The Blending Brush Battle

I'm sure everyone here is at least familiar with the old MAC 217, a favourite amongst beauty bloggers and MUAs alike but there's a new(ish) kid on the block- Wayne Goss' 19 Eye Brush. Before I owned any of the Goss brushes I thought the 217 was the be all and end all, so much so that I bought 2. That's when you know you really love something! It does a great job of blending shadows to make a noob like me be able to fake some sort of application skill. It does most of the work for you so really it's fool proof.

I didn't think anything of the actual make of the brush until I entered the Goss beauty market. I purchased a couple of Wayne's brushes last year, one of which being Number 19- enter the blending brush of dreams. Now these are slightly pricier but let's be real MAC prices are high enough in Australia so it's not really classified as so much of an affordable brand as it is overseas. I know if you want to spend a bit more on your brushes then you look to brands like Hakuhodo and others but Goss is a newer player in the game. 

The 19 does all the things the 217 does but a smidgen better and it feels like you're swiping soft, fluffy clouds on your eyelids. Each of the brushes are handcrafted in Japan if I'm not wrong and you can seriously feel the quality. The brush itself is lightweight and easy to care for; they came with a little note to not wash them more than once a month but to rather wipe off the excess on a tissue so less cleaning = happy me. They don't retain product either like I feel my 217s can. 

Breakdown comparison of the two- 

MAC 217 $37 Available in stores and online. 

Wayne Goss #19 $27USD ($34AUD) Available for Aussies to purchase from Beautylish.

The choice is yours my friends... 

All Eyes on the L'Oreal Mono Shadows

Sometimes (a lot of the time) for more reasons than one, I dislike living in the Southern Hemisphere. As big a first world problem as it is, makeup and beauty launches 6 months behind everyone else is one of my peeves! I get how ridiculous and vain that sounds, don't even worry. It's just those products you see hit the screen from UK & US beauties and you're like :| need. now.

Breaking Nude, Cafe Saint Germain, Quartz Fume

The L'Oreal Mono Shadows were one of those launches. After the success and my love for the Infallible shadows, I was excited for these. They launched with a couple of different finishes- there's the mattes, lumiere and nude. I picked out one of each and love them all. These, like the Infallible shadows, are super creamy and pigmented and are more like a pressed pigment than an eyeshadow. Worn alone or with other shadows, I've been loving these since I bought them. The only negatives I have are that one of them fell out of the pan after a short drop and the darker shades do have a bit of a fall out but I think you kind of just expect that with a product like this.

Breaking Nude, Cafe Saint Germain, Quartz Fume

New In | Maybelline Colour Drama Lipsticks

Things have been a tad lip-tastic here at chez Beautylocale, so apologies for two lip related posts in a row but I just can't help myself! I need want all of the lip products!!

The minute I saw these hit my computer screen when watching beauties in the Northern Hemisphere, I had been waiting (not so) patiently for these to hit Priceline's shelves. It would seem I definitely wasn't the only one either because the second the installations were put into the Maybelline stands, every single store I went into had bare slots. The struggle and devastation was real.

Not for long though! I finally got my eager little hands on one shade and then a few store attempts and days later, a second. Boy oh boy these were worth the wait my friends. Beauty bloggers and the like had sort of loosely thrown around the potential for being a Nars dupe and I have one of the matte lip pencils so I don't know if one makes me an expert but I would definitely say these are beyond drugstore quality and their $9.95 price tag.

Fab Orange & Red Essential

I got sooo many compliments at work and everyone was very shocked that it was a drugstore product brought to us by the gods of Maybelline and also that was so affordable! I posted a photo on my instagram showing how it wore from 9am to 7pm and that was no lie (check it out- @beautylocale). These are really creamy, easy to apply, comfortable to wear allll day long and they've brought out some beautiful bold shades as well as pretty nudes.

Maybelline have really hit the mark with this release and I will definitely be expanding my collection when I release myself from this semi makeup ban I've put myself under..

The swatches really speak for themselves, so if you've been eyeing off the Nars lip pencils but don't want to commit to that price point then head to your nearest Maybelline stockist asap!

