Vegan Liquid Lipsticks: Pros & Cons!

Hello friends! Today I'm going to compare my liquid lipsticks that I own and share the pros and cons of each ones including how they feel on the lips, the longevity, shade ranges, price, my favourite colours from each brand, etc! I mostly only wear liquid lipsticks so I thought it would be super easy for me to share with you and it would be a great informative post if you were looking into trying some for yourself! 

First up: Sleek - Matte Me Ultra Smooth Liquid Lips - $7.49

I actually have a swatch and review of 6 of these shades that you can read here! They have since released 6 more colours in the range too. 

Pros:

- Very affordable!

- Quite a few different shades to choose from

- Easy to apply and smooth, even application 

Cons:

- Not easily touched up, have to remove entire lipstick first

- Some of the lighter shades don't last as long 

Favourite shades:

Petal, Fantango Purple and Roja Red

Would I recommend to a friend?

Yes, especially on price and some of the shades are so pretty! 

Australis - Velourlips Matte Lip Creams - $10.49

These have a very mousey texture compared to the Sleek ones which is a lot thinner and watery, if you've ever tried the NYX matte lip creams, these are the same consistency! They come in 20 different shades and are available at Priceline!

Pros:

- Smell DELICIOUS

- Only the darker shades apply well (on me) 

- The shades I enjoy have a nice texture and last long

- Affordable! 

Cons:

- All of the lighter shades of these look and feel horrible

- Lighter shades crack easily and apply uneven

- Most of the shades I have tried I wouldn't use again 

Favourite shades:

Ny-cee (highly recommended!) and Doo-Bai

Would I recommend this to a friend?

Only one or two of the shades in the entire range. 

Kat Von D - Everlasting Liquid Lipsticks - $20 - $30 (au)

These are probably my favourite alongside Jeffree Star - I love these lipsticks! They come in 26 different shades and I want more of them!!

Pros:

- Beautiful even and smooth finish

- Doesn't flake or crack

- Long lasting!!!

- Wand creates an easy application 

- So many pretty shades to choose from 

Cons:

- Price in Australia a bit expensive (as with every overseas makeup item though!)

Favourite shades: 

Lovesick, Berlin, Outlaw and Bachelorette 

Would I recommend these to a friend?

ABSOLUTELY YES! 

ColourPop Ultra Matte Lip - $6 - $8.29 (au)

I own so, so many of these! They come in 48 different colours and have also released satin finishes of these too (I haven't tried any!)

Pros:

- Very affordable even in Australian Dollars

- Shades for everyone!!

- Nice applicator

Cons:

- Extremely drying especially compared to others I have

- Some shades not what they look like on the website

- Shipping to Australia is ridiculous!!!

Favourite shades: 

Solow, 1st Base, Mars and Creeper

Would I recommend these to a friend?

Depending on shipping/if they bought enough for it to be worth it/they weren't bothered by the dryness!

 Jeffree Star - Velour Liquid Lipstick - $18 - $24 (au)

My favourite formula of liquid lipsticks! I think these are worth every single cent! Around 24 shades have been released. 

Pros:

- Amazing formula!

- Applies evenly, pigmented and smooth

- Never cracks and lasts through food/drink 

- Many different shades

- Packaging is beautiful 

Cons:

- Consistently sold out

- Some colours aren't as wearable 

- Some shades darker or lighter than they appear

Favourite shades:

Redrum (this is actually my favourite red lipstick I own), Masochist and Doll Parts 

Would I recommend these to a friend?

100%, yes!! 

 Dose Of Colors - Matte Liquid Lipsticks - $18 - $24 (au) 

I have a review on the first 4 shades they ever released here on my blog and round 16 shades have been released now. I don't usually reach for these at all but they used to be a favourite of mine!

Pros:

- Nice, thin and pigmented formula

- Some very pretty shades! 

- Not drying and super comfortable to wear!

Cons:

- Similar to Jeffree Star, sold out consistently 

- The lighter shades I've tried look absolutely awful on me 

- Doesn't last as long as others 

Favourite shades:

Kiss Of Fire and Berry Me/Berry Me 2 

Would I recommend these to a friend?

