Too Faced Boudoir Eyes Swatches and Review

I just got this palette in the mail from beautybay.com

I couldn't get onto the Beauty Bay website today as their website was down, so I forgot how much it cost but I believe it was around $40 AUD.

I have another Too Faced palette so I had high hopes for this palette as well. 

They didn't let me down, this is one beautiful eyeshadow palette.

It also comes with a little pamphlet of how to's for different eye looks which is super handy.

Here are the swatches:

Too Faced Boudoir Eyes Palette 

Top row: In the buff;Fuzzy Handcuffs;Voulez-Vous
Middle row: Satin Sheets; Sugar walls; Garter Belt
Bottom row: Birthday Suit; Lap dance; French tickler

Pigmentation:
Every colour in this palette is super pigmented. There are no duds in this. I know in the Summer Eye palette there were a few colours that are very sparkly but very sheer, but in this one there are none. They are smooth and creamy and are so easy to blend.

Finish: 
Although In The Buff, Fuzzy Handcuffs and Garter Belt all look to be matte, they are more of a satin/demi-matte finish, they are not entirely matte. The other shades are all shimmery, French Tickler and Sugar Walls do contain amazing, chic glitter.

Who will it suit?
The purple colours will suit anyone but it is quite a cool toned palette so keep that in mind if you are into more warm tones.

This palette is so versatile, can go from day to night easily.

For a bride who is going to do their own makeup, pick up this palette, it would be super pretty for bridal makeup!

I believe it is limited edition so get your hands on it if you love taupes and mauvey purples like me.
Thanks for reading.

xox

Sleek Be Beautiful Blemish Balm BB cream Review and Swatches- Light

Product: Sleek Be Beautiful Blemish Balm (BB cream)

Cost: $11.49 AUD

Purchased at: http://www.sleekmakeup.com/face/bases/be-beautiful-blemish-balm

Overall rating: 5/10

Colour: Light

Finish: Semi-matte

Another Sleek! Wow this is becoming a pattern...no really, I just took a bunch of photos so I decided to swatch them and review them for researching purposes : )

This BB cream is much like the newer BB cream formulas. It's got q very thick, dense consistency and at times it can be difficult to squeeze out of the tube. It claims to conceal, repair, protect and provide full coverage. It has an SPF of 15, which is great.
(Keeping in mind that that SPF of 15 is by UK standards, so here in Australia it may not get any sort of rating on the SPF as our standards do vary to the UK.)

I cannot say much for the repairing or fixing properties as I have not yet seen a HUGE difference in my skin, but I can say that this is one of the thickest, most full coverage BB creams out there in the Western market.

The shade I got, in Light, is far too dark for even MY skin tone. I bought this when it was the end of winter so my skin was very pale as it was. As this does OXIDIZE quite quickly, I would definitely search swatches online or play it safe by going a shade lighter. You can always use a bronzer or darker powder if it is too light, it's a lot harder to blend a darker foundation than a lighter one.

But that is another plus to this BB cream! There are four shades to choose from, which make it great for all skin tones, from the fairest of fair to the deepest ebony. Now that I have more of a tan though, I really love this full coverage BB cream and it is a more full coverage version of my favourite Garnier BB cream!

Best applied with finger tips or spotted around face and blended with a stipple or buffing brush.
(for dry or acne prone skin, using fingertips to gently buff BB cream in might prove better for your skin)

Overall, I do like this. I wish I would've bought the fair shade, however, it is a great product.

Swatch with Flash

Sleek Molten Metal Review and Swatches- Steel and Ash

Product: Sleek Molten Metal cream eyeshadow

Cost: $8.99 AUD

Purchased at: http://www.sleekmakeup.com/eyes/shadows/molten-metal

Overall rating: 7/10

Colour: Steel and Ash

Longevity: Medium time

So another Sleek Review!

This is on this duo of cream eyeshadows. Now this one I'm a little bit on the fence about. The duo of colours fits very well together, both are sort of varying shades of a gunmetal colour. 

These blend really well and as a theme with all Sleek products, they are highly pigmented and therefore not much product is needed at all. 

Applied with a synthetic flat shader brush or a clean ring finger is ideal, it can be blended with a brush or q-tip very easily. This has to be the best way for a quick, chic smokey eye or for a one shade eye look. 

The colours, if well blended do set, but obviously with any creams they do crease after extended wear. I have worn these with UDPP and they do last quite a long time on their own, set with a similar powder, they last even longer. 

Compared to something like the Maybelline colour tattoo cream eyeshadows, they are very comparable, although the colour tattoo's do last a little longer on the lids. 

Overall they are pretty good, would I go out and buy another one, maybe not. I by no means regret buying this but Sleek only offers one other duo in the moltel metal creams in more of the gold family, which could be nice but I am not too desperate to pick up another one of these. 

Swatch with flash

 As you can see, these are highly pigmented, I only used the smallest swipe of each colour.

