MASK OF MAGNAMINTY | First Impression

Hey everyone

On Wednesday I put up a post on Instag asking you what your favourite/must have Lush products are. On Thursday I went into Lush and after umming and ahhing I left with a mask. I spent ages there looking at everything but the price put me off a bit :(. I despero wanted to try the Lush Cupcake Mask but I wasn't committed to purchasing it since it had to 1. Be kept in the fridge and 2. Had to be used in the month. Sadly, they didn't do samples for their fresh masks :(. So, instead I purchased..

The Mask of Magnaminty

I was shocked when I saw it in store.. It's actually so tiny! It was also $16.95 which is OK for Lush but I was hoping for a larger tub. But I was very impressed regardless, and you'll soon see why!

I was excited to use my MoM that night so, before my shower I wiped away my eye makeup with Garnier's Miccelar Water. In the shower I cleansed/removed my makeup with my Natio Young Cleanser (the Lush lady recommended removing your makeup so MoM doesn't have to fight the barrier of makeup). I skipped the toner and moisturiser this time and went for MoM instead.

I was first surprised at how little you need to cover your face. A generous sized teaspoon size covered my face with a medium thick layer. MoM makes you look like Shrek with some small chunky bits but it's defs worth it. The instructions say leave it for 5 to 10 minutes, and I left it for the full 10. Be careful though bebs koz some MoM did fall off my face when I was applying it so defs do it in the bathroom not the bedroom like I did. Sorry mummm <3

After the 10 minutes were up, I removed MoM with a warm face cloth in circular motions (so the rough bits can exfoliate)

Instructions

The goodness that goes into MoM

I have combination skin and after using this beb my skin felt amazeballs. It felt sooo clean and soft. I would use it everyday if I could but the Lush lady said dry skin should use it 1-2 times a week and oily skin up to 3 times, so I plan to use it twice a week only. 

I followed up with my Natio Young Moisturiser. Although this is oil free, I often wake up with an oily nose but, this morning (Friday), I didn't. And I can definitely say this is due to the cleanser.

Do I recommend you buy this? Of course. I love it. And will continue to repurchase if it keeps giving me these feels. If it starts to eventually break me out, you'll hear about it on my instag. I love that Lush let you return this product provided you have a receipt if it doesn't work for your skin. The lady said you could have even used half, and they will still return it. At this stage I have no intention of returning it since it works so well <3

Well that's all from me for now

I'd love to hear about your Lush experiences

Keep up on Instag: @thebeautydiariesx

Much love

Chantelle x

40 BEAUTY QUESTIONS

Hey everybody

Today is Wednesday the 2nd of July, though this post won't be published until way later

It is 4 degrees in Canberra and very very cold so..

I am staying in with my pyjamas and bath robe and writing blog posts/watching house husbands/eating chocolate/loving life

Well lets get on with it

PS. I tag all of you xo

QUESTION 1 - WHAT FOUNDATION DO YOU USE?

My fave everyday foundation is Revlon Colorstay in Sand Beige. Sometimes I jazz it up with True Match in Vanilla or, when I am going out, I use Estee Lauder Double Wear in Ecru.

QUESTION 2 - HOW ABOUT CONCEALER?

I have been using the Wake Me Up concealer by Rimmel. Again, if I am going out, I use my sample of the MAC Prolongwear concealer. I will be defs purchasing this when I run out of the concealers I already own.

QUESTION 3 - DO YOU KNOW YOUR UNDERTONE COLOUR?

I have neutral undertones.

QUESTION 4 - WHAT DO YOU THINK OF FAKE EYELASHES?

I have only worn them once out to dinner. It started to come off. It was horrible. I would only wear them again if I was going somewhere nice/fancy for the night where I know photos will be taken. Otherwise not worth it imo.

QUESTION 5 - DID YOU KNOW THAT YOU ARE SUPPOSED TO CHANGE YOUR MASCARA EVERY 3 MONTHS?

Yes but I have 1000 mascaras and don't use them everyday so I'm guilty of not abiding by this rule :')

PS. I can't make that ^ not have a white border :'(

QUESTION 6 - WHAT BRAND OF MASCARA DO YOU USE?

I use Maybelline Falsies but when I wear makeup for the whole day (ie. lunch and dinner) I use my sample of Benefit's They're Real which i loooooove.

QUESTION 7 - SEPHORA OR MAC?

