BellaBox Oct 2013 - Unboxing and First Impression

Hey guys!
I received my October BellaBox on Tuesday, so I decided to do a first impressions post for you :)

For those of you who don't know what BellaBox is, it's an Aussie subscription box service that costs $15 a month. You receive around 5 beauty products in each box, and each month has a theme. This month the theme was based around BellaBox's 2nd birthday.

This was everything in my box this month.

Keep in mind that these are just first impressions of the products, and I may do more in-depth reviews down the track.

1. NIVEA VISAGE LIGHT MOISTURISING DAY CREAM SPF15 - RRP $12.99 - I can't wait to try this! A (light) sunscreen and moisturiser in one? Hell yeah! Hopefully it doesn't make me oily - I haven't checked to see if it is oil-free.
2. BEYONCE HEAT PERFUME - RRP $39.00 - This perfume smells sultry and warm, which I love. I definitely think I'll be wearing it a lot. I'm crap at describing scents, as you can tell, so I Googled the actual description of this perfume. Here it is: "Top notes of Heat are decorated with red vanilla-orchid, magnolia, neroli and peach. A passionate heart offers honeysuckle, almond and musky cream, while a base finishes with sequoia wood, tonka and amber." To be perfectly honest, that means nothing to me. As long as it smells good, I don't are.
3. LA ROCHE-POSAY UVIDEA XL BB MELT IN CREAM - RRP $28.95 - Not gonna lie, I'm getting sick of receiving BB creams in my BellaBox - It seems that I get one every month - But I am keen to try this one from La Roche Posay, as it claims to melt into your skin and match your skin tone. Fingers crossed!
4. SINFUL COLOURS NAIL ENAMEL- RRP $4.95 - I received the shade 'Thimbleberry', which is a bright coral pink. I loooove it, and I can't wait to try it. Lucky for me, they sell this brand at my local target, so if I enjoy this one, I can easily pick up more.
5. LONVITALITE 24K ACTIVE GOLD YULAN OIL FACE MASK - RRP $29.00 for 5 - One word; fancy. Can't wait to try this one.
6. ALPHAPARF SEMI DI LINO DIAMOND SHAMPOO AND DIAMOND MASK - RRP $25.00 and $29.00 - I've already started testing this one out, so look out for a full review in the near future.
7. BONUS ITEM - NUXE CREME PRODIGIEUSE NUIT AND CREME PRODIGIEUSE ENRICHED CREAM - RRP $49.95 AND $44.95 - I think these two products are just moisturisers, but I'm not too sure - It's all in French so I have no idea! Can anyone tell me what  they are? haha.

So that's all that was in my BellaBox this month! I'm keen to try out these new products, especially the ones from brands I have never heard about before.

Let me know if you want a review on something! :D

Don't forget to follow this blog and also subscribe to my YouTube channel.

Until next time,

Shelley xx

Beauty Essentials - Part Two - Makeup

Hey guys!
Here's part two of my beauty essentials series, which is about (some) of the makeup items I think are essential in anyone's makeup collection. :)

Enjoy, subscribe and give me your opinion on what you think are makeup collection essentials!

Until next time,

Shelley xx

REVIEW - Bourjois 123 Perfect Foundation

Hey guys!

I mentioned in my latest empties post that I'd review my Bourjois 123 Perfect Foundation, so here it is! :)

(Apologies for the lack of my own photos in this post, my camera didn't want to behave today, so I had to find pictures on the internet. Sorry!)

I'll start by saying that I don't really recommend it for dry skin, so if you have a dryer skin type, you can probably skip this post haha.
The reason I say this is because this particular foundation dries to a matte, powdery finish, which I found clung to the dry spots on my skin. (I usually have oily/combination skin, but during the winter it dries out a bit). To combat this I mixed it with a tiny bit of moisturiser, and turned it into a somewhat medium coverage BB cream.


The coverage is medium to full, depending on how many layers you put on. I also found that the coverage was more even and full when I used a foundation brush. (My Sigma F80 flat kabuki). You can also apply it with your fingers, but it does look better when buffed into the skin with a brush.

What I like most about this product is the 3 colour-correcting functions it has. It claims to reduce dark circles with yellow pigments, brighten the complexion with mauve pigments, and decrease redness with green pigments. I do think these pigments have an effect, to some extent. I definitely see a difference in the redness of my skin after applying this foundation, and my skin does look brighter and healthier. The anti-dark circle pigments don't work as well, though. I don't really see a difference in that respect. If you have super dark under eyes, or usually need brightening up under the eyes, you'll need a concealer with this foundation. You may also need a bit of extra concealer on some blemishes.

Bourjois also claim that this foundation lasts 16 hours, which I don't think is accurate. It probably only lasts half that time, with a few touch ups during the day. I have an oily t-zone, so that may be why this is the case for me. I usually top this foundation off with my Bourjois Healthy Mix pressed powder, in 53 Light Beige.

