Mrs. Bunny Essentials kit

This post is mostly just to show off my new (OK I've had it for a few weeks now) brush set from Sigma. It is so pretty, I had a discount code so I didn't pay full price AND I got free shipping, but for the number and quality of brushes the US$109 price tag isn't that bad (in my opinion) best of all, the 12 piece brush count doesn't include annoying things like eyelash combs, sure, we all need one, yes, ONE not one per brush set.  (seriously, if anyone wants a lash comb, let me know)

So when it came out of the Parcel, it looked like this, so cute.

Inside the box is an even more cute case which holds all the brushes to keep them safe. 

Then this conveniently opens out to be 2 brush holders. 

The brush handles themselves are baby blue, as you can just see, with pink ferrules, the bristles are 100% synthetic and vegan friendly. You can find this set here.  It is also available in black as the MR. bunny set.  Either in the essentials kit, as I have or the travel kit, a smaller more compact kit.

For interests sake the number/type of brushes are as follows:

Eye Liner - E05 An extra fine-tipped brush that delivers a precise, firm, even stroke to line the eyes. Synthetic bristles.

Pencil - E30 Precise application of colour on the crease, outer corner, upper and lower lash line.

Tapered Blending - E40 Rounded and tapered top. Specially designed to apply and blend colour on the crease.

Eye Shading - E55 Soft and dense with a rounded finish. Can be used to apply pressed or loose eye shadows and pigments.

Large Shader - E60 Flat shape is ideal for application of cream formulas and eye shadow primers.

Small Angle - E65 Essential for the application of gel or cream eye liner on the upper and lower lash line.

Medium Angled Shading - E70 Angled, tapered, flat top. Ideal to apply highlight shades underneath the eyebrow and on the inner corners.

Large Powder - F30 Very dense with a rounded top. Ideal to apply powder products on face and body.

Large Angled Contour - F40 The angled shape makes this brush ideal to apply blush or contour shades.

Duo Fibre - F50 Specially designed to generate an airbrushed finish when used to apply blush, highlight shades and foundation.

Foundation - F60 Can be used to apply liquid or cream foundation. Recommended to apply moisturisers and conceal large areas.

Concealer - F70 The rounded, tapered, flat shape makes this brush ideal to conceal the under eye area.

My new current obsession!

Any of my dear friends have no doubt answered this question in a rather smart assed fashion....BUT my current and new obsession is "Australis Paparazzi Perfect Tinted Moisturiser".
It comes in light/medium and medium/dark and has a SPF of 15.  Available from all Australia stockists for about $15.

I love tinted moisturisers, and if they have an SPF even more so, this gives a great coverage to even out skin tone but does not feel like you are wearing anything.  I love it, its perfect for work as it's quick and not makeupy at all.  The colour lasts a work day and all in all I have nothing bad to say about it.  I can easily see it making the way into the 'most reached for products' and I've only been using it for little over a week, albeit everyday.  Because this is a moisturiser, I can so claim it as part of my 'no makeup' skin care routine!
All in all, great price, great job, great product.

You Rock?!?

Available from Target now is the 'Essence' range, (very) affordable makeup with some pretty cool themes, the first on my list is the 'You Rock' range, and in particular, the eye-shadow primer and the eye-shadow palette.

Both of these items are around the $5 mark but will be found cheaper during one of the many x% off cosmetics sales that Target have often.

In the palette there are 6 shadows, 1 liner and a double ended brush/sponge, with a mirror in the lid.  For the purpose of reviewing this product I tried to use the set as it came, that is, I used the shadows with the brush provided. as one would be expected to do.

As you can see, the shadows are all very nice and neutral, except that green, I used most of them in the look I created but decided not to add the green.
The primer has a lovely shimmery finish.  It helped the shadows stay on for a full day, which is all you can expect, I wasn't willing to sleep in them just to prove a point.
The shadows are nicely pigmented and for the most part complement each other well.
The liner is VERY soft, so if you're not a dab hand in the liner pencil department I'd use with extreme caution.
The only thing I didn't like about this set was the brush, I found it too firm to blend with, but great for adding colour, to get around this I ended up using a fluffy brush to blend.
All in all, for the money this little kit is pretty good and well worth your money. The primer is great and the shadows well worth the money.  Also if you know any makeup lovers, this would be a great gift.

Essence, at Target now.

The Dirty (half) Dozen

OK, so it is no surprise to ANYONE that I have a lot of beauty products, I've only ever touched pan on about 3 eye shadows and 1 blush- the only reason I used so much blush was because expertly applying it to parts of the face/body did a good enough job of making me look sick, this in turn got me out of gym classes in school, it wasn't the classes I hated, so much as the requirement to wear bottle green cheap nylon shorts....yuck.  I digress....I have lots of stuff.  SO, to encourage me to 1. Use up some stuff and 2. Not buy any more stuff, I have collected together a few items I will use up PRIOR to buying ANY more...
I will:

• Use up these products, posting pictures of empty packaging as I do so.
• Not buy any new items until I have done so.  (gifts don't count and items order before today that have not yet arrived are also obviously excluded)

So without further ado, I present the 6 items (technically 7 but 2 items are the same)

Item 1.  Clinique City Block, this item is one which I SHOULD use every day, and I'm slack so I don't, BUT if I include it here I have to.  Win Win Item 2. Physicians Formula baked eye shadow.  Good stuff, nice neutral colours, was a gift with some other eBay purchases, really need to use it up, takes up a lot of space. - I plan to use all of these but realistically the lighter 2 will go 1st.
Item 3: Nutrimetics lippie in "Sugary" every year my Relay for Life team have a lip-stick drive, these babies come down to $10 and a percentage goes to our team in aid of the Cancer Council....its my part for charity, but I should really use this one up before the next drive.
Item 4: Australis eyeshadow in "Electra" these shadows and great, smooth, brilliant colour, a must have for a fool proof smokey eye, so its about time I used them up. Again, I plan to use all 3 colours but the silver will be gone first.
Item 5: Mirenesse Absolutely Radiant Tinted Moisturiser in "Sheer Pearl" this is a sample size, its good stuff so it needs used up so I can decide whether its worth purchasing 
Item 6(&7): Rimmel eye liners in "Jet Black".  This has been my liner of choice for as long as I can remember. They get smallish so I replace them, these need used up- to a point where sharpening them is too difficult.


I think I've included a fair selection of stuff, its not like I can ONLY use these products, its just that nothing gets bought until they're gone.  No promises though...I am only human.

Finally a break...

Today was my last day of work for 2 whole weeks.  In the next 2 weeks I plan to spend a bit of time getting this blog up to date and writing a few things, because I have more time now I will of course be wearing  more makeup, and probably not quite as work acceptable colours.... For the next few weeks I plan to really get into some of the samples I have, I've got a few pigment samples from a few "Indie" brands and I'm looking forward to trying them and sharing my journey on here. 
I love "Indie" makeup, its a whole other world of colour and creativity.  More often than not they offer samples that are super cheap, the postage is usually VERY reasonable and obviously they mail internationally, all of this means its a great way of trying out a brand/colour and if you love it you can buy a full size jar, some companies even offer you the discount of your sample when you do this.  Its excellent incentive to support the little guys, and remember, some of my most loved brands such as Lime Crime and Sugarpill were one 'the little guys' and now are pretty well known and giving bigger brands a run for their money, not only that, both these brands AND the others I plan to showcase put real emphasis on colour and originality, if you're looking for the perfect neutrals for a 'natural' look, these are not your kind of makeup brands.