No Sephora here sadly :( I'm a MAC girl

QUESTION 8 - DO YOU HAVE A MAC PRO CARD?

Lol no I wish :(

QUESTION 9 - WHAT TOOLS DO YOU USE IN MAKEUP APPLICATION?

Hmmm. Mainly my Beauty Blender and a range of Real Techniques and Elf Brushes. Also my MAC 217 which is refs my fave brush in my collection <3

QUESTION 10 - DO YOU USE A MAKEUP BASE/PRIMER FOR THE EYES?

Yep. Unless I am using Color Tattoos in which I don't. I otherwise use the Elf Eyelid Primer, NYX Milk jumbo eye pencil or Benefit's Stay Don't Stray primer.

QUESTION 11 - FOR THE FACE?

Yep. I have a number of primers I love. Lately I have been rotating between the Elf Mineral Primer, Maybelline Age Rewind and Garnier Perfect Blur.

QUESTION 12 - WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE EYESHADOW COLOUR OR SHADE?

It will always and forever be Stila Kitten.

QUESTION 13 - DO YOU USE PENCIL OR LIQUID LINER?

Both! Liquid on the top lash and pencil in my tightline/waterline

QUESTION 14 - HOW OFTEN DO YOU POKE YOUR EYES WITH AN EYELINER PENCIL?

Rarely :/

QUESTION 15 - WHAT DO YOU THINK OF PIGMENT EYESHADOWS?

Love my 2 MAC babies but they can get messy and I always worry I'll spill them :(

QUESTION 16 - DO YOU USE MINERAL MAKEUP?

Nope :/

QUESTION 17 - WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE LIPSTICK?

MAC Rebel <3

QUESTION 18 - HOW ABOUT LIP GLOSS?

Loving my nude lipgloss set called EGYPT by NP Set

QUESTION 19 - WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE BLUSH TO USE?

I swear none that I own are pigmented enough to my liking. But I can't afford to buy more! I have been liking Benetint for my flushed needs.

QUESTION 20 - DO YOU BUY YOUR MAKEUP ON EBAY?

Nope! Too risky. Might buy a cheap palette though for funsies/

QUESTION 21 - DO YOU LIKE DRUGSTORE MAKEUP?

Of course!

QUESTION 22 - DO YOU GO TO CCO'S (COSMETIC COMPANY OUTLETS)?

Nope.. None here :/

QUESTION 23 - DID YOU EVER CONSIDER TAKING MAKEUP CLASSES?

Yep but gotta finish uni first :/

QUESTION 24 - ARE YOU CLUMSY IN PUTTING ON MAKEUP?

Winging eyeliner for sures

QUESTION 25 - NAME A MAKEUP CRIME THAT YOU HATE

Foundation line at the neck :P

QUESTION 26 - DO YOU LIKE COLOURFUL SHADES OF MAKEUP OR NEUTRAL ONES?

I'll always be a neutral girl but I do like bright lips. I like experimenting with brights but don't have it in my to wear it in public.

QUESTION 27 - WHICH CELEBRITY ALWAYS HAS GREAT MAKEUP?

Kim Kardash sorry to say xoxo

QUESTION 28 - IF YOU HADTO LEAVE THE HOUSE WEARING ONLY ONE MAKEUP ITEM, WHAT WOULD YOU CHOOSE?

BB cream to cover dem blemishes/uneven skin tone

QUESTION 29 - COULD YOU EVER LEAVE THE HOUSE WITHOUT ANY MAKEUP ON?

Of course, I do that all the time

QUESTION 30 - DO YOU THINK YOU LOOK GOOD WITHOUT MAKEUP ON?

Yes! Love the skin you're in bebs

QUESTION 31 - IN YOUR OPINION, WHAT IS THE BEST MAKEUP LINE?

Maybelline or Chichi for cheaps.. Mac or Benefit for expenso

QUESTION 32 - WHAT DO YOU THINK OF MAKEUP?

It's fun to experiment and play around with. It can boost confidence but it shouldn't define who we are. We are all beautiful with or without it. It should be used to enhance our natural features. Not conceal them xoxo

QUESTION 33 - HOW MANY TIMES DO YOU WASH YOUR FACE DAILY?

Day n night woop woop so twice

QUESTION 34 - WHAT SKIN TYPE DO YOU HAVE?

Combination

QUESTION 35 - WHAT IS YOUR CURRENT FACIAL WASH?

