'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

SEPHORA opening in SYDNEY!!!!

I was lucky enough to live in England when Sephora still existed in the UK, unfortunately I was only about 10 years old and couldn’t afford much *first world problems*. When it was announced that Sephora would open its very first Australian shop in my hometown later this year I could not have been more excited. With only two months to go until it opens its doors, I thought I should start preparing a list for the sake of my bank balance and to ensure that I don't become overwhelmed with excitement!

1. Kat Von D Lock-It Tattoo foundation – I have to admit that foundation is one of my main weaknesses when it comes to make up shopping. I own way too many considering I only have one face, but I thoroughly enjoy using a different one each day. This foundation has been on my radar for months due to its high pigment, full coverage and smooth finish. The fact that it claims to cover tattoos gives me hope that it may cover my acne scars and blemishes and with more than 3000 people giving it 4 stars+ I’m getting seriously excited. Here’s hoping!
2. Urban Decay Naked Palette – I have no idea how I have not caved and made someone post this to me from England but I think it will make it all the more special when I finally have it in my hands in December! I’m personally lusting after the original, due to its wider range of neutral shades and because I figure I can always purchase the more recent releases at a later date!
   
   
   
3. Sephora Favourites ‘Summer Crushes’ – I couldn’t do a wish list without including one of the famous Sephora Favourite sets and this one seems ideal as the store opens during Sydney Summer time. This beautiful pack includes miniature sizes of so many great products including; Bumble & Bumble Surf Spray, Caudalie Divine oil and even a mini tanning mitt! What more could a girl want? 
   
4. Marc Jacobs Beauty O!Mega Bronze Perfect Tan – Lately I’ve become slightly bored of my regular bronzers and I’ve been on the look out for an exciting replacement. This one definitely fits the bill! This jumbo-sized bronzer has a radiant-matte finish (the perfect combination), a sensationally universal colour and its beautiful packaging tops it all off – not to mention it’s Marc Jacobs, so it’s a must have! 
   
5. Beauty Blender – I know, it’s probably a complete fad, but I just need to own one. I personally love to apply my foundation with a buffing brush, but this just looks so simple and it’s not very expensive so you can’t really go wrong!
6. Fresh Sugar Lemon Shower Gel – I have not heard of this brand before but yum…this sounds seriously delicious. Is it weird that even the name is making me hungry? I'm also loving the sound of their Brown Sugar Scrub, but one thing at a time Catrin!
7. Tarte Amazonian Clay 12 hour Full Coverage foundation – I couldn’t possibly write a Sephora wish list without including a Tarte product! This foundation has definitely been popular among the blogging community. It supposedly suits every skin type, covering any form of blemish whilst also treating your skin so that it looks healthy yet flawless. Yes please!

I am 100% sure that this list will triple in size by the time the store opens in December, but so far I am beyond excited for these seven products. What products do you love from Sephora?

Love, Catrin xo

Nars Sheer Glow Review! Is it worth the HYPE?

Happy Sunday everybody!

I have been testing out a number of new products recently and after mentioning a few in my Beauty Haul video on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CXGQIr6s5dU I thought I would give a more in depth review on a few cult products. The first product is a very much raved about foundation, Nars Sheer Glow. I picked this up a couple of weeks ago, after much deliberation, in the shade Deuville (for reference, I wear Mac NC20) and this colour is a great match for my cool toned skin.

First impressions The SA at Mecca Cosmetica recommended I apply the foundation with my fingers (my usual preference is a buffing brush) to ensure it really sunk in to the skin. I found the coverage was a little lighter than my usual preference and although it was beautifully smooth to apply, the velvety finish seemed to make my skin shiny within just a few hours. My skin is pretty normal and whilst I have hormonal breakouts I usually don’t have problems with oil and very rarely wear powder or primer, so I just applied it like I would my normal foundation; with concealer, some bronzer and a highlighter. It just did not work well for me - I also found it slightly sticky over the course of the day and by the time I was home from work, I was ready to claw my face off!

Take Two I didn’t want to give up, since I utterly adored the velvety texture and the overall idea of the product, so I tried again but this time I applied a pea sized amount of Benefit Porefessional primer all over my place five minutes before application. I decided to apply two pumps of the product with my usual Real Techniques Buffing brush this time around and I found this gave greater coverage and I really enjoyed wearing the product. I set this with my new Hourglass Dim Light (review to come) and bronzed up my cheeks with Hourglass Radiant Light. This method seemed to last a lot longer on my skin and I really did enjoy it.

Conclusion

This would be a great foundation for someone with normal to dry skin who doesn’t have many blemishes but who is looking for medium coverage with a natural radiance to it. For my skin type personally, it was not the best coverage or formula when applied on its own, but I definitely found it worked best with a mattifying primer underneath and a setting powder on top. I must say that Nars Sheer Glow is still growing on me and I will definitely continue to use it on those days when my skin is relatively clear. Who knows, with a bit of practice we may see this in a monthly favourite sometime soon! But, for now, I will be sticking to my Shu Uemura Face Architect as my go to foundation and using the Sheer Glow on days when I’m more comfortable with my complexion. 

Have you guys tried this foundation and what did you think?! I'd love to hear any tips to help with longevity :) 

Love, Catrin xo

Lets chat about skincare!!!

