what's on my face? my everyday makeup routine

Hey guys!

This is a newer type of post for me. I love seeing other blog posts featuring What's On My Face (ahem, More Than Adored?), and thought I would try my hand at one. Although, from what I see, alot of these are focused on one brand. But I don't have every single item from every single brand in order to create a look! So, I decided that I would instead do my basic every day look, and share the products that I used to create it.

I am human. I do not have perfect, even toned skin and my eyebrows are way too thin before I get at them with powder or a pencil. But, I really don't like to suffocate my skin on a daily basis - I prefer to look natural and effortless! I like to enhance the features I like about myself and try to conceal those that I don't.

I use a variety of drugstore and high end products, and of course these interchange. But, the end look is pretty much always the same. As I said, I am someone who prefers to keep the heavy handed looks for the special occasions, always choosing to look natural where I can. Its easy and fast to achieve, plus it basically goes with every style you can imagine.

If you want to see how I went from the left to the right, keep on reading!

Products pictured: Bourjois Happy Light Matte Primer sample, Models Prefer Airbrush Concealer brush & It Cosmetics Bye Bye Redness Neutralizing Creme

The first thing I do is prime my face. I always, always, always prime! Every product I use afterwards goes on so smoothly plus it evens out my skin tone so its doesn't peek through my base of choice. At the moment, I am trialling the Bourjois Happy Light Matte Primer (the luminous version is my favourite ever primer!), which was given to me by a friend who didn't like it. The other thing I do now to conceal my redness, and also add coverage to places where my base tends to wear off easily, is to pat the It Cosmetics Bye Bye Redness (I have a review here) over my nose, chin, little on my forehead and broken capilliaries. This just makes sure I don't have to cake my base the places I need it most.

Products pictured (l-r): Chi Chi Cosmetics Super BB Cream, NYX Cosmetics Eyebrow Cake in Brunette & Maybelline Age Rewind in Fair

Another product I always use is a foundation or BB cream (I have a post all about my favourites here) because I self tan my body, but not my face, so I have to match it up. I have been using the Chi Chi Super BB Cream lately because its so good on my skin, and the coverage is amazing! After that, I always conceal using my favourite concealer, the Maybelline Age Rewind. I put that in the triangle under my eyes to add a subtle highlight, and also dab it on my chin, cupids bow, bridge of my nose and the  middle of my forehead. While I wait for that to set, I fill my brows in using the NYX Eyebrow Cake in Brunette. I don't go too overboard, just fill in the natural line and square it off a little at the beginning of my brow.

Products pictured (l-r): MAC Mineralize Skin Finish in Light, MAC Mineralize Skin Finish in Medium Deep, Face of Australia Loose Translucent Powder & the Real Techniques Powder Brush

After applying my base, I set my concealer using the MAC Mineralize Skin Finish in Light so that the colour doesn't fade into the same colour as my foundation (otherwise, what's the point?). I also set the rest of my face with the Face of Australia Loose Translucent Powder because as much as I like the BB cream it doesn't always last as long as I would like it to. I then bronze my face lightly using the MAC Mineralize Skin Finish in Medium Deep. I love this powder, it goes on so well and blends amazingly. This colour is great for everyday because its a finely milled powder and has a slight orange tone that looks like I've been touched by the sun.

Stila In The Light Palette (Bliss) & Sigma E40 Blending brush 

Products pictured (l-r): Australis Eyeliner in Starbright, Jordana Best Lash Extreme Mascara & Rimmel Kohl Kajal Eyeliner in Black

I don't wear eyeshadow on a daily basis, but if I want to put in a little more effort than usual, I have been getting a big fat blending brush and putting the shade Bliss from the Stila In The Light Palette (I have a review here), and blend it all over my eyelid, focusing mainly on my outer v and crease. I then tightline using my Rimmel Kohl Kajal Eyeliner in Black to thicken up my lash line a little, and then place the Australis Eyeliner in Starbright. It isn't hugely pigmented, which I like because it looks alot more natural!

OCC Lip Tar in Hush

And then, for everyday, I usually wear a nude or pink. This OCC Lip Tar in Hush is puuurrrrrfect for everday, dahling. Its easy to apply, is so creamy and beautiful, plus it lasts a good two hours looking exactly the same as when I first applied it. I have a review on all the lip tars that I own here.

