Naked 3: Swatch and Review

When it came to picking an eyeshadow palette I thought long and hard about it - so many brands and some you can't bloody get in New Zealand. Beauty Bay had all three Naked palettes, I already have a few bronzes and browns so the Naked 3 with it's pink and taupe tones seemed the logical and slightly different option. I've been using it for about a month now so I thought it was about time I did an in depth review and swatches for anyone else considering the palette themselves. 

Colours l - r: Strange, Dust, Burnout, Limit, Buzz, Trick

Colours l - r: Nooner, Liar, Factory, Mugshot, Darkside, Blackheart

I think the colour range in this palette is actually really good, they look pink-toned but they're not pink as such - it's definitely got a lot of wearable tones with the second six being more cool toned browns and taupes. Aside from that there's a really good mix of satin, mattes and shimmers in there too. In terms of which colours are the best I love all of them really, in particular burnout, limit, buzz, nooner and liar. The final four are really more taupe toned darker shades, the darker shades all have the best payoff but the only ones that let the palette down a but are that dust is just exactly that - it's a little dusty and the most prone to fall out.

In terms of how long lasting they are I definitely think a primer is a good idea - I find they stick to the lid better and don't crease. Without a primer the colours aren't quite as vibrant but then they are meant to be neutral kind of shades regardless. There's definitely a lot of potential for some really dramatic looks with these or you can easily do really simple day looks too. I like Nooner through my crease and Limit on my lid for a matte look and for a more evening appropriate look something like Nooner through the crease with a combination of Liar, Factory and Mugshot is beautiful and still fairly neutral.

The brush inside is also pretty good quality and as it's double sided is perfect for getting shadow precisely into the crease and pressing colour directly onto the lid.

All in all I'd say, given the palette cost me $75NZD and there are 12 colours in here it's worth every cent - especially when a MAC eyeshadow alone is $30. I think out of the three palettes the pink tones in this one are the most unique, definitely love with this. If you want something with a little more colour but aren't ready for full blown bright shades this is a fantastic option.

Which Naked palette was your favourite?

Claire x

Shop My Stash: The Lush Edit

Being the Lush fiend that I am, I thought it was about time I dug through my stash of bath and shower products to come up with a few cocktails for the bath. I've been pretty stressed and tired the last few months and it seems a waste to have products sitting around not getting used - also, it justifies the two Lush trips I've had in the last few weekends (oops...). I didn't include any skin care or hair care in this - purely bath and body products. Out of the bits I rummaged through I think I have a few winning recipes for the next few weekends worth of baths. 

THE STASH: 

Combination number one: The Honey and Chocolate One. 
Who doesn't enjoy a bit of sweetness? I certainly do and the smell of the honey and rhassoul mud in this bath bomb is heavenly. It's meant to be a very cleansing bath bomb which will be lovely after a long week. This, followed by a really thorough massage of my legs with the Soft Coeur massage bar on my legs and shoulders will compliment the honey bath bomb nicely and Charity Pot is a delightlfully chocolatey cream that sinks in and makes your skin really glow.

Combination number two: The Uplifting One. 
Sometimes I prefer something a little more reviving and I think the Olive Branch and its olive oil and mandarin scent will do that nicely. To make sure my picky skin doesn't get too upset in the heat of the bath I'll take Ceridwens Cauldron for a test drive - the oats and lavender sound like a dream combination for problematic skin. Finally, Karma Kream often gets me compliments in the office on its tropical and refreshing notes of pine and orange and again, it's wonderful on dry skin (particularly legs!).

Combination number three: The Comforting one. 

One of my favourite smells in the world is vanilla. It's a sweet, edible and comforting smell and I always feel "myself" when I have a perfume on with strong vanilla notes. Sadly I don't have a soap to go with this one however I think coconut Frank would be a nice accompaniment. Butterball bath bomb was my first ever Lush product and is a very special one to me. It's a plain little cream ball but it's filled with cocoa butter and smells like what dreams are made of. Following this up with Sympathy for the Skin and it's banana and cocoa goodness and a dusting of Vanilla Puff to take away any stickiness before bed is sure to be a winner. 

