Maybelline NY Haul

Hey guys! I'm pretty excited about writing this blog post because it's about my recent Maybelline haul and I haven't written a makeup haul post in SUCH a long time!! I normally only purchase a couple of makeup products in a shopping trip which I don't deem worthy to be part of a "haul"... though I guess for a collective haul it'd be ok (I don't really like doing those but yeah).

All you beauty lovers around Aus, I'm sure by now you're well aware of the 50% off Maybelline's entire range at Priceline :D If not then get over there nowwwww, this sale is too good to miss!

The sale started on Thursday and will be on right until Monday the 26th of August so you've got about a week to shop it up. I went to Priceline on the first day of the sale at around 11 am (shops open at 9 am) and there was already a noticeable amount of lippies gone (I tweeted a pic) at the store I went to but that was ok because I still ended up picking everything I wanted :)

The shopping bag with the promo flyer and the 5 items I picked out

Firstly I was only going to buy two products and not bother getting anything else. At 11 am I went on my own and bought makeup remover and lip balm ($5.45 total) however I met up with a friend later on and told her about the Maybelline sale. She wasn't aware of it and was quite eager to make a trip to Maybelline (who wouldn't be hehe) so that was where we went and I ended up buying two more products! After that I decided to visit the Priceline Pharmacy near my bus stop (how convenient lol) and picked up another product xD Which totals to 3 separate trips to Priceline in one day!! I've never done that before, and I regret nothing.

Total spent = $30.35

It's not the biggest haul but I'm happy that I didn't over-splurge. I have my reasons for purchasing each product and I'll list them below each product:

Maybelline Baby Lips Loves Color (SPF 16) - Pink Lolita

RRP $3.95 AUD, now $1.97

I couldn't give this one a miss. When I found out about the sale, this was the first item I had in mind and not surprisingly, the first product I picked up at Priceline on Thursday. I have a few of the Baby Lips balms already and I absolutely love them. I prefer the ones that leave a tint because that way I don't need to apply a lip colour on top, which is why I've picked up this Baby Lips in Pink Lolita. I haven't used this shade before, however I know from reading reviews that it leaves a lovely pink tint to the lips. I'll definitely continue stocking up on Baby Lips ^^ For just under $2, it's a bargain!

Maybelline City Rescue Total Clean Express Makeup Remover, Eye & Lip

RRP $6.95 AUD, now $3.47

The second product that I picked up without hesitation. It's really cheap for a product that I'd use pretty much everyday. This is actually my second bottle and only a few days ago I finished my first bottle of this makeup remover (psst, I'll be including it in my August empties blog post coming soon!) thus this sale came at a very good time for me, hehe. Don't you just love it when you catch a sale at the right time? Better than purchasing something full price and then seeing that it's on sale the next day/week! When I finished my previous bottle, I was wishing that I had stocked up so from now on I reckon I will stock up on this makeup remover. You might be wondering, 'what's so good about it?'

... It has a bi-phase formula! Can you see the two layers with the line in the middle?

A bi-phase or a dual-phase makeup remover works more powerfully than a regular makeup remover as it can melt away stubborn, long-lasting and waterproof eye and lip makeup. The bottle must be shaken to mix the oil and water, and the combination of both makes makeup removing a breeze more than a chore by requiring less scrubbing than usual. I swear by bi-phase makeup removers and would never go back to ones with single-phase formulas. Effective and gentle without leaving any oily, greasy residue. Worth trying if you haven't already!

Maybelline Volum' Express The Mega Plush Waterproof Mascara in Very Black

RRP $19.95 AUD, now $9.97

The priciest purchase out of all 5 products and the one that I thought hardest about getting or not getting. It was difficult to make up my mind but my friend pressured advised me to give it a go to see whether I'd like it or not. And why not when it's 50% off. I've always been a fan of Maybelline's mascaras and I find that their new releases have been consistently praised or raved. I have the The Falsies mascara which is one of my favourites and I look forward to seeing how this compares to that. Basically my reason for picking this up was because I was curious. A want more than a need!

The aspects of this mascara that I find the most intriguing are the big fluffy-looking flexor-brush wand and the 'revolutionary gel-mousse formula' that gives 'no brittle feel'. I haven't read any reviews of this mascara yet which I suppose is a good thing as I currently have no expectations or any thoughts prior to trialing. It's best to be as unbiased and as clueless, so to speak, as possible.

