Beautorium Beauty Haul

If we didn't absolutely love beautyheaven before, then with their grand efforts in the second ever beautorium event we are guaranteed to love love LOVE them for many more years to come.

I missed out on the first beautorium event so I decided to cash in big in the next one. For just $9.95 P&H I got all this, I would say that's reason enough to jump for joy. :)

- TIGI Salt Spray RRP$29.95
- John Frieda Precision Foam Colour RRP$22.99
- La Biosthetique Volume Powder RRP$34.50

- Clearasil Ultra pimples + marks lotion RRP$13.99
- Dove Invisible Dry anti-white marks roll-on RRP$5.47

- Maybelline Fit me foundation RRP$18.95
- Maybelline Fit me concealer RRP$14.95
- SAX sheer lipstick RRP$14.95
- Revlon colour burst lipgloss RRP$21.95
- Revlon colour stay eyeshadow RRP$24.95
- Physicians Formula eyeliner trio for green eyes RRP$24.95

And plenty of samples too!!

Beautyheaven, you have out-done yourselves this time. Thank you so much.

The Golden Girl Strikes Again

Our all time favourite country-turned-pop star has announced the release of her 4th studio album this morning in a live web chat.
I am not a die-hard fan of Taylor Swift but I did bop along to her concert when she was down under and I admire how she has stayed so grounded in light of her booming success. She honestly seems like a wholesome person who has everything going for her yet she has not let the hype go to her head.

This morning I sat down with a cup of peppermint tea and tuned in to her live web chat which she presented to a small audience in her Nashville house as well as 65,000-odd others who were eagerly watching and listening to her as she answered fan questions and spoke about her upcoming album.

RED will be officially released on October 22 so be on the look out for that. On the live web cast she also debuted her amazing new single 'We are never ever getting back together'. The song is really upbeat and very catchy, you can watch it on the web cast I linked below. This new single will also be live to download from iTunes later tonight.

If you are interested in the live chat that just occurred I uploaded it below.

Taylor is one dashing lady and I think it's only fitting that she named her new studio album RED. She is one girl who knows how to rock a mean red lip.

My beauty picks so you too can rock a mean red lip like Taylor:

ELES MicroRed Micro Bubble Lipstick 

Lancome Rouge in Love 159B. See my full review here.

Estee Lauder Pure Colour Lipstick 1A3 Maraschino.

Frock Up and Stock Up

Over the weekend I visited the Frock Up Vintage Fair in Brisbane. Imagine racks and tables full of shoes, bags, jewellery, dresses, clothing and everything in between. It was a lot of fun finding great one-of-a-kind items of clothing and seeing the transformation of fashion through the ages.

My tips on finding a bargain:
- Be prepared to dig! The racks are choc-full of clothes and sometimes the best pieces are hidden under another skirt or caught on a different coat-hanger. Sort through each individual item so you don't miss out on that one treasure.

- Size doesn't matter! Just because the tag says 16 doesn't mean it won't look good as an over-sized top/dress or with a belt. Remember sizes have changed over the years so something that is a higher size than you would normally wear could very well be your perfect fit. If you love something then try it on and see if it works.

- Alter to perfect! If a dress is too long or a top is a little bit off there is such thing as a sewing machine. You can cut and hem anything to make it more modern and alter sleeves similarly.

- Don't be afraid to haggle! Sometimes that perfect skirt might have a slight stain so ask if there is a better price that can be done or ask if you can get two items at a reduced cost.

- Have fun and happy hunting! Take it the environment and all the different clothes, if something looks ridiculous on the rack, try it on and have a laugh. We all know that there are vintage pieces that should stay in the past.

What I picked up from the fair:

 Wool and suede vest $20

 Love the style of this top.

 Gorgeous summer dress with a tied bow back $40.

 Vintage short sleeved blouse $5

 Vintage print top $5

Love the print on this top. It's oversized and looks great with skinny jeans or a high waisted skirt.

Love a good vintage bargain? Check out The Way We Wear website to see dates and events.

Is eco really best?