Bite Beauty Begins Here

Like a lot of other beauty obsessives, the minute I knew I was going to the US, I began drafting my beauty wishlist.. it was a slippery slope let me tell you. At the top of my list was to delve into the world of Bite Beauty and I really wanted to make it to their lip lab in NYC. However in true holiday style, this all went out the window. I did buy the Agave lip mask which I've been loving but after I was given the huge lip set from Sephora from Christmas, I think I felt anymore lip product purchases was just excessive.

Enter Sydney Sephora, a giftcard from a gorgeous gal pal and working in dangerously close vicinity to Pitt St. I braved the lunch rush to check out Bite Beauty specifically and was disappointed by all the colours I had my eye on being out of stock. A week later and a second chance, we had success! 

Of all their formulas it was the Matte Creme Lip Crayons that caught my eye- a beautiful range of shades from nudes to bolds, on first swatch these just glided so easily on the back of my hand. Plus as I've mentioned before, I'm not one to shy away from a good ol' matte lip. Glacé had me straight away- trust. A beautiful dusty mauve, it was well and truly up my alley as a pinky brown tone. Then to even out the spectrum I thought a dark, bold shade would be a nice pairing. My pick- Truffle. A gorgeous vampy, deep brown, perfect for the upcoming Autumn trends and weather. 

Glacé & Truffle

I've worn Glacé all day at work, talking, eating, the lot and it's seriously comfortable for a matte lip and only needs a light reapplication. Now that I've used it a few times, the tip isn't as sharp which is disappointing and something I didn't really think about, because initially it was great for getting a super crisp line. I haven't given sharpening it a go yet but has anyone else found this or tried sharpening them? I don't want to do it and then ruin it entirely because that would just be devastation.

These retail for $30 at Sephora which when you think about it is more affordable than a lot of mid-range brands plus these are made with only good ingredients and are free from a whole lot of nasty chemicals and additives. That's Bite Beauty's aim if you weren't aware so bonus thumbs up from me!

GlamGlow Powermud Mask

I've raved about the GlamGlow SuperMud Mask before and now comes their more recent addition to the face mask range- PowerMud. A mud to oil formula, this mask was something very different to anything I'd tried before and was very intriguing. I saw Nicole Guerriero mention this in one of her videos months ago and had been waiting for it to reach our shelves since. One fateful evening visit to MeccaCosmetica after work and it had arrived! It was on their 'New In' shelves and not long after, it was in my bathroom cabinet. I did want to wait to finish a few other masks I had on rotation because at the price point that this mask is, I didn't want it sitting unloved and unused in my cabinet.

PowerMud as I mentioned, is a mud to oil formula so because of its' description I didn't expect it would dry fully on my face but it does; I applied a thing layer all over my face and within 5-10 minutes it was almost fully dry. With a very pleasant pear scent, I left it to work its magic for 15-20 minutes then instead of removing it with a  face washer or cloth, you use warm water and circular motions to wash the mask off. When you do this you feel the mask turn to an oily feel which I think is meant to further penetrate the skin.

PowerMud is described as a dual cleanse treatment as it's meant to deep clean your skin from weekly buildup of makeup, dirt, pollution etc  that gets trapped in your pores. It's designed for all skin types and both men and women. For this reason I like to use this mask on Sunday evenings as my weekly prep to cleanse my skin from the week before and prepare it for the week ahead. I do generally apply at least one mask mid-week as well and I tend to go for something more clarifying.

In terms of comparison with the SuperMud mask, they are quite different; SuperMud is more of a traditional clay mask in my opinion, the way you can see it working on your pores and problem areas makes it more obvious that it's penetrating your skin. Whereas with PowerMud, I think the results are more subtle and long-term. It's meant to cleanse from weekly build up and my skin definitely feels soft and smooth afterwards but I'm not sure it does as much for treating any active breakouts and spots that I might have at the time.

Both are different and work on different issues, I don't prefer one or the other I would recommend either SuperMud or PowerMud depending on your skin concerns. Both are available from MeccaCosmetica and MeccaMaxima in Australia.

Summer Scrubbin'

Even though Sydney wants to trick us into thinking it's already here, Summer is not here just yet but the shorter hemlines, bare legs and arms are already making their way out! The sun has been seriously shining these past couple of weeks and I can't say I was 100% prepared (my arms and legs are still rocking a ghostly shade of white) however I did have one product on hand to ease myself into this warm weather thing.

