Polishes -OPI - Samoan Sand
chookana 6/25/2012 9:54:00 PM
This is the perfect nude shade for me as it is more in the beige family than pink in my opinion, which is perfect for me as I tend to stay away from pinks. It makes your hands look fresh and clean, and it's become my default nail colour. The formula is sheer and takes three coats to become opaque, but even with three coats it doesn't look thick and messy, nor does it bubble up. I'd definitely recommend it to anyone looking to try :)
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Fragrances -Christian Dior - Miss Dior Cherie
chookana 6/22/2012 7:57:00 AM
This has got to be my signature scent. It's really warm and woodsy and the EDP lasts all day. The packaging is really pretty and it goes on a bit strong but eases up as it dries. I love it and will continue to repurchase.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Primer/ Corrector -Yves Saint Laurent - Touche Eclat (Radiant Touch)
chookana 6/22/2012 7:36:00 AM
I'm kind of on the fence with this product. I get all the hype, it's great as an under eye brightener and overall highlighter while not being cakey but really well moisturizing. I don't feel it's worth the high price you pay for it though. The packaging is awesome, but wouldn't repurchase because I think that a lighter shade of concealer does a good job at brightening my under eye area already.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Concealers -NARS - Ginger
chookana 6/22/2012 7:25:00 AM
I bought this concealer in the Custard/Ginger duo and man do I love it! It covers my blemishes perfectly and evens my skin out so well that I don't even feel the need to put foundation on top. I don't feel like the consistency is too thick or thin, and it doesn't cake up. I find the custard shade in the duo great for brightening up my under eye area and the ginger is perfect for my NC40 skin. All in all the perfect concealer, I'll definitely be repurchasing this one!
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Liquid -NARS - Sheer Matte
chookana 6/21/2012 7:08:00 AM
In my opinion, this is a really nice foundation, It is matte as promised and it feels really velvety and light on the skin, I feel it almost dries to a powdery consistency. I wouldn't say I have oily skin, I just like the matte look. For reference I got the shade Syracuse and am usually an NC40-42. I tried to apply it with a brush but felt that it turned out too streaky so I applied it with my fingers and the heat from my skin just made the product melt into my skin. I've been using foundation sticks for the past 5 or so years so I was hesitant to try this out because I'm used to a full coverage foundation (the reason I decided to change is because in an effort to be kinder to my skin I thought it would be best to give my Napoleon foundation stick a rest for a while as it contains oil, whereas Sheer Matte does not). Anyways, this stuff is by no means a full coverage foundation, you'll definitely need to conceal any blemishes with concealer (which I'm not used to doing as my stick doubled as a concealer) and if you are looking for a full makeup look this isn't the foundation for you. It's most certainly sheer but buildable and allows your skin to breath I feel and by no means is it cakey or unnatural looking. I noticed that a lot of reviewers had trouble applying this, I didn't find this at all, but then again this is my first liquid in years so I wouldn't really have anything to compare it against. I think this foundation would be perfect for those with healthy skin who are just looking to even out a bit. If you do have blemishes that you're looking to conceal you should probably opt for something else. This is a good natural daytime option I think. I may or may not repurchase, I'll see how it goes in the long run but the fact that it doesn't come with a pump really cheeses me, on top of that, they don't even sell the pumps in Australia!!