And the look is complete!

Obligatory seflies + my fur baby who was ecstatic to be included - can you tell?

Of course, I switch out products. Sometimes, I'll prefer a fuller coverage foundation or a plum lipstick, or a different foundation. But, as I said, the end result is usually the same!

Let me know if you guys like this idea, and want me to do more What's On My Face posts !  :)

Until next time loves....

xxxx

in between blogging, you can find me here!

instagram: http://instagram.com/beautybybek

twitter: https://twitter.com/bekaaturner

product review: occ lip tars

Hey guys!

Today's post will be a review on the OCC Lip Tars! I feel like these products don't get nearly enough love as they should, especially from Australian bloggers. Hugely underrated, these have to be one of my favourite products to work with. They're basically lipsticks but better - they are so pigmented and opaque, you literally need one drop to cover your lips. And even then, it's usually too much! It's so easy to get a custom lip colour, just mix one or all of them together and bobs your uncle! But, in all seriousness, these are products that you need in your life (if they're not already) for your lips.

At $18US a pop, I wouldn't say these are too expensive. Especially with the quality of this product, I can guarantee you are never going to run out of one of these. Usually, they are sold at IMATS, which is where I started my collection, and otherwise are available on http://occmakeup.com/ in the lip tar section. There is a huuuuge variety to choose from, ranging from nudes, pinks, corals, purples, reds and blacks. They also come in different formulas, including Matte, Metallic and Gloss textures.

I personally own nine of these. I purchased some when I was IMATS last year, and (as it was my birthday on the same day), I got some gift money which I used to buy the rest.

Products pictured (l-r) - Hush, Annika, Digitalis, Divine, Femme, Narcissus, Anime, Hoochie, Black Dahlia

1. Hush - A gorgeous light pink nude; definitely my favourite and most used of the bunch!

2. Annika - A darker peach nude shade

3. Digitalis - A light purple pink; another well loved shade!

4. Divine - A neon coral shade

5. Femme - This is described as a baby pink on the OCC website, but I honestly think its a little dark and bright to be a 'baby pink'

6. Narcissus - A lovely deeper pink shade - a couple of shades darker than Digitalis

7. Anime - A bright fuschia pink; so pretty and fun!

8. Hoochie - The token purple shade; I ADORE this colour!

9. Black Dahlia - A really deep, deep, deep red shade; definitely different!

Swatches (l-r): Hush, Annika, Digitalis, Divine, Femme, Narcissus, Anime, Hoochie, Black Dahlia

All the swatches above are ONE TINY DROP of each lip tar. You can see how much pigment they really have just by looking at that picture. I really love all of these shades, you really need the tiniest amount of each to cover your lips and achieve the full colour pay off.

Are these worth the money? Um, heck yes! $18 is really reasonable considering you only need a drop of product each time you use it, plus they're on par with most Australian drugstore lipsticks in terms of price. These little tubes will last forever and ever, and if I ever ran out of a used shade, I would most definitely repurchase.

Have you tried these OCC Lip Tars? What are your thoughts?

Until next time...

xxxx

in between blogging, you can find me here!

instagram: http://instagram.com/beautybybek

twitter: https://twitter.com/bekaaturner

april beauty favourites

Hey guys!

It's that time of the month again (no, not that time)! This is the time that I get to share with you all the products I have been loving for the month. Actually, I have really been sticking to my staples this month. I have been unbelieveably busy with all the events of my day to day life, plus the added pressure of university. Knowing that I can always fall back on these is great - I've even rediscovered a couple of my old favourites!

As with my other favourites posts, this will be split up into two sections: beauty and skincare. Of course, this doesn't mean that these are the only products I have loved this month, but these are definite standouts!

Read on to see what I chose for this month!

