Illamasqua Australia Rave

Being a Beauty Lover, I am always keen to discover new brands and products which could potentially change my life. Today, after hearing bits and pieces, I decided to check out the Illamasqua Counter at my local Myer. And let me tell you I was absolutely BLOWN AWAY!! I was inspired to blog a little about my experience and fill you guys in.... 

I was greeted by a beautiful girl called Victoria who was so friendly and helpful. She asked me if I had tried Illamasqua before and when I revealed my newbie status she was almost excited to share the brand with me.  She was more than happy to discuss the brand with me and tell me all about the fabulous products they have on offer. Also, and this is super, super exciting, she immediately gave me a voucher for two complimentary make-up transformations!!! This was just as an introduction to the brand, so that I could see the products in action... WOW!!! Now that's customer service!

Some of you may know that late last year Illamasqua stepped up to the plate in the fight for a fair price for beauty in Australia. Beauty products are ridiculously expensive in Australia, particularly in comparison with the rest of the world. Illamasqua has taken a stand against this by lowering their prices by 35% across the board! By doing so us Aussie pay essentially the same price as our friends in the UK. Finally, a company that cares about its customers and their needs! I am so impressed by this and I feel that Illamasqua deserves our support. In my opinion, if Illamasqua can demonstrate that it is viable for cosmetics companies to lower the RRP here in the land down under, then other companies may follow suit. Which means less hunting around online to find the products I want, at a price that wont completely break the bank. So, with that said, I strongly urge you to support Illamasqua in some way, shape or form and maybe, just maybe, some other brands will lower their prices too.

Anyway, moving right along.... I checked out a few of their products, but being a little poor at the moment I only picked up one. I grabbed their Cream Blusher in Dixie... and Oh Em Geee I am in LOVE!!! It is phenomenal. I am so impressed by it! It is so, so soft and creamy, out of this world pigmentation and it blends like a dream. Seriously, I literally dipped my finger in once, tapped it on to my cheeks and blended it out to cover my entire cheek. The tiniest amount goes the longest way. I am speechless! Truly an impressive product and I NEED more ASAP!!! 

I am really excited by Illamasqua as a brand and as a company. I am looking forward to exploring them more and sharing my experiences with you all. I will definitely be taking advantage of the complimentary make-up transformation and I will be sure to let you all know how it goes. If you have an Illamasqua counter nearby I highly recommend that you stop by and check out this awesome brand. In the mean time do check out my Illamasqua Australia Rave Video and subscribe to My Channel so you can keep up to date with my discoveries. 

Read More

Beauty Babble Featuring Ulta3 Lipsticks

Welcome to Beauty Babble... A series of blog posts featuring products I've tried and tested. I'll be giving you the 4-1-1; all the details you need on some of THE most talked about products.

Following MissTango2 on Instagram led me to discover Ulta3 Lip Sticks. She posted this amazing picture of the Ulta3 Stand at her local Terry White Chemist. Initially, I noticed the impressive colour selection. There were just so many colours to choose from! But then, after studying the photo, I saw something rather alarming. The price. The display advertised the lipsticks as being $2.95 each for the regular and $3.95 for the matte varieties. I was shocked and excited all at once; obviously I NEEDED to have them immediately.

Exploring the Ulta3 stand is like a dream come true. I went swatch crazy. The colours were all so amazing, it was almost impossible to choose. I ended up decided upon 5 shades that I feel in love with on first swatch. I know, very tame of me :)

L to R:
031 Misty Mauve, 034 Brown Sugar, 019 Forever Fawn, 026 Rosa, 040 Coral Reef

L to R:
031 Misty Mauve, 034 Brown Sugar, 019 Forever Fawn, 026 Rosa, 040 Coral Reef

All I can say is WOW!!! These lippys literally make me speechless. They are phenomenal!!!

The first thing that strikes you about these lippies is the packaging. Ulta3 has done an exceptional job. The bargain price certainly doesn't mean low quality, in fact the packaging of these lipsticks is among some of the best I've ever seen. What I really love is the fact that the colour is clearly visible. It makes it easy to store and even easier to select the colour you desire when reaching for it. I give Ulta3 a massive two thumbs up; they've clearly thought about the packaging and more importantly about their consumers and their needs.

I absolutely LOVE the colours I purchased. I have been wearing them non-stop since I got them in late December, 2012.

031 Misty Mauve is a beautiful deep pink tone matte lipstick. I have been thrashing this one and I am really enjoying it. The Matte formulation is not drying at all; it goes on the lips beautifully and has impressive staying power.

031 Misty Mauve

031 Misty Mauve

034 Brown Sugar is another matte shade. It's a gorgeous deep nude brown and once again the formula is so creamy and feels amazing on the lips. I have really loved this colour for night time looks, when I'm after something a little more natural.