If you read my post a couple of weeks ago from the Body Shop summer preview then you would have seen I purchased the Argan Oil Rough Scrub scrub from their new Argan range. The scrub is one of the more jelly type exfoliators that they have, others are a little more creamy which is more similar to what I'd used before so I was very intrigued by this one. The scent had me at first sniff, I love the smell of argan products and this is no different- slightly sweet, fresh and just a pleasant scent. As the name suggests, it is quite a rough scrub and the size of the particles is perfect for a great exfoliation! I like to use this 2-3 times a week to ensure there's no scaly limbs looming in the cold weather's shadows. Especially followed by Lush's Ro's Argan Body Conditioner in the shower or one of my Aesop Body Balms once I'm out of the shower.

This scrub will have your limbs summer ready in no time! What are your favourite products to get your skin summer ready?

The Wild Argan Oil Rough Scrub is available from Body Shop stores and online for $23.95.

New in | NARS Audacious Lipsticks

You know you have beautiful friends in your life when an after work Mecca swatch session becomes a mental note for future birthday gifts. This was the case for me when one of my work pals turned up with that familiar eggplant shade of shopping bag and handed me makeup heaven from MeccaCosmetica. Inside contained the new Nars Audacious lipsticks. Two of them in fact. You can imagine the internal silent squeals at my desk. They happened. Anyway she knows how grateful I am and all the feels so let's crack on with the beauty.. crack..?

Barbara & Fanny

Nars' most recent launch of their Audacious lipsticks and liners created quite a kerfuffle in the beautysphere I must say. I'm not sure if it was because they got a total revamp in packaging, stamping the lot or if a new Nars launch is just that exciting. I think it may be a little of column A and a little of column B. The range was launched with 30 shades each named with a womans' name so added excitement points if one of them is yours! There's nudes, oranges, reds, pinks, vampy, they've launched them all so there's something for everyone.

On an Instagram trawl I'd spotted the shade Fanny but we all know that sometimes in photos colours can look a little off, especially for lipsticks and blushes. Not in this case; I flipped over almost every lipstick I thought was close in colour until I found her- Fanny; a beautiful deep raspberry shade I would say but not too wintery, it's definitely wearable in all months.

Barbara

The second shade she chose was Barbara-a beautiful brown toned nude, right up my alley! Apparently she wanted to get my Anita which we'd both admired in store but was told that Anita was a popular gal and sold out. Doesn't bother me, Barbara is a beautiful lady! I was worried it was going to be too nude on my pale skin but no issues whatsoever, it's perfect.

L- Fanny, R- Barbara

These lipsticks glide on, feel super comfortable on the lips and are easy to reapply. They retail for $44 each from MeccaCosmetica.

Spring Scents

Every morning, I look at my collection of perfumes and choose one depending on my mood, the weather oustide and the season. I'm not one of those people to wear the same scent every single day, I definitely have some I wear more than others but I prefer to alternate and change it up a little! For Winter, I tend to reach for more rich, warm fragrances whereas now that it's Spring and warming up, I have found myself (surprisingly) reaching for more light, florally fragrances. Whoda thunk it?! These are the top four that when I looked at my stash caught my eye and are definitely some of my most loved. I'm not even going to try to explain how these smell and the different notes etc but I'll add what the companies say they contain.

Jo Malone Wild Bluebell Cologne - I bought this in Harrod's, London last year and stood there for so long with the assistant helping me to choose just one cologne. If you've been to a Jo Malone counter before you'd know it can be a little overwhelming with being presented so. many. choices. They're all displayed on perspex stands that have the main note like, woody, citrus, floral, spicy etc which does help a little. Anyway I ended up with Wild Bluebell which I thought was a beautiful light scent for the warmer months as I bought it at the beginning of my European holiday. 

Wild Bluebell falls under the 'Light Floral' category and is described as- Vibrant sapphire blooms in a shaded woodland. The delicate sweetness of dewy bluebells suffused with lily of the valley and eglantine, and a luscious twist of persimmon. Mesmorising. 