Yes, I love some of these shades! 

Pretty Zombie Cosmetics - Liquid Lipsticks - $12 -$16 (au)

I only have three of these shades but I enjoy them however they aren't something I reach for either. They have 16 shades to offer. 

Pros:

- Very comfortable to wear and cannot feel them!

- The shades I do have are nice!

- Affordable

Cons:

- A lot of the shade range is not my style/wearable

- Because the formula is thin, wears off easily

- Shipping took a long, long time

Favourite shades:

Spellbook and Zombettie

Would I recommend them to a friend?

Probably not, they are quite good however I think unless they were into the shade range they are better off spending it on another brand. 

Aromi Beauty - Matte Liquid Lipsticks - $17 - $23 (au) 

These were the first vegan liquid lipsticks I ever tried and I have quite a few shades! This is a reminder to myself to use these more often because I actually love the formulation and the colours I own! They have released around 33 different shades.

Pros:

- Love their shade range; a lot of different toned reds which are my favourite to wear!

- Very good brand, costumer service and shipping!

- Long-wearing, pigmented and non-drying

- Velvety and smooth 

Cons:

I actually don't even have a con for this brand, it isn't my favourite formula however I think price, shades and longevity are all great and they aren't sold out every time!

Favourite shades:

Pretty much any of the reds and pinks! 

Would you recommend these to a friend?

Yes, yes, yes!

 Hourglass Cosmetics - Opaque Rouge Liquid Lipsticks - $28 to $44!!! (au) 

The most expensive on this list but a few of the shades I absolutely adore! I think there's about 9 shades in their range.

Pros:

- Nice, creamy texture

- Not too drying

- Pigmented and applies very smoothly

- The nude shades are my favourite nude lipstick shades I own and don't make me look awful!!!

Cons:

- Expensive af

-  Not as long wearing as others I own

- The liquid inside dries out easily/not much product for your money

Favourite shades:

Rose and Canvas

Would I recommend them to a friend?

Maybe as a treat to themselves or to receive as a present! 

And that's all of them! I hope this was helpful to you especially if you haven't really tried liquid lipsticks before, I know they're not for everyone but there are some definite winners out there!

If you have any vegan liquid lipsticks you'd like to recommend, go ahead!

As always, thank you for reading! XO

Restaurant Review: Speedos Cafe - Bondi Beach

 

 Hello friends! Today my housemate and I took a trip to Bondi and found our way to Speedos Cafe! It was super busy when we arrived (and after tasting the food myself, I'm sure it's always busy!) and we had to wait a little bit for a table but were soon seated and ready to go! Speedos has a mix of breakfast and lunch meals with quite a few vegan options as well as vegan desserts and drinks!

 Here's our spread that came out super fast too after ordering! I went for the Peanut Nutter drink - an almond milk based drink with Peanut Butter, Macca Powder, Bananas, Dates and Cinnamon. I didn't get an individual picture of this but it was DELICIOUS and super creamy, I don't even know if I would try something else when I visit again because it was so nice! 

 I ordered the Pink Pittaya Bowl ($16) with Mango, Coconut, Strawberries, Blackberries, Passionfruit, Kiwi and Granola - firstly, it is absolutely beautiful looking and secondly, it was freaking delicious! It was super refreshing and the massive bowl was overflowing with goodness and I was (and still am) incredibly full after eating it all!

Next is Steph's Chia Pancake Stack ($19) which was insane, beautiful and tasty all mixed together! This came with fruits (caramelized banana being the favourite!) with your choice of Cocowhip (which is always a hell yes from either of us!) and absolutely covered in maple syrup. I would definitely have this next time after I tasted hers - the only complaint was the pancake itself was a little dry! Mixed in all together though was ridiculously good.

This is a definite must-visit restaurant for me after today - the presentation of the food, the vibe being right across from the beach and even though it was extremely busy, all the people working there were still super friendly and looked after us. And most importantly, everything tasted AMAZING so we both have voted we go back again!

Have you been here/what's your favourite meal?

As always, thank you for reading! XO

A (very belated) February Vegan Beauty Box Unboxing!