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Candles -Diptyque - Pomander candle
chookana 6/21/2012 6:35:00 AM
My Diptyque Pomander candle came in the mail today and as soon as I opened the box I was greeted by the intoxicating smell of orange and cinnamon. It's such a warm spicy smell, which is perfect for winter. I haven't lit it yet but have placed it on my bedside table and the scent has already taken over my room, not in a nauseating way, it's subtle but still powerful. I'm in love love love with this product and will most definitely be buying it again. I was previously using the Diptyque Baies for the warmer months, it ran out so I decided to try a warmer scent for the winter and I'm glad I bought this because I like it so much better! It was quite a mission trying to find this at a good price though as Diptyque candles are only available in one store in Australia and they charge $99 for it. I ended up getting it off aromaessentials.com as this was the cheapest option with the shipping and all. Definitely try this candle if you like spicy woody scents, you're sure to love it.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lipstick -MAC - Viva Glam Nicki
chookana 6/19/2012 8:48:00 AM
I seriously wanted to love this colour, but I'm a little disappointed. I'm constantly on the hunt for the perfect pink shade, usually the pinks are too blue based for me. I thought since this one has more yellow undertones it'd be perfect for me, but next to my NC40-42 skin tone it looked like I had just applied pink highlighter to my lips lol. I experimented a few ways to apply it (finger, brush, straight on) but it didn't really work. It's really opaque, which is something I like about it because if I applied more than one layer to make it opaque I'm sure I'd end up looking like a clown. I find that it looks decent if I apply a thin layer of YSL Rouge Pur Couture glossy stain in rose vinyl over the top as it brings some warmth to the colour. I don't want to completely write the product off just yet so I will continue to experiment with different ways to wear it. I take comfort in the fact that the profits go to a good cause so I think the purchase is worth it even though I'm not 100% happy with the results.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Makeup Brushes -NARS - 27 - Yachiyo
chookana 6/19/2012 8:28:00 AM
First off, this brush looks really classy. It's a really unique looking product and although I was hesitant to buy it mainly due to the price but also because it looked unsturdy and a bit awkward to use, I'm glad I did. The tapered tip does an amazing job at contouring the hollows of your cheeks and diffuses bronzer/blush at the same time, so it cuts the time spent perfecting your make up in half. Also when applying whilst holding the thin handle you can really control how much product you're applying, so it makes it easy to build your colour as per your liking and you end up with nice and natural but professional look. There is honestly a million ways you could use this and in my opinion it's a fool proof brush. You can't look wrong after using it. That being said, I paid $70 for it (hence 4 lippies instead of 5) which is an absurd amount of money to spend on a make up brush and because of this I will remember to stock up when I go to the States lol. If you can justify spending this much on a brush, I'd say go ahead and buy it, you'll most probably love the results. If you'd rather die than spend this much on a brush, Japonesque does a similar brush (the white bamboo version), I'm not sure how it works, I haven't come across it in Australia yet. It looks the same as the Yachiyo but I've heard that it doesn't work the same. Might be worth giving a try though, as it is a cheaper alternative.
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lip Treatments -Unlisted Brand - Lucas' Papaw Ointment
chookana 6/19/2012 8:12:00 AM
As an Aussie I use this stuff religiously and as most of these reviews indicate it's an awesome product. Amazing at moisturizing and keeping my lips soft in the harsh sun as well as in the winter months. Also does an awesome job at keeping hands, elbows and knees supple. I've lost track of how many times I've repurchased this product, I always have some on hand because it's so versatile and can do wonders for all skin conditions. I'd prefer the tube over the pot though, as it feel it's more sanitary in this form. Definitely try this one out if you haven't, you won't be disappointed!
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Eye Shadow -MAC - Woodwinked - veluxe pearl
chookana 6/19/2012 8:02:00 AM
This has got to be my all time favorite eye shadow ever!! Beautiful antique shimmery gold colour that suits NC40-42 skin perfectly. I use this with MAC Brown Down, Texture and Black Tied to create a summery golden smokey eye and it's become a standard look for me. The colour of this eye shadow pops really well so you only need to use a little bit. I've had the same pot for 5 years and it's still going strong. I'd imagine this could end up looking a bit orange on fairer complexions but if you have tanned skin and haven't tried this, you really should, it's amazing and I'm sure you'll love it. I will most certainly repurchase this one again and again!