This is a bit of a chatty blog post analysing my current skincare routine and the products I am lusting after for when these run out! Enjoy!

Cleanser
I am currently using four different cleansers for different purposes (I know, it sounds crazy!) but it seems to be working well for me! My current morning time face wash is the Colleen Rothschild Balancing Cleansing Gel, which is great for refreshing my combination skin, although it is slightly stripping.  Bioderma Cleansing Water is my absolute favourite 'after work' make up remover followed by Shu Uemura Cleansing Oil to remove any remaining 'gunk'. Once a week in the evenings, usually after applying a clay based face mask, I will use Colleen Rothschild Cleansing balm to nourish and massage my face as a pampering treat. Overall, I quite like my current cleansers but next I will be looking into the Oskia Renaissance Cleansing Gel to use once my balancing gel finishes and I will also be hoping to purchase the Eve Lom Cleanser for the evenings!

Toner
I struggle a bit with enjoying using toners and I seem to just grab whats lying around! I tend to use Alpha H Liquid Gold instead ever second night before my serum and moisturiser, but once a week I use it alone for an intense treatment. I am loving this and it genuinely does leave an amazing glow! Check out my rave review on my YouTube channel if you want to learn more: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ivnujcYAJUs&list=UUpmoYqwJRhd3dNGV178HOrA

Serum
I am definitely on the lookout for a new morning serum and I have a couple in mind (Paula's Choice Antioxidant Serum & Juice Beauty Anti Blemish Serum) but my evening serum Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair Complex is working an absolute dream! It plumps up my dull, acne prone skin without causing breakouts and leaves my skin feeling hydrated and soft. This is definitely a keeper!

Moisturiser
I swear by the La Roche Posay Effeclar Duo Plus as a light moisturiser that helps to unclog my pores and clear breakouts, but for some extra hydration in the evening I am still looking for something great. I have my eye on Origins GinZeng, Eve Lom TLC Radiance Cream and the Re-Gen Moisturiser. Has anyone tried these moisturisers?

SPF
This area is a huge struggle for me! I was using the Mecca Cosmetica Sunscreen SPF30 but it was causing my face to get oily throughout the day so I have since stopped using it. I would love to buy the Keihls Ultra Light Daily UV Defence SPF50 but they don't sell it in Australia so I am still on the hunt! Does anyone have any recommendations?

Eye Cream
I absolutely love my Keihls Avocado Eye Treatment for the evenings, as it is so thick and creamy I can really feel it moisturising the eye area. However, for the daytime I think I could do with a lighter texture to sit nicely under my concealer and for that reason I am considering purchasing the Origins GinZing Eye Cream for a 'wake me up' refreshment in the morning!

Face Mask for breakouts
I have a problem with hormonal acne and for that reason, I swear by clay based or charcoal based face masks to sooth the problem areas at least twice a week. I am currently using the Colleen Rothschild Detox Mask which is a great charcoal based mask that really draws out my blemishes and reduces the size and redness of spots as well as combatting oilyness. Since I have almost finished this mask, I am looking into purchasing the Aesop Chamomile Concentrate Anti Blemish Mask or the Glamglow Supermud Clearing Treatment. What do you guys think?

Face Mask for hydration and radiance
As I use quite strong products to deal with my acne, my skin can start to look a bit dull and dehydrated. I have been using the Antipodes Aura Manuka Honey Mask to help with this issue and whilst I love the product, it really does break me out in cystic pimples. I am thinking of replacing it with the Dermologica Multivitamin Power Mask or the Perricone MD Cold Plasma Treatment (eek - $200!). The reviews of both of these products claim to hydrate and plump skin whilst healing blemishes and not cause breakouts - sounds ideal right?!

Spot Treatment
I swear by my Clinique Anti Blemish Spot Treatment Gel which i have used for years. It really dehydrates the blemish and is great to apply after extraction. It can cause dryness around the area, so the next day I simply put a blob of moisturiser around the area to combat this and it works a treat!

Shower Gel 
I have about 5 shower gel's going at any one time because I like to switch it up depending on my mood. My favourite formula's are the creamy ones that contain moisturising elements so that I don't feel stripped after washing. My all time favourite is the Soap and Glory Clean on Me because it smells heavenly, it is so moisturising and it comes in such a handy pump bottle which lasts forever!

Body Scrub
I have previously adored the Burt's Bees Cranberry and Pomegranate Sugar Scrub but I felt like a bit of a change and have switched back to my old fave the Soap and Glory Flake Away. I highly recommend both of these because they are so good at exfoliating but also moisturising the skin!

Body Moisturiser
I have always been a fan of Palmer's Cocoa Butter Formula and The Body Shop Body Butters, but I have been totally converted to my new holy grail body moisturiser Lush Ro's Argan Oil Body Conditioner. I did a rave review post on this so definitely check it out if you like the idea of an amazing  body moisturiser that is a wonder to apply and saves you time in the morning! http://www.bloglovin.com/frame?post=3304569597&group=12755635&frame_type=b&blog=12755635&frame=1&click=0&user=0

I hope this post gave you some insight into some much talked about products and I really hope i'll get some suggestions from you guys about my next purchases!!! Have a great weekend,

Love, Catrin xo