Sparkle and Rose

Hiatus

noreply@blogger.com (alina) — Wed, 18 Sep 2013 04:00:00 +0000

Hello beauty lovers,

Unfortunately, I have some bad news. Rose/Sabrina and I are busy dealing with the stress of finishing university (finally!), organising our graduations, holidays and starting our first big girl jobs. This has obviously led to a decrease in posts on the blog and we have regrettably decided to stop beauty blogging for the foreseeable future.

Thanks so much, it was a great year!

x Sparkle/Alina

Review: Lancome Hypnose (waterproof) Mascara

noreply@blogger.com (alina) — Wed, 11 Sep 2013 04:00:00 +0000

Today's review comes to you thanks to the daily sales at Strawberrynet. Picked this up at 50% off because I've loved Lancome mascaras for a few years now (especially Virtuose) but heard great things about Hypnose so thought I'd give this a go. Review after the jump!

Lancome Hypnose Waterproof Mascara in 01 Noir

Packaging: As expected from a high end brand like Lancome, it has classic, gorgeous black packaging.

Brush: Natural bristles great at catching and separating each eyelash. Only difficulty (especially since I'm used to the curved shape of Virtuose) is that product collects on the tip easily and it's difficult to get to the lashes on the inner and outer corner without them clumping, but just a minor pet peeve.

Formula: Great lightwear formula, makes lashes much longer without clumping, adds some volume however can easily be layered for a more dramatic effect. Biggest pro of all Lancome mascaras in my experience is that no matter how heavy handed you are, it doesn't weigh down curled eyelashes (a big deal for a girl with dead flat eyelashes naturally!).

Longevity: AMAZEBALLS. no joke. It will not move for anything, ideal for a post-apocalyptic setting. A bit of a pitfall for me however as I've found that removing it at the end of the day to be a large pain (even with my favourite Bioderma Micellar Water) and I inevitably lose eyelashes due to the trauma so I'm keeping this for special occasions.

Hope you all enjoyed this review,

x Sparkle/Alina

Manicure Monday: Blooming into Spring!

noreply@blogger.com (alina) — Mon, 02 Sep 2013 04:00:00 +0000

It's the second day of September and that means I start clearing out all the depressing dark colours and make way for the pastels and brights of spring!

First up for testing was this new China Glaze Polish that I picked up on my holiday to the Philippines (the markup on nail polish in Australia is ridiculous) in the shade 77004. It's a beautiful creamy pink and it's already making me crave for the warmer weather!

Happy Spring Everyone!

x Alina/Sparkle

Review: Bourjois Chocolate Bronzer

noreply@blogger.com (alina) — Wed, 28 Aug 2013 04:00:00 +0000

Hello beauty lovers,

Today I'm reviewing a product that isn't actually available in Australia (as far as I know) but has been raved about in online blogging/vlogging beauty circles which prompted me to purchase it on ASOS (also because it's far cheaper). The Bourjois Delice de Poudre "Chocolate bronzer" in Shade 52.

Full review after the jump!

Packaging: I love the book-like packagaing, easily opens/closes with magnets so I know it's protected if I take it travelling. Also a big fan of the actual bronzer imprinting to look like chocolate blocks.

Scent: lovely mild chocolate perfume, wish I could lick it!

Colour: good matte bronze ideal for darker skin tones (I bought the darker shade 52), does not look muddy at all and despite it mentioning shimmer and you can see it in the pan, my face doesn't show up any of the sparkle which is what I like in a bronzer (especially if you plan on using it for some contouring).

Overall: Very happy with my new purchase, it will be my new go-to bronzer and for such a low price ~$9AUD, it's a great find!

x Sparkle/Alina

Review: Philosophy Hope In A Jar Moisturiser

noreply@blogger.com (alina) — Wed, 21 Aug 2013 04:00:00 +0000

Hey everyone,

Here's a review on my new favourite night moisturiser from philosophy: hope in a jar.

Click the jump for more detail!

Packaging:

Very simple, classic packaging. I quite like the red (disposable) box that it comes in...but that being said I like anything sparkly.

Consistency/Formulation:

Thin creamy texture in the jar. Settles onto the face like any other moisturiser however doesn't completely absorb, making it more ideal for night time.

The downfall it has appeared is that the product that collects on the lid seems to separate into a much thicker product and then the liquid drips out into the grooves of the twist top. Bit of a pain at first but after using up the product on the lid and making sure the jar was always upright, it wasn't a further issue.