BEAUTY

1. Lorac Pro Palette

Lord, I have been using this for pretty much ALL of my eyeshadow needs this month. I adore this palette! I don't know I have done without it for so long, but in any case, I am super happy that I finally caved. I have a first impression on this palette here, and also a little tutorial using the palette here. Its just a great everyday palette, gorgeous neutrals and it has a great variety of matte and shimmer shades. Just love, it is defintely a palette you need if you are a fan of neutral shades! I did buy this with a shipping service from Ulta for $42US, and (as far as I know), this is not available in Australia :(

2. It Cosmetics Bye Bye Redness

My skins saviour! I won't go into too much detail, as I wrote a review on it here, but basically my skin has been having a time of it lately. My Clarisonic broke (waaaaaah), and my skin is not happy. At all. I have been having breakouts all over the place, which just adds more redness to my (already red) skin. I have just been stippling the tiniest amount of this over any areas that need it and then go on with my foundation. It just gives that extra coverage to the places I actually need it, without me having to cake my foundation or concealer over the top. I brought this at the same time as the Lorac Pro Palette, as I didn't think it was available here. But, I have found this great website called PM Studio that stock It Cosmetics (based in Sydney) for $42AU!

3. MAC Lipstick in Angel

A forgotten favourite. Looking for the perfect pink lip that wasn't too pink or nude led to me straight back to this baby. Ever since then, when I have wanted a lip other than the darker colours, I have gone straight back to this. Adore it, its just a perfect creamy pink without being too heavy or too sheer. I featured this lipstick here in My Favourite MAC Lipsticks, so you can read more on the colour there. This retails for $36AU at any MAC counter or online.

4. Chapstick Conditioner & Night Repair Treatment Lip Balms

I'm a self confessed lip balm junkie (see my post on all things lip balm here), and Chapstick are one of my favourite brands ever. I was lucky enough to be sent some to try, which included these two. I used to use the conditioner all the time, and I've rediscovered it now that Winter is fast approaching and my lips are chapping. Its amazing to just keep them hydrated and protected in the cooler months. The Night Repair is a newer product, but I love it. The smell is like cinnamon toast and its a very lightweight liquid that is so long lasting and keeps my lips moisturised all night long. You can find these here or at any store that stocks Chapstick for $4.69AU and $7.99AU respectively.

5. Rimmel Lash Accelerator Endless Mascara

This is the product I have really rediscovered this month. I used to use this all the time, because of how long it makes my lashes. I've also figured a way to layer it so it gives volume to them as well, without having to use another volumising mascara on top. Love 

love love, this has been a serious staple this whole month. The fact that it doesn't damage your lashes as much as other mascaras is just another benefit. I got this from Priceline for $17.95AU.

6. Revlon Colourburst Matte Balms in Sultry & Shameless

I adore these balms (I have a post dedicated to them here), and I featured these particular shades in the Top Five Autumn/Fall Lipsticks. I love Sultry for a night out, and Shameless when I'm feeling spontaneous. These are fantastic, I love them and these shades are the perfect shades to switch between for Autumn. I brought these BOGO free when Priceline had their introductory sale. They normally retail for $17.95AU each, and you can purchase them here.

SKINCARE

7. Garnier Moisture Match Gentle Goodbye Dry Cleansing Milk 

This is a newer addition, as it was only released recently, but I am loving this! Every morning and night, I just put a little of this onto a Swissper cotton round, pat it into my skin, and then turn the Swissper over to soak up the leftover product. It just gives a little added moisture to my skin before going in with my other serums, oils and moisturisers. This retails for $6.39AU and I got mine from Priceline.

8. L'Oreal Youth Code Eye Serum

I have been loving this for hydrating my eye area in the day time. I do use a different one at night, but this is just so easy and hydrating for underneath my face of the day. I also love how this doesn't ball up underneath my foundation or concealer - like many other eye creams I have tried and disliked. But all in all, I am impressed with this! I'm not sure if this is still available, but I did purchase this from Priceline for between $20-30AU.

9. Garnier Micellar Cleansing Water

I won't drone on about this - this was featured in my last favourites as well as a completely separate review here. Love this stuff, CANNOT get enough. Plus, that is still the same bottle that I brought a month ago and it's still going strong despite me using it at least once a day. This retails for about $11.99AU and you can find it here.

Speaking of skincare, I am also in the market for a new serum to use in my day time routine! If you have any suggestions, please leave them below - I would love to hear what you guys would recommend.

And that's all for my April Beauty Favourites! What are some of the products you have been loving this month?