 Hello again! I know it is almost the middle of March and I received this in February however with moving house and having to pack every thing - opening this got put on hold as it was still at my parents, I still wanted to share it with you guys in case you're curious/interested in subscribing to this service in the future!

 Straight on the top was this Atom - Coffee Body Scrub, I already love their Clay Mask that I've gotten in a box before and their pure argan oil so I'm definitely keen to try this! (RRP $5.59) - it's suppose to exfoliate and help reduce the appearance of cellulite, acne, eczema etc.

 Next up is the Ere Perez Pure Rice Powder in the shade Bondi Blush - (RRP 37.95) - this is definitely an expensive one! I've always wanted to try Ere Perez so I'm excited to have this to test for myself - it has a coral and pink side and is very pigmented so I want to see how it looks on the skin! 

 Something that was definitely disappointed was finding this lipstick broken into pieces and stuck into the lid (I'm guessing maybe the heat however that's never happened to me before) - although the tip is very messed up/it's hard to apply, luckily it's a neutral shade so I can still swatch and test it - this is by Lust Minerals in shade #57 - (RRP $32) - it has a lot of good butters and oils in it to help moisturize and nourish the lips and it's suppose to leave a long-lasting colour!

 I'm all into soaps recently (maybe it's to do with having a new bathroom to stock up in!) so I'm keen to try this one, it's by the Australian Natural Soap Company (RRP $5.50) and also you can't go wrong with cute little packaging!  Looking on their website they have so many to choose from so I'd be keen to try out some more too!

Happy Skincare 9 Deep Cleansing Balm (RRP $34.95) - I've definitely tried something else from this brand (or it could even be this product?!?!) and really enjoyed before so fingers crossed I like it again! This cleanses and moisturizes at the same time and you can use it in multiple areas of your body like frizzy hair, bottoms of your feet or a cuticle treatment so that's awesome!

And that's all for this month! (Well technically last month!) I'm very keen to try out these products and you get more than what you pay for which is a bonus. The only negative I have to say is about the lipstick but you know, stuff happens! I definitely think if you're wanting to try out a few new things and brands, give The Vegan Beauty Box a try - here's the link you can check out yourself and you can read here, here and here on previous unboxings I've done before and I've found some holy grail products through them!

Massive Haul / Things I've Been Using Recently!

Hello friends! It has definitely been a very long time since I last posted so I thought a great way to get back into blogging is by showing you all the makeup I've been buying or been gifted in the past few months - it probably seems like a lot but I haven't posted anything since August of last year so there's about 6 months worth of products I haven't posted about!

I'm still in my job working in a preschool however I've moved to Enmore in Sydney which is so much better food wise for me however so much worse money wise as Sadhana Kitchen is about a 2 minute walk from my home, hopefully it'll be easier to do more restaurant reviews now too since I won't have to travel 4 hours to get there and back! 

Anyway on to the haul!

I've had these two shades from Coloured Raine for quite a while in the shades "Vanity Red" which is such a nice red and "Mars" which is a lot browner than I expected on me - I haven't given these a proper go yet but I've heard people rave about them so let's see! 

Next up is my actual favourite foundation from Too Faced - Born This Way in the shade "Snow" - I waited so long for this light shade to come out in Australia and as soon as it was available online I purchased 3 without even knowing if I liked it but I'm glad to say that I freaking LOVE it. I use it every single day, I haven't been using the coverfx anymore because this has definitely replaced anything I own. So, so good! 

  

Next up I have two new lippie stix from Colourpop - "Topanga" which is a satin finish and "Tougah" which is matte - I have a full swatch review on a bunch more that I own that you can read here but they are so inexpensive, easy to use and pigmented! 

 

 

One very, very special gift I received at Christmas from my boyfriend is this eyeshadow palette from Charlotte Tilbury in the shade "Golden Goddess" which I could cry from how beautiful it is. The shadows themselves are so lovely and blendable and the smallest amount goes a long way. You can find a list of all the vegan products from Charlotte Tilbury here! 

