Straight Locks and Fave Makeup

I had my hair cut two weeks ago (by yet another new hairdresser - sigh. Why can't I find a good one that doesn't cost the earth?) and today was the first chance I had to try my straightener out on the new 'do. It's a Remington Hot Pink and I'd recommend it to anyone who doesn't want to shell out for a GHD. Seriously girls, I have better things to spend my money on.


I've even managed to wave and curl my hair with my Remington, and it has a variable heat setting. I just spray on Schwarzkopf Heidi Klum heat protectant and set it to 200. My hair is medium length and medium thickness, and it doesn't take long at all.

Since my hair was all done up with no place to go on a Thursday night, I figured I'd put on some makeup and take some photos for a blog entry.


My makeup favourites:

Maybelline Moisture Extreme Lipstick (G80 - Sweet Ginger, discontinued)
Australis Fresh & Flawless Pressed Powder (Deep Natural)
CoverGirl Lash Blast Volume Mascara (Very Black)
Clinique Kohl Shaper for Eyes (04 - Black Coffee)
Rimmel Stay Matte foundation (103 - True Ivory)
Rimmel Powder Blush (101 - Pink Sugar)
Kleancolor Eyeshadow (Rainbow Palette)

I love that lipstick so much - it's a perfect shade of pink for me, it has a faint glimmer, it's moisturising, has SPF 15, and it isn't sticky. I tracked down two more sticks on ebay, so I won't run out for a little while, at least. Darn companies discontinuing my favourite.

Kleancolor is really cheap. Really. So I don't use it every day, and it won't last unless I use a primer. Still, there are so many colours in the palette, and they're shimmery! Lash Blast has been my favourite mascara for awhile now. I don't even bother with double coats or curling; it's perfect for daytime. Add a little black-brown liner, and my eyes are set to glam.

If I want extra drama, I use Maybelline EyeStudio black gel liner (not pictured) and a small, angled brush by EcoTools to apply. EcoTools is also my go-to for a foundation brush, which is how I apply my foundation. In the summer, I switch to Maybelline SuperStay liquid foundation (in Sand Beige), which holds up better in the humidity. The Australis powder keeps it all in place, and is a great price.

What beauty products are your favourites? Do you stick to air-dry, blow-dry, or use a styler?

Lilac care package

Just a few days ago, I was looking at someone's nail-art blog, and they had some polishes by Essie. And then... as if she had known I was wishing for a bottle... my sister sent one to me by mail from Canada!


"Lilacism" by Essie (shade 304)

Essie polish is definitely not a one-coat wonder, but the formula's not bad.  I much prefer it with a topcoat, because the finish is very matte.  I don't have many pastels in my collection at the moment, and Lilacism is a lovely shade, though with the blue undertones I wouldn't say it's a true lilac.

Shiny Silver Nails

While I was in Melbourne for a conference in February, I picked up a bottle of polish that was temptingly placed on the counter at the pharmacy. It was red-dot discounted to $5! It is grandly called "Your Majesty" and is shade 239 - an opaque silver - in Rimmel's I Love Lasting Finish range.

Question is, why did I wait so long to try it out? The easy answer is that I've been working and studying for the past six weeks. Other than that, I just wasn't feeling the metallic vibe, I guess. It's a great colour, and it went on quite easily. You could get away with one thick coat but I did two thin coats, with a clear undercoat. I painted my fingers and toes with it, and it looks great! The finish is quite strong in colour, with a faint glimmer. Another blogger says there's a "glitter bomb" when you remove this shade.

I went to a hen's night on Saturday, and painted my nails in the morning before going to work. (Canadians and Americans would say stagette or bachelorette, but the bride-to-be here in Australia dislikes those terms. Hen parties are the standard term in Britain and Australia.) I nearly wore a short lavender dress with silver sequins on it, but changed my mind two hours before the party and went for a little black dress with silver thread on the bodice.

Fortunately the nails worked with my second choice, too, and I think the colour works well on shorter nails, so there's some good news for you ladies who have to type! I really hope the red dot sale doesn't mean this colour is discontinued, because I really like wearing it. My past experience with Rimmel Lasting Finish is 3-4 days before I notice any chips on the tips of my nails.

Strawberry Shopping Surprise

After my first shift at the public library for my practicum, I wandered through a nearby mall. I found strawberry shortcake bubble bath and a 20 SPF lip balm. I was about to leave when a bottle of pink nail polish caught my eye. It was out of place, sitting there all by itself. Rimmel! And pink! Strawberry Fizz, to be precise, and the label said I Love Fruities. Into the shopping basket it went.

I put it on my fingernails last night and found a surprise: it's called "Fruities" because it has a fruity scent when it dries! So today I will have strawberry nails. I wonder how long the scent will last?