1. Which makeup brand stood out to you most in 2012? Drugstore and High End
One thing I love about natural make-up is how affordable it can be. I will mention that cosmetics in Australia are quite expensive and are usually double the price than that in the States. “Drugstore” products here easily hit the $38 mark. Silk  Naturals is a company I was introduced to by the lovely Mary. Silk Naturals is extremely affordable and offer a huge selection of products, both in powder & cream form. So far I have tried some of their eye shadows, blushes, lip glaze and cream brow colour; all of which I’ve really enjoyed and would recommend. The brow cream was something that was constantly in my everyday routine and is much easier to work with than a loose powder. The website is also well set up in the way it allows you to search through eye shadows; by allowing you to search by colour family, finish and whether or not the product is vegan. This is a huge plus, especially with such a large selection to choose from. As for high end, this years make up purchases have been quite budget friendly!

2. Best new discovery of 2012?
Like I said, 2012 wasn’t a huge year for natural makeup, but I did find some staple products. The Silk Naturals Brow Cream was a welcomed find; it may not sound very interesting, but  I always have to fill in my brows and this makes it so easy. Tinted lip products were also a favourite, like the Silk Naturals lip glaze and the Burt’s Bees tinted lip balms. Lily Lolo was a new brand I tried out, while I didn’t fall in love with their foundation, I did really like their blushes.

3. Best re-discovery — A product that you fall in love with over and over again?
This would probably have to be the Everyday Minerals semi-matte base. I love the coverage, finish and colour match. While I do sometimes try out different foundations, this is always the mineral foundation I go back to.  I did try their jojoba base, but the colour was so off. Even though it said it was cool toned, it was quite orange. I am hoping the colour range in the semi-matte base hasn’t change. Another brow product I wanted to mention is the Jane Iredale brow gel. While I mentioned the Silk Naturals brow cream, the JI brow gel was something I had for a while and then decided to try again and I fell in love with it. It is tinted so it makes it so quick and easy. No need for an extra brush & spooly. Brows are filled in, shaped and held in place in seconds, great for when you are in a rush.

4. Best seasonal product 2012? Winter / Spring / Summer / Fall
During the seasons I don’t really change the colours I use, just the formulas. I use cream products more in winter, like the Vapour Organics & Silk Naturals cream blushes. In summer is when I always use mineral foundation & blush rather than liquid or cream. Everyday Minerals & Alima Pure both have great foundations & blushes.

5. Best and worst Limited Edition Collections in 2012? Drugstore and High End
The only time I have ever bought something limited edition was back in 2011 and it was a collection from Alima Pure. It had the most gorgeous eye shadow, which is obviously no longer available. Limited edition collections really don’t catch my eye too much.

6. Most regretted purchase of 2012?
This year wasn’t too bad for products that I didn’t like, I can’t really think of anything I purchased and regretted. 2011 is a different story though.

7. Youtube and beauty highlights 2012?
There are so many amazing natural bloggers and slowly there are becoming more natural YouTubers. It is such a great community to be apart of and I’m so fortunate to have “met” such lovely ladies. I will have to update my favourite bloggers soon, but for YouTubers; iluvjesse444, BeautybyBritanie, Shookanuca, WheatenBeauty1 & Jennifer Wong are all worth watching! As for beauty, it has been more about skin care for  me. Finding really natural products that work, and simplifying my routine.

8. What is your favorite / best video on your own channel?
To be honest I am still not 100% comfortable with making videos. I believe there is lots of room for improvement, plus I really need to learn how to edit my videos well so I can keep up with all the amazing quality vloggers that are around. My most popular video is Everyday Minerals Base Application/ Simple Everyday Makeup.

9. Best recommendation of 2012 from someone else?
Mary & Sarah were really influential bloggers for me. As I mentioned previously, Mary introduced me to Silk Naturals and Sarah sent me the Rawganic Cleansing Balm, which was one of my favourite skin care products for the year.