 

Another (very battered and very used product) I received was the Filmstar Bronze & Glow palette which is really good! The highlight is beautiful and the sculpting shade doesn't make me look muddy or orange at all - both of them are really nice powders and are favourites in my makeup kit!

 

 

Something I was very excited about was this palette Carli Bybel made with BH Cosmetics! Once receiving proper answers from them and they posting a vegan list (click here) - I was all over it! I really enjoy the eyeshadows and find them pigmented and smooth however some of the highlighters feel a bit harder to work with so keep that in mind. It's definitely affordable though!

Another product I wanted to try from BH was this 28 essential eyeshadow palette with mostly nudes! There's a mixture of satin-mattes and shimmers and the pay off is quite good. I haven't tested this yet so I'll have to get back onto you but for simple every day work looks I think this would be great! 

3 nail beautiful nail polishes I purchased from Ella + Mila (let's be real, mostly for the packaging) in the shades "Sweet Tooth", "French Kiss" and "My Baby Blue" - I had another purple shade that definitely was not my favourite and very sticky - these other matte shades are a lot sheerer than I expected too so it takes a lot to get an opaque colour and then it ends up chipping because it's so thick, I will try a base and top coat with these to see how it goes for a second impression! 

A few new hair products I've purchased are from Giovanni - I've heard and read good reviews about them so I wanted to see for myself - I've only used the shampoo and conditioner once and had good results but not "amazing" - I will definitely keep using them though! 

 

Let's talk about my new absolute favourite highlighter - Mary- Lou Manizer by The Balm and I know this has been a million people's favourites for YEARS but finally the Balm got back to me with a vegan list and I was able to confirm this was vegan (as well as other sources!) so I literally made a bee-line to Target and snatched this up and have been in love ever since.

 

Two more products I picked up on the same trip were these Instain blushes in the shades "Swiss Dot" which is a beautiful peachy pink and "Toile" which is more of a deeper red rose. Packaging alone these are lovely and blend really nicely, the peachy one is my favourite!

 I also got confirmation that these are vegan/contain no animal ingredients and looking at the ingredients myself, I don't see anything animal derived so I was overjoyed - I know there a bunch of vegan liquid lipsticks on the market but I'm always down to try more (as well as influencing my housemate to buy some too!) I got the shades "Committed", "Chivalrous", "Sentimental", "Devoted" and "Loyal" and I've been trying them out - I might just do a liquid lipstick master comparison post!

And lastly, I picked up 3 shades from the matte Milani range in "Matte Nude", "Matte Darling" and "Matte Confident" - of course I gravitate to the red however I've actually been mixing the nude and pink together for work and enjoying it!

And yes, finally - that's all!

I'm sorry for my long hiatus and this very long post back - I will try to bring you more updates regularly and I hope you've been doing great in the new year! What new products have you been trying?

As always, thank you for reading! XO

Empties #1! Will I Repurchase?!

Hello friends! A new type of post for me, I've always enjoyed reading and watching other people's versions of these so I thought it would be a good to share my empty products and whether or not I will repurchase them!

1. Michael Todd - Citrus Cream Moisturizer - $29
I've had this for so long and had never finished it off until recently. I really enjoy Michael Todd as a brand and it was one of the first skincare brands I used when I went vegan! This was a good moisturizer, I used it along with the other set of products aimed at dry skin - I wouldn't rush out to buy another one as I've found ones I like a lot more but it's still nice!

2. Derma E - Evenly Radiant Toner - $15-$16
I loved this toner! It removed any left over make up after cleansing and cleaned my skin. It wasn't too harsh and didn't sting or irritate either. I definitely noticed a different when I would use it or not and it helped even out my skin tone. I think they've changed this product to a brightening one because I can't find it anywhere online now - hopefully it's the same because I am going to repurchase!

3. Josie Maran - Pure Argan Milk Intensive Hydrating Treatment - $56

This is suppose to really hydrate and renew even the driest skin, let's just pause and appreciate the packaging for a moment! Ahhh! I did like the product itself however I didn't love it and I didn't find it to have overwhelming results so I won't be repurchasing this because of the price tag!