Any favourite products I need to add to my collection?

Claire x

Top 5 - New Zealand Businesses

I love supporting New Zealand run businesses. I get a lot of products from these guys and love their branding and the customer service for any one of these brands is always wonderful. Most if not all ship internationally if you're interested in any of their products - I'll include links where I can!

1) xoBeauty - I'm a fan of anything Shaaanxo and her brush/lash brand is no exception. They've been a favourite of mine since I started buying them last year and the majority of my collection is made up of xoBeauty brushes. They're a good combination of natural and synthetic hair brushes and are unbelievably soft. This brand does ship internationally and the brushes are always beautifully presented when you open them. I think I'm due to make another lash order this coming pay day...that aside, Shannon has released her own jewellery range and I cannot wait to get my hands on one of her rings (the sun design is my favourite). 

2) Pagan Marie - Fantastically quick shipping (I'm talking overnight from Christchurch up to a rural area of Auckland), great customer service and a wonderful variety of clothes and makeup brands. I'd wanted a top from here that was out of stock, I posted on the facebook page asking if they were coming back in stock and within the same day got a message back saying they would be on pre-order on x date. Aside from that Pagan offers free shipping to all urban addresses, ships internationally and allowed me to get my hands on a long awaited Lime Crime Velvetine lipstick.

3) Meadowlark - Meadowlark jewellery is some of the most unique and beautiful of it's kind. They're unique, edgy and have the perfect balance of more feminine piece to very statement and out their designs as well. The facet earrings Jack bought me for my birthday get a lot of wear and I'm saving up for one of their protea rings. They can make any ring you want custom - whatever metal or stone you'd like. I love the idea of purchasing something that's been made just for me and also has never been worn by anyone else (just me?!).

4) Trilogy - This brand is one of my holy grail skincare brands - the fact alone that they make rosehip oil is reason enough to love them. Aside from that they provide natural skin care that is also cruelty free and made in New Zealand. Their products all apply and smell a dream from their Age Proof Night cream to their instant tanning gel. I use a heck of a lot of their products in both my morning and evening skin care routines. 

5) Wallace Cotton - I'm a big interior person and seeing as the only room I currently have to myself I love decorating my bed accordingly. They make beautiful new designs every season and are amazing quality. I currently have their 750 thread count duvet set and one of their quilts (which you'll see both of in a room tour I have planned). 

6) Whittakers - I kind of cheated with this one so I'm going to call it my wild card. It's actually a chocolate brand but everyone needs some chocolate in their life sometimes. In my case it's a block of creamy milk every week. Go look at their website - it looks like it's made of chocolate *died and went to chocolate internet heaven* I may or may not have been eating some whilst writing this post.

Writing blog posts is much easier and more enjoyable with a block of creamy milk beside me. 

Claire x

Weekend Post: Oops, Shopping Again

Honestly, it's not really my fault. I went out last weekend and Lush and Kikki K didn't have everything I wanted, and I had a free Sunday so what else? I drove to the bus station and bussed into the city - saving myself petrol and parking fees so I did well really.

After yesterdays ghastly weather today was surprisingly beautiful. It was cold in the morning but warmed up really nicely later on to the extent I just about stripped down to my singlet on the way back to the bus. Enjoyed listening to some 60s music (thank you, Boat That Rocked sound track) on the drive home with the sun beating down on the car - was bloody lovely.

I went to Lush and Kikki K - one for some interior stuff I wanted to peek and and some potential stationary for next year. I ended up getting the lovely little faceted vase I'd spied on their website. If you haven't heard of them they're a Swedish brand who do lovely stuff both stationary wise and home wise - it's very Scandinavian in design but still fairly understated so can fit into any room regardless of style. I also got some cute little diamond post-its - at work I get through so many of these so I think incorporating them into my home life will be a good idea (and who can resist the cute shape?!).