10. Best makeup tool 2012?
In 2011 this would hands-down have been any brush from Everyday Minerals. Such amazing quality for the price. This year though it would be the much raved about Real Techniques brushes. Stand outs for me were the powder brush, expert face brush & contour brush.

11. What are the products you are excited to try in 2013?
While there are a lot of the more expensive brands I would like to try, this year I think I want to focus more on indie make-up companies. They are so affordable, which is something every uni student likes to here. Some brands I am interested in trying are; The All  Natural Face, Sobe Botanicals, Zosimos Botanicals & Femme Fatale Cosmetics. iluvjesse444, Pure Makeup, Naturalla Beauty & WheatenBeauty1 are all to thank for that.

12. Will you do a Makeup Collection in 2013, or an updated version?
I love seeing these and wish there were more natural ones around. If you are a natural beauty I would love to see a video or blog post on your collection. As for mine, you can watch it here

Thanks again to Brianna for tagging me. Hopefully this was somewhat enjoyable. I think the majority of the natural ladies have already been tagged. Please link me if you have done this tag, I would love to see it!

-Hayley

The post Natural Makeup Highlights of 2012 Tag appeared first on The Flaxen Owl.

I did take a few weeks off work over the holiday period (hopefully you all had a happy and safe holiday/new years). So this little bit of extra time on my hands gives me the chance to make the updates that I wanted.

I think it’s time for a little blog renovation and update. Hopefully within the next couple of weeks, the look of my blog will be updated and hopefully improved. I’m a visual person and can get bored of the same look.  I will also be back with quite a few reviews of products I have been constantly using and enjoying over the last few months. My YouTube channel is also another big focus of mine. I love watching YouTube beauty videos, and like being able to make videos that are rare to find on Youtube.

Speaking of, I have found some amazing natural bloggers/vloggers recently!

I look forward to getting back into the blogging community and hope to keep it up. This year is going to be a busy and stressful one. University will be insanely hectic this year, more so than ever, which frightens me. I have taken on a bigger commitment at my work, I’m not particularly happy about this, but it’s something I have to deal with. I am quite anxious and worried about the work load I will have, mainly because of my lack of motivation and incredible knack for procrastinating. Not only that but my beloved partner will be moving away for work. We recently celebrated our fourth anniversary, I can’t believe how quickly time has gone. He will be living five hours away and doing shift work, so this is another factor to contend with.

This year I hope to manage my time better and focus more on my studies, all while maintaining this blog. Uni doesn’t start until early March, so I will at least be able to maintain this regularly till then!

I hope you guys didn’t mind the little update. I will hopefully start posting shortly and have the little makeover done in the next couple of weeks.

In the mean type you are more than welcome to chat with my on twitter. If you haven’t seen my channel, please go over and have a look, it has been getting updated frequently.

I will leave you with my most recent videos. Hope you are all doing great!

Recent Videos:

Natural Winter Skincare
Natural Hair Care Routine
Natural Summer Skincare

The post An update and a few new videos appeared first on The Flaxen Owl.

Let me know if you have any requests for videos and posts.

Everything from iHerb, use the code DUX508 to get $5 off your first order.

Products mentioned:
Dessert Essence Coconut Shampoo & Conditioner
Blum Naturals Normal Skin Face Wipes
Mineral Fusion Concealer Duo in Cool
Acure Organics Facial Cleansing Creme
Acure Organics Brightening Facial Scrub
Acure Organics Night Cream
Acure Organics Day Cream
Acure Organics Seriously Firming Facial Serum
Acure Organics Eye Cream
Now Solutions 2 in 1 Eye Correcting Cream
Humphrey’s Lilac & Witch Hazel Toner
Acure Organics Cell Stimulating Facial Mask
Isvara Hydrating Cream Facial Mask
Isvara Pumpkin Facial Mask
Acure Organics Leave in Conditioner
Real Techniques Core Collection Brush Set
Real Techniques Lash & Brow Groomer
Real Techniques Blush Brush
Real Techniques Powder Brush
Real Techniques Expert Face Brush

*Products were purchased using my iHerb Rewards.

