End of Spending Ban Celebratory HAUL!

I am extremely happy and proud to say that I successfully completed my six week spending ban. Absolutely no make up was purchased in that time. Woot! I do have some self control. 

I feel my spending ban has taught me think twice before purchasing something. It has taught me to question myself as to if I need something before I purchase it. You may not believe it when you finish reading this post but I was actually quite controlled and there were quite a few things I looked at and didn't purchase. 

CHANEL

Ah Chanel, my old friend. Honestly, I should just walk into the Chanel boutique at Chadstone and just tell them to take my money. The staff in the boutique are absolutely lovely. I actually got served by the same woman who served me in May and she remembered me. Which definitely made me feel special. Sarah was lovely, helpful and just really pleasant to deal with. It makes shopping there a lovely experience. 

I actually made two trips to the Chanel boutique, once on Friday and again on Monday before coming home. I decided I wanted to pick up a couple of extra things whilst I had the chance.

During my first visit, the new Le Blanc Light Revealing Whitening Fluid Foundation was suggested to me. I was told it was very similar to the discontinued Pro Lumiere. I am a foundation fiend and love my Chanel foundations so I had to have it. On my second visit the boutique had only just gotten in a delivery on the CC Cream Complete Correction. They had only gotten four in and I had to have one to try. I also picked up another Les Beiges Healthy Glow Sheer Powder in No.30 for more of a contour/sculpting shade. 

I was very happy to find out that the boutique had gotten in the Fall 2013 collection just days earlier, they didn't even have a proper display set up. The item I was most excited about was the Le Blush Creme De Chanel. On the Friday I purchased two of the shades and wanted a third. I purchased both 62 Presage and 64 Inspiration. I also wanted 65 Affinite but they had already sold out of it. Over the weekend I decided I wanted two other shades so I picked up 63 Revelation and 66 Fantastic. 

Another item from the Fall collection I had to have was the Ombre Essential Soft Touch Eyeshadow in 101 Gri-Gri. I also had to have the Le Vernis Nail Colour in 591 Alchimie which is a gorgeous metallic khaki. On my second visit I purchased two Rouge Coco Hydrating Creme Lip Colours in 49 Liaison and 54 Le Baiser. I was originally only going to purchase one but they were both so pretty I had to have both (I didn't say I had cured my self control problems). 

BURBERRY BEAUTY

I am very pleased to say I received much better service at the Burberry counter this visit to David Jones, compared to the last time. There was someone actually working the counter! 

I picked up the Fresh Glow Luminous Fluid Base like I planned. With the help of the artist at the counter I chose the Sheer Foundation Luminous Fluid Foundation. David Jones had a promotion that you received a free concealer with a foundation purchase, sadly they were out of the shades that would suit me. So instead I got a Eye Brush No.09 Socket Line which is a really nice blending brush. 

For the third time they were out of the Sheer Eye Shadow Eye Enhancer in Pale Barely but No.09 Rosewood caught my eye. I also got a mini Lip Velvet Long Wear Lipstick. Seriously why are mini things so cute?!?

SHU UEMURA

So I originally planned to pick up a foundation at Shu Uemura but since I had already purchased two I decided to skip it for now (see? self control). My control waned when Li Fang showed me the newest collection. I picked up another Rouge Unlimited Supreme Matte Lipstick in M PK 355, a bright coral pink. When I saw the Duo Color Cheek Blush in Sweet Pink, I had to have. 

LAURA MERCIER

I was so unimpressed with the service at the Laura Mercier counter (think snobby & rude) that I only picked up one Illuminating Eye Colour in Earth Glow. 

DIOR 

I originally had planned to only purchase a Diorblush Cheek Creme but I got talked into the matching Dior Vernis by the sales woman. I purchased the cream blush in 971 Pareo and the matching nail polish in 678 Creoles. 

GIORGIO ARMANI

Since I have been loving my Flash Lacquer Crystal Shine Gloss that I purchased in May in a bright pink I decided to pick up a paler shade for everyday wear. I purchased the shade Pink 522. 

CLINIQUE

This is one time I really didn't show any self control whilst shopping. The Chubby Stick Shadow Tint for Eyes are something I have been waiting for ages to hit the Australian market. Naturally I had to pick up the four neutral shades. 