Love, Chloe EDP-  I did something I'd never done before with this perfume... I bought it on a whim. I was browsing Boots Pharmacy in London, again last year, and as I was passing the fragrance cabinet the sales assistant was marking down the perfumes. I was looking for something specific, I can't remember what it was but then I saw this perfume was discounted to £17. £17. I was like :| I asked the lady if it was nice/similar to the original which I've worn for years and do love and she said it was nice but not too similar. I needed a perfume for my trip and this went immediately into my already very full shopping basket. This perfume is one of my favourites and I reach for it a lot a lot. Almost everyday but as I said, I like to chop and change. Whenever I wear this people always say it's a very 'clean' smell and soapy has been mentioned as well. I'm not bothered, I like to smell clean! I found out that this has been discontinued so scoured the internet and bought a new 100mL bottle before they all disappear! However I've seen a lot around on the internet on trustworthy sites if you're interested. 

 It's described as: a celebration of radiant, generous and spontaneous femininity. A contagious beauty that is free and graceful. This fragrance is inspired by the intimacy of the beauty ritual. It is a fine, powdery scent. Light, sensual and iridescent with talc and rice. Notes: orange blossom, pepper, hyacinth, iris, lilac, wisteria, heliotropine, musk, talc, rice powder.

Prada Candy L'Eau EDT- Again an overseas purchase- I tend to wait to buy fragrances overseas because they're cheaper and I sometimes worry about authenticity when purchasing fragrances online. I bought this at a Sephora after I'd sniffed a million and one others and I preferred the EDT of Candy rather than the original. It's lighter and a bit more fresh so therefore not as overpowering. I only bought the 30mL but this has lasted me quite a while. I wore it around Europe so now when I wear it, it takes me back to the Greek Islands and European summer which makes me one happy lady. I love how a scent can attach to a memory and stick in your mind! This is probably about as sweet a perfume as I'll wear as well. 

They say: Combining freshness and joie de vivre, Prada’s latest fragrance evolved from the concept of a fictional young female character, Candy. Alluring and unexpected, pleasure-seeking and enigmatic, the many facets of Candy’s personality reflect the range of notes that form Prada Candy L’Eau. A trinity of white musks, benzoin, and caramel is heightened by the presence of citrus and Oriental floral notes to create a vibrant ensemble. Zestful, elegant, and indulgent, the spirit of the fragrance lies in Candy’s optimistic view of the world.

Viktor & Rolf's Flowerbomb EDP-  I think this will be one that most people have heard of/use/love or are obsessed with. It's just one of those scents, ya know. Two of my best friends in highschool used to wear this and they just smelt absolutely amaze so I had to jump on the bandwagon and have it to! This is now my second 100mL bottle and I love coming back to it in the warmer months. The thing I like about this perfume is that I feel it smells slightly different on everyone, which I know is often the case with perfumes as it reacts with peoples' skin differently but not always. This on me and this on my best friend are so, so different. I find this to be a fairly warm floral, again quite sweet without being lolly water sweet. I do always get compliments when I wear this and as I said it seems to be a crowd favourite with a lot of beauty obsessives!

They say: This floral explosion releases a profusion of flowers that has the power to make everything seem more positive. Magically evocative notes immediately awaken your deepest senses, giving you the impression of living life in your own secret garden, away from reality. Sambac jasmine, centifolia rose, 

cattleya orchid, and ballerina freesia bloom on a base of patchouli.

What are your favourite go-to perfumes for the warmer months? From this blog post do you have any recommendations for me?

Goldwell Elixir

I did try to take a photo of the actual oil then realised it was clear and just the bottle is gold.. derp.

With Summer around the corner, often things can get a little dry and frizzy from all the heat and beaching and swimming that us Aussies enjoy. However, I just have to say AIN'T NOBODY GOT TIME FO' DAT! So I've found a product that will be helping me combat frizzy, dry locks this Summer so things remain looking sleek and chic.