To be fair I did get the face mark for free - I took 5 black pots back to Lush. The new products I bought smell heavenly - I've been meaning to try Honey Bee bath bomb for years for a start. The Hot Toddy shower gel is like a mix between Ginger Beer and Big Red gum. 9 to 5 is a staple for me - sadly they were out of stock of the larger bottles. Reindeer Rock soap smells absolutely mouth-watering, like black currants - it's beautiful to look at with little reindeer carved into the soap with gold glitter on top. I'm not a huge soap person but this one was a keeper. Santas lip scrub I admit I've already tested - it tastes like Cherry Cola and it's absolutely delicious.

I was quite hungry by this stage so made myself some water with tangelo juice, and some toast with Marmite, avocado and capsicum jam on. (If you like marmite trust me on the avocado thing - try it, it's delicious). Followed this up with a couple of kiwifruit - I love fruit and these are pretty cheap while they're in season.

Now I'm frantically trying to get enough photos taken to draft up more posts for this week - I'm in serious need of a holiday and thankfully for me, next weekend is a long weekend. This week I've got a Shop My Stash post planned (again - Lush related) and an in depth review of the Naked 3 palette.

Next weekend will involve a lot of relaxation and a nice bath. More on that later this week.

Claire x

Fake Tan Routine

My fake tan routine is pretty simple - as yet it's still fairly cool in New Zealand but my arms are out more than they were a few months ago and it's nice to start integrating bronzed skin back into my beauty regimen.

Really I think you only need three products for a good tan - personally I prefer instant but gradual tan as it's easier to clean up and not so obvious if it goes wrong.

To start off with, always scrub everywhere you're going to be tanning. This takes off any patchy skin - your skin cells naturally renew every 28 days so you want them all to be as fresh as possible so when your tan wears off, it does so naturally. I love coconut Frank the best for this - it's hydrating on your skin so leaves some moisture on you for the tan to cling to and leaves you amazingly smooth.

Shaving your legs after you've scrubbed is always a good idea - I find shaving after a tan tends to strip the tan off faster as it also takes that top layer of skin off as well. This way you'll have perfectly smooth and hydrated skin all prepped for your tan.

When it comes to actually applying the tan I like to put a bit of something waxy or creamy on my hands first - this stops the tan from staining your hands quite as much and makes it easier to wash off. No one wants super brown palms and a golden glow everywhere else.

Then I get a blob of tan - I currently love the Trilogy Instant Bronzing Gel, it's not too sticky on the skin, doesn't have a heavy smell and dries very quickly. This means it doesn't transfer to your sheets/clothes/people you're hugging (hah). Working quickly and using long sweeping motions up your limbs then buffing in once you have an even coverage is often the best way to go and helps avoid one very dark patch from where tan starts to set before you've blended it out.

To maintain your tan a body lotion is a must - in summer I apply night and day. During the evening something heavier is nice as your skin really has a chance to absorb it when you sleep - something like Charity Pot helps cover the tan smell and really helps to lock that tan in. The better condition your skin cells are, the longer they'll hold your tan.

Do you have any favourite tan products I should try?

Claire x

The Zoella Cosmetic Bag

Ahh, the guinea pig Zoella cosmetic bag. My first thought was SO MUCH ROOM FOR ACTIVITIES. This is one spacious little bag. The above products are what I'd need for a usual day look along with all the brushes. Amazingly they all fit into this cute little bag with room to spare.

It's as though Mary Poppins herself helped design this bag because there's endless space and it's the right length so your brushes don't get all mushed because the case is too small. Aside from that, the pink print is very cute, its PVC which is the most common sense material for a bag to be - given that it lives in the bathroom. I've downsized to this little guy so my bathroom looks less cluttered with my dauntingly large makeup case being safely stored in my bedroom.

