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

Unboxing: Late Winter Vegan Beauty Box

Hello friends! I'm here with one of my new favourite things to recieve every month (technically every second month!) and it's the Vegan Box Beauty Edition! I actually got this in the mail on my birthday (August 6th) so it was even more exciting and explains the balloons in the background! This is the 3rd box I've purchased from them (you can read the other two unboxings here and here) and this might just be the best one so far.

Let's go through what's in this months box!

 Here's a product I already know I love! The Hurraw Lip Balm, ($6.50) I actually own this flavour/scent already so it's super nice to have a back up to take around with me!

Wild Healing Raw Bath Soak ($3.50) - This looks super intriguing! It says to add 2-3 spoonfuls into a hot bath and the combination of mineral salts and botanicals will help relax and detoxify your body. I'm so ready to test this out! It's such a large packet too!

 Yard Body Therapy Body Balm ($29.95) - First off, this smells amazing (I swear the whole box does!) and I cannot wait to try it. It's a lot harder than a typical all over body lotion/balm which I'm excited for because I don't like any sticky residue, a little will go a long way and it's suppose to nourish and hydrate the skin!

 

 

Sorbet In Your Face Solid Face Cleanser ($25.00) - This smells amazing as well but maybe a little too scented for the face, I haven't tested it out yet so hopefully it won't be overpowering. This has coconut oil, mandarin, sweet orange, cocoa butter, fresh raspberries and lots of sea salt to help cleanse any problem area skin. 

 Tula Natural Organic Kiwi & Argan Eye Serum ($18.00) - The all over face serum from this brand was in last months box so it's nice to have the eye serum too! A nice product to apply around the eye area is something I'm lacking in my skin care routine so I'm definitely keen to try this one out!

 Angelic Lily Nourishing Face Moisturizer ($6.00) - This is suppose to be super hydrating and non-greasy! I have never tried anything from this brand so it'll be nice to try out. The only thing I already dislike is that it smells like sunscreen.

 Lastly, the Inika Pure Primer which is full sized and $60.00! I couldn't believe it when I opened the box, this product alone was more expensive than the box itself. Definitely worth it, I haven't tried much from Inika!

And that's it!

There was so much this month and I definitely think I got my moneys worth, a good range of different products especially if you have received other boxes, you could have an entire skincare routine now as they have provided all different types of skincare products which is awesome. The Vegan Beauty Box is $49.95 and like I said, comes every two months filled with vegan, cruelty free, chemical free and palm-oil free products. It's always valued over $60 and with sample, travel sized or full sized products!

If you want to sign up for the next Beauty Box - you can check it out here! I'll be buying mine too! 

As always, thank you for reading! XO

Restaurant Review: Sadhana Kitchen!

After eying off Sadhana and their delicious looking food online, I finally got to try it for myself over the weekend! Sadhana is a vegan, gluten free and mostly raw cafe in Enmore, they make everything in-house and there's a big range to choose from, from breakfast foods, to lunch, desserts and cakes and also delicious juices!

As I'm a sucker for sweets, I decided on the Not-Ella crepes ($18.50) and I mean it when I say it was even better than it looks. It came with banana, berry compote, coconut yoghurt and on top was the not-ella spread and berry creme - it was also covered in chocolate fudge sauce! The crepes were nice and the right amount of chewy (I had read online that they were too hard to eat which was far from the truth!), all the fruit was fresh and the flavours all complimented each other so nicely. The only downfall of this was the Not-Ella spread as it was only the tiniest amount on top - I wanted more!

Andrew had the Lasagne (16.50) which was made with zucchini pasta, cashew cheese, basil pesto, walnut mince, spinach and tomato - this was a big meal and definitely worth the money! It was definitely meat(ish) tasting without being overwhelming and all the ingredients together worked so well! I only had a bite or two, he finished off the rest in record timing saying it was amazing!

I had the Daily Green smoothie and it was DELICIOUS, thick and cold and refreshing! He had the Yogi Frappe which was also super yummy and refreshing. Both were $9.50

And before leaving, I just couldn't help myself and had to try one of the CocoWhip Soft Serves (really, two desserts?!?) - I had the Salted Caramel Sundae ($13.00) with mixed cacao and coconut whip together, a caramel slice, cacao nibs, himalayan pink salt and their own caramel fudge sauce and I swear, this could have been my last meal and I would have been happy - I will go back just for this!

So it was definitely a pricey outing but I will 100% be going back for more, everything is prepared with love and it shows in their presentation, their food and even in their lovely staff! (Hi Annabelle!)

If you're into raw/vegan food or even if you're wanting to try out a new restaurant and just want something absolutely delicious - go check out Sadhana Kitchen, you'll probably find me eating more desserts!

As always, thank you for reading! XO

FOTD!

Today I thought I would quickly tell you what products I used for my makeup!

I applied the CoverFx Illuminating Primer first with clean finger tips, as I was letting that sink in, I used E.L.F's Eyebrow Kit in "light" to slightly fill in my eyebrows. Next was eyeshadow! For the crease and outer v, I used a mixture of matte brown shades from Paula's Choice The Nude Matte's palette and the beautiful shimmery shade on my inner kid is In The Spotlight by MakeupGeek. My foundation is the CoverFx Custom CoverDrops in N10 mixed with Atom's Moraccan Argan Oil and I used a tiny dust of the Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder in Etheral Light to set the foundation! On my cheeks is Milani's Baked Blush in Luminoso (I wear this almost every day!!!) and for highlight, of course, the Becca Shimmering Skin Perfecter in Moonstone. I finished with mascara which was the Better Than Sex from Too Faced and the Opaque Rouge Lipstick from Hourglass in the shade "Canvas Rouge"

And that's it! If you have any products you think I would enjoy definitely let me know!

As always, thank you for reading! XO