jumped on it when I saw it on StrawberryNET. I had ordered a Benefit box from them before and it was perfect. Sadly this time the box powder was fake. It was badly constructed, had spelling errors and was just not right.

I emailed StrawberryNET straight away and they replied quickly asking for me to send photos. I sent photos and they replied agreeing it was faulty (but not admitting it was fake). I was offered a replacement or refund. I choose refund and am now waiting for it to arrive in my bank account. As disappointed and angry as I was to receive the product, StrawberryNET's customer service was excellent and quick.

Now onto the other two items in my order:

Some Chanel and Dior!

Dior nail polish in 704 Nirvana. A teal blue that I think will look very nice on my toenails. This is the first Dior nail polish I have purchased, so I hope it's good. Actually maybe it should be bad to stop me from buying any more..

This Chanel eye shadow quad was only $41.00 so I could not resist. This is my first Chanel powder eye shadow  It has four nice complementary neutral shades. I haven't used it yet, it's too pretty! I don't want to ruin it but I know I won't last long before I dig my brush into it!

I have definitely been put off from ordering from StrawberryNET in the future because of the non-genuine product, however their quick and efficient has eased some of my concerns. I think I will order from them again but will be more cautious with which brands and products I order.

Have you ordered from StrawberryNET before? Have you ever had any problems?

My Nails are Wearing... Polished London

I have had a little hiatus from blogging for the last couple of days because my computer got a virus and had to go see the computer doctor. $60 later I no longer have a virus and no harm done to my computer, thankfully. So I now have heaps of blog ideas from the last couple of days, so into it I go!

I painted my nails using one of my new Polished London polishes in the colour Guava. It is very pretty and summery orange-pink. It ended needing three coats but could have gotten away with only two coats. I have had this on my nails for 4 days with minimal chipping. It also applied well and for $7.99 it's excellent value and quality.



Have you tried any Polished London polishes? What colour is on your nails at the moment?

Wanting, Desiring, Needing...

This is post about a few of the things I am really, really wanting at the moment. Some of these items are new to the market and some are just new to me.



Benefit Hervana

This is Benefit's newest boxed powder and I MUST HAVE IT! I love Benefit powders, they are excellent quality and are packaged so cutely. This is described as 'a good karma face powder' and a orchid-blossom colour.

Chanel Spring 2012 Collection

I am so lusting after this collection. It is amazing and the colours are right up my alley. The nail polishes are especially amazing looking and the names! I must have May at the minimum after all it is my birth month. The Blush Horizon de Chanel is also amazing looking and there are some really nice looking lipsticks - Pardis, Charme & Flirt, I'm looking at you!

YSL Spring 2012 Collection

Another collection I am lusting after. More amazing colours and products. There is new Rouge Volupte Perle lipsticks and Volupte Sheer Candy lip balms. These are my absolute favourite lip products so I know I'll be adding some to my collection. There is new gel blushes and two eyeshadow palettes, the Candy Palette shown above is my favourite.

Urban Decay Naked 2 Palette

What can I say? I own the first and love so I need the second. So pretty! Cannot wait until I can get my beauty obsessed hands on it.

Clarisonic Mia

I am new to the Clarisonic brand and have decided that I have to have one in my life. I think the Mia will be best for me at the moment. Now just have to wait for AdoreBeauty to get it back in stock.

Nicki Minaj for OPI Collection

Amazing colours again. MUST HAVE! So pretty and I love Nicki Minaj. The black glitter colour is especially pretty.

Paul and Joe Spring 2012 Kitten Collection

I have never used this brand before but I am a sucker for cute products and I love kitty cats. I must have some of this collection. Just not sure where to buy it from yet.

So that's it, my first edition of 'Wanting, Desiring, Needing..' it is probably not all my wants but the most wanted at the moment. I'll probably do another post like this in the future when I get new wants hehe..

What are your wants at the moment? Do you have any of my wants?