Natio Young Cleanser

QUESTION 36 - DO YOU EXFOLIATE?

Um no, not religiously :(

QUESTION 37 - WHAT BRAND DO YOU USE?

Natio for skin care

QUESTION 38 - WHAT MOISTURISER DO YOU USE?

Natio Young moisturiser :P

QUESTION 39 - DO YOU HAVE FRECKLES?

No I wish :(

QUESTION 40 - DO YOU USE EYE CREAM?

Nope.. Should I be? :P

- x -

Omg I just wrote sooo much :P

At least it kept my hands warm on this cold day

Keep up on Instag: @thebeautydiariesx

Much love

Chantelle

THEY'RE REAL VS. FALSIES | High end vs. drugstore

- Hey everyone -

Today's post will be a review/comparison on

Benefit's They're Real

and

Maybelline The Falsies

I have heard soooo much about both of these and both are a favourite in the high end/drug store world. I had been using my Revlon Photoready Mascara for a long time and it was drying out so, when I went to the Chemist Warehouse 50% off sale, I grabbed Falsies as I had heard soo much about it. Likewise, I had heard so much about Benefit's They're Real. I had never tried Benefit so I bought their Beauty Score set from the US site. This included some of their favourites such as Hoola, Benetint, the Porefessional and, of course, They're Real.

Before mascara - Never noticed those tiny lumps on my eyelid before but fair sure they are just a small irritation from makeup remover wipes! They don't hurt at all and are nothing to be worried about. Sozza if they look gross :'(

I applied both mascaras using the same method. I kinda rotated the wand as I did it (what Shaaanxo does). I put the same amount of mascara on each eye :)

First up is Benefit's They're Real!

Cute sample size

After one coat - Very natural, I likey

2 coats - Love!

After two coats They're Real looks gorj! My lashes are separated and thick. They aren't spidery or clumpy. From a distance (ie. not in zoom photography) they definitely look like falsies and are nice and curled, despite that I did not curl them!

Now time for Maybelline's The Falsies

From Google koz it went dark when it was time to photograph it :P

1 coat of falsies - Fairly separated

After 2 coats - Not my fave

Not the best photo I'm sorry but Falsies let me down. Mind you, I do absolutely love this mascara and will continue to use but there is no comparison to Benefit's They're Real. It may be the way I applied it, or it may have been applied too thick but Falsies came out thick and clumpy and, sadly reminded me of Younique Mascara which I have seen online :'(

Final verdict

Maybelline is great for the price. It is about $20 but on sale I grabbed it for $10. On the other hand, in Myer, Benefit's They're Real is $38!. But.. As you know, you get what you pay for. I will continue to use Maybelline for when I'm at work or when I won't be wearing makeup for long. When I will be out at dinner or at events I will definitely by wearing my They're Real. When this sample runs out, I will for sure be purchasing this on the US Benefit site as it is there for $23, which is only a little more than Maybelline. 

What do you guys think?

Have you tried either of these mascaras?

Would love to hear your opinions.

Hit me up on my Instag: @thebeautydiariesx

Much love,

Chantelle xo

THE ONLY MAC PRODUCT YOU NEED

For us beauties on a budget, M.A.C. is not a brand we reach for often..

I mean paint pots are around $40 and are similar to $13 Color Tattoos

Concealers are over $30 when drugstores are $10ish 

and their lipsticks are $36 when you can get Rimmel's on sale for $5 each!

In other words, there are many dupes/cheaper alternatives for M.A.C. products.

In my opinion however, there is one product you need. One product that doesn't compare to its cheaper versions. This product has 1000 and 1 uses. And is one of M.A.C.'s "cheaper" products. It is their..

FIX PLUS SPRAY

In my opinion this product is great! I have had it for I think 3 months now and I use it virtually everyday, and have only used 1/4 of the bottle! I was initially going to buy the Elf Setting Spray but reviews said it is nothing compared to the Fix Plus Spray so I bought it. It was $27 in Myer.

I have read that this spray can be used for your hair! I personally do not use it for that purpose :P I use fix+ to pick up loose pigments, intensify less pigmented eyeshadows, and as a finishing spray. I looooove that when I spray this beb I can touch my face and scratch my nose and it doesn't feel like I have foundation on/it doesn't rub off. I also love that it can convert my matte foundations into a dewy finish, which I have been loving lately (I look much more glowy/alive). I have used this with the dream pure, true match, colorstay and double wear and it works a charm. On non-makeup days I like to spray fix+ for a little refresh.

