Mauve Addiction

As a reformed blush-phobe I have never really had the chance to get into the deeper, mauve-toned blushes you see making their circulation every time winter rolls around - until this year. When the Max Factor Creme Puff blushes launched here in Australia, the stalls seemed to be forever cleared of them, which was no surprise to me as they seem to be everywhere in the blogging world lately, but I finally managed to get my hands on 'Lavish Mauve', the shade I'd been hunting for.

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Perfect Brows

Brows are a feature that are very important to me, along with most of the blogging community it seems. I'm not someone who trusts other people with my brows as I've heard one too many horror stories. For this reason I have always done my brows myself and am always more than happy with the results, so I thought I would share my tricks with you all!

Shaping

This can be a tricky one depending on what your brows look like naturally, but if you're like me and already have quite a defined shape it's much simpler. If you have a good look at your brows you will see which hairs are the outliers, so to speak, and these are what you want to pluck. Be cautious because one hair too far can make a big difference, but if you take it slow it will be fine. I don't really believe in the "never pluck ___" rules, as I find stray hairs grow both above and below, so do what suits you and your brows.

If your brow shape isn't as defined or you're unsure if you have the right shape down pat, start by filling in your brows as you usually would. Once they're filled in the way you like, it will become clear what hairs need to go and which make up your brow shape.

If you have some hairs that grow above the brow line, those pesky strands that are usually right at the front of the brow, don't be afraid to use scissors (the idea always scared me!). Tiny nail scissors are definitely what will work in your favour,  and this is another thing you really want to take your time with - don't do this as you're needing to rush out the door! Start slow and trim tiny bits a time. It's always better to go slowly than to take off too much at once. 

Filling In

This is my favourite step in my brow routine as it just brings them to life. Everyone prefers a different method when it comes to brows, and I have tried a lot of products, but I always go to back to powder. A powder and wax combination is what I prefer most, as the wax helps the powder adhere to the patches of skin that it usually wouldn't take to. I love powder because it creates a very defined look, but it is also very natural at the same time. 

My method is quite simple. I apply some wax to my brows then go in with a thin angled brush and fill  in my brows. As a rule of thumb, I like to leave the front of the brows quite product free, maybe a light dusting, and tend to go darker the closer to the tail I get. This creates that natural look, as it can look a little blocky if you fill in the front too much. This is my preference, though, and it all depends on what look you're wanting to achieve. Finally, I finish up my work with a brow gel to set and lock in the powder. 

Finishing Touches

There are a few little finishing touches that can really make a difference if you have the time. These are things I don't necessarily do everyday, but when I do it does make my brows pop even more. A brow bone highlight is always great and really does lift the brows. Any shade you feel works, I usually change it up between white and champagne tones.

Concealing around the perimeter of the brows is also another big one. This tidies up any edges and also gives that highlighted effect. It can also mask any stray hairs you've missed. This is definitely something I only do when I have a full face on, but it does give a really nice effect.

These are my steps to my perfect brows, and I like to think they are quite simple and foolproof. Is your routine similar and what is something extra you like to do?

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The Review: Benefit's 'Watts Up' Highlighter

It needs to be said first and foremost that I'm by no stretch a highlighter girl. To be perfectly honest, this is the first actual highlighter I've ever owned that's sole purpose is to highlight. I've played with shadows that give similar effects before, but I've never really enjoyed the glittery look on my skin. This product has been sitting in my collection since Christmas time when I received it in a Benefit gift pack. I finally decided to bite the bullet and give it ago because it's not a cheap product by any means and was literally collecting dust in my collection.

Benefit's "Watts Up!" highlighter is a cream to powder finish which I personally love. This texture confused me at first because I hadn't come across anything like it before, but I came to really enjoy how easy it was to apply in the stick format and how easy it was to blend as it became more powdery. The colour is warm, golden and stunning to look at especially in the sunlight. I use a minuscule amount in the typical highlighting areas and blend it out to keep it subtle. However, you can use as much or as little as you want and achieve any level of highlight you're going for from strong to barely-there which makes it an amazing all-rounder.

I'm a sucker for packaging and with 'Watts Up!' it really needs to be mentioned. I love the soft lavender paired with the metallic finish and the everything from the shape to the little lightbulb details makes me happy! The blender on the end is definitely useable, but it really does sheer out the product which is something to keep in mind if you're looking for a bolder look. Overall, I definitely think this is a must-try for highlighter lovers based alone on how stunning the colour is!

Have you tried this and what is your application method? I'm still a little unsure!

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My Collection #3: Sigma Brushes

The first year of me doing my makeup was a ton of sponge tip applicators, fingers and one very average brush that was used for all of my powder products. These were the dark ages of my makeup life and I soon found myself searching for something more - dramatic huh? It wasn't something I wanted to splurge on, but I did want good quality, so I decided that Sigma's Mr Bunny Travel Kit was a good place to start and get a feel for what Sigma as a brand has to offer.

For $75 you receive seven brushes and one of Sigma's classic travel cases. One thing to note is that these brushes are "travel sized" but I personally prefer shorter handles and haven't noticed substantial brush head sizing difference except when it comes to the powder and contour brush, which again, doesn't bother me but is definitely something to consider.

The face brushes included are the F30 Large Powder, F40 Large Angled Contour and F60 Foundation. My favourite of these is the powder brush as it distributes just the right amount of product on the face and buffs it in seamlessly, plus, it's super soft and feels great on the skin. The angled brush is the perfect size for contouring, but is a little on the small side when it comes to blush. I don't find myself reaching for the foundation brush, but this is solely because I hate all paddle brushes. It could be the best paddle brush in the world and I still probably wouldn't take to it.

The eye brushes are my favourite part of this collection and are everything you need to make a gorgeous look. These are the  E30 Pencil, E40 Tapered Blending, E55 Eye Shading and the E65 Small Angle. My favourite is the blending brush, it really makes a huge difference to your eye looks and is the one brush you need if you want your eyeshadow to look flawless. Another notable brush is the small angle which I use every single day for my brows and it does an amazing job! The pencil and shader are great too, but there's not much to say on them except that they do their job.

The brushes in this kit were perfectly selected and truly cover all the bases, especially on a travel front which is what it's designed for. I really don't find myself reaching for anything out of this kit except for my EcoTools blush brush and my Real Techniques multitasker for my base. This is a great kit for beginners or someone wanting a taste of the brand without committing to the full sets.

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