Smell:

Horrible. I absolutely despise the smell. Great thing is that I could only smell it on the first couple tries, after that it seemed to disappear (not that it's not there, I can smell it when I apply it, but it just doesn't seem to linger).

Ideal skin type:

This claims to be great for all skin types, I can't comment for everyone but I have oily skin so I generally like my moisturisers to be very lightweight to avoid any breakouts and especially for under my makeup during the day otherwise I feel like I'm battling against oil all day long. This one makes my skin feel quite soft and moisturised, however doesn't feel like it has a residue or blocking my pores. It hasn't made me break out which is a definite plus! I do however feel like it's a bit heavy to wear underneath my makeup so I'm using this at nighttime only.

Overall:
I really like this moisturiser, I feel like it's doing a better job than my previous moisturiser that was very light and once I got past the smell I've been really enjoying using it.

Have a go for yourself!

x Sparkle/Alina

Beauty Haul Post!

noreply@blogger.com (alina) — Mon, 19 Aug 2013 04:00:00 +0000

Quick update post as I didn't do my nails over the weekend (OH MY GOD what has my life become?!).

Priceline in Australia is running a sale at the moment on Maybelline products for 50% off RRP and as such I rushed in...only to find that the rest of Perth had the same idea. Here's what I bought...limited only by the fact that the 3 stores I went into had run out of most products by that point. All of the Maybelline products in the post have been either personally tested by myself (and obviously loved!) or heavily recommended by other beauty bloggers. A sneaky Rimmel nail polish and new product from Veet caught my eye and made it into the post as well!

List of products:
Maybelline The Falsies Volume Express Mascara in 280 Blackest Black
Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Eraser Dark Circles Treatment Concealer in 130 Medium
Maybelline Color Show Nail Lacquer in 350 Blue Freeze
Rimmel London Salon Pro (by Kate Moss) Nail Varnish in 361 Acid House
Maybelline Color Tattoo Metal 24hr Cream Eyeshadow in 55 Inked in Pink and 70 Barely Branded

The boldest lips - Black lipstick [FOTD Friday]

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 15 Aug 2013 23:30:00 +0000

I have had a fascination for black lipstick ever since I was 14. Our Yr 9 social was themed "Shock Me" and I certainly shocked - not only with black lipstick used all over my lips but also for the huge black satanic pentagon drawn upon my forehead. Ahh, the things we do as teenagers.

Anyway, I haven't seem to have completely outgrown black lipstick. I bought a Barry M black lipstick a while ago and decided it was too severe to wear with black hair, however it might have a new lease on life with my pink hair! What do you think?

What I used on my face:

Face: Illamasqua Blush - Ambition
Brows: MAC Espresso with an angled brush
Eyes: Stila Black All Day Waterproof Eyeliner, Lorac Pro Palette - Taupe, Espresso, Sable, Lt Pink
Lips: Barry M Lip Paint in 37 - Black, lined with MAC Powerpoint Eyepencil in Engraved

Want an eye closeup or perhaps an goofy outtake?

At first, I thought perhaps that a more subtle eye would allow the lips to shine, but I found that this look needs severe brows and eyes in order for the face to look balanced on my face! The brows were much more filled than usual, and I used black liner instead of the usual brown.

Whats going on with my hair?

I decided to see what would happen if I washed my hair with my leftover Fudge Clean Blonde Purple Shampoo, which gives it this wonderful purple tint and got rid of some the yellowy tones.

I've been using LUSH Retread as a conditioner with some hair dye mixed in to refresh the colour - small amounts of Special Effects Cupcake Pink, Atomic Pink and Special Effects Toner.

Looking super classy with a laundry basket and suitcase in the background.

What I'm wearing:

Diamante Cat ears headband & Catface tshirt from Hot Topic, necklace from Ebay (see this post).

I will say this: Black lipstick makes your teeth look super white! Haha.

Until next time,

♥ Rose

Manicure Monday: Sequins Part II

noreply@blogger.com (alina) — Mon, 12 Aug 2013 04:00:00 +0000

Hello lovelies!

This mani monday is to show off the second of my new limited edition Maybelline Sequins polishes in 825 Rose Bling. I absolutely love this colour and decided to pair it up with a black undercoat inspired by Sab/Rose's new interest in Pastel Goth! Unfortunately I'm still me and therefore have to incorporate sparkles, so predictable!

