Haul: Elf Cosmetics

Love a good Elf Haul

I was randomly surfing the web the other night and realised I hadn't visited iherb for a while. Whilst browsing through the website I noticed that they finally restocked their Elf Studio Brushes so I decided to make a purchase.

For those of you who don't know, I own a BUNCH of brushes ranging from Hakuhodo to Elf. Elf Studio Brushes happen to be my favourite affordable brush line. Their brushes are super soft, don't shed (until the end of their life), have the perfect amount of density and they have a broad range. I own about 30 of their brushes, of which only 1 (the powder brush) has recently become lose and started to shed... this is after 5 years. Pretty good for $3!

On the skincare side of things, I also love their zit zapper. I have tried a LOT of pimple and zit treatments and there only seem to be two that work for my skin (I have sensitive, red, acne and blackhead prone skin that ranges between dry to oily depending on the weather) - the zit zapper by Elf and the Neutrogena Rapid Clear Acne Eliminating Spot care. This was only $2, so why not? It lasts for a decent amount of time and is great for the overnight reduction of redness and size of any spots that pop up.

The other item if the Makeup Mist and Set. I haven't had the chance to try this yet but I've heard many great things. The bottle was a lot smaller than I expected but being only $3, I can't complain. I'll do a review of this at a later date.

Have a great weekend!

Love Cindy (Skindzmakeup)

Mac Lippies

This is just a random post on some of my favourite MAC lipstick colours.

While I love almost all the textures and finishes of their lipsticks (apart from really frosty ones), these are the ones that stay in my handbag. They act as emergency "I NEED LIPSTICK" fillers.

From top to bottom the colours are Freckletone, Angel and Shy Girl.

• Freckletone (lustre) is a light neutral peachy shade which is beautiful for fairer skin girls with warm to olive undertones. It provides semi-opaque coverage which is buildable and I think its perfect for my NC15/NW20 complexion. If I had one complaint, it would be that it doesn't perform the best when it comes to longevity, something that is probably common across most MAC lipsticks. However, it still gives me a perfect natural finish... I love it.

• Angel (frost) is another shade I never thought I would like or purchase. I have used so many pinks in my life and most of them do not match me. However, somehow this one works. It's great for cool or warm toned skin girls and helps to provide a fresh and youthful look to finish any routine. While it is described as having a "frost" finish, I don't really agree with this. I think it's more of a lustre but more pigmented. Beautiful shade.

• Shy Girl (cremesheen) was definitely unexpected. I had never really heard of this colour until I was randomly in the MAC store looking. It provides a beautiful peachy pink tint to the lips, which just adds another layer to finish my makeup look. It's my go to lipstick when I'm just not sure what colour matches my outfit (girl problems - ha!). This lipstick has quite a nice texture in that it is quite moisturising and has decent longevity (3 hours ish).

I've heard a lot about Candy Yum Yum... think I may have to check that out.

Love Cindy (Skindzmakeup)

Collection: Nyx Round Lipsticks

Anyone else love the amazing range of Nyx Round Lipsticks?

This is my little collection of goodies that I purchase online from eBay.

What I love about these is the:

• Broad range of colours
• Creaminess of the Lipsticks
• Great pigmentation 
• Packaging (colour on the bottom)
• Affordable price! 

What could be improved? 

• These lippies bleed so a lip liner is required
• The colour doesn't last very long and transfers on to other objects like crazy.

Overall rating :

While there are a few issues with the lippies, the affordable price tends to negate these. It's a good lippie for those who are just starting out with makeup and want to know what colours match them or those who don't mind the limited longevity of the product.

Price: 5/5

Quality: 3/5

Packaging: 4/5

Love Cindy (Skindzmakeup)

Collection: Concealers

Concealer Crazy.

Yup. That's right. I'm knee deep in the concealer craze at the moment and today I featured some of my concealers on my instagram. Unfortunately I didn't include some of the concealers in my makeup bag (Nars Radiant Cream Concealer, Tarte Amazonian Clay Concealer and the Maybelline Age Rewind). Right now, it's so cold in the mornings so I'd rather spend the extra 5 minutes in bed than apply a full face of foundation.

None the less, I thought I would give you an overview about my top 3 concealers in the bunch.