034 Brown Sugar

034 Brown Sugar

019 Fawn Fever is lighter brown tone nude shade. I absolutely adore this lipstick. For me it is the perfect nude shade lipstick. It glides on effortlessly and gives the lips a stunning glow. I have been reaching for this quite frequently, I enjoy wearing it on a daily basis or when I've created a more dramatic eye.

019 Fawn Fever 

019 Fawn Fever 

026 Rosa is a deep brown-pink tone nude with a gorgeous sheen. It's lovely for giving your lips a touch of pink colour, while still maintaining the dignity of a nude and natural. It's a fabulous tone and works really nicely with a smokey eye.

026 Rosa

026 Rosa

040 Coral Reef is a stunning bright pink toned coral which gives your lips an amazing pop of colour. I love it for summer and I can see this being my go to shade of the season. This colour is so pigmented it's insane! I have been enjoying applying this colour to the lip, blotting, then applying a second coat to ensure the colour is long lasting.

040 Coral Reef

040 Coral Reef

Finally, let's talk formulation. It's gorgeous. All of the lipsticks, both matte and normal, are so very creamy and moisturising. they honestly feel so very luscious on you lips, making them ideal for all day wear. The colour pay off and pigmentation is a good as any lipstick I've used. All in all, an amazing product that is absolutely worth a look.

Overall, the Ulta3 lipsticks are a great way to add to you lipstick collection. There are wide range of colours to choose from, making them an excellent option when wanting to try out a new/unusual colour. Furthermore, at just $2.95 for the normal and $3.95 for Matte they are unbeatable in terms of value for money, you seriously can't go wrong. If you haven't already checked them out, I strongly suggest that you do.

Hit me up on Twitter @esteembeautyxo and let me know what you think of Beauty Babble and what products you would like to see featured throughout 2013.

xo Lisa xo 

Read More

Current Sales... Too Good To Miss!

For us Shopaholics this is the best/worst time of year.... You guessed it... once again it's Sale Time!!! That amazing time of year that you absolutely love, but your bank account dreads. If you're like me you are subscribed to EVERY single VIP list possible, which means your inbox is currently overloaded with a huge variety of sales and offers from all of your favourite shopping destinations.

I wanted to quickly draw your attention to one which you simply cannot afford to miss! Chemist Warehouse  has up to 60% off a wide range of beauty products!! Wow, Wow, Wow!!! Wait... it gets better. They have.... deep breath.... a MASSIVE 50% off their complete range of  Maybelline, Revlon and Rimmel. Eeeeekkkk!!!

Needless to say I wanted to go a little crazy.... but I didn't. I had to restrict myself. I picked up a few bits and pieces I'd been wanting, but I definitely could have bought more.... Luckily the sale is still on, so I may pop back and grab a few extra things I've been lusting over!

Check out what I bought....

As you know from my Top12 of 2012 I absolutely love the Maybelline 24 Hour Color Tattoos, so it's no surprise that they are my pick of the sale. Selling at just over $5, you can't go past this bargain! I grabbed #30 Pomegranate Punk, #25 Bad to the Bronze and #05 Too Cool. I absolutely love these, so I was excited to find them in Australia at such a great price.  

Rimmel London Kate Moss Lipstick in colour 03

Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Eraser Dark Circles in colour 60 Brightener

My obsession with Revlon Lip Butters continues... picked up colour 095 Creme Brulee. 

Another gem from Revlon... Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain in Adore. 

A Revlon Romance...??? Couldn't leave behind MakeupByTiffanyD's recommendation of this Revlon Colorstay Smoky Shadow Stick in colour 201 Torch. 

I recently watched MakeUp Geek's How to Look Fresh & Dewy Tutorial, in that she recommended using a creme blush for creating the best dewy effect. So I had wanted to grab one... figured at 50% off I would give the Revlon Photoready Creme Blush in colour 100 Pinched a try... 

I remember hearing Goo Roo Beauty mentioning the Rimmel London Scandaleyes range in one of her recent videos, so I decided to pick up a couple of products to try out. First I got the Scandaleyes Waterproof Kohl in colour 004 Taupe. 

And, I couldn't go past this Waterproof Gel Eyeliner in colour 001 Black, also from Rimmel London. 

So what are you waiting for!! I know you're itching to get down to your local Chemist Warehouse and go a little crazy! You've got to be quick though... according to my local, the sale finishes this Sunday, 6th January 2013.

Be sure to let me know what you pick up! Please comment below as to what blogs you would like to see from me in 2013. I would love and appreciate your input.