Goldwell's Elixir* is a beautiful, lightweight hair oil that has a nice scent and doesn't leave your hair feeling weighed down and greasy. Plus it's a bit of a multitasker so if you're someone who just can't be bothered too much with your haircare routine or you don't want to be spending a lot of money on various products then this could be the one you need. Unlike a lot of other much loved products on the market that have only one oil in them, Elixir is a combination of Argan Oil which we all know is the new 'it' thing in the beauty world, together with Tamanu Oil which has protective qualities. The combination of the two provides your hair with intense shine, silky soft to touch and is great for anti-frizz- well hello, I think you've answered my prayers hair angels!

I like to use this more on towel-dried hair before I quickly 'blow dry' it. I use that term loosely because really I run my fingers through and wave the hairdryer around until is dry enough for me to leave the house and look semi respectable. Applying the oil before hair drying also works as a heat protectant but sometimes I do double up with my TRESemme Keratin Protect spray for added protection.

As I mentioned before this one is a bit of a multitasker, so you can also add a drop of the Elixir into any other hair treatments you may use for a bit o' extra silky smooth and as well as a finishing product. So once you've dried your hair and maybe things are looking a little frizzola and bouffy post-dry; rub a pea sized amount through your palms and gently over your hair avoiding the roots. This will calm things down more and protect against the frizz which for me, is a necessity.

The Goldwell Elixir retails for $34.95 which is cheaper than a lot of the other salon products that aim to do a similar thing. You can purchase it from Goldwell salons.

*I was kindly sent this product for review however all opinions are truthful and my own and this post is not compensated.

The Trend | Lip Lacquers

It seems like a new company every month is launching their version of the lip lacquer that is very on trend at the moment. If I'm not mistaken, I think it started with YSL's Rouge Pur Couture Glossy Stains and it's baby sister L'Oreal's entry into the drugstore/chemist market made the whole trend much more readily available to a wider audience. Then with Rimmel's Apocalips, it's like glossy stain mania all around!

Seeing as I have a few from different brands, I thought I would do not so much a review but an overview of what I have in my collection. My first entry into the glossy stain market was a purchase of the YSL because at the time there was such a big amount of hype in the blogoshphere and YouTube arena that I thought, hey they look interesting.. There is very little difference between these and the later released version by L'Oreal except for maybe lasting time but seeing as they're under the same company umbrella, some similarities are to be expected. With these, they look best layered so the first coat appears fairly sheer and creates the stain and one or two more coats creates a beautiful opaque glossy stain that lasts for hours as well as pretty well through eating, drinking and talking.

Rimmel's Apocalips however, are more a one swipe, opaque jobby and aren't as staining as they YSL or L'Oreal. Apocalips have received a ridiculous amount of hype so I'm sure you're aware of their existence but it is definitely well deserved. These things are very good especially for a 'drugstore' product. Each time Priceline or ASOS is having a sale these are one of the first things I gravitate towards and add to my existing shades. They're just too easy to throw in your bag and pop on during the day or throughout the evening for a beautiful, glossy lip in 2 seconds. The applicators on all of these are similar doe foot applicators which make it easy to create a nice curve on the upper lip and get into the corners of the mouth. In fact, the L'Oreal and YSL are exactly the same.

Last of all is Lush's addition with their 'Fresh Handmade Colour' that can be used all over the face so as a blusher, eyeshadow or lip colour. The two shades I have, I've only ever used as lip colours and I bought them with that intention. The launch of these products came with that fun wheel that you and a Lush assistant spin with your eyes closed and you pick colours and those colours have meanings which are meant to be applicable to you and your personality (See, this is where companies get me with gimmicky launches and interactive things like this) So naturally I bought two of the shades which I found completely applicable to me and happened to love the colours as well. These too come with a doe foot applicator and, like Rimmel are opaque within one swipe and are foolproof to apply. They last for hours and because it's Lush are fairly natural and 100% cruelty free so extra thumbs up.

YSL Rouge Pur Couture no. 16, 21

L'Oreal Lip Shine Caresse (L-R)  no. 300, 402, 101

Rimmel Apocalips (L-R) - Big Bang,  Stellar,  Nova,  Luna, Nude Eclipse

Lush Handmade Colour- Decisive, Passionate

From these swatches you can see that in terms of one swipe payoff, Rimmel probably comes out trumps but in terms of lasting power and less transfer then the other three brands- L'Oreal, YSL and Lush would get my vote in that respect.