I do recall the shade selection being minimal, with only 6 shades in this collection. That's only downside to this collection. I found this picture on the internet, to show you what the shades look like:

If you have any more questions about this product, don't hesitate to ask! :)

Until next time, 

Shelley xx

Beauty Collection Essentials - PART ONE - Non-Makeup items.

Hey guys!!

I finally decided to upload another video, because I actually really enjoyed filming my first video haha
Excuse the weird voice, I still have a cold in this video - It was filmed a little while ago.
I'm also still a bit awkward in front of the camera, so excuse that too. :P

Stay tuned for part two, coming soon.

Shelley xx

My favourite red lip products.

Hey guys!

Today I'm going to be talking about my favourite red lip products.

I have four to talk about in the post; 3 of them are from Revlon, and the other is from Street Gloss. I also tried to pick shades that are for a range of seasons, or all year round.

Cherries in the Snow, Red Velvet, Candy Apple, 210

The first shade is a Revlon Colourbust Lip Butter (I have so many of these, so you'll hear about them a lot! haha) in the shade Candy Apple. It's a bright, true red that can be worn all year round. This is my most worn red lip product, because I can adapt the opacity to suit the rest of my look. It's creamy and glossy, which is my favourite finish. 

The second one is also a Lip Butter, in the shade Red Velvet. It's a stunning brick red, and is perfect for winter. I have to admit, it looks a bit scary in the tube, but it applies beautifully. I honestly think it's a universally flattering colour. (Even my mum wears this shade). It's also great for people who just want to dip their toes in the vampy, dark red trend, as you can apply it with a light hand and really sheer it out- and it still looks stunning.

I also love Revlon's Super Lustrous Lipstick in Cherries in the Snow. It's a punchy raspberry red, with blue undertones. It's also a Creme formula, which is my favourite. I usually save this shade for the evening, as it can look too bright on me during the day. This is a more adventurous red shade, in my opinion. Once again, it's universally flattering, as even my mother tends to wear this shade. I also love that it makes my teeth look whiter! That's a bonus! When blotted onto the lips gently, it takes on a pinky-red appearance, which looks stunning with a simple cat-eye and muted blush. This sheer application also works for during the day, which makes this shade more versatile.

Finally, I have a glamourous and sexy gloss for you. It's from Street Gloss, and it's in the shade 210. This shade is beautifully shiny and juicy, and is perfect for a night out. It's a little sticky, but the texture helps with lasting power. I prefer to wear it on top of a lipstick, as this adds a bit of dimension to the look. This gloss does have bits of red glitter in it, but it's relatively unnoticeable on the lips, and isn't gritty at all. The only issue I have is with the applicator, as it's a brush, and it's kinda flimsy. With a pigmented gloss like this, precision is key. And I find you don't get the desired precision with the brush provided. Apart from that, I love it! 

So that's all for this post, and I hope you like it! 

Hopefully I can add some higher-end lip products to this list, as I'm saving up for some :)

Let me know what your favourite shades are!

Until next time, 

Shelley xx

Products I've used up :)

Hey Guys!
Sorry about the lack of posts this week, but I had a bit of writers block over the past couple of days! haha.
But, this morning I ran out of my favourite foundation, and it gave me an idea for a post - products I have used up over the past couple of months. I have seven products to talk about today, and it's pretty even in terms of beauty/skin and body care.
So, here we go..

(I forgot to include the final product I'll be talking about, sorry!)