REVLON

Revlon have really upped their Nail Enamel stakes lately. There are some seriously gorgeous shades out at the moment. I picked up 260 Girly, 430 Whimsical and 770 Heavenly. I also purchased a Top Speed Nail Enamel in 902 Celestial FX - it has moon and star shapes in it!

MAYBELLINE

The new releases from Maybelline are something I have been lusting after since my spending ban started. I picked up two of the new Color Tattoo 24HR Metal Eyeshadows, a Mega Plush Volum' Express Mascara and two Color Whisper Lipsticks. 

W7, AUSTRALIS, ULTA3 & FACE OF AUSTRALIA

The Nail Polishes by W7 are ones that I have been seeing pop up on blogs quite a bit lately and I had to have some of the 'spotty' ones. The Australis Colour Inject Mineral Lipstick in Teen Pop is part of a new collection and I had to have this gorgeous bright pink. The Ulta3 Nail Colour in Stop the Press has been getting a lot of press lately (see what I did there?). So naturally my 'fear of missing out' syndrome kicked in and I had to have it. The very pretty packaging shade of the Face of Australia Big Volumising Lash Mascara is what had it added to my basket. 

LUSH

I went a little crazy in Lush. Not being able to go to a store very often had me grabbing everything that took my fancy. I purchased

• Rub Rub Rub Shower Scrub
• Ponche Shower Gel
• Daddy-O Violet Shampoo (OMG it actually smells like violets - I LOVE!)
• Snow Fairy Limited Edition Shower Gel
• Sweetie Pie Shower Jelly
• Honey I Washed the Kids Shower Gel (the 3rd time I have repurchased this)
• Big Sea Salt Shampoo (another repurchase)

I am going to smell seriously good for the next few months!

So there is my celebratory haul for completing my spending ban. A bit of an oxymoron isn't it? Oh well, now onto putting the things I learnt during my spending ban into practice. Like - I don't need to own ALL the make up. 

What have you hauled recently? 

Violet Box - July 2013 & Your Chance to Win a Violet Box! [CLOSED]

I got a bit of a surprise last week when I checked my email to find two dispatch notifications from Australia Post, informing that two items were on their way to me from Violet Box. After last months stellar effort out of the gate, I decided to sign up to Violet Box to give them a chance. Turns out Violet Box sent me another box for consideration for review. Therefore I have two boxes, but more on that later.

The July Violet Box arrived in the same white outer packaging as last month and the a matte black box inside. The difference this time is the box has a magnetic closing flip lid. With a ribbon too which is a nice touch. I like the slight update on the box. It is very sleek and would look lovely stacked up on a shelf.

The July Violet Box contains:

ModelCo Shine Ultra Lip Gloss - $18.00

Great to see a full size make up item first up! However I really am sick of the ModelCo brand popping up in almost every subscription box or on the front of a magazine. I received the shade Strip Tease which is nice peachy nude. I have had two other tubes of this shade before though...

Aphelia Peony 9+5 Advanced Beautifying Eye Creme - 15ml $69.00

Eye cream is something I need to get into the habit of using everyday. I always seem to forget to use one even though it sits there right next to my moisturiser. Anyway this is a decent sized sample - no size given but I think it will last a while. The texture is rich and creamy with a very soft scent. Looking forward to trying this. The info card with it also has a $10 off code for the brands website.

Catalina Geo Long and Deep Mascara - $31.50

A brand I have never heard of but I LOVE mascara. This mascara has a traditional spoolie type wand and is particularily suited to sensitive eyes. Also included is a refill. That seems like a great idea but the same wand has to go into the refill. Germ transfers anyone? Really excited about a full size mascara though!

Adorn Cosmetics Eye Shadows - 1.5g $15.00

More make up!! I received this sample pots of eye shadows in Golden Quartz which is a shimmery, taupe brown (I love) and Coral Pearl which is more of a shimmery, golden beige. Both shadows are very wearable and pretty. My only worry is how messy can these mineral shadows be?

St Tropez Bronzing Mousse - 120ml $39.95

I am sure I have mentioned before how much I hate fake tanners. Seriously! Why can't people just be happy with their natural skin colour? I am pale and proud (ohh new motto)! That said St Tropez is meant to be one of the best fake tanner brands but I'm just not interested in it.

There is my take on the July Violet Box. 

Overall I am happy with it. There is a majority of make up which I love. I am in these sample boxes for the make up! The variety and brands are all good and I look forward to seeing what Violet Box brings in the coming months.

So now onto your chance to win a Violet Box!