The post Haul: iHerb Skincare & Makeup Brushes appeared first on The Flaxen Owl.

Around a week ago I received my order from Silk Naturals. I placed an order after talking to Mary on twitter, who recommended some eyeshadows for me to try. She also has a a Silk Naturals post, which you can read here.

What I like about Silk Naturals is their huge variety of products for really affordable prices. I really have to curb my spending this year, so I can’t be spending a lot of money on makeup. It was my last online order for awhile, from now on I can only buy products that I have run out of and need to repurchase (so far that’s mascara and an SPF moisturiser).

I was really surprised to find 6 freebies in my order. I got 3 for spending a certain amount and then they threw in a few extras because their shipping was delayed (even though I still received it in the expected time frame).

They sell a huge array of products, so definitely go browse their site.

Here’s what I bought: (Click to enlarge images)

Top Row: Blur Finishing Powder $11.95, Cream Blush in Candy Apple $4.50, Amplifying Lip Glaze in Pretty Please $4.50, Stick Em Eyeshadow Primer $4.99, Brow Cream in Blond $6.50
Second Row: Blushes in Petal, Stellar, Babydoll, After Glow & Drama ($6.50)
Third Row: Eyeshadows in Envoy, Idolize, Lurid, Eu-Taupe-Ia, Mink, Aubergine ($4.00)  & Cherub Glow (highlighter) sample $1.25
Fourth Row: (All Freebies) Eyeshadows in Specimen, Ion, Bond, Element, Quantum, Catalyst

One great thing about Silk Naturals is that they make dupes of popular makeup products. For example: Afterglow is a dupe for Nars Orgasm  and Petal is a dupe for Benefits Dandelion. There are many more dupes on the site. I don’t have any of the actual items to compare to the dupes, so I can’t say how accurate they are.

Candy Apple Cream Blush (heavy swatch & blended), Amplifying Lip Glaze in Pretty Please, Brow Cream in Blond.

I was really impressed with the cream blush, it glides onto the skin so smoothly and blends really well. Because it’s a true red, I think it mimics the natural colour you get when you blush. I think this is now a new favourite blush because it really compliments my skin tone.

The lip glaze is another product I instantly fell in love with. It reminds me a little of the Alima Pure tinted lip balms, but I think the Alima Pure balms are a little more creamy where the Silk Naturals one has a slightly waxy feel. It gives nice colour payoff and has a nice sheen, so you don’t need lip gloss. It also contains ingredients that have cooling and plumping benefits (you can read about it on their site).

I think the brow cream colour is similar to my Alima Pure brow colour. It works well for my hair colour, lasts well and I really like the flip out container it comes in.

Petal, Stellar, Babydoll, Afterglow, Drama

So far I’ve used Petal and Babydoll. I really loved the look of both of them, Petal is matte and a little more subtle. Babydoll does have a sheen and looks quite intimidating but looks nice on. I wore it during the day and didn’t find it to be too out there. I ended up giving Afterglow to my sister, she has more of a warm skintone, so I think it would suit her better.

Envoy, Idolize, Lurid, Eu-Taupe-Ia, Mink, Aubergine, Cherub Glow

I haven’t had a chance to wear the eyeshadows yet, but I am impressed with the colour payoff and the colours in general. Sadly this photo really doesn’t do the eyeshadows any justice. I will have to do another post when I use them and try get a better photo.

Cherub Glow is a highlighter or ‘skin glow’. I really wish I bought this in full size, because it’s amazing! So beautiful, I did a heavy swatch for the photo, but you can make it more subtle. They also have different coloured glows, so you can get one to suit your skin tone.

 Specimen, Ion, Bond Element, Quantum, Catalyst

I was really grateful for the freebies because I wasn’t expecting them. I did give all of them, except Ion (which is amazing!) to my sister. I  had similar colours and thought some of them would suit her better. As you can tell from the swatch, Quantum has a little less pigmentation then the others, maybe due to it having chunkier glitter.

The blushes and eyeshadows to come in different finishes.

