Many might be very farmiliar with Sisley’s skincare products but not so much with their makeup. To be honest, I am the same. I can name you 5 awesome Sisley skincare products on the top of my head but I couldn’t name any makeup products.
Sisley makeup range benefits from the brand’s cutting edge skincare research and expertise by incorporating the skincare ingredients into key makeup products for example their Sisley Phyto Lip Shine (RRP AUD$50 each) contains treatment for the lips.
Texture wise, the Phyto Lip Shine (available in 14 shades) is creamy to apply, feels glossy yet lightweight and quite softening to the lips. Finish is luminous shiny and not your usual drying lipstick finish. Star ingredients for the lipstick are definitely the Kokum and Mango butter. Both provides hydration and comfort to lips when using these lipstick. If you are more of a gloss girl, you’ll appreciate this ‘in between’ lipstick, not ‘too done up’ look for the lips.
All Sisley make up products comes with a protective dust sleeves. How luxe!
#Sheer Nude
#Sheer Burgundy
Apart from the lipsticks, I also got to trial the Sisley Phyto Khol Star Glittering Eyeliner in #7 Dark Amethyst (RRP AUD$62). This kholeye liner has the softest texture I have tried in a while; resulting in a soft line finish with intense colour pigment. The shimmer finish is also another highlight of the product, not quite shimmer not quite glitter, it’s in between as the shimmery particles are quite big but for some reason it works really well and adds that special sparkly and pearly touch to the liner.
The star ingredients for the Glittering Eyeliner contains softening wild rose extract (so lush!). For me the most important thing for an eyeliner is the finish and the longevity since I have inward fold lid (yes only one of them) and finish is long lasting. The Phyto Khol Star Glittering Eyeliner also comes with a genuine Swarovski crystal in the same shade as the lead, how cute?
Sisley Phyto Blush Eclat #1 DUO PEACH
RRP AUD$105
This blush palette (available in 4 shades) doubles as a sculpting powder, blush and highlighter. I usually use the darker shade as a sculpting shade, mix both the dark and lighter shade as blush and the lighter shade as a highlighter. The finish is radiant, glowing and matte (my fav type of finish) finish.
The powder of this blush is really fine, easy to blend and feels very light on the skin. Shade wise, the peach pink looks really soft on skin and requires two buffs for a medium pigment coverage.
I am surprised that blushes can be so good for the skin too. This blush contains Rosehip, Gardenia, Gingko Biloba, Corn, WoodMallow and Linden Blossom. Guaranteed for a softer skin finish!
Available at selected David Jones Stores nationally now
Stockist: 1300 780 800
Rimmel recently launched a new lash plumping mascara – the Scandaleyes Mascara. Comes in a huge orange tube, quite hard to miss in a make up bag. There’s only one word to describe the applicator wand, it’s MASSIVE. L’Oreal previously released a mascara similar to this mascara and I didn’t like it this time around let’s see how this one fare.
As you can see the mascara brush has max density, it’s bigger than the mascaras that I am used to. I can see how this wand picks up all lashes long/short but it also has the tendency to get messy if you have really short and sparse lashes because chances are you’ll get the mascara bits onto the lids. So this mascara is definitely a great choice for ladies with long lashes..
The formula is injected with collagen and keratin that promises to keep lashes strong, healthy and plumped while delivering volume and curve to lashes. The finish of this mascara is wet and upon drying it doesn’t make my lashes look dry and crunchy (which I hate alot of volumising mascara tend to make lashes look so).
If you have medium to long lashes and want abit of a lift and volume, this is definitely the mascara for you.
RRP AUD$16.95
Available on counters now (David Jones, Kmart, Target, Coles, Big W, Woolworths, Chemist Warehouse, Priceline, Priceline pharmacy and selected pharmacies nationally
Regardless of the price, the quality and the brand; lipsticks always dry our lips out. Which is why, when I am given a choice I always pick lipsticks that are known to be moisturising and always prep my dry, chapped lips with lip exfoliation and lip balm prior to lip stick application.
From left: #Malibu Barbie, #Forbidden Fruit, #Pink Champagne (all new shades)
Face of Australia released 6 new shades to their existing Lip Quench Moisturising Lipstick SPF30+ (existing 8 shades). These lipsticks moisturises lips with natural emollients like Jojoba Oil, Vitamin E & Shea Butter. Not forgetting our lips being one of the most vulnerable area to sun damages, these Face of Australia Lip Quench SPF30+ also provides broad spectrum sun protection.
Consistency for these lipsticks are creamy and very smooth to apply. Here are the swatches in natural morning sun light with no flash.
#Forbidden Fruit – Favourite colour of the lot. It’s rich, creamy and compliments my skin colour really well. Doesn’t accentuate the fine lines or seep into my lip lines. I also got quite a few compliments when I wore this to work the other day.
#Pink Champagne – Probably my least favourite. The colour washes my skin tone out and magnifies my lip problems (chapping lips and lip lines). This colour will probably suit someone with no lip problems like I do and someone with a cool skin tone. Oh, how I wish this work for me as the colour looks so good on the tube.
#Malibu Barbie – This was the colour I looked forward the most prior to the launch. It screams BARBIE, it stands out, it is unique and is HOT. Due to the colour being lighter, I have to apply layers of this to avoid seeing my lip lines (yes it is that bad) and have to take extra time to prep my lips to ensure there’s no dryness or flakiness prior to applying this or it will have the tendency to accentuate flaws.
All in all, I love the colours from these lipsticks, they are fun, demands for compliments and doesn’t dry my lips out as much as I think it would. Highly recommend #Forbidden Fruit and #Malibu Barbie.
