Sunday 30 November 2014

EOTD: Essence Lavender & Blue...

Last day of Spring, and probably my last pastel EOTD for a while. Thought I'd finish the season with a pretty lavender and blue creation using all essence products - their Colour & Shine eye shadows in Wear It! (lavender) and Blue Moon. They've been in my kit for years, but they're still magically blendable and I still love them to bits...

Base was essence white kajal, and I applied the lavender shade along the top and lower lashlines, blue on the rest...


On the waterline is essence Long Lasting Eye Pencil in the shade Coolest Chic...


Lips are Revlon Colourburst Lipstick in Mauve, topped with Lacura Minerals Lip Gloss in Rose. Cheeks are MUA powder blusher in Shade 6...


Take care of you,
kats xxx

Saturday 29 November 2014

REVIEW: RapidLash Eyelash Enhancing Serum...

Time to reveal my secret lash weapon - if you have sparse, spindly eyelashes, RapidLash will change your life ♥. 

My lashes are naturally blonde, and have always been short and stumpy. I first bought this magical product back in January 2011, and saw amazing results within 4 weeks - longer, fuller, darker lashes that I have dreamed about all my adult life. I stopped using it around September 2013 because it was $65 a pop and becoming harder and harder to find in the marketplace, and I thought I'd try another brand (Mirenesse 4D Secret Lash Evolution Serum) as I scored a tube for free. Well that was an absolute waste of time (so glad I didn't pay $129 for it!), and I watched my once fabulously fluttery lashes dwindle back to their original almost non-existent condition over the next 6 months...


And so it was definitely time to restore my lashes to a condition where they'd show up in my EOTD photos again. Priceline is no longer stocking RapidLash, but I found it on Pharmacy Online for $49 in July, and it's still that same price now (just placed an order for two more packs last night actually).

Ok so let's get on with why I will never EVER be without this miraculous product again. Below are some before and after shots to show you the difference this stuff has made to my appearance. The top pic in each set was taken 24th July 2014, and I chose it because it shows the state of both my top and bottom lashes quite clearly. The bottom photo was taken two days ago after using RapidLash for four months...
One tube lasts me around 10 weeks with nightly applications, and I'm getting close to the end of my second tube...

I'm wearing the same mascara (Maybelline The Falsies Waterproof) in both sets of photos, and sure my Shu Uemura eyelash curler has helped a lot, and my mascara application technique needs some refinement, but I think you'll agree that the difference in the length and volume of both my top and bottom lashes is nothing short of astounding!

It's a clear, odourless liquid that you apply the same way as a liquid eyeliner - you paint it on as close to the lashline as possible after cleansing away all your eye makeup. There's no stinging or tingling, just a weird kind of wet sensation before it dries (in about 2 minutes)...


The last time I used RapidLash, I went through two tubes of nightly applications, and then dropped back into a kind of "maintenance mode" of only applying it every second or third night - that way, the tube lasted me 6 months. I'd planned on doing the same again, but I'm sorely tempted to keep going with my third one every day to see just how much fuller and longer my lashes will become...

 
So now you know my secret - this serum is amazing and I can't recommend it highly enough . And although it's no longer listed on their website, it also won a beautyheaven Glosscars award in 2011.

The best eyelash curler in the world (Shu Uemura!) will curl what you were born with, but RapidLash will give you what you wish you had ♥.

Take care of you,
kats xxx

Friday 28 November 2014

EOTD: Soft Green by bhcosmetics...

Well we're counting down the last few days of Spring, so here's one final soft green EOTD before I break out the Summer brights...


I wanted a tinge of shimmer, so I started with a base of Maybelline New York Color Tattoo in Too Cool (white). Over this I pressed bhcosmetics MS04 on the lid and lower lashline, and MM4 in the crease, both from my 6 Color Pro custom palette.... 



I dabbed a brushload of the brightest green from the BYS Striking Shades palette on the inner corner, and lined the waterline with bhcosmetics Waterproof Eye Crayon in Huntress...