Thoughts?

x Sparkle/Alina

Getting spiritual: Pastel Goth / Nu Goth Accessories

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 08 Aug 2013 23:30:00 +0000

Here's some of accessories I am absolutely in loooove with that I've recently acquired (for pastel goth / nu goth / pastel grunge / whatever that's called):

1. Nebula Galaxy Stars Heart Necklace - Nerdy Little Secrets (Etsy)
2. Purple creepy cute cross earrings - Raras Jewels (Etsy)
3. Cross charm necklace - Onestoreonline (Ebay)
(Scarf underneath from Love Couture 2 years ago?)

It's not really like me to jump on popular trends but this is a look that really resonates with me. I love galaxies, things with cats on, cross motifs, rose headbands / wreaths, studs, black / sheer black clothes, patterned stockings... stocking up on this trend so I can continue to wear it into the future, even when the pastel goth movement is dead and gone! If people think I am a dork, that's totally not my problem :D

Not sure what the hell pastel goth / nu goth is?
I found this tumblr article that explains it pretty well: Pastel Bomb on tumblr
Or even just browse tumblr: #pastel goth on tumblr

♥ Rose

Manicure Monday - Sea-quins

noreply@blogger.com (alina) — Mon, 05 Aug 2013 04:00:00 +0000

This mani-monday is brought to you by a new limited edition Maybelline Color Show in the shade Sea-Quins 820.

It's a gorgeous super sparkly glitter turquoise polish. It achieved almost opacity with 2 thick coats and I love the effect...I can tell that it's going to be a total bitch to remove as with all glitter polishes. But fun for now!

Have a wonderful week!

x Sparkle/Alina

FOTD Friday: Pink hair, pink lips

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 01 Aug 2013 23:00:00 +0000

After a long hiatus I am back & my hair is now pink :D My hair was originally almost white blonde at the top before I dyed it, then I used equal amounts of Special Effects Atomic Pink and Special Effects Cupcake pink mixed with a loooooot of conditioner to get this colour! A little uneven (as most home jobs are) but I am extremely pleased with the result considering :D

Here's my every day look with a Forever New wreath I picked up at the end of last summer for $5. Obsessed with wreaths at the moment... and I'm loving the whole Pastel Goth look! You may see more pastel-goth-type items appearing around my face as I slowly sink into this trend. Where were you when I was 16, pastel goth?!? No matter, I'll jump on it now!

Things I used for this look:

Face: Illamasqua Satin Primer, Illamasqua Powder Foundation in 200, Tarte Tipsy blush
Brows: Lorac Pro Palette - Taupe
Eyes:

Primer: Too Faced Shadow Insurance
Inner corner & Tearduct: Lorac Pro Palette - Champagne
Crease: Lorac Pro Palette - Taupe
Outer corner & Lower lash line: Lorac Pro Palette - Sable
Lids: Lightly washed in MAC Expensive Pink

Liner: Stila Liquid Eyeliner in Brown, Tightlined with MAC Engraved pencil
Lips: Revlon Lip Butter Lollipop

Follow me after the jump if you want to see the eye makeup closer up!

Closeup on the eye if you're curious:

Hope you enjoyed this post, here's a gratuitous selfy to finish:

I was going to review the Lorac Pro Palette but I am just too lazy so I'll just write my opinion of it here in one sentence: The neutral colours are highly usable, love that half the colours are half matte / half sparkle, I use it almost every day!

♥ Rose

Manicure Monday: Holiday Edition

noreply@blogger.com (alina) — Mon, 15 Jul 2013 04:00:00 +0000

Hello beauty lovers,

Sorry about the recent lack of posts, I've been on a 2 week holiday to the Philippines and Sab has been snowed under with uni and other commitments. Here's a quick post to ease us back into the swing of things...

Now this isn't a review but I had my nails done while I was in the philippines (MULTIPLE TIMES...GOD IT'S SO CHEAP!) and I took a photo of my favourite ones. It was amazing how quickly the manicurist did this nail art and it looks so professional!

I'm now committed to figuring out how to do this myself (possibly only on 1 hand...my non-dominant hand dexterity is shocking!). Look out for that in the future!