Since I have a spare Violet Box, I have decided to give it away to a lovely reader. To win a July Violet box, simply follow the instructions below.

Entry instructions:

• Be a follower of Luxury on the Lips through either GFC or Bloglovin'.
• Leave a comment below letting me know which product in this months Violet Box you would most like to try. 
• Make sure you leave an email address in your comment (so I can contact you if you win) and how you are following Luxury on the Lips. 

This giveaway closes at 8.00 pm on the 2nd August 2013. This giveaway is open internationally. Winner will be notified by email. 

This give away is now CLOSED. The winner is Amy!

*This post contains a product was kindly provided for consideration for review in accordance with my Disclosure Policy. This has not affected my opinion in any way, honesty always.*

Inside My Make Up Bag - A Weekend Away

A weekend away means packing a travel make up bag and I hate doing it. I want to take all my make up away, I hate just picking a couple of things. Which would explain why I always over pack... Anyway here is a peek into my make up bag this trip.

Dermalogica Skinperfect Primer

This is a miniature sized product I recieved from Ry.com.au recently. I have really been enjoying this - it evens out my skin and has SPF 30. The sample size is perfect for travel too.

Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua Foundation

My Holy Grail foundation so it is a no brainer that I travel with it. The bottle is also really travel friendly. 

Cle De Peau Beaute Concealer

Highly pigmented concealer perfect for any redness, spots and under the eyes. Also really good for having in the handbag for touch ups on the go.

Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder in Luminous Light

One of my favourite powders at the moments. I love the glowy radiant look it gives.

Chanel Les Beiges Healthy Glow Sheer Powder in No.10

My other favourite powder at the moment. It really does give a healthy glow.

NYX Blush in Taupe

My favourite contour shade. Really pale? Try this NOW. 

Shu Uemura Glow On Blush in P550 Medium Peach

I always like to take away both a coral and a pink blush. This is a gorgeous silky smooth one. The photo washes the colour out a bit though.

Tarte Amazonian Clay 12-Hour Blush in Fantastic

This is a perfect baby doll pink and I love applying it just on the apples of the cheek. Lasts all day on the cheeks too. 

NARS and God Created the Woman Eye Palette

So I packed this for the pretty neutrals that are a little bit more complex and darker than other neutral palettes I own. 

Tom Ford Cream Color For Eyes in 06 Escapade

Love this gorgeous golden colour for all over the lids. It really brightens the eyes.

Burberry Sheer Eye Shadow in No.21 Midnight Brown

A perfect shade for a blended out simple eye look. Wearing this today and it just look effortlessly Burberry chic.

Chanel Stylo Eyeshadow in 07 Moon River

Another shade perfect for all over the lid. Love this. 

Giorgio Armani Eyes to Kill Mascara

A sample mascara is perfect for travelling. This one really lengthens the lashes but I wish it gave more volume.

Urban Decay 24/7 Glide On Eye Pencil in LSD 

A pretty colour, not sure why I packed it though.

Urban Decay 24/7 Glide On Eye Pencil in Perversion

A deep, dark matte black. Great for blending out. 

Nars Larger Than Life Eye Liner in Via Veneto

So I packed two black eyeliners because Chase's 1st birthday party had a pirate theme so I wore a dark eye liner smoky eye. Therefore I packed two. Very handy since I didn't pack a sharpener either..

Rimmel Scandaleyes Kohl Kajal in 005 Nude

Perfect for the waterline to brighten the eyes. 

Rimmel Scandaleyes Kohl Kjal in 014 Bright Blue

Love this on the lower lash line for a pop of colour.

Benefit Instant Brow Pencil in Medium

A nice waxy brow pencil, love the spoolie on the end too.

Giorgio Armani Flash Lacquer in 523 Pink

Love this lip gloss and purchased another shade at Chadstone, will review soon.

MAC Lipsticks in Angel, Party Parrot & Riri Woo

Angel is a perfect everyday pinky nude. Party Parrot is perfect for a pop of colour. I wore Riri Woo to the pirate party with my smoky eye.

Dior Diorific Lipstick in 040 Marilyn

I think I just packed it as I hadn't used it for a while and the packaging called out to me. 

Essence Lip Liner in 07 Cute Pink

Not sure why I packed this. It doesn't match any of the lipsticks I packed.

Rimmel Lasting Finish 1000 Kisses Lip Liner in 02 Red Dynamite

Packed this for my red lipstick. Wore really well too.

