• about me
  • menu
  • categories


    • If you're heading to a show or fair over the summer, then you just might spot the Nude by Nature showbag. Showbags are always a great way to pick up a bunch of products from your favourite brands for a discounted price and the Nude by Nature showbag has a great range of products to give you a fresh and basic makeup look on-the-go.


    Airbrush Mineral Primer

    Along with a cute little makeup bag to store all your products in, one of the first products you get is the Airbrush Mineral Primer. As you probably know by now, I'm no longer big on primers but this one has seen me jump back on the bandwagon a little bit. If I know I've got a long day of makeup wearing ahead, I have been popping a little bit of this on my cheeks and t-zone area to try and help my makeup stay looking smoother for longer. I do like the formula of this one - it's quite light but does still go a little tacky to really help makeup stick to it. I wouldn't say I notice a major difference using this product, but I probably get a few extra hours of shine-free foundation when I have this on, especially during a warmer day.

    Liquid Mineral Concealer

    This concealer leans on the thicker side, which makes it great for covering imperfections or tried eyes if you're not to prone to creasing. Being thicker you do need to work with it a little more to get it to blend, but it saying that it does blend out quite nicely. The finish is somewhere in between matte and dewy, not quite on either end of the spectrum but for someone like me who prefers something matte, this is still fine to cover small areas of my face. 


    Natural Mineral Cover Foundation

    You'll also get a mini size of their Natural Mineral Cover Foundation (perfect for travelling). A powder foundation is great for the summer months as it won't give you a thick coverage that will noticeably sweat off during the day, yet if you do have days where you want to go for something a little heavier you only need to pack on a little more to achieve it. This powder is super smooth and easy to apply and gives a really natural looking finish. This isn't a super high coverage foundation, so it's definitely for those days you're heading out and just want a little something to give your skin a natural, flawless looking glow.

    Natural Illusion Eyeshadow Trio

    This is the perfect trio to make a number of simple, natural looks. Whether you'er after something light to just give your eyes that little extra something or want to go a little darker and smokier, this little number has you covered and again, the small size is perfect for on-the-go and travelling. There are two matte shades and one lighter shimmer shade. Both matte shades have great pigmentation and are super smooth to apply. I found the shimmer shade wasn't a super strong colour, though it can be built up, so its better for adding a more subtle sparkle to your look.

    Kabuki Brush

    Lastly you also get a little Kabuki Brush. This brush is super soft and perfect for applying the mineral foundation and again, a great size for when you're on-the-go.


    continue reading
    posted by . 10/26/18 . / /
    No comments
    en
    Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)
    posted by . 10/24/18 .


    I don't really ever do this, but it's time to take a walk into something of a bit of a negative space to have a little chat around collaborations - or more importantly what isn't a collaboration.

    I've had many brands and businesses contact me, whether directly or through a PR agency, to ask about collaborating. Usually these will involve them sending over some product for me to test and try and then post about, and sometimes there may even be a little extra cash involved. This is something I would class as a collaboration. I know some people say you shouldn't just accept free product for your work, and I completely understand that argument, particularly if you're trying to grow your Instagram and make it a viable source of income. But for someone like me who just does it as something on the side and a bit of fun these days, I have no problem just receiving product in return for posting something; at the very least I'm getting the value of the product in return for my work.

    This however, is not a collaboration ...



    I've had many other examples pass through my Instagram DMs, but I think you get the idea.
    I know I'm not alone in this as I've seen bloggers and Instagrammers post about this issue before, but offering a discount on your product, which I still need to buy, and then asking me to then post about it on my feed, is NOT a collaboration.  I often find the brands and companies who try to offer these types of deals are the ones you see commenting on peoples photos asking them to contact them about a collaboration.

    I understand how this can come across - oh someone won't give you free product, poor you. But think of it from a more business perspective - essentially they are asking for me to pay to create content for them, they want me to pay to do my work in return for some 'possible exposure' on their channel if they decide to choose my image ..... would you want to do your work if you walked in and your boss said 'I need you to do this for me and just pay me $30 for it as well' - probably not.

    There's plenty of talk recently about how promising someone "exposure" in exchange for their work just doesn't quite cut it in the creative field, not to mention just "possible exposure". 

    No matter how big or small the company, brand or Insatgrammer may be, if you say you want to collaborate with someone, you need to follow up with a deal that is actually a collaboration and pays them in one way or another for their time - not simply propose something that will earn yourself some extra dollars from getting someone to buy your product.


    continue reading
    2 comments
    at
    posted by . 10/22/18 .