Should I review this mascara or are there already plenty of reviews out there? Or have many of you tried this already? Let me know if you'd like to see a review for this.

Maybelline Color Sensational Color Whisper - 45 and 95

RRP $14.95 AUD, now $7.47

I finally got hold of some lippies from Maybelline's new line - the Color Whispers! I adore the slim packaging in comparison to their Color Sensational lippies (which are also really lovely but I find these to be a tad prettier). I originally picked up one and ended up getting another just for the sake of it. And it's pretty much the same thing as a buy one get one free sale anyway!

45 Who Wore It Red-er

Wow! When I swatched it in store I was extremely impressed. This shade is super pigmented and creamy. I'd say that this one is the most vibrant and dark out of all the shades available in Australia. It's not usually a shade that I would pick (I'm more of a neutrals/pink girl) but it was too gorgeous to resist! It's about time that I started experimenting with lipstick shades out of my usual, comfort zone. 

It's not an exact match of its packaging colour but it's close enough

It's a deep pink and has great staying power. Even after I wiped it off with a tissue, it left a faint stain of pink. Oh and I love how it's a creamy, glossy formula with no shimmer. I have a tonne of shimmery lipsticks and to now have a new, very pigmented, creamy, non-shimmery lipstick is a very refreshing addition to my collection.

95 Mad For Magenta

This one on the other hand is shimmery and much more translucent and sheer. Don't get me wrong, I love both pigmented and shimmery lipsticks but I tend to gravitate more towards the shimmery ones simply because I'm attracted to all things sparkly and glittery. I tend to pick lipsticks only based on their shade, texture and scent. I'll love a shimmery and a pigmented lipstick the same unless one is shimmery or pigmented to the extreme (moderation is key).

As for this lipstick, I'm glad that it is shimmery and sheer because as a magenta-shaded lipstick, it has a tinge of purple in it and I don't want the purple to come through too strongly... do you know what I mean? Sheer lipsticks allow for buildable colour and I want to be able to 'build' this shade to my liking. 1-2 swipes on my lips is enough for me :) It gives quite a natural finish.

Not the clearest picture, sorry! I blame the overcast weather for the low-quality pictures

I also want to add in that I really like the smell of these! It smells like vanilla - one of my favourite, non-overpowering scents. I am SO glad that I decided to pick up these lipsticks from the Color Whisper range because I can definitely see/feel the quality in them and now I can understand why they're highly raved about online. I have my friend to thank for my second and third Priceline trips where I was able to get a hold of these! Money well spent in my opinion - I love them a lot.

That's all to my Maybelline NY haul from Priceline - I know it's not a lot but I'm happy to have spent just over $30 and to have chosen these specific products. I can't officially say that I'm pleased with everything as I am yet to try the Mega Plush mascara! Hopefully I won't be having any regrets.

I would love to hear which Maybelline goodies you haul from Priceline! Please do let me know what you get and if there's anything you'd recommend (who knows, I may end up in Priceline again next week xD).

Questjen of the week (an easy one):

Are you a fan of Maybelline cosmetics?

I surely am and if you are too, high five!!

❤ Jen xx

Disclaimer: This is not a sponsored post. All products mentioned were purchased with my own money. I am not affiliated with Maybelline. No monetary compensation is provided for this post. All opinions stated are my own and are 100% honest.  

 

Review: Models Prefer Starter Face Brush Set + Tutorial

Hello, I'm going to be doing a little review on a brush set which I bought recently from Priceline. The brand is called 'Models Prefer' which is a brand that is only seen in Priceline and is Australian. I've owned a palette from them and I must say, the quality wasn't good. It's worth the money but it really can't be compared to drugstore makeup :/ I noticed that their eyeshadows have low pigmentation and feel quite chalky. Although their palettes are around $5 each, I really don't think I'll be purchasing Models Prefer eye makeup again.

I had a glance at their section in Priceline and I noticed that they now have a range of brush sets. A starter eye and face brush set. The eye brush set consists of about 6 brushes and was on sale for $7.95. It tempted me but I realised that I already had all the eye brushes that this Models Prefer set was offering. Their Starter Face Brush set attracted me though and I purchased it straight away. On sale for $9.95 was a set of 4 face brushes - concealer, foundation, angled blush and powder.

