Bambi called; he wants his eyelashes back.

Ahhh mascaras. Love love love. Love even more the new formulas and brushes. I feel no need for an intro, let’s just hop in; I’m excited!

L’Oreal Double Extension Beauty Tubes

This is L’Oreal’s version of tubing mascara. The concept has been around for a while, done by the likes of Becca and Blinc. In a nutshell, the formula forms lengthening tubes around each eyelash. Then when you’re ready to take them off you wet them with warm water and gently tug the tubes off. Sure, the concept was good, but the smarties (or skittles?) at L’Oreal went one step better and made a conditioning base. Score L’Oreal, score. It nourishes the eyelashes with Ceramide proteins plus it gives extra length and thickness while also giving something for the tubes to stick to, meaning less of your eyelashes being pulled off during removal. It gives excellent length but can look a bit clumpy at times. Still, a good mascara is a good mascara and this is definitely one of my top picks at the moment. Oh and I forgot to mention, no panda eyes in the morning. Doesn’t smudge one inch. Hoorayy!

Lancôme Hypnose Onyx Mascara
Oh how I love it. Too bad it’s virtually sold out in Sydney. I looked for it, but u can look harder for both of us. But, none the less its greatness deserves a proper review. It’s got the basic wand and similar formula to the original Hypnose, except the black is blacker (I know, right? How?) It also contains teeny tiny particles of glitter. Firstly, it is so glossy and black because it contains a higher concentration of the black pigment (oh, now it makes sense) and the glitter looks aa-mmaii-zing. It’s not the sort of big glitter you might expect to find falling off a 5 year olds fairy princess costume; it’s a much more subtle sparkle that shows when you blink. I don’t particularly love the original hypnose, but I adore this one. It’s perfect for playing up the eyes and adding a bit of interest to the smoky eye. I am, however, annoyed at Lancôme for not making more. I love it so much I’ll have to order it online.

I have to give an honourable mention to ModelCo as their mascaras have some of the best ever smudge proof formulas. Taking them off is also a piece of cake; cheese cake. Best pick for humid summers and beach outings.

Invisible Makeup

There isn’t much that looks as good as the, “Maybe she’s born with it” look. No, I’m not talking Maybelline, I’m talking fresh faced makeup that keeps people guessing if “Is she or isn’t she?” Yeah I bet you know what I mean. I know, that you know, that I know, that you know what I mean. It’s not a makeup trend to last you a week, it’s more like a skill that you learn and keep with you forever. The skilful art of applying invisible makeup. A good rule of thumb to remember; no lines should be seen anywhere. Spend more time blending then applying. Shown right is the queen of the natural look; Liv Tyler

Base
Go for a light tinted moisturiser. If you tan your body and your face looks a bit pale in comparison, choose a shade that matches your neck and blend reeeeallly well. If your skin needs better coverage than just a light tint, try Dior Hydraction Deep Hydration Tint SPF 20, which offers those with less than perfect skin a bit more coverage while still keeping with the natural theme. Chanel also recently launched the Hydramax Tinted Moisturizer SPF 15 which is also a firm favourite.

Cheeks
Cream blush formulas work best as they keep with the dewy look and are easier to blend, but if you prefer a powder texture then feel free, but go lightly and blend really well. You can also go for a lip and cheek stain for lasting power. Can’t find the perfect shade of blush? Head straight off to MAC, if they don’t have one for you, nobody will. If blush isn’t your thing or you would like a bit more definition, go for an illuminator on the cheek and brow bones. A classic crème cheek colour in Coy, from Bloom looks great with most complexions

Eyes
Extend your tinted moisturizer to your eyelids so that you take away any discoloration. If you like, you can top it off with a barely there eyeshades of toffee or light peach. As for the eyelashes, add one coat of a dark brown, or if you have a darker skin tone, black mascara. Covergirl Professional All In One mascara is a bargain at around $10 and is perfect for the natural look.

Lips
If your lips are naturally rosy just finish them off with a moisturizing lip balm. If you like a bit more colour, go for a gloss that comes from the same shade family as your blush. If you like more the slightly nude lip, blend the tiniest amount of your tinted moisturizer out from the edges of lips in and finish with a soothing balm.

Beauty Sleep; not a myth like Sleeping Beauty.