Cheeks are Lacura Minerals Blush, and lips are Lacura Minerals Lipstick in shade 920, slicked over with some MNY Color Sensational Color Elixir in Caramel Infused...



Hope you're Spring was a sparkler, and that Summer brings you a bucket-load of delights 

Take care of you,
kats xxx

Thursday 27 November 2014

REVIEW: Urban Rituelle Hibiscus and Cranberry...

Last July, I posted a review of the fabulous Urban Rituelle Turkish Rose and Vanilla range that I had either been gifted by family, or won as a prize. To say I was smitten with the products was somewhat of an understatement, and since then I've been on a mission to explore all the other delights they have on offer. I still have a long way to go, if for no other reason than they have SO many goodies to choose from, but I've already discovered something I'm even crazier about - Hibiscus and Cranberry (warning: picture heavy post)...

Thankfully my efforts have been aided and abetted by the fact that UR have had a whole series of sales over the last few months, and the above selection is what I've been able to amass across several orders, all of which have arrived within days, with free shipping, and a generous little surprise in the box each time (latest one below) 


But enough of the blurb, what does it smell like? Hard to describe because I've not smelt anything quite like it before, but it's tangy and tart without being sour, and amazingly refreshing - an inspired blend of hibiscus tea, cranberry, lime and sugar cane. I simply adore the initial zing, which then softens down to a delicate fruit-with-slightly-floral blend, with the accent on the fruit. Definitely a Summer-ready fragrance - it's almost like a cranberry sherbet 

The Scented Candle ($24.95) is 180 grams, with an approximate burn time of 40 hours. I haven't lit mine yet - I'm saving it for a dull and dreary day when I need a zesty pick-me-up. You can probably tell from the photos that all UR products are stunningly presented, sturdily boxed for safe delivery, and I reckon any candle-lover would be in raptures to receive this as a gift... 
 

These three little travel size mini sweethearts came in a clear pouch with a zip lock - the 40ml size is perfect for packing light, and there's Body Lotion, Hand Therapy and Bath & Shower Gel. The Body Lotion ($22.50) will be my next purchase in the full-size - it contains a host of skin-loving ingredients including Chamomile, Grape Seed Oil, Ginseng, Shea Butter, Macadamia Oil, Calendula and Aloe Vera. And there's no tedious waiting for it to be absorbed - my skin soaks it up like a sponge. This will be a must-have for me through the hot months, to keep my skin soft and supple, and smelling berry-licious...
I need a giant size of the Hand Therapy! ($20.96). All hand creams in the "Tea Ceremony" range contain Sweet Almond and Jojoba Oils, Shea Butter, Vitamin E, Ginseng, Aloe Vera, Chamomile and Gingko Biloba - a powerhouse tube of nourishing, protecting and re-conditioning natural ingredients to restore and keep your hands and cuticles in tip-top condition, without being greasy. The formula is light but intensive, and leaves my paws satiny smooth and delicately fragranced. The standard tube is a generous 100ml and lasts forever - I also love that it isn't made of metal (like some other high-end brands), so it doesn't look all dented and tatty after a few squeezes. This little 40ml wonder is already safely tucked away in my handbag...

You'll find my rave about the Bath & Shower Gel further down the page 

The perfumes come in two formulas, both delightfully purse-friendly - Petit Parfum, an EDT spray, and Perfume Oil, which has a teeny little roller-ball applicator. The spray is light and the scent doesn't last long, but that's its beauty - sometimes I just want something to make ME feel good and smell delish without permeating the whole space around me. As you would expect, the oil is more potent and durable, and yet it has an enticing subtlety. I wore it today actually and smiled every time I moved and my nose caught a little waft of the scent. Ingredients include Sweet Almond, Grape Seed, Avocado, Sesame, Sunflower and Rose Hip oils, so you can imagine how softening it is on the skin. This is still on sale at the moment for $13.56 - I can't find it listed anywhere except on the Sale Store page, so I hope that doesn't mean it's being discontinued...

