review: it cosmetics bye bye redness neutralizing creme

Hey guys!

In my Ulta Haul, I mentioned that one of the main reasons I wanted to buy from Ulta with a shipping service was because of this product. Ever since watching Meagahn Rienks do a review of it on Youtube, I wanted this little guy. I saw it make her blemishes and redness disappear, and knew that I needed this in my life. It Cosmetics is virtually unavailable in Australia (like alot of great cosmetics companies; Lorac, Urban Decay to name a few), so I had to use a shipping service in order to try this out.

This basically a cream product that you can use underneath or as foundation that is supposed to colour correct and neutralize the redness on your face. Being someone who suffers from redness as it is, but who is also going through the breakout of a lifetime right now (RIP Clarisonic), I really wanted to try this out and see how it went with my skin. I watched plenty of Youtube videos, and also read a ton of reviews here on other blogs, and decided that it was worth a go.

I just want to give a quick run down on what I believe to be the pros and cons for this. I have been using it on and off since receiving it, and I think that that's long enough to form an opinion!

As I said before, I got this in my Ulta Haul using a shipping service. I paid about $39US (approx. $45AU) for it. It comes in this teeny tiny cute pot, and it contains 11mls. That is quite small for that price tag, not even including shipping and other products. Do I believe it's worth it? Read on to find out!

The little pot containg the product.

PROS

- This is so unbelieveably pigmented! It is amazing how well this covers any redness and discolouration

- While it is really thick and creamy, you hardly need any to cover any of your redness. I can see this post lasting forever even with me using it once a day

- Because it is so small, its extremely travel friendly

- The cap on top of the product prevents the product from escaping or drying out

- If you only use it on the places you need it, it doesn't look try or cakey underneath foundation

The cap underneath the lid. I have only used what is on this cap to stipple it onto my face

CONS

- Price tag: some may not be able to jusitify the price when compared to the quantity of the product

- If you use too much, it can look cakey as the more you have, the harder it is to blend

- It can be hard to use under foundation as is quite thick and creamy

- Only comes in one colour shade, which is a medium tone, so it will not be suitable for paler or darker skin tones

Top & Bottom Photo: It Cosmetics Bye Bye Redness used as my base

Overall? I'm really impressed! I have been loving putting a tiny amount of this on my redness and blemishes to hide them before going in with my foundation. Yes, its expensive, but considering I have only used what is in the cap (and haven't even used that up), I can see this lasting forever. As you really only need the teeniest amount, it is worth the price tag in my opinion.

I did buy this from the US, and as far as I know this isn't available here in Australia unfortunately :(

Have you tried this product? What are your thoughts on this product?

Until next time my loves...

xxxx

in between blogging, you can find me here!

instagram: http://instagram.com/beautybybek

twitter: https://twitter.com/bekaaturner

comparison: beauty blender VS real techniques miracle complexion sponge

Hey guys!

Todays post will be a quick comparison between the ever so coveted Beauty Blender and the Real Techniques Miracle Complexion Sponge. I have owned the Beauty Blender for a while now, and it is my most favourite tool to apply my foundation with. It just gives this beautiful, airbrushed, flawless finish to your makeup and I can't imagine my beauty routine without it now.

Enter the Real Techniques Miracle Complexion Sponge. I was intrigued to try this after seeing so many other Youtube girls and bloggers try it and love it - and mention that it was a cheaper version of the Beauty Blender! I knew I had to try it out and try it against my beloved Beauty Blender, because lets face it - if you can find something that is the same for cheaper... well I'm all up on that.

I got the Real Techniques sponge about a month ago in my Ulta Haul, and have been alternating between the two since to really get the feel for the sponge and form my opinion on it. I wanted to do this post because my opinion is a little different, and since this hasn't been released in Australia yet, maybe this will help you decide whether it will be worth the money once it is released.

THE BEAUTY BLENDER

What is it? A magical sponge that miraculously blends your foundation into your skin, leaving the finish looking airbrushed and flawless.

How does it apply? You basically hold this under lukewarm water until it is completely saturated and doubled in size. After squeezing out the excess water (I also like to squeeze it once with a towel so that it isn't too wet), you get your foundation all over it and basically bounce it on your skin to achieve your desired coverage and finish. It is really lightweight and bouncy, not dense at all and really doesn't soak up any of your product once wet.