Swatch in natural light

Sleek Blush Review- Suede, Flamingo, Scandalous & Rose Gold

Product: Sleek blush

Cost: $5.99 AUD

Purchased at: http://www.sleekmakeup.com/face/blusher/blush

Overall rating: 9.5/10

Colour(s): Scandalous, Rose Gold, Suede and Flamingo

Longevity: GREAT!

Okay so excuse me dodgy ass photos, as you can see, these are ‘much loved’ blushes. (Meaning they look filthy as heck because I’ve used them so much.)

I’ll summarise by saying that these blushes are ah-maz-ing! Matte or shimmer, the quality is better than anything you can buy here in Australia in Priceline, from most brands, at this price, by far! Recommend them for pros or everyday users alike. I have tried the four colours listed and I can assume that the other colours on the site that sleek offers are of the same quality and texture. 

Top left: Rose Gold
Top Right: Suede
Bottom left: Scandalous
Bottom right: Flamingo

Swatches with flash
(L-R; T-B: Scandalous, Rose Gold, Flamingo, Suede)

Swatches without flash
(L-R; T-B: Scandalous, Rose Gold, Flamingo, Suede)

Scandalous:

Matte fire engine red.

Absolutely no shimmer or dimension

Looks great with a tan or medium skin tones, not too sure for super fair skin tones, but deeper or tanned skin tones would love this

Gives almost ‘sun burnt’ look to cheeks which looks incredible if applied correctly (top of cheeks, lightly dusted on forehead, bridge of nose and small amounts on cheeks)

Tips: Use stipple brushes or less dense brushes as this is HIGHLY pigmented as all sleek blushes are.

This can be patchy when applied but is blended over a small amount of powder it will work great

Suede:

Matte light brown with pink undertones

Absolutely no shimmer or dimension

Works well as a contour shade! For fairer skins this works fabulously as a contour, medium light skin tones can use this as a super natural blush, as I do sometimes

Swatches lovely and is a great texture on the cheeks

Tips: Apply in hollows of cheeks and bring up onto apples of cheeks with a n angled blush brush for a beautiful contour and blush in one

Flamingo:

Matte cool hot, vibrant pink

Absolutely no shimmer or dimension

Amazing natural flush colour if applied with a light hand

Works well on fair and deep skin tones! Very versatile!

Lasts so long on the cheeks, again, as all of these blushes do.

Tips: If applied lower on the cheeks, more in the hollow of the cheek, it gives a natural contour if applied over a matte bronzer/contour shade

Pair with all your pink lipsticks and you’ve got a great complimentary blush shade!

Rose Gold:

Peach/pink toned blush with gold toned shimmer

DUPE FOR NARS ‘ORGASM’ BLUSH

Pretty, pretty shade!

Would work great on fair skin tones and it would be a great highlight on deep skin tones

Works best for a blush shade, higher on the cheekbones as the gold shimmer catches the light beautifully and gives the prettiest glow in pictures. (See swatch with flash to see the gold glow this creates)

Tips: Use an angled blush brush or round blush brush, apply the blush below your iris on your cheekbones and sweep back into the hairline

Overall Summary:

If you are a beauty addict, go and get your hands on these! Rose Gold and Flamingo and my top 2, but Suede and Scandalous are amazing too! Gosh, they’re all my favourites! LOVE THESE!!!!

Australian Essence Makeup Review

After watching so many YouTube beauty guru’s who live over in the USA, I’ve seen a pattern forming. Other Aussie YouTube watchers always comment on how the prices in America are SO much cheaper than here in Australia and I have to say that this is true, however, you’ve just got to know where to look to get that bang for your buck. There are options out there so we should stop and see what we’ve got here.
 Essence is fairly new here but their products, as far as I can tell so far, are amazing for that cheap ‘drugstore’ price us Aussie girls have been looking for. Here is a quick, sharp review on three of their products.
Essence is available from Target and Priceline as far I could find. Go and check them out for some new items in your makeup bags. 

Product: XXXL Shine lip gloss

Cost: $3.50 AUD

Purchased at: Priceline

Overall Rating: 6/10

Colour: #08 GLAMOUR TO GO

This lip gloss is very pretty. It was the only real nude colour that Essence offers but it is quite versatile. It was also the only lip gloss which didn’t have real chunky glitters in it. Placed on the centre of the lip over another lipstick, it adds the most beautiful shine and gives the lip a plumped up look. I personally wouldn’t wear it alone or all over the lips generously as it washes me out with my skin tone but I do think it’s a great gloss formula.

It has a super shimmery look and is not sticky at all. It also wears off quite nicely and lasts quite a long time on the lips.

Really nice product for such the cheap price tag.

 Product: Quattro eyeshadow

Cost: $5.95 AUD

Purchased at: Target

Overall Rating: 9.5/10

Colour: #07 OVER THE TAUPE

Without Flash

With Flash

#7 Over the Taupe

This quad has to be the best drugstore eyeshadow out there. For a little less than six bucks Australian, you get four shadows which are simply amazing quality. I chose the taupe colour selection, but they also had a purple, blue, neutral and classic smokey colour quads as well. The swatches shown are proof, the colours and highly pigmented, but more importantly they are creamy and rich in texture and have next to no fallout if applied correctly. They blend beautifully and in this Over the Taupe palette the top two colours have a demi-matte finish on the skin and the deeper two colours are shimmery, but not too much so that they are overdone.