Until next time...

xxxx

Click here to read my March Beauty Favourites!

in between blogging, you can find me here!

instagram: http://instagram.com/beautybybek

twitter: https://twitter.com/bekaaturner

review: too faced natural eye palette

Hey guys!

It feels like forever since I have actually sat down to do a blog post for you guys! Usually, I do five posts a weeks Monday to Friday, but unfortunately due to university, work and internship commitments, I have little time to photograph and write posts which sucks because I do really miss it. But, until I have more time, I will be sticking to three posts a week - Monday, Wednesday and Friday! This is just because I would rather give you guys three great posts rather than five mediocre ones. Of course, I am nearly always available on my social media networks, which are always linked below at the end of my posts :)

So todays post will be a review on one of my all time favourite palettes. Some of you will know from my earlier posts that I am generally a neutral eye girl - I don't think I wear eyeshadow enough to warrant having one with crazy colours! This is, alongside of my Urban Decay Naked 1, my most used palette. It is just simply perfect for everyday, and is appropriately packaged for travelling as well!

Read on to see swatches and my thoughts on the shades!

I won't lie - I adore all things Too Faced. They are 100% one of my all time favourite brands, and I think they are reasonably priced for a high end brand. They are great quality, and you also get a decent amount of product considering the price you pay. This palette is no different!

Like the majority of their other palettes, it comes with these three cards that give you different ideas for an eye look incorporating the palette. These are great, especially if you are a beginner and are not sure what colours should go with which. 

The shades themselves!

How beautiful do they look.. So gorgeous, you can tell its a neutral eye palette but it also has a little bit of a twist with the shimmery pinks and gold. It's a mix of mattes and shimmers, with the palette focusing on the shimmers this time. The majority of them are opaque and pigmented, but I have to say I was disapointed in one particular shade with how it applied. But aside from that, I am impressed and nearly all shades apply like butter!

And here are the swatches!

First column:

Heaven: A matte white highlight shade. This does take a couple of swipes to build up the colour

Silk Teddy: A shimmery light pink, another highlight colour. Very subtle!

Nude Beach: Seems to be a light pink with pink and silver glitters. I'm a bit disappointed in this shade, as it really only swatches glitter and it fallout goes everywhere!

Middle column:

Velvet Revolver: A very cool toned matte brown, so cool that it's almost grey - a great transition shade

Push Up: A dusty pink shimmery shade

Honey Pot: A gold shimmery shade. This shade and Push Up go on like butter!

Last column:

Sexpresso: A dark cool toned matte brown shade

Erotica: A dark brown shade with gold shimmers

Cocoa Puff: A warmer brown shade with subtle shimmers

I've said it before and I'll say it again - how freakin' amazing is Too Faced! If you are just beginning your makeup journey, this would be your perfect palette. Yes it costs a little more, but its easy to travel with (it's virtually unbreakable), plus it has no scary shades and can be used everyday.

I'm not 100% sure if this version of the palette is still readily available - Too Faced actually re-released this palette this year, and replaced Nude Beach, Velvet Revolver and Cocoa Puff with new different shades. The new shades are still pretty much identical to the ones in this palette though, so I'm not sure of the reasoning behind changing them.

Unfortunately, I can't find it online at the usual Australian stockists (it's temporarily unavailable), and I assume that's because this new version will soon be arriving and taking its place. You can find Too Faced cosmetics here at this website www.kitcosmetics.com.au , and they should hopefully have this palette in stock soon. Their palettes usually range from $50-60AU.

Have you tried this palette? What are your thoughts?

Until next time...

xxxx

in between blogging, you can find me here!

instagram: http://instagram.com/beautybybek

twitter: https://twitter.com/bekaaturner

review: l'oreal true match lumi foundation

Hey guys!

I have wanted to do a review on this foundation since I started my blog! It is one of my faaaaavourite foundations (can you tell? I literally own four bottles), but I wanted to wait until I was able to purchase the foundation in my current correct shade. I got this here in my Ulta Haul. Unfortunately, because I know self tan, my skin tone is always all over the place. Because I am fair, naturally I have a pink undertone, and when I tan naturally I retain that pink undertone. BUT, when I self tan, my undertone becomes yellow. I know, it's getting hard to keep up.