Nude by Nature Complexion Perfection Starter Kit - Review

Nude by Nature image

I probably like many of you have seen countless advertisements on television about Nude by Nature and how great it was. I was definitely interested but very sceptical. It seemed too good to be true. Perfect coverage, natural and didn't cost the earth? Yep I was definitely suss about the claims. Therefore I put off purchasing for over a year. Before Christmas I saw Target had 25% of all Nude by Nature products and I figured it was a perfect time to give it a try. The Complexion Perfection Starter Kit price was originally $59.95 but with the sale I only paid $44.96 - Bargain!

The kit contains:

• Undercover Airbrush Mineral Primer - 30ml
• Natural Mineral Cover for Light Skin Tones - 4g
• Natural Mineral Bronzer - 2g
• Natural Mineral Veil - 2g
• Kabuki Brush

Having pale skin I purchased the kit for Light Skin Tones and I find it is a very good match for my skin tone. I like that the kit contains all that is needed to apply the products - if you are a beginner with make up you don't need any other items.

When applying Nude by Nature, I begin with the primer. I apply a thin layer over my face and allow it to dry. The primer is light cream texture with a nice, fresh citrus smell. It makes the skin smooth, fresh and ready for make up.

I then use the kabuki brush to apply the Natural Mineral Cover. I tap some in to the lid, swirl the kabuki in it, tap the powder into the brush and then buff onto the face. The coverage can range from light to full, depending on the amount you apply. I usually apply a light coverage to most of my face and apply more to areas that need it. I have found that it does not look cakey on the skin - fantastic! It feels very light on the skin and looks very natural. Similar to a 'no make up, make up' look. I find it is perfect for daytime.

The Mineral Finishing Veil is a really nice setting powder. It is very light and silky in texture and doesn't make my skin look cakey or powdery. I have only used the Natural Mineral Bronzer a couple of times. Being pale, I usually avoid bronzer as it can make my skin look dirty. I have found this bronzer to have a light colour when applied and is actually wearable for me. I just need to learn how to apply it properly :).

The Kabuki Brush is very nice, super soft and quite fluffy. I find it perfect for applying the Natural Mineral Cover and the Mineral Finishing Veil. The brush doesn't shed either which is great - no pesky brush hairs left on my face.

The one downside I have found to Nude by Nature is the lasting power. I find after about 6 hours wear it can get a little patchy. Not too noticeably but not the perfect finish I have when first applied. But then 6 hours is pretty good wear especially when it does not have the preservatives in it that other foundations can have.

Overall I really like Nude by Nature and I know I will continue to use it in the future. It is perfect for a light, natural finish and is super easy to apply. I also think that it is quite reasonably priced and a little can go a long way. I suggest if you are wary of Nude by Nature that you pick up one of the starter kits to give it a go. Go on, don't be scared :).



L-R Primer, Mineral Finishing Veil, Kabuki brush.
Natural Mineral Cover, Natural Mineral Bronzer.

Availabilty: Priceline, Target and selected Pharmacies

Price: AUD$59.95

Have you tried Nude by Nature? What do you think of it? Any other mineral make up you think I should try?

BellaBox - January 2012

Today my January BellaBox arrived in the mail. I am quite happy, some of the sample sizes are small but in all my box has 8 different brands. Two products are also full size - excellent! That is a massive variety which I love and they are all very use able products. When I fist opened the box it was pretty much overflowing with items.

The products I received are:

• First Aid Beauty (FAB) - Ultra Repair Cream (5.7g sachet) - RRP $14.95 (70g)
• Pangea Organics - Egyptian Fennel with Grapefruit & Sweet Orange Lip Balm (full size 7g) - RRP $17.95 (7g)
• Soleo Organics - Sunscreen (2 x 3g sachets) - RRP $24.95 (80g)
• Sparoma Organic - Peppermint Point Pulse Roll On (full size 15ml) - RRP $19.95 (15ml)
• J. Del Pozo - Halloween Kiss & Halloween Kiss Sexy Perfume (1 x 1.5ml & 1x 1.2ml) - RRP $59.00 (100ml EDT)
• Violent Lips - Red Glitter Lip Tattoo (1 piece) - RRP $14.95 (pack of 3)
• Herban Essentials - Lemon Towelette (1 wipe) - RRP $17.50 (pack of 20)
• Qi Tea - Gingko & Detox (1 x each) - RRP not listed  

Overall I am pretty happy with this box. It's not as exciting as last months box, but it is still use able. The only make up item is the lip tattoo but I am pretty excited about giving it a try. The perfume smells nice, lip balms are always handy and the roll on will hopefully help me out when I'm stressed.