This will definitely be a repurchase for me! And I highly recommend it. If you have it already, let me know what you think.

Until next time, keep updated on my Instagram: @thebeautydiariesx

Much love,

Chantelle

5 MUST HAVE REAL TECHNIQUES BRUSHES

5 must have Real Techniques brushes
(in my opinion anyway)

Hey everyone

and welcome back

Now I could go on and on about how amazing RT brushes are. I'm sure you've heard it all before! They are super soft, and create a flawless face. And.. The best bit is.. They are so cheap! Especially when you buy them on iherb. And, if you use code MMH287 you can save up to $10 off your first order. :O

Anyway, in this blog post I'm gonna be strong and pick 5 RT brushes to review. These brushes I think are essential in every collection. I've also chosen five that are versatile and, especially if you are a beginner, you could definitely live with just these five and you'll be fine.

Leggoooooo..
P.s. This is a long post :P
P.s.s. My brushes are dirtyyyyy as. 
Only the picture below is my own, the rest were found on Google Images

1. EXPERT FACE BRUSH
How many times have you heard about this one before? Probably x1million and there is a reason why! It's perf. I often use my beauty blender for foundation but have lately been grabbing this baby. It's very easy and quick to use and creates a flawless base in seconds (or minutes). This brush is my go to brush on weekends as I wake up at 6am to start at 7 and wear bb cream. I have tried bb cream with my bb and my hands and I just didn't love the finish but this is perfect. It creates such a flawless airbrushed finish and its saaaa fluffaaay.

Now, warning, this can be a pest to clean since it's so dense. In my blog post here I have the perfect solution and it definitely removes all the grime inside my expert face brush leaving it new and white and clean again <3

Expert face brush can be found on here for $9.64
or in Priceline for $19.99

2. SETTING BRUSH
Another must have is the setting brush. It has the perfect dome tip for setting your under eye concealer (I use ELD HD under eye powder). It's small and is super easy to clean, but again, I use the same technique as earlier linked. This brush is sooo versatile. I use it for highlighting my nose, cheekbones and cupids bow. You could also use it for powdering your t-zone or maybe even patting in your concealer (though fingers work great as well). Stay tuned for my giveaway, you might just see one of these babies pop up ;D

Setting brush is on iherb for $8.57
or Priceline for $14.99

3. ESSENTIAL CREASE BRUSH

This brush is limited edition and is exclusive to the Sam's pick's set found here for $29.99. In my opinion, this is very worth it as you get 3 of the brushes listed here (setting brush, deluxe crease brush and one other, see below :P). Plus you get three other brushes to complete your collection. Like the title says, this is an essential crease brush. Errybody needs a crease brush. I have the MAC 217 which I love (it's $38 though) which is perfect for packing and blending into my crease. What I love about this brush though is it's small, perfect for small eyes like me or for more precise application into the crease.

4. BLUSH BRUSH
I didn't buy this when I bought my expert face brush and setting brush on my first iherb order and instantly regretted it :( So with my next iherb haul, I grabbed it! It's so big and fluffy. It does not look like a blush brush at all but it is! It's perfect for soft contouring/bronzing and packing on a bit of blush/building it up. As for cleaning, I can't say how it goes as I haven't washed it yet. Very naughty -  I was just too excited to use it :'( I'll clean it today though :P It looks like it'll be easy to clean as it's so fluffyyyy <3

Blusha brusha can be found on iherb here for $9.64
or, if you're too keen, here at Priceline for $22.99

5. MULTI TASK BRUSH

This is definitely a multi task brush. If you watch Lauren Curtis, you would see she now uses this brush for foundation. I haven't yet but would be keen to try. This brush is very fluffy (aren't they all) and could be used for foundation, contouring and blush (it is kinda flat), powder.. the uses are endless! I haven't used this one much yet but I can definitely see it being a staple in my collection.