My top 3 in the photo below are:

1. Bourjois Healthy Mix Concealer (52 Medium Radiance)
2. Mac Prolongwear Concealer (NC20)
3. MAC Studio Sculpt Concealer (NC30)

*Note the Giorgio Armani is in my top 3 but I have already reviewed it in my other blog posts

Bourjois Healthy Mix Concealer:

Bourjois says: Bourjois' new Healthy Mix fruit-therapy correcting concealer smoothes away dark circles and imperfections for a visibly rested and radiant look. Its exquisite glide-on formula blends onto the skin for a natural result, with no marks.

This is one of my favourite concealers in the 'drugstore' or in Priceline. I picked mine up on sale for $8 and I have not looked back. This concealer is absolutely amazing and it would suit anyone with dry to combination skin.

• Packaging 
• Sturdy tube made out of plastic
• Product is easy to dispense (until you get to the end when it gets a bit harder)

• Product
• Medium coverage
• Long-lasting (6 hours on my skin before it starts to disappear)
• Provides a dewy/glowing finish
• Creamy, smooth and extremely blendable
• Useful for under the eyes or to conceal blemishes
• Does not settle into fine lines and does not crease

• Other:
• Expensive for the drugstore (even though I paid $8 the RRP is $24 AUD)
• Smells floral (be aware if you are sensitive to this)
• Dries pretty quickly
• Has a pink tinge to it
• Contains Apricot (radiance), Melon (moisture) and Raspberry (Micr-circulation activator)

Mac Prolongwear Concealer

MAC says: A lightweight fluid concealer that provides medium to full coverage with a comfortable, natural matte finish. Colour-true formula lasts up to 15 hours.  Helps conceal and correct the look of under-eye circles, and discolorations. Comes in a clear glass vial with a matte black pump.

If you want coverage that lasts an incredible amount of time, look no further. I like to use it on blemish and around the face. It is likely to suit those of you with combination to oily skin.

• Packaging 
• Sturdy glass container that comes with a pump
• The pump is not easy to control so be careful when dispensing the product, I find that 1 full pump is way too much for me

• Product
• Medium to full coverage
• Long-lasting (8+ hours on my skin)
• Provides a natural to matte finish
• Creamy, smooth and extremely blendable
• Useful to conceal blemishes, I find it too thick to cover under the eyes
• Does not settle into fine lines and does not crease
• It may emphasise flaky patches on the skin
• If you try to build up the product, it will become cakey
• A little goes a long way

• Other:
• Price = $32 AUD
• Work fast! It dries pretty quickly.
• Has a orangey tinge to it
• I go through this product so quickly (could be because of the pump and how it dispenses too much product)

Mac Studio Finish Concealer

MAC says: A lightweight, creamy, discreetly opaque concealer. Provides a smooth, long-wearing invisible coverage for all skin blemishes. Water-resistant, fragrance-free and non-acnegenic. This emollient-based, lightweight concealer is so concentrated that a tiny amount can provide opaque coverage of the skin's imperfections and discolourations. It effectively covers dark circles, blemishes, moles, tattoos and birthmarks. Enriched with antioxidants (derivatives of Vitamin A and Vitamin E), it also contains Silica to help adsorb the skin's oils. Concealer has an SPF of 35 and is available in a wide range of colours. It can be applied with a medium to firm fiber brush (try the 242 Brush), a latex sponge, or the fingertips.

For starters, this concealer is way too dark for me. When I was colour matched by one of the MAC staff, something clearly went wrong. Because I don't like to waste products and due to its orangey tinge, I use this product for under the eyes during the Summer time. And yes, I know, I know it's a very heavy concealer but during the warmer seasons and particularly when you warm up the product and use your fingers, it becomes very creamy and blendable. Then once it dries, it's not going anywhere. Note that this product is NOT for people with dry skin.

• Packaging 
• A little plastic tub that flips open and clips shut
• Very small and easy to store and travel with
• Not as hygienic as the other two as you tend to have to dip you brush, sponge or finger into the concealer (if you are like me and cbb scooping some out with a Q tip or sanitized spatula every time you use it)

• Product
• Medium to full coverage
• Decent lasting (5+ hours on my skin)
• Provides a matte finish
• Contains SPF
• Creamy, smooth and extremely blendable (only when I use my fingers and work to warm up the concealer before i apply it). When a brush is used, it is not as blendable and creamy.
• May settle into fine lines and crease toward the end of the day
• Emphasises flaky patches on the skin
• If you try to build up the product, it will become cakey (hence I do not agree with the 'invisible coverage' MAC states)
• If you get the correct shade, I would see no issues with using it around the face but as mentioned before mine is too dark and orangey. This means that it is much more useful to conceal any under eye circles that I have. However, I do warn you that this will only work if you use your fingers to really warm up the product prior to application. If not, this concealer will become patchy and crease.