1. Garnier Mineral InvisiCalm roll on deodorant - RRP $3.50 -  This product is designed to calm and nourish the skin after shaving/waxing etc, and contains no alcohol or parabens. I really liked this product, and it worked well to stop perspiration throughout the day. It didn't however live up to it's "48 hour protection" claim, as I did feel the need to reapply later in the day. I did find that it calmed my skin after shaving, and there was none of the usual irritation that I experience after hair removal. Be warned, though, the formula is quite wet, which takes a bit of getting used to; and you can feel it on your skin for a little while after application. 
2. Cetaphil Daily Advance Ultra-Hydrating Lotion (sample size shown) - RRP $8.99 for 85g - This moisturiser was okay, but I did find it made my skin a little oilier than usual. It definitely added a dewy effect when used under my foundation. I preferred to use in on my body rather than my face because of the oiliness it caused- it wasn't unbearable though. I'm glad I got the sample size rather than the full size, because it takes FOREVER to use up! haha. I also found that it was hard to squeeze out a small amount because it is quite a thin formula; I always ended up getting too much out of the tube. I don't think I'll repurchase it simply because I have other moisturisers that I prefer, and because I don't need any excess dewiness coming into the warmer months.
3. Bourjois 1-2-3 Perfect Foundation in 52 Vanilla - RRP $32 - This is my HOLY GRAIL foundation. I have used this since the start of the year, and I love it! It's seriously worth the investment! I think I am going to do an indepth review of this, so I'm not going to say much more in this post. Stay tuned!!
4. La Roche-Posay Effaclar Duo Corrective and Unclogging Anti-Imperfection Care - I couldn't find the RRP! Sorry! (sample size shown) - This product was just 'meh' for me. It didn't really work that well. I didn't see a difference in my pores or skintone when I used this.
5. Parafait Coconut Cherry Hand Cream - I couldn't find a RRP price for this either, but I know it's available at some Target Stores (in AUS) - I adore this hand cream. This is the second tube I have been through, and I love it! The smell is just heavenly, and it moisturises like a dream. It's not greasy at all, and it soaks into the skin quite well. It leaves my hands feeling soft and nourished, which is just bloody awesome. I'll definitely get this one again!
6. Covergirl Clump Crusher Mascara - RRP $17.95 - I already talked about this in my September Favourites video, so check that out if you want to know more :)
7. Elf Eyelid Primer - I got mine from Amazon for $1, but it's available on the Elf AUS website for $2! - I'm so sad that this finally ran out! I loved this primer, and for one buck you can't really go wrong. My eyeshadows lasted all day, and my lids never got oily. It also cancelled out any redness or discolouration I had on my lids, so I basically had a clean slate to work with. I would recommend this product to everyone! Go and try it! :)

That's all from me today, I hope you enjoyed reading through the products I've used up over the past couple of months.

Don't forget to let me know what you think of these products, and tell me what empties you have this month!

Until next time, 

Shelley xx

Go bold and be brave this spring!

Hey guys!

With the recent improvement in weather down in my neck of the woods, I decided to dig out the products in my collection that were a lot bolder than what I was used to wearing. I have to say, I've fallen in love all over again!

I'm gonna talk about a range of products in this post; from lipsticks to nail polishes to eyeliners. I'm so happy that I can finally wear these shades now!

First I'm gonna discuss lipsticks. I have three shades to show you.

L-R: Coral Fever, Coral Crush, Sweet Tart

All three shades can be used sheer or opaque, depending on how brave you are ;)

The first shade is a bright orange from Maybelline, called Coral Fever. It's gorgeous when applied with the fingers, in a light way. It just adds a summery glow to the lips. I also think it would look good on a night out, applied more opaquely. It has a glossy finish, and it's lasting power is okay. You may need a lipliner with this lipstick.

The second shade is also from Maybelline, and it is Coral Crush. This is a more pink shade of coral, and is super bright. I adore this shade. It's honestly one of my all time favourite lipsticks. It brightens the face and looks great with a light tan. It's a perfect coral shade for spring and summer. It also looks great when applied lightly on the lips, as it adds a soft pink colour to the lips.

I think this next shade from Revlon works all year round, but I love to wear it most during the springtime. It's a Revlon Lip Butter in Sweet Tart, and it's a true bright pink. It's stunning. The texture of this lipstick is smooth and it is insanely pigmented. It's long wearing, and doesn't seem to bleed when applied. I love to wear this when I don't really feel like wearing a coral shade on the lips, and it still adds a bold pop of colour. This can also be worn sheer. 

Secondly, I'm going to talk about some nail polishes. This "Greetings From Paradise" set from Ulta3 was given to me as a gift for Christmas one year, so I'm not entirely sure of it's availability.  
It has five different yet bright shades, which can be worn throughout the warmer months.

I'm not gonna go into too much detail about these, as I just want to show the kinds of colours that I like to wear during the warmer months. My favourite is the peach shade on the far right, and I'm actually half way through the bottle :P

I also think the bright pink shade is stunning for Spring, and the blue/turquoise would be great for Summer.




Finally, I have an amazing eyeliner to rave about. haha. This one is from NYX, and it's phenomenal. This is the only shade I have, but I'm totally in love with it.

It's in the shade Azure, and it's a beautiful turquoise colour. (Apologies for the blurry swatch, my camera didn't want to focus for some reason). It's a shimmery colour, but it doesn't have chunks of glitter in it. It glides on so smoothly, and it's so long wearing. No joke. Like, I went to take this off with a face wipe, and it wouldn't budge. I had to use eye makeup remover to get this off, and it still left some colour on my skin. So for people who have oily eyelids/watery eyes, this would be a great product for you.

I like to use this on my lower lashline, towards the tearduct, for a slight pop of colour, without going overboard. It's a great colour for Spring and Summer, and I definitely recommend it to anyone.

So, that's it for my picks for bold, colourful products to wear during Spring.
I hope you enjoyed reading this, and don't forget that feedback is greatly appreciated. Also let me know if you have any other products that you will be wearing this time of year! I wanna hear about other people's favourites!

Until next time, 

Shelley xx