What's the price? $19.95US (eeeek!). I know what you're thinking: I basically paid $20 for a sponge. A sponge. But this is no ordinary sponge. 

Seriously, there is a reason that everyone pays the price it demands. It is just a magic tool for your foundation, and it really works with my skin and my base. I have tried other cheaper 'dupes' before taking the plunge and actually purchasing one, but I have never regreted it once I actually tried it. No other cheaper 'dupe' that I have tried has measured up to this sponge.

THE REAL TECHNIQUES MIRACLE COMPLEXION SPONGE

What is it? Similar idea to the Beauty Blender. It has a slightly different design with a rounded side, and a flatter side to really press the product into your skin.

How does it apply? Again, same as the Beauty Blender - you hold it under lukewarm water until it grows in size, and squeeze the excess out. Once doing that, you get your foundation on whichever side you prefer to use and press it into your skin, blending as you go.

What is the price? $6.99US. Yes, a lot more reasonable than the Beauty Blender

Differences to the Beauty Blender:


Despite being the same concept and design as the Beauty Blender, there is quite a big difference in the way these two tools apply the product.  The Beauty Blender is really quite light and bouncy, whereas the Real Techniques version is quite dense and heavy when compared to each other. As such, you can easily bounce the Beauty Blender all over your face in order to achieve that flawless blended complexion - the Real Techniques sponge does take a little more time and effort as it isn't quite the same design. The best way to use this, I have found, is to press it into your skin rather than bouncing it. This achieves the best finish, but as I said, it does take a little more work than the Beauty Blender.

OVERALL VERDICT

These are both great tools in their own right - they both work and do the job of applying and blending your makeup to making it look beautifully blended and more natural on your skin. But if I had to choose - I would choose the Beauty Blender.

Yes it is more expensive, but it applies the product so flawlessly and with such little effort that it is 100% worth every dollar for me. I wouldn't say that the Real Techniques version is a 'dupe' for the Beauty Blender itself, but it is a great cheaper alternative if you can't afford to try the Beauty Blender or justify the price. I will still use the Real Techniques sponge, I really do like it and I love that it a different design to the Beauty Blender! 

Thats all for todays post! What do you think of the Beauty Blender? Are there any other alternatives that you have tried?

Until next time lovelies...

xxxx

in between blogging, you can find me here!

instagram: http://instagram.com/beautybybek

twitter: https://twitter.com/bekaaturner

lip balm 101

Hey guys!

I am a serial lip balm collector. I just love trying new flavours and if I actually manage to finish one, there must be something special about it because it is super rare for me to focus on just one at once.

I'm especially into lip balms right now because the weather in Sydney has finally started to cool down. Autumn is finally here, and Winter isn't far off. But guess what else comes with the colder months? Chapped lips. Something that I am not a fan of.

Typically, without a good lip balm, my lips will always be dry and chapped. I lick my lips alot unconciously, and this really dries them out.  In the spirit of that, I decided to go through my lip balms and give you guys the lowdown on my favourites for making my lips super duper smooth and lipstick ready - even in Winter.

Chapstick

I adore Chapstick lip balms - they make my favourite flavour lip balm (Cake Batter)! This actually isn't even my whole collection of Chapstick lip balms, but I thought it wasn't too necessary to post all of them. Basically, Chapstick is unbelieveable. They have such a huge variety of flavours and scents, plus special ones made specifically for conditioning and sun protection. They also recently came out with a Night Treatment which is the bee knees!

Not only are they super good with flavours, scents, and making your lips super hydrated, they're also really affordable considering the quality of the product that you are getting. Basically, if you have never tried Chapstick before, head out right now to your local supermarket, chemist or drugstore and pick up a couple to try.

EOS

I have to admit - these are not a favourite of mine. The reason I'm including them in this is because I just want people to know that not all lip balms are worth the hype. They aren't bad lip balms persee.. They do the job. But considering that lots of people say that they are 

the best lip balms ever, and that they are fairly expensive, they really aren't all that. Sure, they look cute and smell like Zappos (any Aussies remember those? My netball days are coming back), but you can find a much better lip balm at the drugstore for a lot cheaper.