I could keep writing about Silk Naturals, but may leave that for another post. But overall I’m really impressed! Have you tried anything from Silk Naturals?

-Hayley

*Products were purchased by me, except those that were a gift with purchase*

The post Haul/First Impressions: Silk Naturals appeared first on The Flaxen Owl.

Everyday Minerals Semi-Matte Base & Angled Kabuki Brush: I’ve been loving the finish of this foundation, because it’s semi-matte it gives a healthy glow and doesn’t look powdery. The angled kabuki is now my new favourite brush, it’s soft and because it’s large it makes applying the foundation quick. It’s also great for building up coverage.

W3ll People Elitist #87 Eyeshadow & EcoTools Smudge Brush: They eyeshadow isn’t pictured (sorry), but it’s a beautiful satin, taupe. I love using the EcoTools brush to smudge the eyeshadow under my lower lash line.

Burt’s Bees Tinted Lip Balm in Rose: This is great for everyday, gives the lips a healthy colour without being too much.

Burt’s Bees Almond Milk Beeswax Handcreme: This is a rich cream that is great for really dry hands. Would also be good for winter as it leaves a protective barrier. You can read my review here.

Burt’s Bees Citrus Facials Scrub: The perfect amount of exfoliation, not too gentle, not too rough. Smells delicious. Review here.

MooGoo Skin Milk Udder Cream: I’ve been using this as a night time moisturiser. It isn’t heavy or greasy, but leaves my skin feeling soft and smooth in the morning.

Badger Evolving Balm now the Damascus Rose Beauty Balm: Another product I’ve been using as a night time moisturiser. Great for dry skin and the winter months. It’s emollient and soaks into the skin easily.

Burt’s Bees Energizing Citrus and Ginger Root Body Wash: Lathers well, doesn’t dry my skin out and smells like Lemon, Lime & Bitters. Yum.

What have you been loving lately?

-Hayley

*All products were purchased my me. These are my honest opinions, I am not being compensated*

The post Monthly Favourites: January 2012 appeared first on The Flaxen Owl.

Steam Facial: Steam facials are a simple and effective way of giving your skin a great deep down cleansing and detoxing. It helps soften the outer layer of dead skin cells as well as remove toxins, oil and other build up that can occur in the pores. It’s also said that the steam increases circulation which aids in cell renewal, which can speed up the healing process of blemishes. The cleaning out and opening of pores also allows better penetration of the products you use after the facial.

I add a few extra steps to my facial to get maximum benefits, after steam facials my skin is always softer and brighter.

Here’s what you do: (This can all be tailored to suit your skin and what you believe is best for you)
-First you want to thoroughly clean your face and make sure you remove all makeup. I use jojoba oil to make sure I get rid of all traces of makeup and dirt, olive oil also works well. You can use your favourite cleanser.
-Next you want a bowl of hot water, it can be below boiling point. Just place your face over the bowl and cover your head with a towel to make sure you trap the steam in. *It’s important to keep your face a good distance from the water to make sure you don’t scald your face. Water that’s too hot and close can damage your skin and cause broken capillaries. Start from a distance and slowly move closer to the water until you feel you are at a comfortable distance.
-You can add essential oils, herbs or dried flowers to the water. I actually added a herbal tea which contained peppermint, lavender and rose petals. While benefits from doing this are unlikely, it does make for a more relaxing and enjoyable experience. After having a crap day, this was a lovely way to wind down and relax. Great if you want something a little more indulgent.
-I usually steam my face for 10 minutes. Again this is up to you and what you feel is best.
-After 10minutes I wipe my face with a clean cloth.
-Next I apply a thin layer of oils (I don’t rub it in), I used jojoba and avocado oil (again you can use whatever you like).
-I steam my face again for an extra 5 minutes with the oils on. This helps the oils penetrate the skin better.
-After 5 minutes I lightly pat my face with a cloth and then rub the excess oil into my skin. You can always wipe the oil off.
-To finish of the facial splash your face with cold water to close your pores.
*You can use a moisturiser if you feel you need it. Using the oils is usually enough for me.
*You can also exfoliate either before or after the facial.