Cannot recommend this palette enough for those cool toned taupe lovers like myself.

Highly recommended and it is such a great price for Australian makeup!

Product: Stay natural concealer

Cost: $3.95 AUD

Purchased at: Priceline

Overall Rating: 7/10

Colour: #02 SOFT SAND

With Flash

Without Flash

#2 Soft Sand

This concealer is quite nice also. There is definitely a pattern forming in this brand. For the price, it’s amazing quality. This concealer is no different. It’s super natural looking and in this shade, it has a very neutral undertone, not too warm or yellow, just right in the middle. It is great for under eyes as it’s lightweight and wouldn’t really sink into any wrinkles which may be around the eye area. It has no shimmer or shine but it looks super natural on the skin. It wears well and lasts up to around five solid hours. I wouldn’t recommend it for blemishes but it does cover my redness around my nose and on my cheeks too. For the price, again, it’s fabulous.



To summarise this brand as a whole, it simply is a breath of fresh air on the Australian makeup market. I personally couldn’t recommend it more, especially for beginners or those who want to be a bit budget friendly on their makeup bags. These three products that I’ve tried so far have all been beyond their price by a mile. 

I cannot wait to buy some more Essence products, check back to Girls War Paint for more essence reviews. 

Australian CHANEL Soleil Tan De Chanel Review

Cost: $75 AUD

Purchased at: MYER Chanel Counter

Overall Rating: 9/10

Okay, so this is my first review and it is for the Chanel Soleil Tan De Chanel cream bronzer. 

Now, price wise, this is pretty expensive, but after much use of mine I've found that a little goes a long way, making this product quite cost effective in the long term.

FINISH: 

The finish is demi-matte on the skin but having said that, when you look at the product when its in the jar it does have small amounts of shine, shimmer not appropriate here, but there is a glow to the product when it's in the jar and slightly on the skin. The shine doesn't add grease to the skin, it makes it perfectly glowing in a way.

This would be amazing for brides to wear beneath the cheekbone for a contour that doesn't look fake at all.

(I use this for a contour daily!)

The bronzer picks up the shine and is not greasy at all

APPROPRIATE SKIN TONES:

Fair skin tones might find it difficult to blend/too orange on your skin tone. For fair skins though, if you work with it using a light hand and dabbing excess product onto your hand before going onto the cheeks, you might really love it. (Blending with your foundation brush will also help to make this go on beautifully!)

Medium skin tones will have the best luck with this bronzer, my skin tone is fair/medium and I adore this for contouring or bronzing, depending on the time of year and my level of tan.

Deeper skin tones and dark ebony skin tones, this bronzer may not show up as anything but I have not tried it on richer skin tones myself.

APPLICATION:

A light hand is key in all applications.

I have found my perfect application to be a semi-dense synthetic brush is the best way to apply this to contour cheekbones, temples, nose and jawline for a super natural looking contour shade. 

I have also used foundation brushes, stippling brushes and flat top kabuki style brushes also work amazing with this product. Use your creativity with your brushes, the typical blush brush is good, but sometimes other brushes work better.

**But make sure they are synthetic as you do not want to ruin your natural hair brushes by dipping them into this cream.  On a side note: EcoTools brushes are synthetic and they've got a flat top buffer brush which works great in this Chanel cream bronzer.

Swatch is highly concentrated. You need the most minimal amount on the cheeks/skin

STAYING POWER:

Very long staying power on this. I have worn it alone and set it with a powder and both times provided at least eight hours of good quality wear. Note that I have normal/dry skin, oily skin tones though, this is a cream which sets quite quickly on the skin to a dry cream texture so don't be turned away just because it is a cream.

SUMMARY:

I think, if you have the money to spare and you are a makeup fiend, then go for it! It's a great bronzer and experimental product and it looks great sitting on a vanity or bathroom counter. 

Having said that, the price of seventy-five AUSTRALIAN dollars is A LOT in my opinion. I bought this with a $50 voucher. But as I said before, it's lasting me so long. 

Some cons are that brush hairs do shed in the product. I've tried numerous brushes of varying costs and it took me ages to find a brush which didn't shed in it and ever since I've used it every day. 

It might not work on your skin tone, so go and get them to test it on you at a Chanel counter and do not be intimidated to ask! It's okay to ask them to try it on you in store, which is what I did many times before buying ; )

I don't know what it is about this, but it adds a glow without adding grease and every time I wear it I get compliments on how amazing my skin looks.

This is sort of a cult favorite on YouTube and in the pro makeup world and I have to say I am very glad I did end up getting this. 

This is a highly luxurious product and it's just amazing, recommend it if you've got the money to spend and if you love the idea of a natural looking cream bronzer or contour, depending on your skin tone.