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Bronzers -NARS - Orgasm-Laguna Blush-Bronzer Duo
chookana 6/19/2012 7:54:00 AM
After hearing much hype on the Orgasm blush, I decided to give it a go. I ended up getting this duo over the single blush because I though it was better value. Orgasm to me is a nice pinkish peach colour that looks pretty nice on my skin tone. It has a gold shimmer to it which I could do without, but that's just personal preference as I'm a bigger fan of the matte look. The shimmer isn't over the top by any means though, so it works for day time as well as night. I find I have to add a few layers to get the colour payoff that I want, that may just be because I'm really tan though. I think it's a pretty standard blush colour that has potential to look nice on all skin tones but at the same time I agree with a few of the reviews who have stated that the colour isn't very unique, and I'm sure you could find similar alternatives. The Laguna bronzer though, I LOVE! I find it quite matte, which is a definite winner for me. It's a beautiful caramel colour that makes my tan skin glow like I've just been to the beach. I use it to contour and it works great for this purpose. I think that it also complements the Orgasm blush really well, so as a duo NARS has done a great job and I can see why it is loved by so many. If I do run out of this product though I will probably not repurchase Orgasm (although I don't see myself running out anytime soon as I don't use it on a daily basis) but I'll definitely be purchasing Laguna, maybe part of another duo? Really expensive to purchase NARS products in Australia though (almost double US price). The sleek black packaging always gets me though, it's beautiful.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Blush -MAC - Sheertone Blush in Gingerly
chookana 6/16/2012 5:11:00 AM
For the past 5 or 6 years Peachykeen has been my HG blush, I love it but I'm so glad a gave Gingerly a try because all I can say about it is WOW! It's like a blush and bronzer in one, in a nice peachy bronze colour. I imagine this would suit a rather large variety of skin tones, it looks really good on mine (NC40-42). It's a sheertone but buildable as well and I find you can create really nice contours with this too as it gives the skin a nice healthy sunkissed glow. I will definitely repurchase this blush! One thing that annoys me though is the inflated price of cosmetics in Australia, $41 for a blush is ridiculous in my opinion but I'm willing to over look that, just because this product is so awesome LOL. If you're in the market for a new blush shade, I'd say definitely give this a try!
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Primer/ Corrector -Napoleon Perdis - NP Set Pre-Foundation Primer
chookana 6/16/2012 4:48:00 AM
My sister in law gave me this product for free and after using it I realized why she didn't want it. Gross, gross, gross .. the formula of this stuff is so oily, sometimes I'd squeeze it out of the bottle and this clear oily residue would seep out of the bottle. Once I shook the bottle and applied it to my face it was no better, my face was really shiny and greasy and it didn't absorb into my skin, even after waiting a good 10 to 15 minutes before applying my foundation! It just made my foundation slide around my face and it just did not sit well. I hated it and ended up chucking it in the bin. I now use the MAC matte gel which is awesome. If you have oily skin, or if you want a matte complexion, stay away from the NP primer it won't do you any favors.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Cleansers -Burt's Bees - Orange Essence Facial Cleanser
chookana 6/14/2012 11:32:00 PM
I've been using this product for a little over a week now and I don't feel like it's done much for me. I've had a small break out on my cheek and I think this could be because of the oil content of the product. It does leave a thin greasy film after using it, initially I thought this was just one of the moisturizing properties of the product but after a prolonged period of using it, it's just making me feel dirty, even when using an oil control moisturizer afterwards. The only pro I can think of when it comes to this product is the orange smell, it's AMAZING! Funnily enough it even tastes good LOL. For me personally, I feel that natural products don't have powerful enough ingredients to clean my skin thoroughly. I had the same problem after using KORA Organics, just feeling really unclean. I won't be repurchasing this product again, and I'll be staying away from all natural/organic products in general. I'd say this would be suited to people with really dry skin and to anyone else who is wanting to try this, I wouldn't recommend using it in the morning because your face will probably be a greasy mess by midday.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Moisturizers -Unlisted Brand - KORA Organics - Luxurious Rosehip Oil
chookana 6/14/2012 11:13:00 PM
I purchased this at the end of last year along with the KORA cream cleanser and purifying moisturizer. I ended up disliking the entire range because for me personally nothing worked. The oil is really pricey at $45 for 15ml and I'm pretty sure trilogy has a cheaper one in a bigger bottle. After using it for a while I started breaking out on my face so I stopped using it on my face and started applying it to my stretch marks because I read somewhere that they can help with that, but after using it for quite a long time I still didn't see any improvements/changes. I do like the smell of the product though and the fact that a little goes a long way (half a pump for the face). I also like the way it feels because it's not greasy like some other facial oils, but I wouldn't repurchase solely for these reasons. In the end I just accepted the fact that I wasted my money on the entire KORA range especially this oil. Safe to say I will not be buying any KORA products again. That being said, I think that organic products in general don't work for me, I feel as if the ingredients aren't powerful enough to get the job done, I like the concept though and the whole recyclable packaging aspect. Well anyway, I hope you girls have better luck with this than I did :)
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No