I’ve been loving this lately, it’s relaxing, softens my skin and leaves it brighter.

Green Clay Mask: This is the cult Indian Healing Clay and apple cider vinegar.
I’ve done a post on this already, so I’ll keep this short. Again this is good for detoxing and bringing impurities to the surface.

-Like the steam facial, thoroughly cleanse your face beforehand. You can even do a quick 5 minute steam before you apply the mask to open up your pores.
-I use ACV because it mixes better with the clay to make a smooth paste. You can also use water if you have sensitive skin.
-Because this is more intense/harsh than the steam facial, I only apply a thin layer to my t-zone when I suffer from blackheads
-I let the mask completely dry. Tailor the time to your skins needs/sensitivity.
-Rinse off with warm water and splash with cold water.
-Apply your favourite moisturiser.

So this is what I do when my skin is dull, congested and needs an extra boost. If you have any favourite masks or at home spa treatments, then let me know

-Hayley

The post Detoxifying Facials at Home appeared first on The Flaxen Owl.

I will review everything once I’ve tried it out.

The post Video Haul: Acure Organics appeared first on The Flaxen Owl.

I used: 
-Quinoa (half a cup of uncooked quinoa for a single serving)
-Grated carrot
-Diced cucumber
-Corn kernels
-Feta cheese
-Fresh oregano, basil and rocket
-Halved cherry tomatoes
-Balsamic vinegar & olive oil for the dressing.

I really liked how the salad turned out, it was the perfect amount for one lunch serving. It was delicious and filling without being heavy, a lovely lunch for a warm summers day.

Let me know if you have any favourite recipes.

-Hayley

The post Quinoa Summer Salad appeared first on The Flaxen Owl.

Here goes:

Rules:
1. Post these rules.
2. You must post 11 random things about yourself.
3. Answer the questions the tagger set for you in their post.
4. Create 11 new questions for the people you tag to answer.
5. Go to their blog and tell them that you’ve tagged them.
6. No stuff in the tagging section about ‘you are tagged if you are reading this.’ blah blah blah, you legitimately have to tag 11 people!

11 Random Things About Me:
1. I have terrible sleeping patterns. I stay up late, wake up at 8am, nap during the day, go to work in the afternoon and do it all over again. I feel tired during the day and wide awake at night.
2. I am somewhat fascinated with bugs and small creatures. Spiders don’t worry me, I like to sit outside and catch moths and feed them to frogs, I like grasshoppers, beetles and stick insects, etc.  My boyfriends family hate anything like that and employ me to get rid of any creepy crawly’s that get into the house.
3. People are often surprised to find out that I’m not overly girly. eg. I like bugs, I enjoy camping, I loved playing in mud as a kid. I was on a school camp throwing around a football with some guys and my teacher was surprised that I was good at it. Seems a little ironic that I have a beauty blog.
4. Pink is my least favourite colour. Green is my favourite.
5. I make this high pitched screech that is horror movie worthy, which either scares or irritates my boyfriend. Either way, he hates it.
6. I’ve never broken a bone *touch wood*.
7. I am horrible at singing, so I compensate by trying to sing even worse. I was at work pretending to be an opera singer and a customer walked into the office, very embarrassing.
8. When I was a kid I loved building cubby houses and pretending to be a spy.
9. I don’t care for cars, but I like watching car shows/movies.
10. I love broccoli and at times eat just a bowl of it for lunch.
11. I have a perpetually runny nose and am well known for always having tissues on me.

11 Questions I had to Answer:
1 Where is your favourite place? Why?
Byron Bay. It’s a tiny costal town in New South Wales, I’ve only been there a couple of times but I love it. It’s a quite, relaxing, hippie type town with amazing scenery and beaches. It’s a great place to go to get away from it all.
A place closer to home, would be my bedroom. It’s decorated with things I love and it’s nice to sit in there while listening to music and burning incense.