I heard about this foundation through Jaclyn Hill first. Of course, I knew I needed it. Her recommendations are always spot on, and being the foundation junkie that I am, I immediately went out and purchased a bottle. I adored it as soon as I put it on!

Most people will know the original True Match formula, which is also a favourite of mine. The original True Match is a very full, flawless coverage that covers virtually anything. True Match Lumi is its younger sister, with a light medium coverage. It has light relfecting technology to make your skin look radiant and glowing, which is why I love it because I really prefer dewier finish foundations.

Below, I have photos of my skin without the foundation and then after once the foundation has been put on. You'll notice that it really isn't a full coverage, you can still see all my freckles and any blemishes that I have. But, this makes it perfect for everyday because it doesn't suffocate your face at all.

Before foundation - only wearing the Garnier Perfect Blur as a primer.

After foundation - one layer of the L'Oreal True Match Lumi Foundation in W3

You can see it isn't full coverage - but that's honestly why I love it! It is so perfect for everyday, and I'm so glad that I finally have it in my correct shade so that I can wear it more often. The other thing is that it can sheered down or build up - much like the original formula! Overall, I love it and if you like dewier finish foundations then I would definitely recommend you give this a try!

As I said, I did buy the latest bottle from Ulta using a shipping service for $12.99US. In Australia, this retails for about $33.95AU in most drugstore like Priceline.

Do you own this foundation? Do you love it as much as I do?

Until next time....

xxxx

in between blogging, you can find me here!

instagram: http://instagram.com/beautybybek

twitter: https://twitter.com/bekaaturner

what's in my travel beauty bag?

Hey guys!

Happy Easter to you all! I hope the Easter bunny is good to all of you, especially all you big kids out there, and that your long weekend is full of chocolate comas!

Today, I am going away for Easter (yay!). I leave today, and I'll be coming back on Easter Monday. I thought that given I was going away, and have to pack anyway, it would be a good idea to show you guys what I generally pack in regards to beauty. Given that I am only going to be away for four days, I am packing as light as I can because I may not even necessarily wear makeup while I'm away. But I still want to pack the essentials (and maybe a little more) in the event that I do decide that I don't want to scare people when I leave the hotel.

Read on to see what I packed for this trip!

I always use these two bags to pack my skincare and makeup products. I use the left for my makeup, because it has two sections that zip up and it makes the items quite secure inside the bag. The right bag is for my skincare products, as it is quite deep and my skincare products don't require a lot of tight packing as they're not as delicate as my cosmetics.

This is what I am packing for my skincare routine. Actually, I'm packing everything because I want to make sure my skin stays the best it can be, especially as I have been having trouble with it since my Clarisonic broke (waaaaaaah). If you would like to see an updated Skincare routine, let me know in the comments! I have written a post here, but it has changed a little since then.

These are the products that I am packing to use on my face. I'm packing a primer, BB cream and a foundation, amongst others. I realise that it is only four days, but I like to have options. Plus the BB cream is too light for me, and the foundation is really lightweight. I'm not packing anything with heavier coverage as I really doubt I will need it. These will be perfect if I need a sheer coverage, or if I want to build it up for this little holiday.

And this is what I'm packing for my eyes. I'm not packing any eyeshadow, because I honestly don't wear it on a regular basis (plus, the last time I travelled, I took my Naked Basics palette and the black shadow shattered all over the other colours in palette, rendering it basically unuseable :( ), but I am packing a brown eyeliner so I can amp up a look if need be. I'm also packing two mascaras, one for lengthening and one for volume (because I want some choice), and my brow pencil because that is so essential in my routine.

And lastly, this is what lip products I am packing. Apart from lip balm, of course. I know I did a post yesterday all about my top Autumn lip colours, but really I do prefer nudes and pinks, and I don't want to pack anything I know I'm not going to use! Plus, I am heading somewhere where warmer than Sydney :) I decided to take one nude, a light pink and a deeper pink so that I have a little variety that is still going to be within my comfort zone.

What are some of your beauty essentials when you travel? Let me know in the comments below!