Lovely gold pouch, it looks like a purse. This would be ideal for travelling

- Instructions on the left, perfect for beginners

- Extra protection on the brush heads

- Magnetic button on the inside to close

They look quite professional with the wrapping around the brushes

The angled blush and the powder brushes have brush guards :)

The names on the brushes is really helpful for beginners :)

I am totally sold about the appearance of these brushes. It doesn't seem as though they have been clumsily designed or packaged and for the price, it's pretty good. I know that they may have used cheap plastic but usually one brush of any other brand costs $10+ dollars so having 4 of these for that price isn't bad at all.

My main reason for purchasing this brush set was to find a replacement or an alternative foundation brush for my Ecotools one. I've had the Ecotools one for almost half a year and the quality is wearing off. The brush was really good at the start but now it's no good with applying foundation...

L-R: Ecotools and Models Prefer

My Ecotools brush hairs have gone poofy and fluffy!

So not what it's meant to be like :(

I bent the hairs of both brushes and the Ecotools one stayed in that position :/

It's starting to look more like a blush brush instead of a foundation brush

Currently my Ecotools brush is streaking on me like crazy! It leaves all these lines on my face and it doesn't smooth out my foundation properly. Thank goodness I found a cheaper and possibly long-term replacement foundation brush :) It does the job well

Models Prefer Foundation Brush: 5/5

I really hope that the quality doesn't wear out like my Ecotools, but I won't be surprised if it does. I've only spot-cleaned it (using a moist towel) and I haven't seen any shedding of hair.

I don't normally use concealer but I still wanted to have a concealer brush, just to add to my brush collection. I'm glad that I could find a cheap concealer brush that is quite dense and does the job well. I actually tested this out with a concealer and also with my foundation. Instead of using concealer, I also like to use a bit of foundation with the concealer brush to cover up any blemishes. My foundation has really good coverage and when I don't feel the need to pack on foundation, I can just use a bit of it as concealer!

This is the tallest brush in the set, I don't know why they aren't all the same height...

Models Prefer Concealer Brush: 5/5

The hairs are dense but not too dense to make it hard for concealer to be applied on my face. Again, this has only been spot-cleaned however, there was still no shedding of hair.

Now with the angle blush brush, I can compare its quality with my Sigma angle blush brush which I reviewed here.

Sigma is the white-haired one, Models Prefer is the black-haired one

They both have the brush hair guard to help hold the hairs in place after use and washes.

The Sigma one is tighter, thus better at maintaining the shape of hairs on the brush

The Models Prefer brush is taller

The hairs on both look very similar but they're quite different

I'm not surprised that the Sigma angle blush brush has much softer hairs than the Models Prefer one. We all know that Sigma has high-quality brushes and cannot be defeated by cheaper brushes! The Models Prefer brush hairs aren't too scratchy but aren't too soft either. I think that after a wash or so, the hairs will become rough and will shed.

Models Prefer Angle Blush Brush: 3/5

-1 for hair quality

-1 for shedding

Now finally onto the fourth brush. I can't compare this brush with any other because this is my first powder brush. And what a shame, I don't use powders on my face :| But judging by the hairs, it feels exactly the same as the angle blush brush. I'm also going to give it the same score based on that.

Models Prefer Powder Brush: 3/5

-1 for hair quality

-1 for shedding

The only positive thing that I can say about the angle blush and powder brushes is that they pick up a lot of product on the brush because the hairs aren't that soft. One swipe of blush or powder would be enough and this will help save me from running out of products too soon.

So overall, I have some mixed feelings on this brush set. It's definitely a brush set that is suitable for beginners and also suitable for someone who has an interest in makeup. It could even be good for a gift. The only worthy brushes of use are the foundation and concealer brushes and I'm likely to pass on the angle blush and powder brushes. As a replacement for my foundation brush and for me to just have a concealer brush that I'd be glad to pick up and use, it was worth it. I could have bought a brand new Ecotools foundation brush for the same price as this set but I didn't want to risk going through the same problem again.

I think I'll be sticking to my Sigma angle blush brush and maybe use the Models Prefer one when I've been too lazy to wash the Sigma one x] That probably won't happen but if something goes wrong with my Sigma one, the Models Prefer brush will be the replacement.