Hope you're all suffering through winter okay (or if you're in the northern hemisphere...enjoying the sunshine!).

x Sparkle/Alina

Review: Rimmel Lasting Finish Matte Lipstick

noreply@blogger.com (alina) — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 04:00:00 +0000

photo courtesy of becomegorgeous.com

Hi beauty lovers,

Here's part 3 in my recent lipstick haul review. I unintentionally bought this lipstick being instantly attracted to the vampy plum colour from Rimmel's new Kate Moss collection without realising I had something very similar at home already (which also cost a lot more!), so I've found myself a great dupe!

Read on for more details...

Also a quick note just to let you guys know that our "real lives" are catching up with us a bit, what with assessments and job applications etc so the posts may be a little light but we'll try our best to keep up with at least one new post a week. Apologies for the apparent slackness! I hope you'll all be understanding (or alternatively not care/notice at all!).

I've put the two lipsticks side by side and as you can tell, the colour is almost identical between Rimmel Lasting Finish Matte in 107 and Too Faced Drop Dead Red. The difference however is the finish, with Rimmel quite a matte velvety effect while the Too Faced is much more moisturising and high shine.

Full review:

Packaging: for a low-end drug store lipstick, I think the packaging is quite simple and classy. Decide for yourself the pictures are above.

Colour: as seen in swatches above. Dark blue-toned red, highly pigmented.

Formulation: Velvety matte formulation, may not be great for very dry lips (can apply a lip balm under/over). smells mildly sweet and like berries.

Longevity: Long lasting stain however easily smudges so lip liner is a must (such as Rimmel Lasting Finish 1000 Kisses lip contouring pencil in 061 Wine - perfectly colour matched). Also wears out after meals so re-application every few hours just to keep it looking pristine

Price: $11.95 (super affordable!)

Overall: Very impressed with this quite inexpensive lipstick (as I have been with all of my other Kate Moss lipsticks in the past). Will definitely go back for some more in the future!

Have any of you tried the Kate Moss Lasting Finish Lipsticks? What did you think?

x Sparkle/Alina

Review: Rimmel Apocalips Lip Lacquer

noreply@blogger.com (alina) — Wed, 12 Jun 2013 04:00:00 +0000

Hello beauty lovers, this is next in my recent haul of lip products over the past few months, the yet to be released in Australia Rimmel Apocalips Lip Gloss/Lacquer.

I bought 2 on asos.com a few months back after such rave reviews from bloggers/vloggers such as Fleurdeforce and I had to share my thoughts even though I'm yet to actually wear these lip colours in public!

Review after the jump!

Packaging: Kind of looks like a cheap plastic jewel effect but for something that you can buy from the drugstore/high street/priceline, and certainly for the price tag, it's not terrible.

Applicator: Novel wand with a little pool in the middle of the sponge tip to allow more product (which is absolutely not necessary, half a swipe and you've got more than enough for complete opaque coverage).

Smell: Not it's selling point, the scent is quite chemical/paint-like. Fortunately, it's not very strong and doesn't last long.

Formulation: Creamy and moisturising. Somewhere between matte and glossy. Very pigmented and long lasting wear.

Colour range: considering I did not have access to the actual product or any testers within Australia I relied on online swatches to indicate what the colours might look like, unfortunately it seems I have chosen poorly as the 2 colours while swatched above look relatively normal, on my face with my skin colour and lip colour, they looked far too out of place for me to possibly consider wearing them regularly (or even for a special occassion). They're incredibly bright and fun colours but I think that they're just not me. People with paler skin tones may find them more flattering. Or maybe just the rest of the colour range is better, I don't know.

Longevity: wears well throughout the day, reapplication needed after a messy meal.

Overall:

Love the texture and colour intensity however wasn't overly impressed by the colour choices available online. Would be very keen to test them out once they (if ever) arrive to our Aussie shores!

Have any of you tried them? What did you think?

x Sparkle/Alina

FOTD Friday: Quick work face

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 07 Jun 2013 00:30:00 +0000

I don't like to spend hours on my face before going for work. So here's one version of a quick face that I do when I can be bothered putting makeup on at all:

When in a rush, my primary concerns are: Defining the eyes (darken around eyes) and giving a bit of life to the face (blush)

Eyes: Toofaced Shadow Insurance primer, MAC Cork (crease) & MAC Espresso (around edges of eyes and underneath)
Face: Illamasqua Satin primer and Illamasqua Powder foundation #200
Cheeks: Illamasqua Powder blusher - Ambition
Lips: Light light wash of NYX Fig with Illamasqua Sheer Lipgloss - Divine

It can look like a bit much around the eyes for everyday wear but you really need the extra smokey brownness when you wear glasses:

I'm getting sick of blonde hair! I think it'll be time to trade it in for another colour soon. The colour of my eyebrows bothers me especially but the blonde mascaras I have bought from Dollywink are just so weird.