As usual I've saved the best till last - oh boy, am I in shower heaven! Regular readers will know that I'm a bodywashaholic, and given I've tried so many of the ones in the market place, for me to say this Bath & Shower Gel ($28.50) is my absolute all-time favourite is really quite a statement. But there it is, I've said it! Gee, how to describe my experience of this mouth-watering bod-cleanser? Ok, for starters the bottle is a huge 500ml and has a twist click lockable cap. The pump is sturdy and one push delivers only a teeny dollop, but I'm glad because I'm somewhat heavy handed with my gel dispensing, and quite a bit goes down the drain. I find about six squirts is just the right amount for a blissfully bubblesome experience. The gel is thick and clear, and smells divine. Honestly this is a sparkler of a fragrance, and I feel like I'm washing myself with cranberry soda fizz! After showering my skin feels soft and hydrated, so much so I can skip the body lotion step on those rushed weekday mornings. And it's no wonder with a stack of natural ingredients like Ginseng, Gingko Biloba, Chamomile, Calendula and Witch Hazel. This is a forever keeper 

Well by now I hope you're sufficiently entranced, and if you've made it this far down the page, well done (lol!), and there's a treat - I ordered an extra bottle of the Perfume Oil so I could give one away, and share the UR love  If you've not experienced any Urban Rituelle products, and especially not the Hibiscus and Cranberry fragrance, this is your chance to try it out...

The Rafflecopter will decide the winner, so please make sure that you follow the entry instructions, and read the Terms and Conditions inside (Australian residents only). Please note that leaving a comment, providing your email address inside the Rafflecopter, AND following my blog one way or another from the many choices listed are MANDATORY for entry...

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
This giveaway is now closed
Check back later tonight to see who the lucky winner is!


Woo hoo! - random.org has chosen the beautiful Anna M. as the winner.  
Congratulations gorgeous! 
Anna please respond to the email I've sent you by 
Thursday 4th December to claim your prize :-)

Edit: Anna has claimed her prize 
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Take care of you,
kats xxx

P.S. All products were purchased by me - the plan was to give some of them as Christmas gifts, but I couldn't resist trying them, and well, that's the end of that plan ha ha!
P.P.S. Urban Rituelle products are 100% cruelty free and not tested on animals 

Monday 24 November 2014

COME PLAY WITH ME: Flower Inspiration...

 Darling Indie has chosen "Flower Inspiration" for the next theme in this fabulous and fun series, and I've chosen Fuchsia - hardly a surprise as they're such pretty, dainty little flowers, plus the combination of bold pink and purple are standout hues in my wardrobe and makeup kit. Mind you it was tough choosing which one of nature's treasures I would try and recreate, so much so that I'm inspired to have a go at a few more in the coming weeks...
Photo source Wikipedia
I used essence white kajal as a base, added the brightest pink from the bhcosmetics Take Me To Brazil Palette, and then deepened it with the raspberry from the L.A. Colors Wildflowers palette. The purple is courtesy of  the W7 Shades of Mauve palette..


I patted the deepest matte purple from the Take Me To Brazil palette into the crease, and lined the waterline with essence white kajal...


And here's my fuchsia'd face - lips are Shanghai Suzy Miss Georgina Pink Plum (massive thanks to Tried and Tested Blog for sending this to me  - I'm in love!) topped with Chi Chi Valley Doll Lip Lacquer... 


Cheeks are Revlon Photo Ready Cream Blush in Flushed, and the brightest pink from the BYS On the Brightside blush trio...


You'll find Indieana's magical Sun Flower look here. Aching to see what you other Come Play With Me'ers create in the next few weeks 

Take care of you,
kats xxx

Friday 21 November 2014

EOTD: Sleek Arabian Nights Aussie Gold and Green...

Although I adore it, I haven't posted many looks from the divine Sleek Arabian Nights palette so far - it's not that I haven't been using it. Far from it, in fact I've at least 10 different combos stashed away for future posts. But it's a collection of quite deep and deliciously warming shades, far suited to the cooler weather - or so I thought! As it turns out, it all depends what you use as a base...