RRP AUD$9.95 each
Available on Face of Australia counters now
Stockist: Priceline, Kmart, Big W, Selected Pharmacies or call 03 9338 5222
For a nude palette, Bobbi Brown has nailed the palette down with screaming hot pink casing on the outside and the discreet classic black on the outside. From the Neons and Nudes Collection the limited edition Bobbi Brown Ultra Nude Eye Palette is one to watch out for if you’re in the market for a nude eye palette minus the shimmer.
Now you’d think that, oh this is just another nude eye palette. Well you are wrong. This is no normal nude eye palette because:
- The six colours in this staple palette suits everyone (regardless if you’re warm or cool toned)
- Perfect for those who are afraid of wearing eye shadow or simply don’t know how to (these colour are quite sheer so even none pro blending skill can get this mastered)
- Comes with beiges (you can’t go wrong with this shade) to browns (for a slightly more intense look minus the OTT smokey eye look)
- Has a combination of mostly matte and shimmer finishes (think pearlised shimmer rather than glitter shimmer)
- Comes with really handy and actually usable double ended make up brush, so there’s no need to invest in further make up brushes
RRP AUD$99
Available on counters officially 19th Feb 2012 but you can purchase it online at Bobbi Brown website now (get in quick as Bobbi Brown is notorious at selling out their limited edition palettes)
#302 – Rose Ideal
Lancome L’Absolu Nu also known as the ‘Replenishing & Enhancing Lip Color’ is made in France and is developed with a unique formula – pro xylane designed to keep your lips replenished. This formula helps to keep the lip well hydrated and provide the lipstick a ‘bare-lip sensation’.
Available in 16 shades to perfectly match your lip tone from brown-neutrals, pink-berries to red-corals.
Keeps my natural lip tone in a veil of shiny, translucent colour. Feels really lightweight and comfortable on the lips. This is with a base coat of lip balm and a layer of lipstick. #302 is a pinkish rose colour – appears very natural and sheer on my lips.Very creamy and very hydrating.
RRP AUD$49
Now available on Lancome counters
Graphite Refillable Compact
Earlier in 2011, Jane Iredale released a limited edition luxurious graphite compact that is refillable for mineral foundation of your choice from Jane Iredale’s PurePressed Base, PureMatte or Beyond Matte foundation. Best of all, the compact comes with a Swarovski crystal.
The sleek compact features a large mirror and is made of recyclable and eco-friendly materials. Personally, I picked the PurePressed Base Mineral Powder refill to go with the compact and it fits effortlessly with the compact without needing much efforts.
RRP AUD$24
To find stockist, click here
OPI’s Autumn collection aka OPI The Holland Collection features wooden shoes, pickled herring and tulip. The Holland Collection features 12 colors Autumn colours with a burst of vibrancy.
From left:
- Wooden Shoe Like to Know (reddish chocolate brown),
- Vampsterdam (deep grape purple),
- Thanks A WindMillion (sea green),
- A Roll in the Hague (sun-lit orange),
- Peddle Faster Suzi (pink lavender)
From left:
- Did You ‘ear About Van Gosh? (sandy bisque),
- Red Lights Ahead…Where? (coral red)
From left:
- Kiss Me on My Tulip (hot pink),
- I have a Herring Problem (blue-grey),
- I don’t give a Rotterdam! (blue),
- Gouda Gouda Two Shoes (robust rose),
- Dutch ‘Ya Just Love OPI? (plum purple)
#Wooden Shoe Like to Know – This rich chocolate brown comes with a hint of gold shimmer in it. For some reason the gold shimmer fail to show on the actual swatch but looks absolutely gorgeous in the bottle.
RRP AUD$19.95 each
Available on counters and salons now
Make up artists and professionals will always tell you make up tools will make of break your make up routine. I personally agree to this to an extend; while you don’t need make up brush for every single make up step, there are a few that you most possibly can’t do without for example the blush brush, powder brush, eye shadow brushes to name a few.
I have been raving about how much I adore those make up brushes from Bobbi Brown & Hakuhodo and they certainly are not cheap either. Recently I’ve trialled brushes from a few other brands and is quite happy to report back with the following. They all work just as good and is relatively heaps cheaper than BB. So let’s begin shall we?
Benefit Cosmetics is one of those brands that takes us by surprise with their quirky packaging and quality of products. I am pretty surprised to see their brushes look so ‘normal’. They are sturdy, doesn’t shred when I wash them and is soft and does its job.
Benefit brushes starts from $28 – $30++. I find them very reasonable for the quality of their brushes. Brownie points for its quality of the bristles without any fall outs. The range is however quite limited, there’s only 6 brushes to choose from, great for beginners who aren’t too sure how many brushes they need and what they can do with it.
Royal and Langnickel Silk Green Line brush is the perfect eco-friendly option if you like your products natural and is environmentally friendly.
This 12 piece brush set is retailing for around $120, making each brush approximately $10 + a brush case that is comes with. Travel friendly and comes with all brushes that you need unless you’re a pro that requires 20,948,395 brushes. The brushes are super silky soft as they are 100% synthetic brushes.
Great option for someone who have very few brushes and require a complete set of make up brushes, you can’t go wrong with this.
NP Set brushes ranges from $9.99 – $29.99. Another affordable range with great quality brushes. They are soft to touch and picks up colour just as good as the expensive brushes.
There are around 14 make up brushes all up from NP Set with a few double ended brushes mostly under the $20 mark. Comes with NP Set signature white colour, I especially love the Crease Blender Brush and Primer Brush, they are the clear stand outs.