Vaseline Lip Therapy

I have these in the Cocoa scent, which if you didn't know is one of my favourite scents in the entire world, and I used to use these all the time as a night treatment. I would put another lip balm underneath and this on top, and because it is super thick, it kept my lips so moisturised all night long. Love this, it smells amazing, and I would recommend it for night use, as it is a little too thick to be used during the day.

Nivea Lip Butter

This is an old faithful, and one of my all time favourite lip balms. I used these exclusively for 6 months or so, and have gone through countless tubs of them. I stock up on them when they're on sale! These are amazing, they have the best scents, that basically smell like cookies, caramel popcorn and raspberry yoghurt. They are just really moisturising and are thick, and light, at the same time. I really love these, I have never had an issue with them and I will always repurchase!

IWTheLabel

I won a competition along with Kirsty from A Lipstick Addiction on Instagram to try these out, and although I haven't used them for long, I am so far really impressed. I have the flavours Very Vanilla and Creamy Coconut, and the vanilla smells like ice cream (yum). So far, I have noticed that they are really moisturising and light on the lips, plus its easy on the nose with the fantastic flavours. They are a little pricey at $5 a tub, but they are made with all natural ingredients so you know that they are going to be super good for your lips. You can find these on her Instagram IWTHELABEL.

Hurraw! Lip Balms

I have a rave review on the Hurraw! company here, plus I also included these in my March Favourites. I love these, and I'm super glad I finally decided to buy them. Like Chapstick, they have a huge variety of flavours, and I have seven of those (six are pictured because I have already finished one), which are smell unbelievable and natural, not sugary and processed. These are raw vegan balms and are only made from natural ingredients, and are fairly priced at $3.79 a balm. & adore them, and would really recommend you pick these up! You can find them here at http://hurrawbalm.com/ .

That's it for today's post! Let me know what lip balms you love to use in the colder months!

Until next time...

xxxx

in between blogging, you can find me here!

instagram: http://instagram.com/beautybybek

twitter: https://twitter.com/bekaaturner

*Some of these products were sent to me to try, but this in no way influences my opinion of the product itself.

revlon matte balms review & swatches

Hey guys!

These little suckers FINALLY hit Australian shores at the end of March, and I for one was so super excited. Given that I had already had a taste of these when I went to the US last November, I was desperate to get the rest of the collection. So, going into my local Priceline almost everyday in February and March (seriously, they must have thought I was some creeper), when they FINALLY got released, I went and brought the rest of the collection. I mean, Priceline did have them BOGO free, so what's a girl to do?

I already have a post on the matte and lacquer balms that I brought in the US here, but I asked on my Instagram if you guys would like to see a review/swatches here on my blog, and the response was an overwhelming yes. I don't think I'll do one on the lacquers - I only own a few and I don't think they measure up to their matte counterparts this time. These are well worth the money, and have such a wide colour range, as well as being easy to apply and for the most part long lasting.

Read on to see lip swatches of the colours! 

Swatches (l-r): 205 Elusive, 210 Unaplogetic, 215 Shameless, 220 Showy, 225 Sultry, 230 Complex, 235 Mischievous, 240 Strinking, 245 Audacious & 250 Standout 

There are ten shades in all ranging from nudes, pinks, purples, berries and reds. All shades go on pretty smoothly, and most are opaque in one swipe. The above swatches are all one swipe (!), but unfortunately not all of them are as pigmented on the lips. In saying that though, I am really impressed with the whole range, and I think I will get wear out of ALL the colours which is really rare for me. As well as that, I was surprised that two of the colours I didn't think would suit me are probably amongst my favourites of the whole collection. Big thumbs up Revlon, these are amazeballs.

205 Elusive

210 Unapologetic

215 Shameless

220 Showy

225 Sultry

230 Complex

235 Mischievous

240 Striking

245 Audacious

250 Standout

From the lip swatches, you should be able to tell which wear the best. The lighter colours aren't as great in my opinion - the colour itself is nice, but they applier patchier than the others and emphasise any dry flakes on my lips. Other than that, I am so impressed with these and I adore all the colours. Personally, Shameless and Sultry were dark horses for me, and Elusive and Standout are two of my other favourites. But really, you can't go wrong with these!

Let me know if you love these as I do! Which colours do you own?

Until next time...

xxxx

in between blogging, you can find me here!

instagram: http://instagram.com/beautybybek

twitter: https://twitter.com/bekaaturner