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The Review | Chanel Mat Lumière

A Classic For A Classic

Foundation, I love the stuff but I hate the stuff. All the promises that these companies make, the tag lines that pull me in to buy them and believe that I'll look airbrushed in real life if I spend all my pretty pennies on this 'holy grail product'.. I could cry at the amount of money I've wasted on foundations, but rather I choose to ignore it and push it to a deep corner in the back of my mind.

I used to do dancing so I was using foundation from an early-ish age but only once or twice a year and my Mum would always be the one to choose it for me and match my colour (even she knew to match to the neck) so I think my first foundation that I didn't borrow from her was a Bloom cosmetics one. I loved it, I felt so grown up and sophisticated wearing my foundation (a maximum five times a year) and thought I'll love this product forever! Despite the fact that it became discontinued as a brand, I grew up and realised it wasn't actually that great for my changing skin type. From I'd say 16 years old, give or take, I started experimenting with more foundations which for the most part were just 'drugstore' so from Priceline or Target. I have tried more foundations that I could even remember and nothing I've ever loved enough to dub a HG- holy grail product. Until now.

Ooh Chanel you are so beauty-fell (see my rhyme there) but really, I could sing this to my bottle of Mat Lumière every morning if I woke up feeling strange enough. I've been using this for I think almost two months now pretty much everyday and there hasn't been a day yet when I've looked at my reflection and thought 'ew this isn't sitting well on my face or I look cakey, patchy, nothing'. As I mentioned in my 'Best of the Minis' blogpost, the lovely lady at the David Jones Chanel counter matched me to either B20 or B30 in this formula and gave me samples to try in natural lighting and to see how they both oxidised on my skin. I used both for a week or so and was going to go with B30 but decided that as I will get paler in the coming months, to go for B20 so I can just warm it up with powder, bronzer or the like. A $72 dent in my wallet and five minutes later I was the proud owner of my first Chanel foundation. As the name would suggest it leaves the skin with a matte but also luminous finish, definitely not dull or flat looking and I would say it is a medium but buildable coverage great for both day and night. I have taken a few flash photos whilst wearing this and no obvious stark white face has appeared which is a bonus. It doesn't feel thick or heavy on the skin and it's not one of those foundations that I'm itching to get home and wash off my face. I wear this to a full day at work, maybe blot once or twice throughout the day and reapply powder but I can comfortably wear this for a long day.

What they say- 'Mat Lumière, the perfect balance between softness, radiance and a matte finish. The fluid formula blends delicately into the skin. It contains silica in the form of fine porous and spherical particles to help ensure a matte complexion. Shiny areas are mattified and the radiance of the face is revealed. At the same time, coated pigments help conceal imperfections with an optical effect. They even out and light up the complexion for beautiful glowing skin. The polymers in the formula help to optimise the hold and matte finish of the foundation.' 
(I feel like this is a direct translation from French because the grammar and structure is not great but that is what the leaflet tells me!)

What I say- Over the top of the Hourglass mineral veil primer, I buff this in using my Real Techniques buffing brush and am given the finish that they describe. A evened out, matte but luminous complexion that is long lasting (they say 12 hours) and feels nice on the skin. Definitely recommend this to my fellow combination skin gals looking for a flattering matte finish to their foundation.

Quick Bits-
Cost- $72 (RRP for Australia)
Availability- Department Stores
SPF- 15
Lasting time- They say 12 hours and I would agree
Finish- Matte but luminous
Application- They recommend just using your fingers in circular movements but I prefer the Real Techniques buffing or Stippling brushes.

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Korres | Sage & Salicylic Acid Cleansing Gel

From a young age, my parents always drilled into me the importance of protecting and caring for your skin especially from the sun (not that I always took note) but also a good skincare routine when I entered the glorious teenage years and was immediately hit with problematic skin. I think my Mum had similar issues and problem areas when she was my age so she always emphasised the importance of taking good care of your skin and having a routine. Alas, even as a youngin I was cleansing morning and night, moisturising and dabbing tea tree oil on those pesky spots. Now that I fund my own beauty habit, I've dabbled in a range of skincare and definitely see the importance of using the right products for your skin type and also spending a bit extra to get more worthwhile and when possible, natural products. Don't get me wrong, a cheap bottle of tea tree oil will forever remain in my bathroom cupboard and supermarket buys like Cetaphil, QV and Simple products are more than sufficient for many people. When possible though, I try to buy more natural products and avoid the usual- parabens, sulfates and mineral oils as well as fragrances that can just further irritate your skin. 