Thanks for reading!

xo Lisa xo 

Read More

My Top10 Aussie YouTubers of 2012

2012 was the year that I really 'discovered' YouTube. I have enjoyed following a number of Beauty Gurus from around the world, however my absolute favourites have been the Aussie Beauty Gurus. I wanted to share with you my Top10 Aussie YouTubers of 2012, in the hopes that you can check them out and fall in love with these amazingly talented ladies, just as I have. These Gurus have inspired me, introduced me to countless exceptional products and taught me more than I ever could have imagined. If you haven't yet seen their videos I highly recommend that you follow the links below and check them out; trust me, you wont regret it.

1 - Jodi at Goo Roo Beauty

Jodi is such a beautiful soul, who is just so incredibly talented. Her videos are some of the best researched I have ever watched; I always trust her opinions, she is honest, thorough and she has never led me astray. Jodi has a make-up collection to die for!!! Her hauls are amongst the very best on YouTube and she provides brilliant explanations about each product. Jodi is based in Perth, where she lives with her gorgeous family, you have to check out her recent video starring her two daughters, I have never seen anything more adorable in my life! In my opinion Jodi is one of the most knowledgable Beauty Gurus on YouTube and her channel is definitely my favourite of 2012. I encourage you to check it out, she is well worth the visit! 

2 - Brittney at Beautybybrittneyx

I absolutely LOVE this girl!! She is hilarious and has me in stitches ever single video! She is a true blue Aussie gal who creates great quality videos and best of all, she uploads frequently!!! I get so excited when one of her vids pops up in my sub box; her videos range from OOTD, tutorials, tags, reviews and so on. Brittney's recent YouTube Story inspired me to really commit to this blog and I plan to start making my own YouTube videos in 2013. Brittney has reached over 27,000 subscribers this year and I believe her popularity will continue to grow throughout 2013. Recently, Brittney moved to Brisbane to live with her Bestie Shellbarbie, and their collab videos are not to be missed, espescially the Day to Night Makeup Tutorial.  Be sure to check out her channel and tell her EsteemBeautyxo sent you!

3 - Shell at Shellbarbie

It's very easy to see why Shell and Brittney are BFFs. This chick is an absolute champ. She is so extremely talented and honestly she deserve to have triple the subscribers she has. I have loved seeing her popularity grow throughout 2012 and I can confidently say that her channel will continue to gain momentum in 2013. Once again she is so honest and tells it how it is, which I love. Probably one of my favourite things about Shell is how real she is; it's rare to find such a gorgeous girl, not just on YouTube but in life in general. I urge you to pop over to Shell's channel, I know you will fall in love with her! I recommend checking out her Day to Night Makeup Tutorial with Brittney, you'll never laugh so hard!


4 - Dominique at DOMMsmiles

Dom!!! She Rocks!!!! I first discovered Dominique in an IMATS vlog, she kept popping up and making me laugh out loud and I thought I'd better check her out! i've been obsessed ever since. I get so excited when I see her vids pop up, they never disappoint. She has a great sense of style and her haul videos are always worth a watch; as mentioned in my Top12 of 2012 Dom introduced me to Essence and sparked a new brand obsession for me. Dom's videos are of high quality and how she keeps her room so clean I will never know!!! If you're looking for a great YouTuber who is guaranteed to make you smile, pop over to Dom's Channel.

5 - Rachael at Rachaeljadee

Rachael was actually the VERY FIRST Aussie YouTuber that I discovered. She does great haul videos, tutorials, Vlogs and updates; Rachael introduced me to one of my favourite new book series, McCarthy's of Gansett Island. I have really enjoyed Rachaels recent Vlogmas on her second channel RachaelLikesToRamble. One of the first things you  will notice about Rachael is her gorgeous hair and amazing smile, I definitely recommend that you check it out.

6 - Renee at WinterRose84

First of all, that Nail Polish Collection... WOW!!! Renee is beautifully spoken, knowledgable, trustworthy and has a lot to offer. She offers a wide variety of videos on her channel and her Truth or Dare Tuesdays are not to be missed. Her name is quite apt as Renee sort of reminds me of a Rose; she is very elegant and sophisticated. Do pop over and check out her channel, she is an absolute delight.

7 - Ashleigh  at Ash4makeup

I credit Ashleigh with my addiction to Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stains. I have been following Ash since about mid-way through 2012 and I thoroughly enjoy all of her vids. Her tutorials are awesome, she is a really, really talented Makeup Artist. I believe she is currently working at Mecca and I am green with envy!! One of my favourite videos is her October Favs, she's definitely worth a look and I suggest you subscribe because this girl is set to take YouTube by storm!