Anyway - hope you liked, adios!

♥ Sabrina / Rose

Update: Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Lip Stains

noreply@blogger.com (alina) — Wed, 05 Jun 2013 04:00:00 +0000

Hello! In the coming weeks I've got a bunch of lip reviews I've been saving up so here comes the first in the series!!

So as it turns out I was an unintentional big fan of this product that I first tried in december of last year...so much so that I now have 5! Thought I'd do an updated swatch and review. See below!

Colours: great colour range (if you like pink). The photos don't really do them justice, they're quite intense especially smitten and sweetheart while the lighter colours are a bit more muted.

Lasting Power: fantastic, the darker colours last much longer than the lighter ones but an average of 5-6 hours

Formulation: mildly moisturising, at first smells minty but doesn't last long

Packaging: cute and reminds me of the famous Clinique Chubby Sticks

Hope you've all tried these by now and if not, give it a go, definitely a big recommendation!

x Sparkle/Alina

NYX Round Lipstick Reviews: Chaos, Electra, Eros, Femme, Fig and Frappucino

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 30 May 2013 23:00:00 +0000

The last haul of NYX included these 6 lipsticks - I wanted a mix of red (chaos, electra, eros), coral (femme), pink (fig) and nude (frappucino).

Price
These lipsticks retail for $4 USD on the NYX website, but you can get them cheaper if you hunt around on the web. I get all my NYX cosmetics from Joy's cosmetics on Ebay, she has great prices and has never gotten an order wrong from me. I ordered a lot of 6 NYX Round Lipsticks for under $14 USD which is a total steal!

See the swatches after the jump!

Pigmentation
Quite highly pigmented, one swipe is enough to cover the lips opaquely. All the colours I purchased here were very opaque but some round lipsticks are far more sheer! If you're choosing colours other than the ones I have reviewed here, make sure you google around for blogger reviews to double-check what the pigmentation is like.

Swatches from one swipe of the lippy!

Texture & application
Smooth, creamy moisturising texture. Applies smoothly, so smoothly I have to be careful not to apply it too haphazardly fast or I end up drawing outside my lip line accidentally. Which I did below with Eros.

Longevity
NYX Round lipsticks wear off easily over a day and wouldn't stay on during a meal, it's super cheap lipstick so keep some in your bag with a little mirror to keep reapplying. These have pretty poor staying power compared with top end brands like MAC and Illamasqua, but those lipsticks cost ~ ten times as much! I've found that NYX round lipsticks do not stain your lips, which can be a pro (easy to remove) or a con (requires more re-application).

Colour

Frappucino - Nude. The perfect nude lip for me, but slightly more brown than my natural lip.
Fig - Blue-toned pastel pink. Would be good with pink blush for a cute look!
Femme - Eye-popping pink-coral. Not quite right for my skin colouring but could work with a bronzed look.
Eros - Bright, very close to true red but warm, toward orange-red.
Electra - Bright true red. Would make a versatile statement lip, should suit almost anyone.
Chaos - Bright berry red (cool / blue-toned). Has been my favourite NYX lipstick for a long time. Lost it, so I was re-buying. Whenever I wear this, I always get compliments and questions about where to buy it!

Note: There's very little difference between the red lipsticks Eros, Electra and Chaos however, depending on the outfit I am wearing, one may match better. More warm-toned outfits would match with Eros better. More cool-toned outfits would match with Chaos better. Electra should go with either!

Tip for purchasing lipstick online
Before I buy any lipstick online, I ALWAYS google for swatches of the lipsticks on beauty blogs. I usually google the brand of lipstick + name of the lipstick + "review" + "asian", because I want to see what it looks like on a girl who has similar colouring to me. This is especially important for purchases like NYX Lipsticks where there are no counters to try them on in Australia.

Which NYX lipsticks do you like best out of this lot?
Do you own any NYX round lipsticks you'd recommend? :)

♥ Sabrina / Rose

P.S.: The last huge order I did from Joy's cosmetics included these lipsticks, 2 blushes and a highlighter and I got sent a free lip gloss! I don't usually buy glosses so I was super excited to get one. Here's the one I received, NYX lip gloss in True Red (no lipstick underneath):

"True Red" is actually a little blue toned!

