September Beauty Wish List!

It is that time of the month again when I create a list of the beauty products that I am desperately lusting after! These are my favourite posts to write on my blog as when I have some money to spare, I always come back to these lists and usually buy something mentioned! I have whittled this down extensively so without further ado, lets get started!

1. I had never really looked into the Chantecaille skincare range until I fell absolutely in love with a tester of Chantecaille Vital Essence serum and had to buy the full size version. I have since been exploring the collection and I am seriously lusting after the Chantecaille Detox Clay Mask. The reviews say that whilst this draws out impurities and settles blemishes, it does so without drying and therefore your skin is left hydrated and plump – yes please! 
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    2.  I absolutely adored by first insight into the Hourglass Ambient Light range with the purchase of the limited edition trio, but it has left me lusting after some more ambient light action! I found ‘Dim Light’ to be slightly too pink in tone for me and after a bit of research I feel that Hourglass ‘Diffused Light’ powder might be more suited to my yellow based skin. I would love to pick this up before the weather heats up in Sydney, as I think it will be the perfect powder to set my foundation with whilst maintaining that coveted dewy summer glow! 
   
   
3. The launch of Charlotte Tilbury cosmetics on net-a-porter has seriously tested my willpower in recent weeks. I am so desperate to try her entire collection but I am particularly lusting after the Charlotte Tilbury Eyeshadow Quad in ‘The Rock Chick’. I sense a net-a-porter haul coming on! 
   
4. With my boyfriend in Europe at the moment, I simply had to request a sneaky Sephora visit in which he grabbed me the original Naked palette by Urban Decay. I am beyond excited for his and the palettes return and in preparation I am on the look out for NARS Smudgeproof Eyeshadow Base. If reviews are anything to go by, I am hoping that this combination will mean my lids will be beautifully coated in Urban Decay goodness all day long throughout the summer!
   
5. Mac ‘Morange’ lipstick just screams out to me as the perfect spring/summer bold lip. I have developed a huge crush on all things orange and coral since the weather has been warming up so this is right up my street!
   
6. Since purchasing my first By Terry Ombre Blackstar in ‘Misty Rock’ it has without a doubt been my most used make up item. If I’m honest, I am lusting after the entire collection at the moment, but since I have to be realistic I would have to say that the two I am most in need of are 'Blond Opal' and 'Bronze Moon'.  
   
   
   
   

Now, which of these to buy first?!

Love, Catrin xo

Hourglass Ambient Powder Wardrobe - Is it worth the hefty price?

I have brushed over this topic (pun is most certainly intended) here and there over the past few weeks but I felt the need to do a full review of the much raved about, Hourglass Ambient Powder Wardrobe. Firstly, lets address how enticing this sounds with the title alone! The packaging is, of course, lovely with a fabulously large mirror situated inside for those ‘on the run’ touch ups. 

The three colours inside are Dim Light (all over setting powder), Incandescent Light (highlighting powder) and Radiant Light (bronzing powder). Each is fabulously silky to apply and truly the definition of subtle brilliance. Before delving into a review of each individual powder, I just want to touch on the price. At $86 you receive a total of 9.9g (3.3g for each shade) in comparison to an individual compact in which you get 10g for $56. Thus, economically it is not the best but you get to try out all three shades so I think it is definitely worth it!

      Dim Light         Incandescent Light        Radiant Light

Now, lets start with Dim Light. This is definitely the most well known of the three and is essentially a setting powder to apply all over to ensure your foundation stays in place throughout the day. Like all Ambient Light powders, Dim Light has a luminous element that gives your skin a ‘lit from within’ look whilst also blurring imperfections and preventing that oily shine. It is quite a neutral peach shade that slightly warmed up the colour of my foundation. As it is a warmer shade, I think my pale skin would be more suited to a yellow based powder so whilst I loved what this powder does for my skin, I will be getting my hands on the full sized version of Diffused Light very soon!

The second shade, Incandescent Light, is limited edition and is unique to this palette. This pearlescent powder has more of a luminous element than Dim Light so is perfect for the cheekbones and down the centre of the face. I’ve also loved using this over the top of my matte eyeshadow to make a slight shimmer on the centre of my eyelids to make my eyes look bigger. Those of you who are averse to a lot of shimmer will love this subtle highlighter but I, personally, love a good shimmery cheekbone so I tend to use my Mac Mineralize Skin Finish in Soft and Gentle for that area and then brush incandescent light down the bridge of my nose for some added definition.

Now, lets talk about Radiant Light. With its bronzey glow and luminous finish this is my absolute favourite of the trio. It has more of a shimmery finish than Dim Light and when applied with a fluffy brush just below the cheekbones, this really adds dimension to the face and provides the perfect sun kissed glow. I cannot rave about this enough! It is my new favourite bronzer for warming up the cheeks and I will 100% be purchasing the full size version.

Overall, I think this trio is a fantastic way to try out the Hourglass Ambient Light Setting powders and it is also a wonderful product for travelling with. I highly recommend investing in the trio but if you are just after one then I personally think Radiant Light is the absolute winner here.

Now, I think it’s time to try the Blush version…!

Love, Catrin xo

Trans-seasonal work appropriate outfits!

Up until now, this blog has been mainly beauty related, but I was lucky enough to be offered an internship at a high end fashion boutique and found myself rummaging through my wardrobe for some work appropriate clothes. Since it is the beginning of Spring here in Sydney, the weather is a bit turbulent and whilst the mornings and evenings are quite nippy the midday sun definitely heats things up. Here is what I wore for my first few days at my new job.