8 - Poppy at Makeupwithpoppy

It's Poppy!!! With the most amazing backdrop on YouTube and sporting a new fab shorter hair-do, I can't go past a video by Poppy. Her videos are always really informative and of high quality and content. Poppy has been a real inspiration to me in 2012 because she is at Uni studying, but she is also undertaking a makeup course at the Academy of Makeup (i believe). I love that she is following her passion and sharing her love of all things beauty and makeup with the world through YouTube. She is a very talented up and coming YouTuber and I can't say enough great things about her, you absolutely HAVE to check her out!

9 - Ella at Smileycitrus

With a catch phrase of "Peace, Love and Guacamole" how can you not love and adore Ella from smileycitrus??? I recently stumbled upon Ella and I have been obsessed with her videos ever since. She's living in Adelaide, originally from the UK, her accent is the best!!! Being born and raised in Adelaide, Ella holds a special place in my heart and she always manages to cheer me up. Ella is quite a humorous person and her editing adds to the entertainment value of her vids.  Her recent What I Got For Christmas Video is worth a view for sure!

10 - Mel at MissTango2

MissTango2 introduced me to Australis Finishing Spritz and for that alone I will be forever grateful. She is extremely talented and absolutely gorgeous!! I love that she posts a variety of videos to her channel, ensuring that there is something for everyone. Her How To: Glowing Skin video is probably one of my favourite videos of 2012. Mel is a great example of what Australia has to offer the YouTube community and I strongly recommend you check her out ASAP!!

Thanks So Much for Reading. If you enjoy me Blog please share it on FaceBook or Twitter!! Stay tuned for more and feel free to comment, I would love to get your feed back!!

xo Lisa xo

Ps: Come find me on Twitter! Follow me @esteembeautyxo 

Read More

Australis Totes Smokin' Eyeshadow Palette

Recently, whilst shopping at my local Target, I came across this great little palette by Australis. The Totes Smokin' Eyeshadow Palette, with its perfectly balanced mix of warm gold, copper and taupe tones as well as deep cool toned purples, is a great go-to palette for creating gorgeous day or night looks all year round. At just $7.85 you can't beat this little powerhouse in terms of value for money, with each colour costing under $1!!!

The robust and compact packaging of this palette, in combination with its versatility, makes it the ideal travel companion. It's made of durable hard wearing plastic and features a full size mirror; it snaps shut securely insuring piece of mind!

The first and lightest shade in the palette is a gorgeous neutral, shimmery tone with subtle gold undertones which is ideal as an inner corner highlight. It has excellent colour pay off and the buttery consistency is reminiscent of several Urban Decay shadows I have used. Next is a simple taupe with a sight shimmer, which pays off as more of a sheen on the lid, perfect as an all over lid colour, this little number is fast becoming a favourite. The copper shade, with exceptional pigmentation and a stunning sheen, is another stand out. It's a versatile shadow which can be used in the crease or as an all over colour and is the perfect addition to any gold smokey look. The deep brown shade, with subtle almost copper undertones, features small amount of glitter and transfers nicely to the lid. The pigmentation is not exceptional, however it is very workable with the other shades in the palette.

The lilac shade contains small blue-ish/purple glitter particles, as gorgeous as the colour is in the pan, its pay off is weak on the lid and is probably my least favourite of the eight shades. Having said that, it is nice as an inner corner colour as it blends nicely with the darker shades to create a gradual smokey eye look. The deep purple tone features an almost silver glitter which transfers nicely to the lid, perfect for creating a night time party look. Next is a very unique  deep brown, almost black shade with slight gold glitter particles, I love this as an outer corner colour, or for deepening and darkening the crease. Colour pay off is decent, however it is slightly powdery so watch out for fall out! The bright purple shade is beautiful for providing a pop of colour to the lid or crease, nice for adding a little something extra to your smokey eye.

Below is a simple gold/bronze smokey eye look I created on my gorgeousl friend Chloe. I used the four gold/brown tones to create this look, working from the lightest in the inner corner, blending with the two mid tones and finally deepening the crease with the darkest shade. I absolutely loved working with these shadows, they blended beautifully and added just the perfect amount of drama to Chloe's big, breath-taking eyes.

Overall, the  Australis Totes Smokin' Eyeshadow Palette, is a great buy and a beautiful palette to use. As the name suggests it's ideal for creating gorgeous smokey eyes, however it is versatile enough that it can be used for day or night time looks. As a frequent flyer I personally love this palette for its compact size and range of quality colours. For me it's a brilliant travel companion, one which i enjoy traveling with in the future. If you're on the look out for a good quality, low cost palette I highly recommend checking out the  Australis Totes Smokin' Eyeshadow Palette, for the price you really can't go past it.

Thanks for reading! Hope you found this helpful. Feel free to comment below, let me know what your favourite budget palette is!

Until next time.... 

xo Lisa xo

Read More