    On my journey so far with Suki Hairdressing, I've been focusing on growing and thickening my hair. When I first walked into their salon all those months ago, my hair, while not as bad as I initially thought, was still in need of some professional care. As I've mentioned in previous posts, since being with Suki and the amazing Bek, the quality of my hair has improved tenfold.

    I was also really focused on growing luscious long locks when I first sat in their chair, but the week before my most recent appointment I was starting to have a change of heart. Maybe it was thanks to seeing how nice my hair had become or the fact I'd spent the long weekend with all my girlfriends who almost all have beautiful short cuts, or maybe both. But when I sat down I knew it was time to get the chop. 

    I need to give a big thank to my hairdresser Bek, she has nailed the colour and style every time I visit, and when I left this time with my shorter hair I had exactly what I went in there looking for - I find I rarely come out of a hairdresser looking exactly how I envisaged - the girl is good!

    During my visit I was also given a Kerastase treatment at the basin to help strengthen my hair and also meant I got a double head massage in conjunction with my usual SmartBond treatment.

    While I was enjoying growing my hair out, and have had great success in growing those annoying baby hairs around my face thanks to the Activance I was given during my last visit, I love having a shorter chop. The real quality and thickness of my hair is now on show and I don't think I've ever had such thick and healthy ends before.

    You can see a before and after shot my hair below.

    My hair has truely been #savedbbysuki

    continue reading
    2 comments
    at
    posted by . 10/15/18 .


    A new skincare brand landed on my doorstep recently and they were generous enough to give me the entire skincare system to trial out.

    Amperna are an ethical skincare brand that create simple but effective products to rebalance your skin. They are an Australian made and owned brand, they don't test on animals and their products are perfect for those with sensitive skin. The products contain only the necessary and active ingredients your skin needs to look its best including a probiotic complex, glycolic acid and vitamins B and C.

     Ultra Gentle Soothing Cleanser
    This cleanser has a gel formula that is activated when it comes into contact with water. It turns into a foam as you lather it on your face and (as the name suggests) has a gentle balance of ingredients so your skin won't be irritated and it won't upset the pH levels of your skin. It also contains sage and cucumber extracts which will help to soothe and calm your skin if it is already irritated and is great if you have any skin issues such as dermatitis, rosacea, acne or eczema. I don't wear much makeup these days but I found when I do it helps to remove most of it and leaves my skin feeling refreshed and clean without feeling overly dry. The product does have a bit of a natural scent that is a little strong, which may be off-putting for those who don't like scents.

    Pro+ Vitamin C Hyaluronic Serum
    Next step is serum (something I can't live without anymore) and Amperna have two to choose from. First is the Pro+ Vitamin C Hyaluronic Serum; if you need something to help hydrate your skin, give this stuff a go. While its not super thick, it takes a little longer to sink into your skin - so hold off a minute after applying before adding anything else to your face. The serum contains high levels of hyaluronic acid and antioxidants which help to correct uneven skin tone, dullness, winkles and fine lines. As hydrating as it feels, I still like to follow this one with some moisturiser (still to come).

    Probiotic+ DS Soothing Serum
    The other serum available is the Probiotic+ DS Soothing Serum. This one has a more creamer formula and I found it sinks a bit quicker into the skin than the previous serum. With the same scent also, this serum is really great for soothing and calming irritated skin. It contains copper and zinc gluconates which help to stop bacteria from spreading on the skin (perfect for those with acne) and help to replenish your skin barrier. It has also been tested on those who have rosacea redness and was found to have great positive results.

    Lightweight Soothing + Emulsion
    It's time to moisturise - and there's another two options to choose from. First the lightweight soothing + emulsion; I find this product to be a tad heavy for something that is called lightweight, but that said it did sink into my skin fairly quickly, so if you're needing a good hydration hit in the morning, this is perfect and it didn't leave me feeling oily or shiny which is always  plus. This moisturiser contains ceramides, hyaluronic acid, emollients and a probiotic to help give your skin nourishing hydration and protect it against environmental damage during the day.

    10% Pro+ Resurfacing Lotion
    Last but certainly not least is the Pro+ Resurfacing Lotion. This product contains 10% glycolic acid which helps to very, very gently exfoliant your skin to improve its texture, while the antioxidants help to calm any redness. This product is the first of its kind; a chemical exfoliant that is specifically for sensitive skin. This moisturiser also does have a bit of a different scent; it's more something I expect a pharmaceutical product to smell like, but that said as soon as it sinks into the skin the scent all but disappears.

    continue reading
    No comments
    at
    Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)
    back to top
    The Noise in Wonderland .
    design + code gbml