I was determined to NOT put it away till next Autumn, so I trotted out my trusty essence white kajal (who am I kidding, it's ALWAYS on my bench lol), and started working with Gold Souk and Hocus Pocus, two of my absolute faves from this gem of a set...


I probably don't need to say that I applied the magnificent green along the top and lower lashlines, and then patted the shimmery gold over the rest of the lid - the pictures tell the story on their own...



In the crease I added a dash of Fern from the Sleek V2 Matte palette, and on the waterline is essence Long Lasting eye pencil in I Have a Green...


This palette is proving to be exceptionally versatile, and with a bit of a lift from a white base, I reckon this particular combo is perfect for our downunder Spring/Summer - what say you gals?

Take care of you,
kats xxx

Thursday 20 November 2014

EOTM: "Your Favourite October EOTD" Giveaway!...

At last I'm catching up with the EOTM giveaways - with Christmas on the horizon, I couldn't think of a better combo of goodies than teaming Lovisa jewellery with an Urban Rituelle seasonal treat!  So this month on offer is a pair of cubic zirconia studs, a silvery filigree heart, and a trio of delicious lip balms 


Can't seem to take a picture of this pretty pendant that does it justice - it's hollow with an antique kind of finish, and studded with sparkly diamantes. The tag (that I removed for the pic) says it's lead free...
And here's what it looks like on the back...
The Urban Rituelle lip balms are flavoured Coconut, Lime and Passionfruit - yum! I haven't tried these yet, so I'm counting on whoever wins them to let me know what they're like...

And here are the studs - cubic zirconias that sparkle just like diamonds...


As always, you need to choose which of the October EOTD's is your favourite from the eight pictured below, and let me know in the comments section why you like it the most...


The Rafflecopter will decide the winner, so please make sure that you follow the entry instructions, and read the Terms and Conditions inside (Australian residents only). Please note that leaving a comment, providing your email address inside the Rafflecopter, AND following my blog one way or another from the many choices listed are MANDATORY for entry...

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
This giveaway is now closed

Woo hoo! - random.org has chosen the beautiful Karen C. as the winner.  
Congratulations gorgeous! 
Karen please respond to the email I've sent you by 
Thursday 26th November to claim your prize :-)

Edit: Karen has claimed her prize 
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Good luck to all who enter!

Take care of you,
kats xxx

Sunday 16 November 2014

EOTD: Blues by MNY & MUA...

Well now I haven't done an all blue EOTD for months - I've been playing a lot with greens and neutrals lately, but there's always a place in my heart for a pretty powdery blue :-)


I didn't want to skew the hue here so I started with an all-over-the-lid base of essence white kajal. Along the top and bottom lashlines went the palest blue from the Maybelline Sapphire Hyperdiamonds palette (the triangle on the right). Such a pretty pastel blue with some sparkly bits which I find hard to resist. It looks quite dark under the lower lashes because I blended it with MNY Master Precise Liquid liner, but the shimmer still shows clearly...



Over the rest of the top lid I applied MUA Matte Eyeshadow in Midnight. Oh joy of joys, MUA have recently expanded their 1 pound matte range from five shades to seven, and included this fabulous deep and richly pigmented blue - it's as potent as Sleek Ink and blends beautifully. Mind you they've also deleted #19, my favourite nude of all time, and one I've been buying for years. I use it on my hoods because it's exactly the colour of my skin, and helps to hide the little imperfections I have in this puffy area. Last time I was able to order it, there was a limit of two per customer, but now it seems to have disappeared altogether - I'm shattered as I've not found anything even close to it made by another company :-(


On the waterline is a blue bhcosmetics Waterpoof Eye Liner crayon, also called Midnight...


And here's the whole face - cheeks are MUA blusher in Shade 6, and lips are a combination of David Jones Moisture Cream Lipstick in a nude tint called Sunday Best, topped with Maybelline Color Elixir gloss in Vision in Violet...



Hope the week is kind to you 

Take care of you,
kats xxx