• Other:
• Price = $32 AUD
• No scent
• Has a orangey tinge to it 
• This product lasts a very long time as a little goes a long way.
• The texture of the concealer is very dependent on the temperature around it. In the warmer seasons the product is nice and creamy but when it's cold it is super hard and difficult to work with.
• Feels a bit heavy upon application

What are your favourite concealers? Are there any you want me to review or any I should pick up and try?

Leave a comment!

Love Cindy (Skindzmakeup)

Favourites: July Brushes

Brush Hoarder Alert.

I was tagged on instagram to show my favourite beauty and makeup tools. For those of you who follow me or know me in real life, you know that I am a brush fanatic. It's my favourite part of makeup and it's the one product (other than foundation) that I am willing to spend extra $ on. In my collection I have a range of brushes that are from various brands ranging from $1 ebay brushes to $100 Hakuhodo brushes.

I go through phases of rotating my brushes, much like rotating my makeup. Today I thought I'd do a quick photo post of the items that I am currently in love with.

Items pictured:

1. Hakuhodo Face Brush J531

2. Zoeva 127 Luxe Sheer Cheek Brush

3. Real techniques Buffing Brush

4. Elf cosmetics Blush Brush

5. Loveybellemakeup Angled Blush

6. Marc Jacobs The Face II

7. Jessup Angled Mini Kabuki (got this from ebay for $1.50 AUD)

8. Flower Hairpin from Cairns

9. Tweezerman Mini Isaac Mizrahi Collection

I have over 300 brushes in my collection so to make it in the top 10 is a pretty good effort! I also have a few special mentions of other tools including:

1. Nars Ita brush (fantastic for contouring)

2. Zoeva 142 Concealer Buffer brush (great for blending in concealer)

3. Sigmabeauty SS266 (point pencil brush - love this for my eye shape)

4. Tom Ford Cheek Brush (beautiful brush for cream or powder blush)

5. Conair BodyBenefits Mirror (love this vanity mirror - got it from Big W)

What are your favourites? Any brushes I should try?

Love Cindy (Skindzmakeup)

FOTD 6

Can't wait for Friday night!

HAPPY FRIDAY EVERYONE!

I feel like I haven't worn the colours of the Naked 2 palette in almost forever. Friday night feels like the perfect occasion to start using it again. I don't even remember why I stopped!

1. Kevyn Aucoin Sculpting Powder (Medium)

• We all know that this is my HG contour powder
• Beautiful for producing a natural cool toned contour to the face
• I used this on the hollows of my cheeks, temples and along the jaw line

2. Chanel Perfection Lumiere (B20)

• Beautiful foundation for producing a long lasting natural finish
• Very blendable and the colour match is great for my skin
• The packaging is made out of glass and the best part is that it comes with a pump
• I used this all over my face for a medium coverage finish
• The effect of this foundation today is a satin/natural finish so I didn't feel the need to set it

3. Bobbi Brown Lipstick (Plum Rose)

• Super creamy and pigmented
• It's a shade that is a little darker than my natural lips
• Lasts about 4 hours without having to reapply

4. Sleek Blush (Pixi Pink)

• Incredibly pigmented... use a super light hand because you may look like a clown if not
• Smooth and blendable
• Long-lasting

5. Buxom Lipgloss (Starr)

• One of my favourite lipglosses
• Non-sticky and smooth on the lips
• Soft plumping sensation (that does not sting)
• Decently pigmented (not opaque and not clear - somewhere in between)

6. Urban Decay Naked 2 Palette

• LOVE, LOVE, LOVE!!!
• Great for cool toned skin
• A variety of colours that can be used for a natural or smokey look
• Super blendable, pigmented and creamy
• Long-lasting, especially when used with the Urban Decay Primer Potion

7. Maybelline Master Precise Eyeliner

• Great tip, which is fine and perfect for a precise look
• Pigmented and the formula is quite liquidy
• Does not smear or smudge
• Does not long all day on my eyes (about 5-6 hours before crumbling) so it's now in my makeup bag for touch ups

8. Loreal Volume Million Lashes Mascara (waterproof)

• Long lasting (but hard to get off with an eye makeup remover)
• The waterproof formula means it holds a curl very well
• Adds length and volume (once dried out)
• Can become clumpy if you decide to do a third coat

What's on your face today?

Love Cindy (Skindzmakeup)