Okay, so there is my travel make up bag. I will have a haul in the next few days. I spent a few hours at Chadstone on Friday but I was actually pretty controlled with my spending. Okay so not really but I was a little bit controlled...

How much make up do you take away with you? Do you over pack like me?

*This post contains a product was kindly provided for consideration for review in accordance with my Disclosure Policy. This has not affected my opinion in any way, honesty always.*

Wanting, Desiring, Needing: Spending Ban Edition

As the end of my spending ban nears, my desire for a bit of a haul is really kicking in. There is less than two days til I hit Chadstone for a bit of a treat if I make it until the end. Therefore I thought it was time to put together a bit of a wish/shopping list. 

BURBERRY 

I am a bit of a foundation fiend and Burberry's foundations are ones that I have been interested in a while. I really like the idea of the velvet one for a more matte finish. The primer from Burberry is also supposed to be amazing. The new summer palettes also look amazing but I think I need to swatch first before I decide to buy. I would be really happy if I could finally pick up the Pale Barley eye shadow. 

CHANEL

How amazing does the model look in the promotional shots for the Fall 2013 Collection? Those smoky eyes and luminous skin looks amazing. I really want to pick up one or two of the new Creme Blushes but am unsure which at this stage. The single eye shadow in Gri-Gri looks amazing and I must have. I must also have the Alchimie nail polish, it is a gorgeous greeny gold. I want to pick up a darker shade of Les Beiges too, probably no.20 or 30.

CLINIQUE

I have been wanting the Chubby Stick Shadow Tints for Eyes since I heard about their release overseas. I am interested in four of the shades the more neutral shades too. Not sure if I will purchase them all but I will definitely be swatching up a storm at the Clinique counter. 

DIOR

The Dior Airflash foundation has been getting some great reviews lately and with the release of new shades, I think it is time for me to try it. I have also read great reviews of the Hydra Life BB Eye Cream and god knows I need serious help for my dark circles. Dior have also released some gorgeous looking cream blushes. No idea which shades I want but I look forward to some swatching. 

LAURA MERCIER

The Folklore collection from Laura Mercier is another amazing looking collection. I love the look of the eye shadows and the bright pink lip crayons. The new baked bronzer/blushes also look interesting.

MAYBELLINE

 

One of the worst things about a spending ban is not being able to pick up new products as they hit the market. Maybelline have brought out a heap of new products lately. I especially want the metallic Color Tattoo shadows in the beige and pink shades. I also want to give the new Mega Plush mascara a try. The Color Whisper lipsticks looks really good but as I have been told they taste horrible I think I will just pick up one at first. 

NARS

Another product I have been hearing great things about is the Radiant Creamy Concealer from Nars. I want, as I said earlier I need all the help I can get for my dark circles. Just an excuse to visit Mecca Cosmetica - which I LOVE.

SHU UEMURA 

As I mentioned above, I am a foundation fiend. I love trying new ones just to find that amazing one. I have heard fantastic things about the Shu Uemura foundations, I am not sure which one will suit me best but I am sure the lovely people at the counter will help me. I will probably buy more than just this though, I have been loving the products I purchased last time. 

What is currently on your wishlist?

BellaBox - July 2013

The July Bella Box has a theme of Luxe Beauty Travel. Hmm, expecting some luxurious products perfect for travelling? Yeah me too...

Honestly? I am pretty unhappy with this months box. You will find out why below.

The July Bella Box contains:

Luxe City Guide - $12.99

I received this for Bangkok which isn't a place I have ever even considered visiting. When I go overseas again the first place I will be going is Paris. Cute idea to tie in with the travel theme but I would imagine the information in this is only valid/relevant for so long. 

Yu-Be Moisturising Skin Cream - 70g $34.95

This is meant to be one of the top selling products in Japan in the last 50 years. It is like a balm so I would imagine it would be quite moistursing but also a little heavy (no good for the face). It also has a very strong fragrance - minty somewhat spicy.

La Fresh Waterproof Make Up Remover Wipes - 18 sachets $16.50

This is one individually wrapped wipe. Yeah just one, not very luxurious. Not very exciting either. It is cruelty free and made with natural ingredients though.

Janesce Softening Refresher Mist - 100ml $31.95

This smells really nice - very much like roses. The bottle is very dodgy though, it doesn't spritz, it just comes out in a stream. Not very refreshing. Also in the information card there is a 3ml sachet of a Softening Wonder Serum. Also - why does your skin need softening?  