This post isn't meant to be all about my skincare routine but rather a review on my most recent cleanser purchase- the Korres Sage & Salicylic Acid Regulating Gel ($25.50) although I got mine on offer for under $20. I was scrolling through the Beauty pages of ASOS and saw this, gave it a quick Google for any reviews, which seemed to be fairly positive so I thought why not give it a try? I quite like Korres products, I bought a few lip products when I was in Greece completely unaware it's in fact a Greek brand.. (duh) and more to the point I like that it has a long list of no nasties. My last cleanser was the Avene Cleanance Soapless Gel Cleanser which I bought because it was soapless which I have been told can just strip your natural oils. I had no issues with it, I quite liked it but was happy to try something new. Prior to this was the tried and true Cetaphil Oily Skin cleanser but I found it left my skin feeling a bit tight after washing. However it did a good job and removed 99% of my makeup. 

Ok, enough rambling back to Korres- when I first used it I wet my face, rubbed it all over, stopped and literally said out loud "Oh no, I don't like that"in terms of the smell but it grew on me quite quickly and now I really like it. I use this for both morning and night, although at night I remove a good deal of my make up first using Bioderma then double cleanse with this. I use either the Simple toner or Lush Tea Tree Water  and very little remnants of make up remains. It doesn't leave my skin feeling tight or dry, I just feel fresh and clean. You only need a pea size amount and it gently lathers into more than enough for your face and neck. I haven't yet fully determined if it has reduced the oiliness of my skin in general but maybe with further use. For reference, my skin is combination/oily.

What they say- ' Regulating cleansing gel for oily skin prone to imperfections. Deep, purifying cleansing that removes traces of dirt, residue and oil without leaving skin feeling dry or tight. Ideal for everyday use on face and body. 90.1% Natural content.

What I say- 'Agreed. I Definitely recommend'.

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Product Reviews | The Best of the Minis

When it comes to things that are miniature in size, I'm a complete sucker. Whether it's deluxe samples or products that come in a small size, I can't resist, they're just too cute! (An advertiser's dream right here..) I've been collecting some of the miniatures that I have either acquired or purchased with a future blogpost in mind to share my thoughts and maybe endorse a few purchases..

Let's start with Benefit's Porefessional ($53AUD) There's no denying this is a serious 'cult' product that receives glowing reviews and I was lucky enough to get this deluxe sample size as a freebie with a magazine I bought when I was in the UK. Surprisingly this size lasted me a good while seeing as you only need a small amount and a year later I purchased the full size, again whilst overseas. This product is great for filling in pores and giving you an all around smoother appearance. Not sure how much this does in terms of mattifying your t-zone though but I do enjoy using it as more of a targeted area primer.

Origin's Super Spot Remover ($19AUD) Not a sample size, just adorably small. This may seem pricey for a spot gel but man oh man is it worth spending a bit extra. This stuff is definitely my go-to when my skin is acting out, I just pop it on before I go to bed and in the morning my spots are definitely reduced in redness and size. This dries it out without making the skin around the area too dry and flakey. I think this may be my second or third bottle..

Kiehl's Ultra Face Cream (from $34AUD) and Kiehl's Ultra Light Daily UV Defense (from $38USD) Both of these deluxe samples were gift with purchase of the Kiehl's Midnight Recovery Serum as a little rejuvenating pack I think. For an oily skin gal like me, I think the Ultra Face Cream would be too heavy generally for everyday use but at one point my skin was looking quite dehydrated and flakey and this fixed it right up! Hasn't sold me enough to purchase the full size but a good product nonetheless and I scraped the mini jar dry. Daily UV Defense is still going strong and I put this on underneath my makeup when I know I'll be outdoors rather than inside at work all day. With an SPF of 50+++ it definitely has the tick of approval for Australia's hot, Summer days and I feel well and truly protected when wearing it.