Overall another good box from BellaBox and I am looking forward to giving everything a go.

Details: BellaBox is a monthly subscription service that is $15.00 per month.

My Nails are Wearing... Essie

Wow three posts in one day! I am on a roll, hehe =]. I could not resist painting my nails. My new nail polishes were sitting on my desk teasing me and I just had to use them. So I did. Ha that showed you nail polishes!

I decided I would try out 'Trophy Wife' a gorgeous metallic blue. It is sooo pretty. I applied two coats to achieve full  coverage. The first coat was streaky but the second gave perfect colour. I then applied one coat of Essie '3 Way Glaze' as a topcoat. 'Trophy Wife' is so gorgeous on the nails. I find it bright but somewhat dark. I love it. This was the first time I purchased a full size Essie polish and I was really impressed with the quality. It applied very easily and dryed in a reasonable time.

Will you be adding 'Trophy Wife' to your collection?

Chanel Illusion D'Ombre - Review



Chanel Image



'This intensely shimmering long-wear eyeshadow offers true versatility. An innovative gel texture that is both soft and cushiony allows it to be worn as eyeshadow or eyeliner. Includes a specially designed shadow/liner brush, developed specifically for this unique formula.' - Chanel.com

Illusion D'Ombre were released as part of the Chanel Fall 2011 collection. There are currently six different shades available. They are

• 81 Fantasme - white silvery shimmer
• 82 Emerveille - peachy, brown champagne
• 83 Illusoire - purple grey
• 84 Epatant - green silver
• 85 Mirifique - black with glitter
• 86 Ebloui - red brown

Each shade comes in a 4g glass pot with an included brush. The packaging is quite stylish with the Chanel 'CC' embossed on the lid.

I currently own two shades; Emerveille and Illusoire. These shadows have an almost strange texture. They are quite spongy to the touch. They are quite thick and feel like a cream. I find these to be highly pigmented with excellent colour payoff. 

 They are quite easy to apply with either your fingers or a brush. Depending on the brush it can be hard to pick up product. I usually apply onto my eyelids with my fingers first and then use a brush to finish off the look.

These shadows dry into a powder like finish. I have found they last all day (around 10 hours) without creasing, fading or smudging. I do not use a primer under these.

Depending on the look you are going for you can apply these quite sheerly or more intensely. I find you can apply just one colour and achieve a really nice smokey eye. When applying you can wait for the shadow to dry and then apply another layer on the same shadow or even a powder shadow.

These shadows could be considered expensive but I believe they are worth the price. For the price you get quite a lot of product and it will last some time. I know, personally that I can't wait to get to a Chanel counter (not til March.. boo) to buy more. Chanel really has a winning product here.

Swatched in natural daylight

Availability: Chanel Beauty Counters
Price: AUD$48.00 each

Do you own any Illusion D'Ombre's? What do you think of them? Do you want to purchase them? Any products you recommend I check out at the Chanel counter?

Oops I went Shopping...

Late Wednesday I placed an order with one of my favourite Australian online shopping websites Adore Beauty. They are currently having a large clearance sale and I was eyeing off some Essie nail polishes. I ended up ordering three and they each cost only $13.26 - BARGAIN!

L-R: Luxe Effects As Gold as it Gets, Luxe Effects Shine of the Times, Trophy Wife



I purchase two polishes from the Luxe Effects collection. 'As Gold as it Gets' which is a gold, glittery-flakie top coat. 'Shine of the Times' is a shimmery, pearly top coat. Both will look beautiful and I can't wait to give them a try.

I also purchase one polish from the New Years Eve Metallic collection. I chose 'Trophy Wife' a beautiful, dark turquoise blue. I think this colour is perfect for summer.



Two free samples and a choccie!