Would look great over NYX Round lipstick Chaos, if I wanted some extra shine!

Manicure Monday - Luxurious Lace

noreply@blogger.com (alina) — Mon, 27 May 2013 04:00:00 +0000

Another awesome find in the Priceline 50% off sales...stick on nail polish. I've never tried them before but I've had many friends and family recommend them over messy polish (which coincidentally I spilt on the carpet and am now struggling to clean up!). I loved this lace effect but on every nail seems a bit much so here's my first try with stick-on polish with my accent ring finger nail. PS. this isn't a review but it was super simple to do and really quick (if you're often in a rush or don't like waiting for 3 layers of polish to dry completely).

x Alina/Sparkle

Shocking Pink Lippie Review: Illamasqua - Eurydice

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 21 May 2013 23:30:00 +0000

When I stepped into the colourful, edgy corner of makeup in Illamasqua in Bourke St Myer, the hot pink Eurydice was the lipstick I gravitated to. It's described on the website as "Bright fuchsia pink, matte finish" lipstick.

Price - $25, you can get it at Illamasqua in person, from Myer online or ASOS!

See more after the jump!

Pigmentation
Illamasqua lipsticks are renowned for their opaque coverage and Eurydice is no exception. It has amazing colour payoff and it looks even more eyepopping when you line your lips with a hot pink liner first, eg. Illamasqua's Medium Liner in Manic :D If you wanted to tone it down, you could apply it lightly and finish with a gloss to get a light wash of pink but that's not my style.

Texture
As with most matte lipsticks with amazing hold, the tradeoff is texture. The texture of the lipstick is slightly drying. I would strongly advise moisturising / using a lipscrub before applying. It doesn't really cause the lines in the lips to show from a distance though, it just feels a little dry - although I do have dry lips to start with, the more moist-lipped of you out there probably won't have this problem.

Longevity
Absolutely amazing staying power. I ate a salad, tapas & churros with this lipstick on and only the very inside of the lipstick wore off but the outside was still intact and it slightly stains the lips. If you eat carefully, you should be able to wear this lipstick through MOST meals without needing too much touchup, especially foods that aren't oily and don't touch your lips much. I was just struggling to eat a salad without getting the dressing all over my face like an idiot. Salads are just difficult like that.

Application
I would recommend applying this lipstick with a brush, Illamasqua lipsticks are unfortunately also renowned for coming off their tube base and going a little wonky so I'd recommend not putting too much sideways pressure on the lipstick by applying directly from the tube to the lips. A brush is also great to get more precise lines.

Illamasqua Eurydice a dupe for NARS Schiap?

I have been slightly obsessed with the hot pink lipstick NARS Schiap ever since I saw Steph include it in a fashion collage on her blog. Illamasqua's Eurydice is very close in colour to NARS Schiap, they're both a slightly blue-undertoned hot pink but Schiap appears to be a subtle bit darker. However, Illamasqua lipsticks are cheaper, have better staying power, are more matte and are more highly pigmented - so I'm very happy with my brand diversion from a NARS craving to an Illamasqua purchase :D

If you want to see a swatch of both lipsticks so you can see the similarity in colour for yourself, check out this blog post

Because you really needed to see another photo of my face in this post.

Looking forward to purchasing more Illamasqua lipsticks in future! I've got my eye on the matte purple Illamasqua ESP but it's completely impractical. Ahh, the power of novelty.

Are you loving or hating the hot pink lip trend?

♥ Sabrina / Rose

Manicure Monday - Sally Hansen

noreply@blogger.com (alina) — Mon, 20 May 2013 05:19:00 +0000

I've never really paid much attention to Sally Hansen nail colours previously but after a 50% sale at Priceline I thought I'd give a couple a go, and I'm glad I did. These are likely to become some of my favourite polishes, the apply well and have good staying power.

