BEST OF BEAUTY 2015

Hi everyone!

Welcome back to my blog! Confessions of a Make-Up Addict has been reformed into my beauty diary xo - a new fun project for me to work on and continue what I loved so much about COAMA. There was no huge reason to change my blogs name, seeing as I'm continuing in the same direction. But after last year, I feel like I am in a completely free and less stressed headspace, and I wanted the blog to reflect that, if only that it was just a name change.

I've missed blogging and writing all about beauty - and also missed all you guys! I hope we can continue our fun journey of being beauty addicts and discussing our love for it all together :)

Moving on - my first post of 2016 is all about my favourite products of 2015! After last years favourites, I really narrowed it down this year and kept it 90% products that I discovered last year, with only one rolling on from the previous year. I definitely enjoyed many more products during 2015, but I really want to keep this purely to the products that I felt deserved the spotlight over the year.

Let's get started! Keep reading to see what products I have looooooved this year!

Becca Shimmering Skin Perfecters Pressed (Moonstone, Champagne Pop & Opal)

It goes without saying that 2015 was the year of highlighting, with strobing being all the rage. I definitely bought into this trend way more than it was necessary, but of all highlighters that I own, my Becca highlighters take the cake. I turn to them constantly, they go on beautifully and really just bring that extra somethin' somethin' to your face. The formula is incredibly creamy and silky, and I have never had an issue with chalkiness or chunky powder. 

I own three - Moonstone, Champagne Pop and Opal - and of all of them, Opal is definitely my favourite. Closely followed by Moonstone and Champagne Pop. Opal is a gorgeous beige tone shimmer, Moonstone is a very finely milled white (it's definitely more of a 'glow from within', rather than straight white highligter) and Champagne Pop is a peachy gold tone. I would definitely recommend any of them for any looking for a highlighter that will really bring that glow and luminosity for both day and night.

I brought mine here from Adore Beauty, and Champagne Pop from Sephora US. However, they are now all available from Sephora AU for $58AU (even Champagne Pop woo!)

Maybelline FitMe Dewy & Smooth, BareMinerals Complexion Rescue & Maybelline FitMe Concealer

Yes I know I don't have the packaging of Compleion Rescue - this is all I have left of it :( - but that should tell you just how much I loved it this year. How much I loved all three items this year! 

Maybelline FitMe Dewy & Smooth is 100% my HG drugstore foundation - it is incredible. The formula, the finish, the colour range, lasting power. I love every little single thing about it. I cannot say one bad thing about this foundation, and I highly recommend it for those with drier skin and for those after a luminous finish. 

The FitMe concealer has been a must have for covering any blemishes I've had throughout the year. It does have a little more coverage than the Age Rewind which is nice because it does help to really hide those pesky little spots without making it look cakey and obvious that I am trying to hide them.

The BareMinerals Complexion Rescue is definitely coming up on HG status for me too. I cannot imagine a makeup desk where I can't have this in my reach. It has sheer coverage, but it really helps neutralize my skin and even it out, as well as hydrate and keep it smooth and clear. This was my saving grace in the winter season, and I will be repurchasing once I'm completely out for sure.

Maybelline Lash Sensational Mascara & Anastasia Beverly Hills Browiz in Soft Brown

Oooooh the Lash Sensational is absolutely incredible for a drugstore mascara! I am partial to a few drugstore brands for mascaras, though I haven't stuck it out with them for as long as I have with the Lash Sensational. It really helps fan out my lashes, while giving volume and separation and really all the good things you need in a mascara. My only qualm is that it does transfer quite easily, so I do wear a different mascara on my bottom lashes, but I'm not too fussed about that. Not going to stop me buying it again or anything ;)

And the only product to make it to this list from last year, the ABH Browiz in Soft Brown. I have only gone through two this past year, and I use it every single day for my brows. I won't drone on about it - you can click here to read what I love so much about it there :)

MAC Studio Fix Powder Plus Foundation, Anastasia Beverly Hills Eyeshadow Single in Morocco & Too Faced Dark Chocolate Soliel Bronzer

I never thought I'd like powder honestly. I have drier skin, that tends to look cakeier the more products that are loaded on it. 2015 was definitely the year where I learned to use less full coverage foundation, and instead for a more flawless complexion, use a light dusting of the Studio Fix powder over top. Again, I can't say enough good things - this powder truly takes my foundation to the next level. With a setting spray, it's even better. I carry this with me all the time and always use it for touch ups!