Hourglass Mineral Veil Primer (from $25AUD) Hourglass, can you do no wrong?! Honestly, every product of theirs that I've tried, I've loved. It is quickly becoming one of my favourite high-end brands and this was no exception. This sample size came with my purchase of the Ambient Lighting Powder Palette and when I bought it the lovely assistant at Mecca Cosmetica slyly pointed out the free gift and told me I'd love it. Yep, she wasn't wrong. This primer is silky, radiant and beautiful and definitely gives my makeup lasting power for a long day at work and keeps my oiliness at bay as well as smoothing out my pores and general textural issues. And yes, I may have treated myself to the full size of this last week but in my defence I did have a voucher from Christmas to ease the blow to the bank account.

The luxury that is Chanel Mat Lumiere Foundation ($72AUD) This little tester is in the shade B30 which I was trialling along with B20. I have overcome my anxieties about approaching makeup counters for samples especially when I could be spending my pretty pennies on products that I end up not liking, which has happened all too often in the past! The lovely assistant at the David Jones Chanel counter helped to match me and suggested I try both B20 and B30 in natural light and see how they sat and oxidised on my skin throughout the day and wear. I thought I'd include this cute tester tube in this post purely for how adorable (and as it turned out, quite impractical) it is. Together with the Hourglass Primer, this is a winning duo and I decided to purchase the full size in shade B20 and then I can just use bronzer to warm it up when I need to.

Last but not least, Clinique Bottom Lash Mascara ($28AUD) This may seem like a gimmick and a completely unnecessary product but when you've got it, you can definitely see its necessity. I was lucky enough to pick this up at the Estee Lauder and Companies corporate store for a steal so I could justify the purchase. The minuscule wand is the perfect size for separating your bottom lashes without looking unnatural or clumpy. The formula is also non-smudging and long-wearing which is a must in order to avoid the sleepy panda look.

That's my wrap up of some recent minis that I've loved and as you've seen have influenced future purchases. These companies know how to rope you in!

Millie x

The Cult Candle | Slatkin & Co.

Candles.  They're a must. All year round.

Those three sentences could really sum up this post but I will elaborate. You may be able to tell that I'm a big fan of candles and really any other lovely aroma-making things like reed diffusers. I'm very sensitive to smells and honestly if it doesn't smell good or even pleasant; be it a bedroom, physical environment or person, I'm a little hesitant. Some people seem to only like candles in Winter but I definitely don't discriminate. I do prefer particular scents throughout the year though, so now as it's Summer here in Australia I prefer more coconutty, fresh, tropical scents whereas in the cooler months I prefer spicy, rich and warm scents to make my room feel nice and cosy. The other day my friend walked into my room and said "It literally always smells amazing in here" and that was a lovely compliment because I want my room to be a nice, inviting place where my friends can feel comfortable. This may seem a little exaggerated for some but I just really like things to smell nice, ok..

The point of this post is to express my love for Slatkin & Co. candles. The range that every YouTuber and their dog raves about in hauls and burns in the background of their videos for added 'atmosphere'. As I live in Sydney, sadly we have no Bath & Body Works where I can purchase these but I bought my first mini one in Dubai Mall on a stopover and I have been lucky enough to find some on eBay at an elevated price I'm sure. Of the few I've tried, 'Tropical Spice' is my absolute favourite which I have repurchased many times now, is described as "an exotic blend of cinnamon bark, spiced rum and Tahitian vanilla. It's amaze. It's my go-to Summer candle and it is always received well.

Slatkin & Co. candles come in various sizes and at the moment I have the largest 3-wick size of Tropical Spice and it has lasted me well over a month with regular burning. The scent is very powerful and does linger once the candle is blown out and with a suggested 40-65 hour burning time it is pretty good value for money especially if you can buy them instore in the States.  I bought a few new scents last week which have just arrived from eBay and they're Spiced Cider, Coco Lobo and of course a small back up of Tropical Spice. All smaller sizes so not sure how long they'll last but it'll be good for trialling the new scents.

What are your favourite candle/scent brands?

Millie x

Follow me on Instagram! - @beautylocale.