What's In My Makeup Bag

I generally put foundation on at home in the bathroom, but owing to my excellent time management skills I tend to do the rest of my face en route to my destination and therefore carry around a makeup bag at all times. It contains the following:

Rimmel Match Perfection Concealer
I've been using this for a long time and I think it's pretty good for the price, but lately I'm noticing it settle in the lines around my eyes so it might be time to try something new.

Revlon Age Defying Spa Concealer
This makes my eyes a bit itchy after prolonged use so I just use it on the rest of my face - it works equally well for both though. Sadly discontinued, lucky I stocked up!

Revlon Colourstay Pressed Powder
I don't really like this, I feel like it makes me look sick so I only use it in shine emergencies.


Essence Silky Touch Blush in Adorable
I don't wear blush every day but I like this one a lot and it's cheap as chips.

Essence Powder Brush
I use this to apply my Essence blush, because I'm WILD!

Prestige Eyeliner Pencil in Black
I've had this for about 5 years. I don't wear it every day because it's hard to apply in transit, but it goes on easily and lasts all day; if this ever runs out and they still make it I will definitely repurchase.

Max Factor False Lash Effect Mascara in Black
This is the best mascara ever, I love it so much and don't ever want to switch. I've tried the waterproof and 24 hour ones but the original formula is the best. Apparently Covergirl LashBlast is the exact same product but packaged and marketed differently.

Essence Eyebrow Designer Pencil in Blonde
I like this colour even though I have dark hair, and while the quality isn't amazing I think it's quite decent for the price.


Nivea Essential Care Lipbalm
I've been using these lipbalms for at least ten years now and I don't think I'll ever stop.


Essence Lipstick in Wear Berries
Yet another Essence hit! I really like this colour for work and it feels lovely on. I hope they bring it out in some new shades soon as there are only a few right now and none of the others are to my taste.

 Revlon Lip Butter in Lollipop
These are popular for a reason - this is a great product and I love this colour. My friend Brendan picked this up for me in America (hello if you are reading and thank you!) because they are really overpriced here, though I did recently get a couple on clearance in Myer.

Maybelline Colour Sensational Lipstick in Juicy Bubblegum
This is another one that I like for work. I have lots of Maybelline lipsticks, they are probably my favourites overall.

Essence Nude Glam Nail Polish in Cotton Candy
This is one Essence product that I don't love. The sheer pink/nude colour is great to quickly tidy up unpolished nails but it chips like crazy, and it goes on really streaky which is not too noticeable with one coat but looks positively horrifs with a second. For emergency use only.

I also have a mini sewing kit, nail file and orange stick (all sourced from hotels), plus a travel hairbrush, mirror, elastics and bobby pins. Sadly there's no room for hand cream or perfume.

DFO and Other Bargains

 

A couple of weeks ago Jimmy and I went to DFO.  I was very strict and only looked at things I really needed.

 

 

Like these Leona Edmiston Pins grey tights, because they are my absolue favourites and I got a run in my other pair.  They were $12, which I thought was a rather good price for such nice tights.

 

 

I also bought this blue merino knit work top from Jacqui E for $15 and these Portmans sunnies for $5, because I have lost/scratched all my others except for a heart-shaped pair and a fluro pink pair, and I was starting to get embarrassed going out in public wearing novelty sunnies.

 

Then I went to Hurstville Westfield, which contains many of my favourite shops, such as that huge chemist on the bottom level that sells all sorts of discounted things you can't get anywhere else.

 

 

That Garnier body lotion is discontinued now and it is a favourite in our household, so I bought one for me and one for Mum.  The St Ives scrub, which is excellent, only cost $3.50!  The Marc Daniels serum was only $1.  I forget how much the mini deodorant was - you can probably get that anywhere, I just bought it for my travel toiletries bag. 

 

I was super delighted to find Betty Crocker candles there because I'd finished my strawberry one so I bought a replacement, and a coconut one for my sister.  I think they were $2 or $3 each.

 

 

Another shop I love is Gloss, which sells all sorts of cosmetics and accessories really cheap.

 

 

All of these were things I had been desperately looking for: nail polish remover pen ($4 instead of $14), an iPhone case (only $5, plus it's pink and glittery and therefore the best), spiral bobby pins for buns (super expensive but I got them for $3!) and this special glitter nail polish remover stuff.

 

I had read about these special nail polish remover jars on a blog somewhere, it's like a tub of nail polish remover but with a fancy sponge thing in it, and you just pop your finger in, rub it around if you like, wait a minute, then take it out and all the polish is gone.  It is really easy and efficient and somehow less drying than regular remover, plus you don't get white fluff from your Swisspers everywhere.  The review I read said they were awesome but unfortunately couldn't be used with glitter polish - a terrible shame, because that is by far the hardest polish to remove.

 

So imagine my delight when I discovered a special glitter polish one!  It can still be used for regular polish too, I tested it.

 

 

Anyway I was really happy about all my bargains, and especially happy because I only bought things that I needed and had on my shopping list.  Yay! Does anyone have any other bargain tips for me?

I Heart Ulta 3

Hello friends!  Long time no see.

Is everyone absolutely in love with Ulta3 nail polishes?  If you don't know, it's that super cheap brand they sell at chemists in a big white bin out the front, and the nail polishes are the best selling in Australia - hardly a surprise considering they're only $2.25!   Even compared to expensive brands, these polishes really are spectacular.  I've loved them for a long time due to the fact that they come in HEAPS of colours (you can see a great colour guide over at More Nail Polishes) and are easy to apply, quick-drying, and long-wearing. 

Because they're so popular, Ulta3 polishes sell out really quickly and can be hard to find, so it's pretty exciting to find a shop with a really good stock of them.  I discovered heaps at a chemist in Newtown (I think it was Bob's.  Or Bill's?) and brought home five, for a total cost of $11.25.

