Viva Glam Gaga is back!

FINALLY THIS DAY HAS COME! MAC has brought back the first Viva Glam Gaga lipstick! For those of you who didn't purchase it before it sold out, it is a cool toned light pink colour. It's absolutely amazing!

But of course, such a great thing can't come with a catch (darn it). To purchase Viva Glam Gaga, you must buy it in a set, the set including the second installment of the Gaga lipsticks. I didn't really like Viva Glam Gaga II, it's a warm beige colour with an amplified finish. Generally I love MAC's amplified finishes but the consistency of that lipstick really didn't work for me. All together, the set totals to around $65 AUD. It also comes with a circular transparent make-up bag in red. Awesome hey?

I'll do some swatches for anyone who's interested. Just thought I'd update with some good news, laters!

MAC Mineralize Skinfinish Natural

Originally I picked up the colour 'Light', I guess just out of habit considering I'm so pale I've always been the lightest colour in any foundation range. But surprisingly, I am a medium! Yeah I don't understand it either, I guess it's better then the confusing colour codes MAC have going on.

I really love the packaging, and the dome shape the powder it comes in.  I didn't expect it to be very high coverage because it's a mineral product, and the powder is baked not pressed. But it really surpised me, the coverage is actually really good. It's so light and gives a natural look and overall glow. Also, I think this would be a good alternative for those who have dry skin, as the powder doesn't cake on like regular pressed foundation. If you're looking to buy this, definitely ask for some assistance with colour selecting!

Where to buy: MAC stores, David Jones, Myer
Price: $47
Permanent/LE: Permanent

Body Shop Kabuki Brush

So, I said in an earlier post that I would review the new Kabuki brush I've been using. Here it is!

The texture of the brush is absolutely insane. It is so soft, and it doesn't tug at all whilst buffing or blending. Before I purchased it, the sales assistant lady told me that it is made out of 100% synthetic hair, so the hairs will almost never fall out. How's that for amazing?

The brush is so dense that I cant see make-up ever traveling to the base, so it transfers powder well without getting much left over product on the brush.

But, no great product can come without it's downfalls. It's a bit more of a struggle to pick up pressed powders with this brush, you'll find yourself swirling it in your powder compact constantly. This is definitely a brush designed for mineral foundation and loose powder. Though it transfers powder well, by not holding the product inside the brush, applying powder becomes a more time consuming job.

I use this brush everyday so it's a staple for me. I would recommend this brush to absolutely anyone! The price is a bit on the expensive side, but its one I will never have to replace.

Update! (March 2015): I still use this brush regularly, to this day not one of the hairs have fallen out even with washing and drying. It's still just as silky soft as when I purchased it!


Where to Buy: The Body Shop
Price: $34

Halloween Make-Up

Hello! Sorry for the epic wait. I've been so busy with school work and I haven't gotten around to posting (great first impression for a beauty blogger, huh?) I'll be trying my best from now on to post at the very least once a week!

HALLOWEEN is, as they say, a make-up addicts favourite holiday. Well it was my favourite holiday before I even discovered make-up, but Halloween is definitely a lot more interesting now. I figured I'd give you the low down on my make-up for the night.

Pretty shocking hey? Unfortunately, I didn't get enough time to really work on a look. Buuut, I figure if you want to acheive this or play around with something similar,

here's the run down on what I used, obviously you can use any product you have around with the same colour scheme, or mix it up with different colours.

Revlon ColourStay Foundation
MAC Mineralise Skinfinish
MAC Painterly Paint Pot
Avon Cream Concealer
MAC Eyes shadow in Embark (Warm Dark Brown)
Revlon Lipstick in Dark Violet
NARS Single Eye shadow in Daphne (Dark Violet)
MAC Eye shadow in Carbon (Black)
Avon Lipstick in Pruni Regal
Rimmel Kohl Eye Pencil in Black
Great Lash Mascara
Red Acrylic Paint

Firstly, I started with my base. I've been using Revlon ColourStay foundation since I started using make-up so it's been a product I can't trade with anything. (lies: I am looking into Make-Up Forever's HD Foundation, everyone seems to be raving about it!) But anyway, Revlon ColourStay really works for me. Next, I used MAC's Painterly Paint Pot as a base for the eyes, I applied this all the way up the the brow bone and even on the under eyes, as the eye make-up smudges past the eyes.

Whilst this settled, I then moved onto the brows. I like to do my brows early on, though others don't.. I guess it's a matter of preference. I did my brows with MAC's eye shadow in Embark, any warm dark brown colour will do the same. I used this to also thicken the brows. I quickly dusted my face with Mineralize Skinfinish, carefully avoiding the eye area.

Finally, moving onto eyes! For this look, I used a lipstick as a base to my eye shadow. Inevitably, it creased like mad, but as it was Halloween.. the shocking the better! I applied Revlon's lipstick in Dark Violet all over my eyelid, up the the brow bone, and along my under eyes. As I wanted a thicker look and greasy look, I applied several layers. If that's not your thing, you could use any cream or liquid based product to do this. After this, I used NAR's eye shadow in Daphne, which is also a dark violet colour. As it was completely matte, and thus, a little powdery.. I applied it wet (also helped with the greasy eye look!) I went over with a tiny bit of pink cream eye shadow for more warmth. Rim the eyes with a kohl eyeliner, I just used Rimmel, and the waterline. I think I actually took this photograph before I did the waterline, that's how much of a rush I was in!

As a lip stain, I used Avon's lipstick in Pruni Regal but any dark red will do. I smudged and blended this with a synthetic brush. To add a bit of bruising, I applied Daphne mixed with Carbon on the top corner of my lip. I then quickly contoured under my cheekbones with a little of Embark and Carbon mixed together.

As for the blood, I simply watered down some red acrylic paint, and smudged. A warning if you plan to do this: it will not last very long and will most probably result you in peeling it off slowly and painfully in an hour. My advice is to use a cream product mixed with an intense red eyeshadow/pigment.

SO! there's my look. I managed to rush it in less than 15 minutes, so I'm sure if you ever do anything similar, it will be a thousand times more creative!

Over and out!