The two shades I bought were:

Sally Hansen - Hard As Nails Xtreme Wear Nail Color in 4860-90 Brick Wall
Sally Hansen - Lustre Shine Nail Color in 007 Scarab

Though the photos make them look much brighter and lighter than they look in person, the red is more of a maroon and one of my favourite colours this winter! Now my next project is to find the perfect emerald green polish!

x Sparkle/Alina

Does Lip Balm Help or Hinder Dry Lips?

noreply@blogger.com (alina) — Fri, 17 May 2013 04:00:00 +0000

This is a contentious issue which Sabrina and I were discussing a few months back, it seems that some people almost become "addicted" to lip balms (I know I have one for each handbag). Being nerdy med students, we wondered if it was psychological or if possibly the old wives tales about Vaseline drying out your lips were true. Here's what my google search (highly reputable source...high level evidence base I assure you) found.

Ingredients found to be drying: eucalyptus, camphor, phenol and menthol, alcohol and salicylic acid - according to 2 american dermatologists

Ingredients related to acne breakouts/clog pores: petroleum

Slightly unrelated note: Better to use wind up products rather than pots due to bacteria/hygiene issues

Unfortunately most brands contain some kind of mixture of these ingredients or alternatively, people are often strongly against artificial ingredients so there is no real quick easy fix or brand that is number 1. It might just be worth giving the ingredients list a little browse next time you're looking for a new lip balm and considering what might be drying out your lips and why you may be reapplying every 15 minutes.

Biggest factor: staying hydrated, requiring more regular lip balm may be the first sign that you're dehydrated and drinking more water will naturally heal your otherwise balm-resistant dry & cracked lips...and even better, it's free!

As far as the psychological issue is concerned...I don't believe there has been any formal research but as long as you're not ingesting too much of the stuff or getting obsessive-compulsive over it, applying a non-drying lip balm regularly can't be bad for you, go on, your lips will love it!

What do you guys think?

x Alina/Sparkle

Review: Bioderma (Miracle) Micellar Water

noreply@blogger.com (alina) — Mon, 13 May 2013 04:00:00 +0000

Hello everyone,

So this product has been sweeping the beauty community for the past couple years as the new "it" product! All the way from France, the Bioderma Crealine/Sensibio Micellaire/Micellar Water is claimed to be the bestcleansing makeup remover for sensitive skin. It claims to have no impurities and can even remove waterproof makeup. Retailing at over $50 AUD it had better live up to it's expectations! Here's my take on this cult favourite...

Packaging:
- It's nothing mindblowing but it's simple, shows the contents and provides you with all the information that you need

Consistency
- Literally the consistency of water. It is clear, colourless and odourless.

Functionality
- Unlike what bloggers seem to say about this product, it's not really a "Miracle Water" as such, it is a great functional makeup remover but it doesn't just remove everything in 1 swipe, it'll still take some soaking in to remove waterproof mascara/eyeliner.
- Apparently fantastic for sensitive skin (according to other bloggers) - however I have oily skin which is not particularly sensitive so I can't comment for myself.

Residue
- The real advantage for me is that this doesn't leave a nasty oily residue like some other makeup removers. I personally prefer to wash and cleanse my face at the end of the day and then remove the leftover eye makeup with a cotton pad and some makeup remover. Other products often leave a residue which requires me to wash my face again, a very tedious and annoying process. With Bioderma, it's just swipe and off to bed!

Value
- Bioderma if you live outside of France is definitely not in the "affordable" category. I luckily bought the large 500mL version online for $30 but I've seen it rarely in stores in Australia for over $50. If you're doing a big order or have some friends interested, it might even be worth doing a large shipment directly from Bioderma in Paris but otherwise, I'll have to put it into the "not for now" category until I have a more stable income or it becomes more affordable in the Southern Hemisphere.
(some cheaper online sites include sasa.com and strawberrynet.com - often sold under Sensibio which is the same as Crealine but sold to non-European countries)

Overall
This is a great residue-free makeup remover that I'd buy if I had cash to blow, and I would definitely recommend it to someone with a lot of issues with sensitive skin or always wants "the best".

Have any of you tried it or something similar??

x Alina/Sparkle

FOTD Friday: Illamasqua makeover & haul

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 09 May 2013 23:30:00 +0000

Illamasqua is the only makeup brand in Australia to price their makeup products the same as overseas, so I just had to drop by while I was in Melbourne! I found out that you can do a "makeover" for $50 and redeem it on product (two products will easily get you to $50) so I was sold!

When I visited the Myer Melbourne CBD store, Rebecca did this look for me - unfortunately the eyeshadow had creased by the time I got back to the hotel 2-3 hours later and there's some migration under the eye, but the foundation is wonderfully flawless!! Love how it feels on my skin as well :)

List of Illamasqua products used and eye closeup after the jump...