From left to right: Bo Peep, Plum Violet, Scarlet, Midnight Fever, Bouquet.

Bo Peep and Plum Violet are both great, but Scarlet, Midnight Fever and Bouquet were all disappointing.  I loved all the colours (true red, shimmery dark blue, purple with pink shimmer), but the consistency was awful and the brush on Bouquet broke the first time I used it!

The reason for the crazy variation in quality is that they recently moved productuion from Australia to China.  Bo Peep and Plum violet were both Aussie, but the other three were made in PRC.  I've heard that the PRC ones aren't as good, and evidently that's true.  Fortunately, while the newest colours are only made in China, there are still some Aussie bottles of the older colours around if you look carefully, so I'm stockpiling now.

From Blooms chemist at Westfield (in the Franklins Food Hall) I bought Red Glitter and French Pink from the clearance bin for ONE DOLLAR.  I checked Target, thinking they'd only have the new PRC polishes, but discovered Aussie Stardust and Pepper Pot polishes ($2.25).

I really like all these colours.  I wouldn't wear Red Glitter alone but it will be fun over another red polish for a festive Xmas look.  French Pink is very natural, Stardust is a little more glitzy than I'd like but nice for a change, and Pepper Pot is a lovely dark-ish red, perfect to wear with a little black dress.  All four polishes applied nicely and didn't chip or dent the way the PRC ones do, so I'm a happy chappy now.

I strongly advise all of you to start hunting down Australian made Ulta3 polishes.  You won't be sorry.

And, in EXCITING NEWS, this is my 99th post!  That means my next post (hopefully in fewer than 12 days) will be my 100th!  In celebration of this I am going to give away some Ulta3 prizes, and rather than wait, I will start the giveaway now.

So please tell me, have you used Ulta3 polishes?  Do you like them?  If not, what are your favourite nail polishes?  I am not one of those buttheads who only gives prizes to followers, so just go nuts!  (Remember to leave your name or something though.)

xx

Driving Miss Daiso

James came back from Melbourne the other day and he brought me all these treats from Daiso, the Japanese $2.80 Store.

I looked up what the best Daiso products were and came across a recommendation for this powder foundation.  I didn't think James would know the right one so I didn't bother telling him about it, but amazingly he just happened to choose it!  I really like this product but I think the colour is a little dark for me so I might try to get my hands on a lighter one.

I also got these flashcards for Japanese children learning English.  James thought it was stationery.  I'm not really sure why but they are pretty cute anyway.

This nailpolish is in the shape of a loveheart!!  As you can see it's very sheer but it has a nice shimmer that I think will look really good over another colour.

Disposable underwear.  Hilarious.  Who would actually wear these?

I love this fuchsia and lime green vegetable peeler.  It has a magnet to put it on the fridge too, in case you don't have drawers in your kitchen or something.

I can't really tell because most of the writing on this package is in Japanese, but I think this hairbrush is a special heat-resistant one for blowdrying.  We will soon see.

This "lip cream" (lipbalm) is really moisturising, I love it.  The "jelly" (lipgloss) is good too, just like any other lipgloss.  It's neither overly sticky nor castor-oil greasy, which is good.

And these cute elephant and monkey paper clips will be fun for this coming semester.

Thanks James for all my presents!

Dinner at Club Central and Some New Things

Look to the left.

What's that?  I've had over 7000 page views! Over a hundred of them were yesterday! In the blogging world that really isn't much at all but I'm pretty excited.  Thanks to all four of my friends, who must have refreshed thirty times a day for me to get to this point.  And hello if you have come here from the Jamie Oliver forums!  You'll need to scroll down to read about his restaurant.

But here's some other food in the meantime!

Last week I met James and Club Central for a drink (we're so posh).  We were going to go to Mortdale for dinner, but then I saw the Club Central restaurant upstairs had a Schnitzel Special for $15.  I can't say no to a Schnitzel Special.

I had veal:

It was totally delicious - tender meat, crispy breadcrumbs, perfectly seasoned. It came with the loveliest crunchy chips and a pretty nice little side salad.

James had chicken:

He said his was really good too.

The garlic bread is really garlicky there and the bread is lovely and fresh, though I prefer mine toasted.

At the ripe old age of 22 I am noticing some little lines around my eyes.  I have my doubts about anti-ageing creams, but I also have my doubts about 22 year olds with wrinkles looking hot so I bought this:

It's only $6 at Chemist Warehouse! SIX DOLLARS!  I think the normal retail price is like $25.

As you can see it is a pretty small jar, but you only need a tiny bit at a time.  I've used it every night since I bought it and I swear the skin around my eyes feels firmer.  Maybe it's just wishful thinking but whatever. 

I also found this Natio eye gel at home to use in the mornings.  I only remember sometimes.  I don't really know if it's the Nivea or this that's responsible for my firmer skin so I guess I'll keep using both of them and hope for the best. 

This was even thriftier than the first cream, becase it was a freebie with some other Natio purchase once upon a time.

My premature midlife crisis wouldn't be complete without a bright pink lipstick:

I bought this BYS one from Kmart for $4.75.  It's a longwear formula - the regular formula costs $3.75, and has a similar colour which I might also buy.

My Mum gave me some presents the other day!

I hate the fake cherry flavour that you often get with lipglosses and lollies, but this Urban Rituelle lipbalm in Cherry is lovely.  It reminds me of redskins, or my Body Shop Cherry Blossom body spray.  The vanilla-scented soap was a freebie.

How cool are those animal print shoe inserts?  Allegedly they make your shoes comfier, even heels.  I will test them out and report back.