Models Prefer Starter Face Brush Set: 8/10

-1 for the hairs of two not-so-good brushes (angle blush and powder)

-1 for the shedding of hair

So that's it for the review! I will now leave you now with a tutorial video of which I used 3 of the 4 brushes. I filmed this last night, hope you like it.

Since these brushes are aimed at beginners, I thought I'd do a little beginners guide to applying makeup and doing REALLY quick smokey eyes with neutral colours such as golds and browns, using my palette and lashes from Daiso. Sorry there's no talking, I do however have a few captions here and there for instructions. Also, it's been sped-up so that it's not so dragged on, and to show you really how quick and easy it is to achieve this look!

I remember Tam requested me to do a tutorial because she wasn't sure how to apply eyeshadow. I was going to do it for my Park Bom Inspired Look but that's a little outdated now haha.

Oh and excuse the crappy, yellow lighting :/ And also how pixelated it is... Windows Movie Maker decreases the quality after I publish the video :(

Tutorial: Neutral Smokey Eyes

Products Used (in order):

Australis Face Primer

Models Prefer Starter Face Brush Set

Revlon ColorStay Velvet Creme Makeup in 020 Natural Tan

Bourjois Healthy Mix Concealer in #53

White Face Sponge

Urban Decay Primer Potion

Daiso Eyeshadow Palette (Shine Colour Eyes)

Australis Mineral Eyeshadow Contouring Brush

Eyeshadow Brush

Sigma Blending E25 Brush

NYX Eye/Brow Pencil in 901 Black

Rimmel Soft Kohl Eye Liner Pencil in 071 Pure White

Face of Australia Liquid Eyeliner in Charcoal

QVS Eyelash Curler

Laneige High Perm Curling Mascara

Daiso Criss-Cross Lashes in #3

Rimmel Lasting Finish Lipstick in Airy Fairy

Pupa Velvety Baked Blush in 04

Face of Australia Kabuki Brush

Please let me know if I should do something like this again or if you have any requests/suggestions :)

]Closed] Win A Free Pamper Session! (Aus only)

Priceline is currently having a Lucky Dip promotion and I was able to win a free pamper session, but only at selected venues. I wanted to claim this prize and make a booking for it but the locations to choose from in my city were all too far for me =[

So, I've decided to giveaway my pamper session voucher to one of you Aussie babes! This can only be used in Australia and selected beauty parlours (there's a list on the site for each state). No matter where you are in Australia, I'm sure that this will be valid, even though I was the one who won this :)

I really don't want this to go to waste so if anyone is interested;

- Leave your name and your email address in the comments

- You must be a blog follower, so please leave your blog url too!

and I will randomly pick a winner next week (when my other giveaway ends). The winner will be emailed and I will need their postal and contact details to fill in the form to claim the prize.

The pamper session needs to be claimed from the Priceline website before December 31st 2010 and the booking must be made by 28th February 2011 and taken to the participating venue by 30th April 2011.

Here are the venues that you can choose from if you are the winner: https://promotions.priceline.com.au/luckydip_nov2010/venues.aspx

I'd love one of you to have this experience and tell me about it =]

All entries for this here must be in before the 8th of December, 11:59PM SA time. The winner will have 24 hours to claim this voucher from me.

It says that the offer is only available for Australian residents aged 18 or over. Haha, I guess I wasn't able to claim this anyway, I'm 17 :/ You must be 18+ to enter!

FREE PAMPER VOUCHER – Conditions Of Use: These terms are to be read in conjunction with the General terms and conditions which apply to all of the rewards.

1. The pamper voucher entitles the bearer to one of the following pamper treatments at one participating venue listed on the dedicated website: www.priceline.com.au. Treatments include, but are not limited to: facial, manicure, pedicure, tanning, waxing, massage, semi permanent make-up (i.e. eyelash tinting). Pamper treatment choices and the duration of treatments will vary from venue to venue. Some of the participating therapists may conduct pamper experiences at your home.
2. This offer is based on advance bookings only and bookings are strictly subject to promotional availability at participating salons/therapists.

Good Luck xx

Officially Back From Blog Hiatus!