Egyptian Magic All Purpose Skin Cream - 118ml $49.00

This is actually a product I have been interested in trying for a while. It is a favourite of Hollywood stars too. It is a tiny 3ml sample sachet though. I hate sachets.

Clear Scalp & Hair Beauty Therapy - 200ml $5.99

I normally like shampoo and conditioner samples but this is not one I have been interested in trying. I looked at it when it first came out and I cannot stand the smell. Far too strong. This is one product that has me really disappointed in Bella Box. You can get this sample for free from Clear when you go to their website here. Really? I had to pay you to send this to me when I could have gotten it for free from the company?!? Bad form there.

Libra Hotties Heat Patches - 2 pack $4.99

Another bonus product according to the information card. This is a heat patch that you can apply to your skin and stay warm for 5-8 hours. A product I actually like the idea of trying. Another one use product though. I am not sure if it has expired though it has a date of 15/4/2013 on the back. Which reminds me, I never received my replacement gloss from last months box...

Model Co Cheek + Lip Tint - 10ml $24.00

Another Model Co product, this brand seems to pop up in a subscription box or the front of a magazine every couple of months. Can't say I have ever been overly impressed by any of their products either. This is a rosy pink stain - think Benefit but thicker. A mini 5ml size. 

So for me this months box was a very 'blah' one. The one product that I saw in other boxes that I actually wanted - Baby Foot, I didn't get. Yeah I know we can't all get what we want but this box doesn't have the value Bella Box has provided in the past and it is just boring. Nothing overly (or at all) exciting. 

What did you think of the July Bella Box?

My Winter Skin Saviour!

A few weeks ago my skin was really feeling the effects of winter. My skin was so dry and felt tight all the time no matter how much moisturiser I lathered on. My foundation was looking flaky and patchy no matter how moisturising it was or which primer I applied. The deeper layers of my skin were calling out for moisture and it was making my skin look dull, flat and yucky. 

I started looking for solutions and Rose Hip Oil was something that kept coming up. I asked around and it seemed it may be my answer. With the myriad of different rose hip oils on the market I asked on Twitter for recommendations and Kosmea was the first one. I also liked the idea that the Kosmea rose hip oil is certified organic. It is not something overly important to me in a product but I do like it when I can use one that is organic. 

Honestly, I am pretty sceptical when it comes to skincare. I don't expect products to be life changing or to actually live up to the hype. But when it comes to Kosmea Rose Hip Oil - BELIEVE THE HYPE! I pretty much feel in love with this product the first time I used it. I applied it and I couldn't believe the instant hydration my skin felt. 

I was always worried that applying an oil to my skin would make it well... oily. That is not the case though. It makes my skin feel hydrated, soft and plump. I feel the moisture sink deep into my skin as the oil is absorbed. The tight, dry feeling is gone from my skin and I feel it looks healthier and brighter than it has in a while. The skin around my nose is no longer dry and yucky looking and I even massage this into my lips when applying it on my face and it is lovely. 

My skin looks radiant and slightly dewy. 

Currently I only use this at night unless my skin is feeling very parched and I will use it very lightly in the morning. I find it keeps my skin feeling hydrated for a good 24 hours and probably longer. I apply about 4-5 drops to my skin and massage in before applying my normal moisturiser over the top. It can make your skin look a little orange when first applied but I find it disappears as it sinks in. 

The Kosmea rose hip oil is a lot thicker than I expected and as I haven't tried any other brands I don't know if this is normal. From what I have read and been told, other brands are both lighter in colour and not as thick in texture. This has a nice deep golden orange colour. 

I was actually surprised by the smell, with the name having rose in it, I kind of expected it to smell like roses. That it does not. It has a kind of 'garden-y' smell. If that makes sense... It is kind of fresh but still woody. Yeah, I was never any good at describing fragrances.

I highly recommend you try a rose hip oil, if you are like me and your skin is suffering from the winter blues. I have fallen deeply in love with this since I started using it about 2 months ago. It is not expensive either I purchased a 42ml bottle from Chemist Warehouse for just under $25 and I am not even half way through the bottle.  

 If you haven't tried it yet, take the plunge. You won't regret it!

Are you a rose hip oil fan? 

What is your favourite way to treat your skin in winter?