Have a safe and happy Easter everyone - please stay safe over the long weekend and enjoy all the chocolate you can eat!

Until next time...

xxxx

in between blogging, you can find me here!

instagram: http://instagram.com/beautybybek

twitter: https://twitter.com/bekaaturner

top five thursday: autumn/fall lipstick

Hey guys!

Todays quick edition of Top Five Thursday will be all about the lip colours that I will be turning too in Autumn (or Fall if you're on the other side of the world). The weather has finally started to cool down now, so it is finally appropriate to stop wearing all my peaches and corals, and wander into the wine, berries and purples territory.

I love these colours, especially as they are bold without being too bold. Because of the weather really cooling down, these are so appropriate for the weather! Autumn and Winter scream for more indulgent colours, and although I usually shy away from colours like this, I am feeling the need to venture out of my comfort zome and bring out my inner vamp!

Read on to see what colours I chose!

Lipsticks pictured (l-r): MAC's Plumful, Sportsgirl's Love Bite, MAC's Rebel, Revlon Colourburst Matte Balm in Shameless, Revlon Colourburst Matte Balm in Sultry

1. MAC Lipstick in Plumful

I spoke about this lipstick in here in My Top MAC Lipsticks, so if you would like to read a more indepth review on the lipstick, click the link. Basically, this is a perfect everyday Autumn Lip colour! It is a darker version of MAC's Syrup, which is my perfect MLBB. The colour is a darker pink with a tinge of purple. The fact that it is a Lustre finish as well makes it super easy to wear, as it it moisturising and sheer on the lips. Unfortunately. that means it doesn't last as long as some others, but its not a huge deal to whip out a mirror and reapply. This retails for $36AU at either a MAC counter or their online store.

2. Sportsgirl Lipstick in Love Bite

This is a more recent purchase of mine, but I already love it! It is a perfect deeper raspberry, and it literally goes with everything. Another great thing about this lipstick is that once it actually wears off, it stains your lips the exact same colour! I would say its a satin finish on the lips, and definitely opaque! Aaah, its so beautiful and so inexpensive when you consider the quality of the product. These are available in Australia at any Sportsgirl store, or internationally online, for $9.95AU.

3. MAC's Lipstick in Rebel

Again, I spoke about this here if you would like to read a more indepth review on it. This is a cult favourite from MAC, and it is so so perfect. I always turn to this when I want a bold lip that isn't too bold. Its a gorgeous deeper purple berry. Its a satin finish, so it doesn't look flat or unnatural on your lips. This is a perfect colour honestly, and if you are someone who loves berries, this is a colour you need in your life. It retails for $36AU at any MAC counter or their online store.

4. Revlon Colourburst Matte Balm in Shameless

I have to say, I was surprised by this colour! I wasn't expecting to love it at all, thinking that it was way too dark and vampy. I was totally and completely wrong, and so happy that I was. I assumed it wouldn't suit my colouring, as I usually steer clear of these colours, but honestly with a purple or neutral eye, this just amps up the look and adds that extra somethin' somethin'. I have a review on all of the Revlon Matte Balms here if you want to know my thoughts on them. These retail for about $17.95 in Priceline, and any other chemist or drugstore that sells Revlon.

5. Revlon Colourburst Matte Balm in Sultry

Again, this was a darkhorse for me! Swatching it, I assumed it wouldn't suit me at all. I noticed once I put it on my lips, the colour changes compared to the swatch. When I swatched it, the colour looks like a darker brown pink colour. But on the lips, this looks so gorgeous, almost a little burgundy. This goes perfect with nearly every look I create, especially with my Lorac Pro Palette! I have been wearing this nearly every day since I got it, and I adore it! Again, these retail for $17.95AU in Priceline, or any other drugstore that sells Revlon.

Swatches (l-r): MAC's Plumful, Sportsgirls Love Bite, MAC's Rebel, Revlon Colourburst Matte Balm in Shameless, Revlon Colourburst Matte Balm in Sultry

That's all for today's post! What colours will you be turning to this Autumn?

Until next time...

xxxx

Click here to read last weeks edition of Top Five Thursday

in between blogging, you can find me here!

instagram: http://instagram.com/beautybybek

twitter: https://twitter.com/bekaaturner