4. CoverFx - Custom Cover Drops n10 - $44 or $49
I already have a back up of this! It's my favourite foundation at the moment, I use 2-3 drops and then mix in a drop of oil (recently a facial treatment oil from Sukin!) and it makes my skin super glowy and hydrated! I find adding the oil also helps it look a little lighter!

5. Delicious Skin - Clean Butter Cleanser - $28
I think everyone and their mother has heard me rave about products from Delicious Skin especially the cleanser, I use it every single day no matter what. I even have a second one that I leave at my boyfriend's house! I love how my skin feels and looks after I use this and I have already repurchased!

6. Too Faced - Better Than Sex Mascara $29 au
My holy grail mascara! (along with the Lily Lolo Natural Mascara) this makes my eyelashes so long, full and volumized. You can apply one coat or build it up to be more intensified! I don't have a bad word to say about this mascara and I, of course, have a back up too!

And that's it!

I hope you enjoyed reading these small little reviews on products and whether or not I would buy them again. I'll try to keep saving empty products to make #2!

As always, thank you for reading! XO

Product Review: Sukin Micellar Cleansing Water!

Hello friends! A quick review today on the Sukin Micellar Cleansing Water, this is around $10 and can be found in your local priceline or other chemists - so super easy to find and affordable!

Same as your typical cleansing water, it's to help remove any make up and soothe your skin. I was super excited when this came out especially for days when I wear barely any make up and it's easily removed or even for days where I wear a full face as it can remove the initial make up before I go in with my cleanser from Delicious Skin! This is also great for mornings where I just want to quickly clean my face, I just apply a small amount on a cotton pad and I'm good to go!

It's very gentle on the skin, smells like most of the Sukin range (aka amazing!), it doesn't feel during or if my skin is stripped after using it and it's really great at removing make up. I've used it on eye make up and it hasn't stung my eyes either!  I don't recommend only using this if you've been wearing quite a bit of make up, even though it removes the majority of mine I feel I need a proper cleanser afterwards or before!

I definitely think this is worth checking out and trying out for yourself, especially with the price point and the size of the bottle, it'll last for ages. I doubt you'll be disappointed!

As always, thank you for reading! XO

Restaurant Review: Suzy Spoons Vegetarian Butcher!

Hello friends! While my best friend was here from Melbourne, we decided to have a nice breakfast at Suzy Spoons - this isn't the first time I've eaten here nor the last! Suzy spoons is a vegetarian deli cafe that hand makes their own burger patties, sausages, schnitzels and other meat-less products that they sell to take home or to eat in store! They have a growing menu especially since moving to the store King Street from Enmore and it's great to see a business like this continue to expand! 

They offer an All Day breakfast as well as foods such as burgers, veggie ball subs, spaghetti bolognese or salads/sandwiches and treats that change daily. 

I had the home made waffles ($15.00) with poached fruit, maple syrup and ice cream (I've also had the other style with Spoon's "bacon", banana & ice cream which was delicious!) - let me start off the only negative I have of this which is entirely my fault and it's that I hate pear, haha. However that didn't stop me from eating around it and finishing off all of the waffles (so GOOD!) and the ice cream too which was a nice strawberry flavour.

Stevie got the Mushroom Breakfast ($17.00) with added hash browns and sausage on the side and it looked amazing! Everything looked fresh, smelt great and she said it was one of the best vegan breakfasts she's had. Suzy's sausages are so tasty!  The only thing we both don't rate are the hash browns (I paid for 2 extra with mine which is $8) and they are way too thick, more like a squished roast potato so that was the only let down!

 

I also couldn't help myself and ordered a Chilli Dog ($12) (my favourite from their menu) which comes with the Smoked Chilli sausage, sauteed onions (one of the best parts, the onions are freaking so amazing) baby spinach, notzarella cheese and a mix of their own mayo, dijon mustard and hot chilli sauce which is the best combo ever even if it ends up a mess all over my face. Hands down perfect!

And that's it!

Suzy Spoons is definitely one of my favourite places to eat in Sydney and they offer such a variety of different vegan foods that are unlike anything else around. I recommend checking them out if you're ever in Sydney/Newtown as they will not disappoint! You can check out their website or facebook!

As always, thank you for reading! XO