The ABH eyeshadow in Morocco - uuuugh its the perfect eyeshadow. I use it alllll the time. I use it to line on my lid and under my eyes, blow it out into the crease. It's just beautiful. It its a perfect warm toned red/brown, and it really brings out the honey tones in my own eyes.

And finally, the Too Faced Dark Chocolate Soleil Bronzer has been my go to bronzer especially when I am tanned. Again, it's very warm toned, almost with a red sunburnt undertone, but the formula of the Too Faced Chocolate Soleils are amongst my faves - they blend out so incredibly well and look very natural in my humble opinion. Not to mention they smell like chocolate - its really just a delight to smooth it out into my face.

And that's all I'll be mentioning today! Like I said, there are plenty more products that I really have loved and used all year, however these are the stars of the year if you will. Definitely the stand outs for 2015!

What were you favourites for the year? What are you excited to try in 2016?

Until next time...

xxxx

in between blogging, you can find me here!

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foundation friday: maybelline superstay better skin

Hey guys!

Welcome to the second instalment of my Foundation Friday series! I have to say, both weeks that I have done this, you guys have surprised me. I always thought that NARS Sheer Glow foundation would be one of the first reviewed - but each time its been overshadowed: first by MAC Cosmetics Face and Body Foundation and now by the Maybelline Better Skin Foundation.

This was voted by 38 of you, out of 69 votes. I understand though - it's a new edition (previously released in the UK earlier in the year) and I'm not even sure if it's been released in the US yet! I was too excited to see this in Priceline, because it's been spotted in various Coles and Pricelines, but has been eluding even my local Priceline. Clearly, it's so new that it hasn't even rolled out to all stores yet, and only just recently hit their websites. I was drawn in by the name - after all, who doesn't better skin?

I don't know if you guys have tried the original Maybelline Superstay Foundation. I have, back in the day. While I wasn't a huge fan of the foundation itself, or its shade selection, I was also super pleased with the staying power. It was a MISSION to get it off my face. Which is amazing. Would this be worse than the original Superstay formula, or possibly be my new favourite foundation?

Keep reading to find out! (And don't look at my Instagram, otherwise the surprise may be spoiled..)

So new that it hasn't even made it to the Maybelline Australian website yet! Here is what the Maybelline UK website has to say about the foundation:

"Dull, blotchy, uneven skin? Visibly improves your skin every minute you're in it. Our first hydrating foundation with Actyl C and SPF 20. Flawless all-day coverage. The formula helps skin look more radiant, fresher and even, with all-day wear."

It comes in a little glass bottle with a pump, with the packaging is okay - definitely eye catching, but I'm not sure if that's in a good way. It has been released with a concealer, but that wasn't available at the Priceline I went to at the time. Considering I had only vaguely heard of this foundation, I am a little surprised that there wasn't much hype around it before it got released here. In saying that though, it's pretty inconsistent with the stores its been released at across the board, so maybe they are waiting until it's available everywhere.

So what do I think? Well.. I love this foundation. So so so much. It is definitely a thick creamy formula, if you can see in the above photo, and its a definite medium-full coverage foundation. It blends like a fricken dream, and I honestly need about a pump and a half to cover my face and achieve that medium coverage. I would describe the finish as a satin finish - it's definitely not dewy, but not quite matte either. I haven't tried to build it up, but I wouldn't recommend it. Given how thick the formula itself is, and how much coverage you can achieve using a small amount, I can only imagine that it may not build as well as you would hope.

In terms of the skin benefit it claims to have, I am very happy to announce that while I am not sure this hydrates my skin any more than my normal moisturiser, my skin does look fantastic once I take this stuff off. The effect was not immediately obvious, but after wearing it and removing it after three days, I definitely did notice a difference. The other thing that Maybelline delivers on is the staying power - on me, this foundation lasts all day. And I mean lasts - I have not noticed any fading or patchiness, even on my nose and chin where my foundation usually wears off throughout an 8-9 hour day. It's terribly difficult to get off - I have been removing it with my normal make up remover (Garnier Micellar Water), then going in with my Clarisonic and a separate cleanser to get it all off. I'm not even exaggerating when I say that my Clarisonic brush head is now stained from this foundation.

The only qualm I have about this foundation (yes, there is seriously only one thing) is the shade selection. Unfortunately, because this was so new at the Priceline I went to, there wasn't any testers available. So, of course being the impatient little cosmetic obsessed brat that I am, I guessed my shade. It's not too bad - only thing is it is that is does have a slight orange tint that seems to become more prominent as it oxidises. I will be buying another bottle when it goes on introductory sale, and hopefully that will match my skin tone a little better.