After a hard days’ work of study, work or whatever unpleasant things we must do, waxing included, a long shower and a good night’s sleep are oh so good. Sure the next morning you’ll feel great, but why wouldn’t you wanna look better too... You would? I had a feeling. Which is why I took the time to make a little check list for you.

• At night our skin becomes all superwoman-y and regenerates, hence why we have separate night creams and serums which are more concentrated in active ingredients. In order for these ingredients to be able to seep into your skin, you must take off the old dry skin on top. Make friends with your scrub tonight. Puuh-leasse go for one that’s gentle and organic based, your skin will thank you. Bloom makes a mean little (read; good) apricot scrub you should give a try. Benefit also has a honey scrub with a really good texture you could use as an exfoliating mask too.

• Don' forget to scrub your body or dry brush it before the shower then slather it with heavy duty moisturiser while your skin is still steamy and damp so it retains more moisture. While in the shower give your tired little tresses a bit of TLC with a conditioning hair mask.

• Put it in first thing after you shampoo and do all your exfoliation and shaving while the mask does its work. I used Terax Original Crema to bring my hair back to life after my well trusted hairdresser decided our relationship and my hair could take the weight of a terrible bleach job. “I’m sorry hairdresser, it’s not me, it’s you.”
  
  
• After you come out of the shower, comb a bit of leave in conditioner through the hair, roughly dry it 70% and tightly pin it into a semi high bun. No hair ties, we don’t want any severe kinks in your soft, wavy, touch me hair the next morning. Giving your hair a bit of a shine boost with serum or hairspray the next morning is optional.
  
  
• If you want brighter skin overnight look no further than vitamin C. Look for the pure liquid capsules that you can cut open and use as a serum, otherwise, go for a serum containing a potent amount of vitamin C, such as Avon’s Anew Vitamin C Serum. If you want more hydration and glow, massage a layer of rosehip oil into the skin. I swear by the Trilogy Organic Rosehip Oil. If you have problem skin go for a moisturiser containing salicylic acid and then apply at least a 5% benzyl peroxide cream only directly onto any spots, (I can’t stress the importance of ‘directly on’ enough). Love your bronzer more than McDonalds? Mix your night cream with fake tan to get a natural glow.

Now just take the compliments graciously.

...A pocket full of Posies

Up on attending the media night of the new Benefit boutique at Paddington, I come bearing pretty pink-y blush-y news. The best selling lip and cheek (or nipple, as I’ve been told) stain Benetint has a little sister, Posie Tint. Oh there will be sibling rivalry, indeed. Posie Tint, 30 years in the making, is a more subtle, pink based colour, as opposed to Benetint's redder, rosy undertones. The Posie Tint is also a gel, making it easier to blend than its older sibling. The Posie is great for that dewy look as when I applied it I noticed it had a subtle glowy, shimmery effect on the cheeks. Prefect product for the “oh I can’t be bothered but I still wanna look alive” days. I have drawn a little (and very basic) colour diagram to show the difference between the two stains.


Oh and incase your wondering, the Benefit boutique looks like a big candy store with Benefit products left right and centre. It’s not your usual make up store, they have a “beauty bar” where you can get all your facial waxing and tinting done while you sit up (read: no spillage of dye into your eyes). They also have another room downstairs called the Pretty Room where they do all the body waxing in private. After you’ve been waxed tweezed and tinted, you can get all your redness covered up at the beauty tables. Oh, and I must make a mention of the pretty little pink “Posie” cakes made in the honour of the Posie Tint; they were yum-o and the perfect shade of pink like the stain itself.

In the Navy

Some beauty trends are timeless and never go out of style; shiny hair, vibrant skin, naturally shaped groomed eyebrows and white teeth. Some however, come and go. Usually a big fan of all things retro revamped, I’m loving the fact that navy blue makeup has been reinvented from the 80’s and placed onto the catwalks all shiny and new. When I say blue makeup, I mean stick to the eyes. There will be no bright blue lipsticks here people (sorry M.A.C)... on the catwalk yes, on the street no. But back to the point, rich dark blues are what to wear this winter.

