More Beauty on a Budget

DB is a relatively new, low budget brand but I LOVE IT.  I recently partook in an international makeup swap (as soon as I get my goodies, expect pictures! see what Glamtrotter says here) I wanted a good mix of brands, so I sent some beloved Furless brushes, some Chi Chi and some Australis, because it practically has Australia in the name (it was all going to the US) and some DB just to make it up to the dollar amount we had agreed on.  The feed back on the highlighter was phenomenal, Amber compared it with Benefit High Beam, which retails in Australia for around $50+ price range, the DB one was free with purchase, but nothing in the DB range is over $20.

Recently, I've been trying their eye makeup.

This palette came with a free eye primer so I can comment on its performance too.
These eye shadows are really pigmented.  I'm so in love with the pink I even wore it to work.

They're great and really really affordable.  (If memory serves me right they were abourt $6)

The eye primer is good, between the primer and the quality if these shadows my eye makeup manged a full work day and then some, so over 12 hrs.  It feels a little slimy on your fingers and I will admit it feels sticky on the lids at first, but then I'm used to UD Primer Potion and Too Faced Shadow Insurance so I'm probably being overly critical.  I couldn't find the price on a shadow primer but as the rest of the line is pretty cheap I think its safe to assume this will be too.  I personally have decided that this primer is wonderful for every day and I can preserve my UD and Too Faced for the times when I REALLY need a hard working primer.

On the whole you can't go wrong with these shadows.  They are priced well enough that even if you only want a specific colour for 1 night they it won't break the bank.

Makeup Sources

I have always believed that the source of makeup does not determine its quality, I've had some super expensive eyeshadows which lack pigment, and I've had some cheap ones that rocked socks... 
I refuse to believe that 'Drug-store' brands such as those you will find in your local chemist, Target or K-mart are of any less value to a makeup lover than the likes of MAC, Urban Decay or Too Faced.  I think they all have a place,  To be honest, if I gave up on the 'drug-store' brands I'd have nowhere to buy makeup locally (well almost). 

If I read in a blog 'I don't believe in drug-store brands' I close it.  In Australia, the difference between a Revlon lip stick and a MAC one could be as little as $10.  The truth is that makeup is expensive here, and with that I present "Kink"

Kink is sold at Coles, which means its easy to get and so totally goes down as 'grocery items' in your budget right?

At about $6 each and more often than not, on a 3 for 2 special (ooo free) that makes them incredibly affordable.  Sadly the 3rd picture of my nice neutral coloured eyeshadow in its packet didn't load BUT i have this:

Its a really nice neutral beige light brown (i don't like the work beige) with a hint of sparkle about it.  I love if for under any colour and as an all over lid colour for work.  Its simple, clean but with just a little shimmer.

Cheap and functional, perfect for an every day eyeshadow.  Check out Kink at your local Coles There is no way to write that and it not sound seedy.  Silly name, good product, check it out.

Limecrime Haul and Review

Firstly, unless you have had your head in the sand, you have probably seen HEAPS about Limecrime, probably because they are brilliant.
They are available from a few online stores but i chose to get most of my things from the Limecrime website.  They have some amazing colours of eyeshadows but also some rather unique lip sticks. 
Firstly they arrive in a cool box.  I know you shouldn't judge a book by its cover but if the cover is cool its OK right?

Excuse the blurriness, my camera only seems to make things blurry when the detail is required....

I bought 5 'Magic Dusts':
Troubadour; which is a lovely light teal sort of colour. 
Empress; which I can best describe as a sparkly lush 'Cadbury' dark purple.
Medusa; which is a sort of black shot with blue and silver shimmers.
Mirror Mirror; which is a true sparkly silver.
Twilight; which is a lovely sparkly lavender colour.

Again, sorry about the blurry but the colours should be clear enough.

I love these products, my only wish is that they had been around when I was younger and had more time to use them, I don't think my work would be too impressed if I showed up in Troubadour and Empress...although I might do it one Friday just for fun.

Another note about these products is they are all vegan and completely cruelty free.

If you like your colours, and experimenting with them, these are well worth a try, if you are looking for conservative makeup that won't offend your boss, please see my next post.

Not a Lip Gloss Lady.

I can't wear white, I always get it dirty, I can't get out of a car with my knees together, I said the "F word" ALOT so it probably comes as no surprise I'm not the girliest girl.  With my inability to act like a lady I have also grown to dislike lip gloss....I'm getting there, but I just can't take the sticky feeling, I CAN NOT un-stick my hair from it without looking stupid....I'm not a fan.... BUT THEN Furless came to my rescue.  We all know I can't rave more about their products, I send them to strangers in other lands (here's the proof) I share their posts on Facebook to advertise them to my international friends, I LOVE their products. 
Included in one of my orders was a lip gloss, a Pout Glamour lip gloss to be precise, I tried it- its free, can't hurt.  OMG its lovely, sort of minty and NOT STICKY!!!! It doesn't have a colour written on it but its lush.  Well worth a go...

Benetint...not as embarrassed as I thought I'd look...

It's been a while, I do appologise.  By way of an official appology i'm going to review a new (to me) find (OK it was a while ago now, but I was so smitten I didn't want to share yet).

Benefit Benetint

I'd seen this product on the benefit website, it's a lip and cheek stain, I have steered away from it because of the stain factor.  I always expect this to go wrongly and end up looking like I was highly embarrassed by something.

I had my mind changed for me when I was at the Benefit counter in Myer and the lovely lass there offered me a free mini makeover.  One of the products she used was this.  I WAS IN LOVE. So so so easy to use and left not only a lovely hint of colour (reapply to make it deeper) but a sort fo sheen over the top of my cheek bones.  I literally kept checking it out in the mirror in the car (thankfully I was not driving) and turning to my mum and saying 'I really do love this cheek stuff' even my mother, who wears makeup perhaps, twice a year and every time its applied by me, agreed.

As well as using it for your cheeks you can use it to tint your lips, it give it a very lovely 'just into a warm room after the snow' look, mainly due to its transparancy. 

I now use it every day.  You simply put a few spots on the apples of you cheeks and rub it in. So easy, so fast, so lovely.

You can get this product from the Benefit counter at most Myer stores or you can get it straight from the Benefit website, remember; free international shipping on goods over $125 purchased from Benefit, straight to your door.

Interesting fact about this product, it was developed for an exotic dancer who wanted a nipple stain.  It is now one of Benefit's top sellers. True Story.