This brush can also be found is the Sam's Pick's set listed above.. As you can see this is definitely a good set and has all the brushes you will ever need (maybe) :P

- x -

And remember, by using the code MMH287 you can save between $5-$10. On iherb, there are $4 and $8 shipping options. $4 means you'll get your items in 1-4 weeks. $8 option means 2-4 days with tracking! And, by using the code your shipping will be virtually free + a discount on the rt brushes that are already < half of what you pay at Priceline :O

- x -

Well that's all from me now,
until next time,

Chantelle xoxo

Loreal True Match: Review/Second impression

Hey everyone

and welcome back to my blog

Today's blog is a review/second impression of the Loreal True Match foundation

I have used it already, but not for more than a few hours so today I will test out how she goes all day :D

Not my photo, my bottle was looking messy :P

If you don't already know, Lauren Curtis on YouTube raves about this foundation. I have used Revlon Colorstay for a long time but when I saw this on special at Priceline I thought I may as well try it. True Match has SPF 17 (great for day use, not too great for night/flash), is super-blendable and matches the skin colour and texture. I brought in my Estee Lauder double wear sample in Ecru, and N2 Vanilla was a perfect match.

The first thing I noticed was the texture as it is very runny. To apply, I use my damp beauty blender and find I need 2-3 pumps for full coverage with 2 layers on my cheeks and t-zone. The foundation was in fact very blendable and felt nice on the skin.

Keep reading to see how it performed throughout the day..

I have normal skin however I can get dry around the nose. Garnier Micellar water before my primer can often help this.  The primer I used was Garnier's Perfect Blur. It was set only with Mac Fix+ spray. 

Straight after application: 11:00am

The application was flawless. It was very easy to blend, and did not streak (could be because of the beauty blender though). The foundation did not feel sticky, even before spraying Fix+.

Update 3:07pm

I'm about to go to the movies so I thought I would update. I applied my makeup then watched tv shows (ie. I didn't go outside, do any activities, etc). My makeup looks good other than it is starting to melt off the sides of my nose and my mouth (because I ate and drank).

Update 11:00pm

Oops. I went to the movies then at 7:30 I went out with my friends to dinner and I didn't check my makeup until I got home! My friends took a photo with flash and guess what... Unlike my Colorstay I was not left with a white face! Unfortunately the picture is on my friends phone so I can't show you :( I normally wouldn't wear foundation for this long but I am very impressed. My foundation had melted off my T-zone revealing shine but this could have been easily avoided with some powder in those areas.

Would I repurchase?

If you follow me on Instagram (@thebeautydiariesx) you would know that Colorstay is my holy grail and therefore I have x1million back ups. While I wouldn't convert to True Match just yet, I think it is a foundation I will often reach for and will definitely keep a bottle of in my stash.

Anyway, wow that's a big one from me :O

Until next time..

Chantelle xoxo

MAC REBEL AND DIVA

Hi everyone

So if you follow me on Instagram (@thebeautydiariesx), you would know that the other day I went on a small (but expensive) MAC haul. I bought 2 lipsticks and a pigment and they're so amazing!

What I bought was:
Rebel (lipstick)
Diva (lipstick)
and Melon (pigment)

Keep reading for swatches and a mini review. Sadly no swatches of Melon as I tried and tried but can't capture its beauty on camera #bloggerfail :(

K lets gooooo..

Top: Diva - Bottom: Rebel (flash)

Top: Diva - Bottom: Rebel (no flash)

Ok so I initially went into MAC to buy Rebel. I wanted a good lipstick that was kinda dark for Winter and Rebz is perf! She is the perfect berry tone but with a darker lip liner I can make it look more vampy. She's sooo creamy and pigmented (am I Shaaanxo yet?) and has amazing lasting power. Honestly, I swatched her in MAC, showered that night and the next morning and there was still traces of her on my arm = LOVE.

But what I really needed in my life was a dark burgundy. I love red lipstick but I wanted something dark/maroon. The sales consultant showed me both Diva and Hung Up. Now while Hung Up is gorj, I went for Diva as she is matte. She's also verrrrry amazing. No regrets <333

Finally, my love Melon. I wanted this for a while but needed it after seeing Shaaanxo's vid. Lucky for me there was one left... the last one in Canberra. So lucky but she is in my life (why are all MAC products female?) and I think we will be together for agessss since you only use very little each time.

Well that's all for now. If you have $111 spare I highly recommend these three products. I love them. Don't worry though, I'm still gonna be blogging and hauling some of my fave 'drugstore' brands. 
Defs cannot afford to live the MAC lyf :P

In the mean time, catch up on Instag and tell me what you thought of this blog post/what you want me to blog about next time. :)

Much love, 

Instagram: @thebeautydiariesx