Here's a closeup of the creasing, I don't have a lot of luck with cream eyeshadows, maybe it's just one of those things... a pity because I LOVE the eyeshadow palette colours, but I didn't want a product that would need maintenance every few hours. I haven't seen any other reviews of the palettes complain about creasing so I wonder whether a good primer would fix that problem :/

Here is a list of the products used on my face (all Illamasqua):

Face: Satin primer, Liquid foundation #9 and Powder foundation #200
Contour: Powder blusher - Disobey (I think)
Highlight: Powder eyeshadow - Stealth, Loose metallic pigment - Furore, Medium pencil - Vow (on browbone only)
Eyes: Medium pencil - Vow (as a base). Colours: Paranormal palette - pink (lid wash), purple (crease), green (tearduct)
Eyeliner - Black pencil - Sophie
Lashes: Masquara - Raven
Cheeks: Cream blusher - Brazen (very light hand)
Brows: Eyebrow Cake - Motto
Lips: Lipstick - Scandal, Sheer Lipgloss - Divine

I've bolded the items I bought above and I purchased a handful extra things:

Lipstick - Eurydice (eye popping pink, LOVE IT)
Medium pencil - Manic (going to use it as a pink lip liner)
Powder blusher - Ambition (very natural neutral blusher with the tiniest shimmer)
Blusher Brush 1 (for powder foundation application)

I didn't quite mean to buy this many things, but I fell in love with the high pigmentation of the blushes & lipsticks and the finely-milled quality of the foundation, which gives such a smooth finish to the skin. Will review most of these in due course, let me know if there's any product you're more interested in - I'll prioritise it :)

♥ Sabrina / Rose

If I could only have... Lipstick?

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 07 May 2013 23:00:00 +0000

If I could only have one piece of makeup... it might possibly be lipstick! I absolutely love my bright red lipsticks - it gives the impression that my whole face is more polished with a quick, easy swipe - see below:

Bright lipstick isn't for everyone but with my newishly blonde hair, red lippy really balances out my face - without, I kinda look like a floating pair of eyes (which, I suppose, is not entirely bad). I ran out of time this morning to try adding lipstick to cheeks, but I'm sure it would have looked good.

Want to know which lipstick I am wearing? Follow me after the jump!

I LOOOOVE this colour - MAC Red, I acquired it on my US trip - I got a mini haul of MAC stuff as it is so much cheaper over there! I believe this one cost me $16 USD and MAC lipstick it retails here for $36 AUD, which is more than twice the price :( MAC Ruby Woo is next on my red lipstick agenda...

What do you think, could lipstick be the only makeup you leave the house wearing?
What are your favourite bright lipsticks? :)

♥ Sabrina / Rose

Previous "If I could only have..." posts:

- If I could only have... Blush

- If I could only have... Brow pencil

- If I could only have... Liquid eyeliner

- If I could only have... Mascara

- If I could only have... BB cream

- If I could only have... Eyeshadow

Manicure Mondays - Geometric Colours

noreply@blogger.com (alina) — Mon, 06 May 2013 04:01:00 +0000

Today's Manicure Monday was the result of a very uneventful night where I watched endless bad romcoms and painted my nails different colours and then drew geometric prints on them. That's totally normal right?!

If you want the tutorial, click below!

You will need:

- 5 different colours - brights or pastels, the choice is yours

- Top Coat

- A white pen or alternatively white nail polish and a nail art tool OR kebab stick

- a steady hand (and ideally be ambidextrous)

To recreate this look:
1. Paint each nail a different colour, do at least 2 coats to make the colours really opaque
2. Wait for the nail polish to dry COMPLETELY. This takes patients people!
3. Make sure it's completely dry, can't stress this enough
4. Using your chosen white implement draw straight lines in different patterns on each fingernail. Ideally 3-4 lines on each
5. Wait for the white polish or pen ink to dry completely (check with the pad of your thumb)
6. Coat with clear top coat to ensure the pattern doesn't come off with wear (and that the polish lasts as long as possible).

Voila! All done, that wasn't so hard was it? Well at least with your dominant hand...the trick is making the other hand look good too...I'm not even going to show you what mine looks like!

Hope you're all having a wonderful monday, if you get a chance to give this a try, post a picture below or email us at sparkleandrose@gmail.com and we'll post it up!

x Alina/Sparkle