2 How do you like to relax?
Being in my room, a cup of tea or sitting outside and watching the wild birds feed.

3 What is your favourite smell?
I love floral scents like jasmine, or the fresh smell after it rains.

4 What are your hobbies?
Probably art, but I go through phases where I paint a lot and then I stop for a while.

5 What is your favourite animal? Why?
I have this weird obsession with owls, which I am pretty famous for. Friends of friends know about my obsession and think of me when they see owls. I don’t really know why I like them so much though. As a kid I lived across the road from a park, and after storms baby owls would sometimes fall out of the trees. My family would take care of them until wildlife folk could come collect them. Or maybe it’s because I’m a night owl?

6 What was your favourite subject at school? Why?
This would be art. It’s the subject I got the highest marks in, the teachers were always fun and we got to drink tea and listen to music in class.

7 What is your favourite book?
I am sadly not much of a reader, I wish I was. There was one book I remember reading in school that I loved. It’s called ‘Mama’s Babies’ by Gary Crew. It’s a sad story, but I found it really interesting.

8 What was the last thing you ate?
Organic dark chocolate.

9 What is your favourite computer game?
I’m not much of a gamer either. But as a kid I LOVED the computer game ‘Commander Keen’, I’m also still a fan of the old faithful, Super Mario.

10 Are you more introverted or extroverted?
Extroverted. I’ve been told I’m pretty bubbly, plus I love meeting new people and socializing. I can be pretty loud and outgoing with people I am comfortable with.

11 What is your favourite song?
This is pretty tough, so I’ll go with a song which is on the album currently in my car. Gotye- In Your Light.

11 Questions for the People I Tag:
(I haven’t read any other of these tags, so hopefully I don’t double up on Q’s that have already been asked)
1. What is your dream job?
2. One of your favourite things from your childhood? Could be a friend, game, memory, etc.
3. Where would you love to travel?
4. Who is your favourite character from a TV show/Movie. Why?
5. What prompted you to start a blog?
6. What is one thing you always have to have with you?
7. Are  you more of an indoor or outdoor type?
8. What is one bad habit you have?
9. One person you would love to meet and why? This can be anyone in the world, past or present.
10. Do you have a guilty pleasure? If so, what?
11. If you could have any animal as a pet, what would it be?

11 People I Tag:
Rola’s Fountain of Youth 
Free to be Natural 
Lovely CosMe
A Victorious War and Beauty Ashore 
Pure Makeup
Tested on Human
Drugstore and Bargain Lover
Sugarpuffish
Green Juice
Core Beauty 
Naturalla Beauty

Send me a link once you’ve done it

Hopefully you guys don’t mind reading something un-beauty related. If you have any other random questions for me, feel free to ask

Thanks for tagging me Hannah, it was fun

The post 11 Random Things About Me Tag appeared first on The Flaxen Owl.

The first snack I’ve been loving is; fresh, diced mango with greek yoghurt, drizzled with honey and topped with chia seeds. I’ve been having this for breakfast or as a snack, everyday this week. It is light and refreshing, which is great for summer. I love the different flavours and textures; the mango is sweet and fresh, the yoghurt is creamy and tangy, the honey is sweet and gooey and the chia seeds give crunch. This is so simple and delicious, I have tried it with other fruits, but like it best with the mango. Yum!

Another little obsession of mine has been the Red Chai tea from T2. This rooibos blend includes almond and apple pieces as well as hibiscus flowers. The tea is fairly sweet and tastes great alone, but if I want something sweeter after dinner I add honey and milk. The great thing about rooibos, is that it is low in tannins, which means it can be brewed without ever getting that bitter taste. Plus its lack of caffeine makes it a great drink before bed. I’ve been loving this so much that I haven’t had a chance to try out the other teas I bought. If you’re a tea fan, and haven’t tried rooibos, then do!

Let me know if you guys will be interested in seeing posts like this every now and then?
If you have a favourite snack or drink tell me about it in a comment.

-Hayley

The post Foodie Faves appeared first on The Flaxen Owl.