For the slightly cooler days

In my opinion, there is nothing worse than being cold and for that reason I opted to wear a black turtleneck jumper to keep me snug throughout the day. I swept my hair up into a classy low bun to keep my look professional and to not interfere with the neck of the jumper. As my internship is in retail, I am able to wear Tsubi Coated Jeans to work but this could easily be alternated with a pencil skirt or some straight-legged Zara trousers. For a pop of colour, I throw over my powder blue Zara coat with gold zips – the number of complements I get on this piece is reason to wear it alone! When paired with chunky heeled boots from Rubi Shoes and my Saint Laurent Sac Du Jour in navy, this is a chic yet understated look, perfect for day one on the job.

For the spring days  

This is my favourite look of the week with this Topshop pleated faux leather midi skirt being the key piece of the Spring season. I paired this beautiful skirt with my Zara shirt and some Sportsgirl platform sandals for a slightly casual but feminine look. I am not exaggerating when I say that every time I wear this skirt I have a number of people stop me in the street asking where it is from. I absolutely love the shape and the length, perfect for spring days when the weather is a bit unpredictable. I definitely need to grab a few more midi skirts to get me through the coming months!

For unpredictable days

A buttoned up collared shirt can smarten up any outfit and I love that this is in powder blue as an alternative to white. I am wearing this cropped shirt with my Tsubi coated jeans and a vintage navy Moschino blazer to neaten the entire look. When teamed with my statement Skin boots I think this outfit is stylish yet professional. Of course, the Sac Du Jour made an appearance once again.

I hope you all enjoyed this sort of post! Let me know if you’d like to see more look books, perhaps for the coming summer months!

Love, Catrin xo

'Hello Spring' Nail edition

With the arrival of Spring here in Sydney, I felt the need to coat my nails in a colour other than burgundy for a change. I got to browsing on the web and realised that I had never purchased an Essie nail polish – I know right?! I promptly made a list and the next morning off I went to priceline. I had around 30 colours in mind when I entered the store but decided to focus on Spring colours for the time being, knowing that my new obsession would mean I would be returning to the shop on a weekly basis. Here are the five spring like colours I came home with.

Meet me at Sunset

A beautiful orangey-red, Meet me at Sunset just screamed out to me as the perfect colour to wear when on holiday. It’s such a fun and vibrant shade that I can just imagine it looking dreamy with a white bikini when lying on the sand.

Cute as a Button

This is my ultimate favourite of my purchases. This polish is the most amazing shade of coral that seems to flatter every skin tone. When worn against white (as seen here in my YouTube video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1CT4AW7D5wE) Cute as a Button is so distinct and just beautiful. When worn on tanned skin it most certainly makes any person look a little browner than they are – yippee! This is seriously a must-have for any girl’s nail polish collection.

Style Hunter

A stunning hot pink in the bottle that translates slightly redder onto the nail. This is the perfect colour for me, as I love plum-like colours and I really enjoy wearing bright shades on my nails during spring and summer. I can imagine this would look amazing with tanned skin!

Fashion Playground

Now, I actually had my eye out for the much raved about Mint Candy Apple when I strolled into Priceline, however this one was free with my above purchases so I thought I’d give it a go first! It is a gorgeous mint shade that applies quite opaque although it has a tendency to be a bit streaky. That being said, if applied in multiple thin coats this leaves a beautiful pastel green colour that is different to every other polish I own. Yay!

Fiji

This milky whitey pinky nail polish (very technical terms) is my new ‘work appropriate’ fave. It is beautifully opaque and leaves your nails looking chic and classy. I am so excited to wear this when I have a tan in the coming months and honestly think every girl should own one similar! I have heard that it is the opaque version of ballet slippers ;)

Overall, i find Essie nail polishes have a relatively good formula that lasts a few days before chipping. I absolutely adore the colours I picked up and I will definitely be back soon to grab some more! I'm particularly lusting after Bikini So Teeny and Tarte Deco. What are your favourite Essie shades?

Love, Catrin xo

Chantecaille Vital Essence Serum - Oh my...

Happy Friday everyone! Today’s post is a little bit about the importance of a good skincare regime and how a new discovery has changed my life! Earlier this year I committed to doing a full skincare routine morning and evening to try and sort out my problematic complexion once and for all. It was the first time I had purchased a serum and I opted for the much talked about Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair complex to rehydrate my dull skin while I slept. This worked beautifully and I really saw a difference so in the last month or so, I really started seeing the importance of investing in a serum that was appropriate for morning use but also suitable for wearing under make up – cue Chantecaille Vital Essence!

When purchasing make up at Mecca Cosmetica recently, I was telling the SA about my search for a morning time serum and she honestly jumped with excitement because she had the perfect solution. She ran across the shop and returned with a sample size of Chantecaille Vital Essence serum and honestly raved about its goodness for at least 5 minutes. Needless to say, I was beyond eager to take home this beautiful product and test it on my troublesome skin. I can confirm that it was love at first use. Vital Essence is a lightweight yet ultra hydrating formula, a lot less thick than the Advanced Night Repair. The serum glided onto my cheeks so smoothly that I could feel my skin still had room to breathe (being acne prone, this is a great feeling!). A little goes a long way with this product and almost instantly your skin feels hydrated, plump and so very soft. I became addicted to the way my skin just drank this up and I barely felt the need to use a moisturiser afterwards because it was working so beautifully alone.

The day my tester ran out, I genuinely realised that I could not wake up the next morning and not use this because I just knew my make up would not look the same. Yes, at $144 this stuff is extremely pricey and I almost cannot believe I purchased it, but I did not question handing over my card because I just knew that I needed it in my life. So much so, that I can no longer use my Estee Lauder ANR that I cherished so dearly because since the Chantecaille Vital Essence came into my life, the ANR just seems so thick in comparison and I can feel it suffocating my skin. I could not be happier with this discovery and I am so excited to try more of the Chantecaille skincare range – even though my bank balance is not!

Love, Catrin xo