As with last week, here are pictures of the foundation on my hand, unblended and blended, using that nice, ugly red sore as a point of reference for how much this covers:

Also, I wasn't self tanned when this photo was taken, so the shade looks worse than normal. It's not usually that obviously dark, so just excuse that.

Basically, this is a new staple for me. I can see this being a foundation that I will repurchase time and time again, and I've only used it for a week. I don't even care that it is a little orange, although hopefully that will be corrected when I grab another shade.. That's how good it is. I love that this has been released for Winter, because it covers all my redness and any extra 'surprises' (see: big fat pimples) that Winter tends to bring with it. It may not be a perfect summer foundation because of how thick it is, but you never know - have to wait and see!

This has been put up on the Priceline website (finally!), so hopefully it will be available across all stores in time for the next catalogue. It's available in eight shades, and retails for $21.95AU.

Thanks so much to everyone who voted - if there is a particular foundation you want me to include in next week's Foundation Friday choices, let me know in the comments below! Otherwise, keep an eye out for Monday to be able to vote on next week's contenders!

For reference, I do have normal to dry skin - so unfortunately, I cannot comment on whether this will work for you if you have oily skin. I don't see why it shouldn't, given the finish and staying power, but I cannot be 100% sure. I'd recommend looking up reviews of people who have oily skin and have tried it in order to see whether it would work for you :)

Until next time...

xxxx

click here to read last weeks foundation friday: mac face & body

in between blogging, you can find me here!

instagram: http://instagram.com/beautybybek

twitter: https://twitter.com/bekaaturner

first impression: maybelline dream pure bb cream

Hey guys!

After having a disastrorous first round with original Maybelline Dream Fresh BB Cream, I was definitely turned off. Why would I waste my money on a product that complelety oxidised to make me look like an oompa loompa and did absolutely nothing for my skin except sit there looking ugly? When they came out with the newer version for oiler skin, I told myself I wouldn't buy it because of my experience with its older sister. But, of course, Chemist Warehouse has extremely tempting sales and before I knew it, I had walked away with this baby.

I had heard lots of nice things about this BB cream, and the fact that it has salycylic acid in it, which is supposed to be good for acne prone skin. I have normal to dry skin, that rarely sees a bad blemish, but other foundations meant for oily skin (such as the Neutrogena Skin Clearing Foundation) have actually worked really well for my skin and I. So what could it hurt to give this a try, especially with a 50% off sale?

On my display, there were two shades available: Light and Medium. I got the shade Medium, generally because I am always fake tanned and too light for Light. I'm not sure how this would work for darker skin tones as there doesn't seem to be a darker shade.. Pretty poor shade selection unfortunately.

 As I said, I had pretty low expectations. Did this change my mind? Read on to find out!

The BB cream comes in a squeezy tube with 30mL of product, which is pretty standard. So although it doesn't come with a pump, it's still pretty hygenic and you can control the amount of product you use. It also came with the seal cap on it so you know that what you are getting is completely untouched and waiting for you to undo that seal.

The first impression I get of this product is that it is gorgeously creamy and thick. Plus, the colour seemed to be spot on as well! 

Here is the coverage that this BB cream achieves. I'm pretty impressed - considering this is a BB cream, it really covers quite well! The only other BB cream I can really compare it to is one of my favourites, the Chi Chi Cosmetics Super BB Cream. You can only just see my veins poking through.

I have since worn this on a couple of a occasions, and am happy to report that it does not oxidise or slide off my face. I have worn it for about 8-9 hours with only a primer underneath and it has stayed put the entire time! I will probably save these for days where I have to work but do not have to wear a complete face of makeup.

Whether or not this actually works for oily skin, I can't say unfortunately, As I said before, I have normal to dry skin, but this still looks fabulous on me. But whether it will stop your oil, or prevent any breakouts, I really cannot be sure. I would recommend just looking up other reviews or just biting the bullet and trying it for yourself if you can't find a sample.

I found this here during the Chemist Warehouse sale (which is still on for us Aussies and will be on until this Thursday the 29th of May), but you can also get it here at Priceline for $15.95AU not on sale.

Have you tried this BB Cream? Are you as impressed as I am?

Until next time...

xxxx

in between blogging, you can find me here!

instagram: http://instagram.com/beautybybek

twitter: https://twitter.com/bekaaturner

first impression: maybelline fit me shine free foundation stick

Hey lovelies!