I recommend to anyone who is into online shopping to check out Adore Beauty, if you haven't already. It is a great site, well laid out with many fabulous brands to purchase. Orders placed before 1pm Monday - Friday will be shipped that day, otherwise it will be posted the next business day. Adore Beauty is located in Melbourne and all my orders have been received the day after they were posted, which is super fast and great for impatient people like me. My parcels have always been well packaged with bubble wrap and packing peanuts. The shipping costs are very reasonable - $5.95 for standard postage in Australia. As a bonus each order comes with two free sample and a chocolate bar (yummy).

Make sure you look out for these polishes in a future 'My Nails are Wearing...' post.

What have you purchased recently? Have you ordered from Adore Beauty before?

ILoveThisBox - January 2012

My January ILoveThisBox arrived today and I am very happy. I like this box even more than the last. It has a great Australia Day theme and there is 5, yes FIVE full size products. How awesome is that? Very generous I must say.

The box has yellow tissue paper, green stuffing stuff and a cute love heart Australia flag sticker holding it all in. As always the box is pretty and reusable. I received my tracking number email yesterday and it arrived today - excellent!

The products I recieved are;

• ILoveThisBox - Angular Eye Shadow Brush RRP$19.95
• Linden Leaves - Ginseng and Orange Blossom Shower Creme RRP$11.95
• Olive by Langlois - Strawberry Lip Balm RRP$7.95
• Revlon - Nail Polish 007 Sheer Blossom RRP$13.95
• Revlon - Luxurious Color Kohl Eyeliner 01 Black Truffle RRP$23.95



Overall I am very happy with this box, I will use all the products included. I know it is a second box with a lip balm but I always need more - I have horribly dry lips! I am definitely looking forward to next months box now.

Details: ILoveThisBox is a monthly subscription sample service that is $14.95 a month.

Oops I went Shopping...

Okay I'll admit it, I am a shop-a-holic! I am not afraid to admit it since after all it is true..

Today my Mum, Nan and myself went to Ararat which is about one and a half hours from Donald. Ararat is nice country town that has quite a few nice shops and isn't really a small town. We had a lovely lunch at 'The Lounge' if you are at Ararat make sure you go there! I will definitely be going back especially because I want to check out J Ward, the prison for the criminally insane - my type of thing!

As always I got distracted by the make up displays. I hadn't purchased any make up in about a week, so I needed a fix. I was pretty good though and limited myself (not including the online shopping I did when I got home.. hehe!).

At a Chemist I purchased a Max Factor Elixir lipstick in 629 Magenta Divine. This lipstick is quite sheer which makes the brighter shade very wearable. I don't think it is really Magenta though, on the lips it is more coral - very summery. First impressions are it is quite smooth and creamy feeling.

I purchased two nail polishes by Polished London. These are 3-free and only cost $7.99! Amazing, I had to get some for that price. The orange-pink is called Guava and the yellow is called Piccadilly. I can't wait to try these out, they will appear in a 'My Nails are Wearing' post soon.

I also picked up a cheapie white eye liner from Target, I have been wanting to try one for a while. When I saw it was only $3.00 I thought I may as well give it a try.

Target also had Lindt chocolate reduced and I am as well as a shop-a-holic I'm a choc-a-holic, I couldn't resist.

Here's another fact about me, I collect soft toy frogs. I have 35+ and when I saw this little cutie in a toy shop. I had to have him!

I am thinking of making these posts a regular thing, if anyone is interested. I love checking out what others have purchased, so let me know what you think..

My Nails are Wearing... Chanel & Ozotic

I hadn't painted my nails since Christmas (no, I haven't had the same polish on that long!) and decided it was time to make them look pretty! I applied two coats of Chanel nail colour in 483 Vendetta, a deep metallic purple. I then decided that this was not glittery enough and added Ozotic nail colour in 530 over the top. This is a glitter polish in a clear base, depending on the light the glitter looks gold, red or purple.

I then applied Essie top coat to seal in the sparkles! I love having sparkly nails, I just love looking at them in different lights and seeing different colours. Chanel nail colours are $39 and available from Chanel beauty counters. I am unsure of the price and availability of Ozotic polishes as this one came in Decembers BellaBox.

I am thinking of trying to do a weekly "My Nails are Wearing.." post, what do you think?