I'm not a huge bath person and I always tend to go for the most natural alternative where possible when it comes to cosmetics but from the Zoella collection this really stood out to me. It was only £8.00 so if you're in the market for a new bag to store your daily makeup/a nicely proportioned little travel case this may be for you. I bought mine from Feelunique as you can't get these in shops in New Zealand - shipping was really quick (I got it within the same week it shipped).

Claire x

A Note on Body Positivity

I know this is a very current topic at the moment and I feel the need to put my two cents in. I'm sure not everyone will agree with what I have to say but I've tried to word myself as best I can. It all started to me when songs in the media at the moment like Anaconda and All About That Bass ripping into skinny girls have caused quite the stir. I myself am very little and have been a size six jeans and size 8 top half for some time. I find several problems with this kind of message - it might not be important to everyone but it's certainly important to me.

I do have a problem with these songs but not entirely for the reason most people think. On forums, facebook etc. I see a lot of girls saying skinny girls never get bullied for their size and get all the modelling jobs etc. For a start, that is entirely not true. Being called too skinny, being asked if you're anorexic and the like is incredibly insulting - not only are you making mock of a debilitating mental and physical illness you're having a dig at someone purely because of how they look. How is that any different from calling someone fat? Aside from this, the idea of it being being "curvy" vs. skinny is absurd. Pitting one "body type" against any the other isn't a solution - it's not mutually beneficial and will bring one down whilst boosting the other which is exactly what people with a larger t-shirt size have been fighting against this whole time. I mean really, is this the most important issue at hand? Aside from this the ideal "curvy" figure is often more unobtainable than the typical small figure is - imagine Barbie tits, a tiny waist, big hips and bum and relatively slender legs. So much of your body comes down to metabolism and genetics - you can't dictate where your body fat goes. Ultimately this image can be just as harmful as the incredibly thin models we see on billboards and cat walks.

People's bodies come in different sizes - of course there is a healthy variance - some people will be more an "extreme" than others and still be healthy physically. Your body fat percentage can be anywhere between 17% and 28% and still be in the "healthy" range which is a far better measure of health than BMI. There's nothing wrong with being closer to one end than the other - trying to force your body to be bigger when it's naturally small, or smaller when it's naturally bigger isn't helping anyone, least of all yourself. What people need to accept is health is most important - I am by no means discriminating as I think different shapes can be beautiful in different ways. What I do have a problem with is the kinds of bodies that that ultimately debilitate your own health and the body's ability to function as it should. I am pro-body love but what I don't condone is bodies that are more of a hindrance to the person inhabiting it than they are a home. Having bodies at the extreme ends of the spectrum isn't a positive or healthy thing - and promoting that every kind of body is beautiful when it's potentially harming the person with that kind of body in my mind is not a good thing to do.

Finally, my issue with this whole thing is - why does everyone need other people to think they're beautiful? I was reading an article in one of the UK papers recently about an actress who was that typically gorgeous kind of figure and face when she was younger. She made an incredibly valid point that really struck with me, in her era people weren't driven to be "hot." These days we have a mania about being beautiful to everyone, what happened to being caring, intelligent, anything more substantial than just how we look? I'd rather be remember for who I was than for being a face in a million.

Personally, when I get dressed in the morning, I do it for myself. I'm not thinking what other people will think, whether they'll like my makeup, I do it because I like it. The thing I think is most important is not comparing yourself with someone else, or competing to be "the most attractive" - be the person you want to be and look how you want to look. Ultimately, how other people perceive you accounts for a very small amount of how you experience life. How you perceive yourself accounts for a huge amount of how you'll experience things - if you're thinking "she's skinnier" "she's prettier" whatever the case may be rather than enjoying the here and now as it were how much are you going to be missing out on? Enjoy your body - it lets you move, experience life and there's always going to be someone who loves what you have, one of those people should be you. No ones opinion of you is more important than your own, and please remember that you are more than just your body.

Claire x