 

Today, I have another review for you! This is another product that was talked about heaps on Youtube and in the blogsphere, but as usual, Australia was the last to know. Finally, in the last couple of weeks this was released into local stores.

 

The Maybelline Fit Me Shine Free Foundation Stick!

 

 

 

I won't lie. There are so many products on my wishlist right now, I almost completely forgot about this. But, when I first watched reviews and swatches of it on Youtube, I was really intrigued. The main reason for me being so curious is that I have never ever used a cream product to contour before, and this product seemed so perfect to be used as one. Plus, it was super affordable. Maybelline is typically well-priced in my local stores. I waited and waited and waited for this stick to hit our stores, and then promptly forgot about it when there was a million and one other newer and more exciting products released.

 

I walked in my local Priceline last week, and lo and behold, in a $4 bin next to the Maybelline section, there was the fit me sticks for $13.55. Not sure why a seemingly brand new product was in a $4 bin, but I'm not judging. I got the shade 330, as it was the darkest shade I could find, and I knew that I wouldn't be using this as a foundation, but as a cream contour, so I needed a colour darker than my skin tone. I also picked up one of the new Bold Matte lipsticks in MAT7 (the nude), also in the same bin.

 

So... Did this product meet my expectations?

 

Honestly, never having used anything like it to contour before, I wasn't sure what to expect. But for $13.55, I wasn't expecting a lot. I never got on with the original Fit Me Foundation (no shades ever matched, pale or self-tanned), or the Fit Me Powders (too much sparkle), so honestly I really thought that this wouldn't work for me. And I was wrong.

 

 

First of all, I did my foundation. When doing my make up normally, I always put a foundation that matches my neck and chest (I fake tan my body, but not my face) so that it evens out my complexion. I naturally have quite rosy cheeks that I am self conscious about, and I always put foundation or a bb cream on before any other product to even out my skin tone and to hide imperfections.

Then using the stick, I drew it on my face just like a crayon. I focused on the areas I would normally contour with powder, like the hollows of my cheeks (especially necessary, as I do not have prominent cheekbones), my temples, under my bottom lip, my jawline, chin, eye crease and nose. Can you tell I got a little cray with my nose? This product is so creamy and glides on so effortlessly, that it sort of got away from me there..

 

I then added my concealer to highlight. I focused this on the areas where I didn't put the contour, like my chin, under my eyes, bridge of my nose and forehead.

 

And then blended it out with my beauty blender!

 

I was amazed, honestly. Never have I had a contour that has turned out as natural as this. I was so impressed with this product, especially as it exceeded my expectations!

 

Here's the before and after right next to each other so you can see what a difference this product makes...

 

 

 Once I finished taking these photos, I set the contour with a darker powder, and my highlight with a lighter one. This is mainly because cream products tend to slip around on the face and I figured setting it with a powder would hold it at bay.

 

As if I wasn't already impressed enough, check out the typical selfies I took after I had finished my make up:

 

 

I was even more impressed. It made my contour look so effortless and natural. I think this is such a perfect product and it definitely makes me question why I never used a cream product to contour before. I also wore this the next night at a birthday, and it held up for 8 hours! I mean, it was set with a powder, but the fact that it stayed throughout the whole night without budging convinced me even more that I needed this product. How did I go without it for so long? I seriously do not know.

 

Of course I recommend everyone and their mother pick this up. I did manage to get it on sale, but it normally retails for around $15.95AU. If you can't find it in your normal Maybelline section, look in the dollar bins and you might get lucky. This product is so underrated, and so cheap I can't even stand it.

 

Hope you enjoyed the review! Keep your eyes peeled for more upcoming product reviews :)

 

Other products used:

L'Oreal Lumi Magique Pure Light Primer

NARS Sheer Glow Foundation - Punjab

Maybelline Fit Me Shine Free Foundation Stick - 330

Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Eraser Concealer - Fair

MAC Mineralize Skin Finish - Light

MAC Mineralize Skin Finish - Medium Deep

Milani Baked Blush - Luminoso

NYX Eyebrow Cake Powder - Brunette

Rimmel Soft Kohl Kajal Eye Liner - Black

Australis Eye Pencil - Star Bright

Maybelline Full n' Soft Mascara - Black

Hourglass Femme Nude Lip Stylo #3

 

*all products mentioned in this post were purchased by myself and all opinions and photos are my own*