After using the L'oreal Infallible 24hour brush foundation, I found the wonders of using a foundation brush to apply liquid foundation. I was always one to use my fingers or a sponge to apply my base but now I am fully converted to a brush application. 

Being a novice beauty, I had no idea where to start with using a brush or which brand to buy whether it be MAC, Australis, NP or from the Body Shop. Honestly, there are just so many brushes out there that you may never be satisfied with your choice and everyone has their own personal tastes so you cannot rely on another person's review.

I decided on trying out the EcoTools brand as I am a big fan of going green where I can and I love the bamboo look of the brushes.

From Priceline:

EcoTools Foundation brush RRP $10.99

EcoTools Deluxe Concealer brush RRP $7.99

Why choose to go green?

So many reasons...

My thoughts on the brushes:

Foundation brush; 

-very dense bristles 

-a little bit scratchy 

-decent sized brush head and comfortable handle

Deluxe concealer brush;

-small brush head which allows you to get into hard to reach areas and allows for extra precision when applying concealer

These brushes are synthetic so they do not feel as soft as some other brushes and the bristles tend to feel scratchy at times so make sure you apply gentle strokes especially around delicate areas like your eyes. Some people love these brushes and go on about how soft they are but I do not feel these particular brushes are that soft or flexible. These two brushes are the only ones I have used from the EcoTools range so I am not commenting on the overall appeal of all EcoTools brushes. I do adore the look of them and thickness of the brush handle.

When applying foundation I had no problems getting a flawless finish. They don't leave you with a streaky look and that's a huge plus, they are also really simple to clean and maintain. I will continue to use these brushes as I find them adequate but I would be interested in comparing them to other brands.

What do you think? Do you apply your foundation with a brush?

Smile like you mean it

Why is it that when we are faced with a toothache, we would much rather sit with our toothache then sit in the dreaded dental chair?

There is just something about the dentist that doesn't appeal to the majority of the population. Perhaps it's the smell of clinic, or the sound of the drill, or the fact that we are lying in a chair with mouths wide open in our vulnerable state while a stranger stares at what you ate for breakfast that morning.

Keeping in line with my dentist trip I had recently I thought I would share with you the discussion I had with my very helpful dentist and the things I learnt about keeping those pearly whites up-to-scratch 

What I learnt from my trip to the dentist:

- Drink plenty of water.

It seems we are told this by everyone so why not stop the nagging and drink at least two litres a day. The needs of an individuals water intake various between males, females and with age so there is no one set amount, but just make sure you are drinking water. Swap your snakes for a glass of water and opt for water over soft drinks.

- Cordial and soft drinks are choc-full of sugars.
Even 1 glass a day of cordial or soft drink is far too much. Sugary drinks expose your teeth to acid attacks and weaken the enamel.

- Eat a regular 3 meals a day. 
Maintain a healthy diet with limits on sugary snacks and snacking in general. Frequent snacking will allow for more food particles left over in your mouth which encourages bacteria and plague build up. 

- Update your flossing and brushing techniques.
When brushing be sure to reach right up the back of your mouth and when flossing (yes, you need to floss!) do not just flick the floss in and back out, get into all the grooves to limit food and plague build up. Also lack of proper technique can lead to gum retreat.

- Mouthwash is not necessary for daily use.
This is something that I did not know and I am someone who was using Listerine daily. Any mouthwash that contains any alcohol or ethanol is a huge no-no. People get sucked in to the ads on tv telling them to use mouthwash daily, but they can cause many oral health issues. If you want to use a mouthwash it should be done once a week and use one that contains no alcohol or any colouring, the dyes can actually stain your teeth. My dentist recommended Savcol. 

- Choose a soft bristle tooth brush and use a toothpaste containing fluoride. 
Colgate has been a well trusted brand for decades now.

- Be weary if you have a history of gum-disease or other oral health issues in your family.
With regular visits to the dentist you can get early detection of any problems. You should be going to the dentist every 6 months for a check-up.

Take care of your pearly whites as you only get one set!!