Make sure you keep the, “Only play up one feature...” rule in your mind while you are putting on your blue eye makeup as it’s pretty easy to get carried away. Team your pretty blues with a light natural base, but do however, make sure that you conceal you under eye area well if you tend to get dark circles. Also, a light dusting of powder is good if you’re on the shiny side. Add a small dose of nude-coral blush on the apples of the cheeks and a soothing layer of your favourite lip balm and your good to go!

If you’re going for a powder shadow texture make sure you blend like there is no tomorrow. When working with the shadows apply near the lash line and blend up to the crease if you’re daring. A great navy shadow is the Elizabeth Arden Colour Intrigue Shadow in Indigo, $32. If you’re not daring enough for the shadow, go for eyeliner. It’s easier to use and more versatile. My top tip is to use pencil eyeliner such as the Rimmel Soft Kohl Eye Pencil in 024 Cool Blue, $7, and line the inner rims of the eyes. Combine that with blue mascara such as Benefit’s BadGal Lash in Blue, $36. Your eyes will look lighter and brighter. Hooray! If you want a very subtle office look, just add a bit of navy blue mascara to the tips of the lashes.

What to do; a few pictures to get you in the mood for navy.

Heres what getting carried away looks like;

Cleansers; The Good, The Bad and The Oily

My skin has been going through an identity crisis lately. It's multiple dry and oily personalities have been showing up rather unannounced, unwelcomed and frankly, I don’t enjoy the visits. So, off I went on a brand spankin' new cleanser hunt. The target? To find a good cleansing oil. If you haven’t heard the hype that follows the cleansing oil clan, I shall explain it to you in a much less complicated, no dictionary needed way (hopefully). Ok, so your skin produces its own oil, sebum, which in even quantities softens your skin and provides the skin with a great balance of oil and water; it’s all lovely. Add to this though, the layers product you wear day to day; SPF tinted moisturisers, premiers, foundations, concealers, bronzers, powders and well.. You get the idea. Seriously, have you noticed just how many beauty products in general you use in just one day? But, back to the point, all these artificial layers cause your lovely sebum oil to harden and create a layer on the surface of the skin giving it a rough, shiny appearance and blemishes. Now, if you've learnt anything from Chemistry class back in high school, it would be that water and oil do not mix. So, by using water based cleansers on the skin which foam more than your Morning Fresh dishwashing liquid, all that happens is that the skin gets stripped of its water and only a tiny part of the actual naughty harden oil is taken away. Your skin then starts to overproduce sebum in order to try and repair the balance from the missing water; basically it’s a vicious cycle. When, however, you use a plant based oil to cleanse the skin, its chemical composition is similar enough for it to actually dissolve the hardened oils and still leave the water and necessary sebum content in the skin balanced. The result... Taa- Daa!! Soft, clean comfortable skin! When looking for a oil cleanser try and avoid animal based oils like Mineral Oil or Petrolatum as they can aggravate the problem and lead to further breakouts. Mixed textures, such as a cream and oil, are good for those who have drier skin or want to baby step into the cleansing oil clan. Here are some of my top picks;

Bloom Nuts About You Sweet Almond Cleansing Oil, $28
Great for all skin types and does not contain any animal derived products, hence wont clog the pores. Also makes makeup removal a piece of cake.

Bloom Clean Sweep Sweet Orange Cream Cleanser, $20
A cleanser that’s part cream, part oil. Excellent if your skin is on the dry side or sensitive side.

Clarins Pure Melt Cleansing Gel, $46
An ingenious cleanser. Seamlessly evolves from a light gel to an ultra fine Marula Oil then soft milk. True versatility in one product.

Pictures: AdoreBeauty

A very proud new owner

Happy birthday dearr blogggy, happy birthday to you! The first post of the bunch so its only appropriate that I give a little intro. Drum roll please! Ladies and (possibly) gentlmen I present to you, my just born beauty pet, The Beauty Cupboard. A fresh-faced blog to give you all the know how about beauty! Ofcourse, as any responsible pet owner, I shall love it and feed it many yummy beauty tips, updates and how-to's. I do it all in the hope that its velvety skin, sparkly eyes and shiny hair will brush off on to you. The internet blogging world (ie. me) is very happy with the new arrival and cannot wait to take on their owner responsibilites.
So, after much a do of postponing its arrival and fiddling with its appearance, I've finally given The Beauty Cupboard its wings and let it fly into the big shiny internet world.

P.S. Its a girl!