Yes that's right I am blogging again after exactly one month! Hello hello, how is everyone? It's so great to be back, I am feeling sooooooo relieved now that school is over FOREVER :D My exams are done and dusted haha. I love the thought of not needing to put on the school uniform ever again. Ahh I just can't describe how good life is for me right now. I'm sure that those who have completed high school would know exactly how I'm feeling. It feels like a heavy weight has been lifted off of my shoulders :) I am on holidays for 3 and a half months, starting from now!

So, how about I give you an update of what's happened to me in the past month. Well I wasn't heaps successful with not being on my social networking sites i.e. Facebook, Twitter. I tried really hard to stay away from them but when I checked my emails I also got notifications from those sites so I just had to check what was going on and reply to people who posted on my Facebook Wall etc. And some of you probably caught me on Blogger. Yes, I was here sometimes even though I did say 'blog hiatus'. But by that I meant not blogging, not an actual ban or anything :P

Today I had my last two exams and it was quite stressful and tiring. It's great to be here again to just chill out and blog. I really missed this :(

Here are some of the things that happened in the past month...

★ I finished high school

On the last day we dressed up for the 'Mad Hatter's Tea Party'. We wore floral dresses to match 'Alice and Wonderland'

Me and Cathy

Facebook photos reduce the quality but it's still okay

How cute is this 'teacup' ?!

★ I paid 1 CENT for a Rimmel nail polish at Target - Win!

Also bought my first brush cleaning spray

and a Rimmel 60 Seconds nail enamel for just $3.95! Half of the RRP

L-R: 064 Funky Diva (that one was 1 cent), 630 Be A Star

It said $2.98 but when it got scanned it was only 1 cent and this was the only one with the marked down price. No idea why, but I'm glad I found it!

★ I used up all of my Korean skincare samples

I will do a mini review of them soon

★ I got a free kabuki brush, free moisturising lotion and free hair wax from Priceline, all in one day

Seriously, who doesn't love freebies?

If you want to know how to get them, you can ask me :)

★ Some trick or treater kids came to my house on Halloween - First time ever!

They're leaving >=D

Sorry for the blurriness, it rained the day before so it dirtied my window :(

Who knows what those kids dressed up as, no one answered the door because our doorbell is broken xD They didn't bother to knock so meh!

★ I used a face mask and got a really bad allergic reaction to it

I have sensitive skin :( It sucks

Happy late Halloween?? JK haha..

I have my eyes closed for a reason as it would've looked too freaky if my eyes were open

Sorry if it still scared you anyway o_o

Curse this mask! Well actually, curse my sensitive face.. erh I mean skin =/

★ SHINee's Jonghyun has a girlfriend

If you follow K-pop then you would know who he is. He's my favourite in SHINee and I'm really happy for him :]

★ My dad bought a new car

Nice metallic blue Toyota

I wish he could have bought it earlier when I still had school because now I won't get to be in it as often :(

★ R.I.P Takeshi Shudo - The creator of Pokémon :(

Pokémon was a part of my childhood, was it a part of yours too?

I have a Pokéball ;D

Nah it's actually a dodgy McDonald's happy meal toy from many years ago

It doesn't even open the right way LOL!

It's obviously not old-school enough for me to identify this Pokémon. What is this?! Where are the original Pokémons?

★ I studied for exams, and I did my exams - Yeah heaps boring...

I tried studying in the dark with my phone's camera flashlight on as a way of being 'focused' and not being distracted by anything else around me. I think the idea kinda failed...

★ I sorted out my nail polish collection from smallest to biggest (mL) - I was bored from studying

As you can see, I don't have a large range. I've only recently started getting into nail polish/art

★ I bought another chocolate box to put the rest of my Viva La Nails samples

This time I bought a dark chocolate version :D

★ I Finished purchasing all of my giveaway items - Hint hint ;)

No picture though, sorry :P

And last but not least, I MISSED YOU BLOGGERS! Thanks heaps for all the good luck wishes on my previous post, they meant a lot to me :]

I've already made a list of all the things that I'll be blogging about and I'm thinking of blogging each day or maybe once every two days... Hmm what should I do? I think I might blog once a day to make up for all of last month.

Anyway, I tried to add as many pictures as possible to make this post less boring. I will be posting again tomorrow =]

Lots of love,

Jennifer xoxo