Monthly Archives: April 2012

Mother/Daughter Monday: Revlon Lip Butter Review

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Part of the mother/daughter blog idea is that we often try the same product and have varying (or frighteningly similar) opinons and so Mother/Daughter Monday is our joint weekly feature.

Lately we have both – like every other beauty blogger on the Internet – become fascinated by Revlon Lip Butters. It's been said before and we'll say it again, here's what we both thought about the lipstick everyone is talking about!

Sue says:

You know how sometimes you are in step with the media about new products (you may have been to the hairdresser or doctor lately and caught up on all the magazines) but at other times you aren't aware of a new product until everyone is talking about it and the shelves are down to only a few colours in the range? 

The latter refers to me and Revlon's new Lip Butters. I had heard nothing until all of a sudden they're in every magazine I pick up, every blog I read, and under my nose in every chemist.

I wouldn't have bothered to buy one, except that I didn't want to be left out of the hype and Priceline was running a 2 for 1 deal so the price wasn't too bad.

I went for two very different colours: Number 035 Candy Apple and Number 020 Brown Sugar. I was restricted by how slow off the mark to purchase that I've been.

I'm impressed.  I like the smooth, buttery texture when applying, and they feel great to wear.  They are a good week-end lipstick, when I normally just wear a sheer or a lipgloss.  But this is easier to apply than a gloss and has greater staying power.  Not as formal looking as lipstick (and doesn't last as long) therefore more relaxed.  I wouldn't wear them for work or to a wedding, or for a formal night out, but they are great for a day time slick of gloss and colour.  The Candy Apple is a good, fun hue, clean and clear with a hint of red, but not too dense; and the Brown Sugar is caramelly and shimmery.

I'd urge all ages to try them, but try to get a deal because at $21.95 each they are a little expensive for what they are.

Katherine says:

I'm not really going to say anything new from Mum or from what others are saying when reviewing the Lip Butters. I think the price is hefty at $21.95 (especially when compared to the U.S price of $7.95) but I picked mine up during my recent Priceline bender as a 2-4-1 bringing them down to a much more reasonable $11ish each.

Due partly to all the hype and also to shade names like Gumdrop and Cupcakes (the two I left with), I couldn't really say no. My biggest gripe at the time was the fact that of the very small selection remaining, there were no testers, and of the testers available, those colours were sold out – i'm guessing a combination of the awesome sale and the fact that these lip treats are what everyone has been talking about lately!

This, unfortunately resulted in me getting home to find the colours very similar – one is slightly more purple, the other slightly more pink. They are frosty and feel like icing on my lips (not complaining there). I find they don't dry my lips out like normal lipsticks often tend to do and don't freak my boyfriend out like a bold lip does.

The stay-power is about the same as a lip balm, I suppose, so be prepared to reapply throughout the day, but the price is definitely the biggest critcism I have. Mostly, I just love having a frosty, pink lipstick called Cupcake that acts as a hint of colour and a lip moisturiser in one!

We clearly have similar opinions about LIp Butters despite choosing very different hues. Have you tried the new buttery product on everyone's lips? Do you think they're worth the hype (or the price)? Let us know here or on our new Facebook page.

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Our Beauty Wishlists

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Wow Friday has come around quickly! Perhaps that's because I (Katherine) am on holiday and days just seem to fly by when you don't have to go to work!

We thought it would be a great way to end our first week by doing a bit of a wishlist of beauty products we are lusting over a little bit right now, so here goes!

Katherine's Wish List:

- ModelCo Fibrelash – $48

- Clinique long last lipstick in Runway Coral – $36

- Antipodes Apostle Skin Brightening & Toning Correcting Serum (100% because of this post – check it out, if only for the Hugh Laurie/Blackadder gif!) – $59

- Hair extensions from Hadassah's Hair and Beauty. Never been interested until I saw how good Hadassah's look with her short hair and now I want them!! – $250

-  A Grape Fit by OPI (image example from here) – $19.95

 

Sue's Wish List:

- Lancôme Rouge in Love lipstick in Corail in Love – $45

- Clinique long last lipstick in Runway Coral – $36

- Napoleon 'Luxe Basics' 4 piece brush set - $65

- The Lip Scrub by Sara Happ – $25

- L'Oreal Infallible Eyeliner in Night and Day Black.

We are so bad. I can tell you that by the time this list is published, Mum has already bought at least two (possibly three, unconfirmed) of her wish list items and I now want, not only mine, but hers as well. Good thing we started a beauty blog, I suppose! What are you currently lusting over?

Have a great weekend!

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Clinique’s Even Better

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Do you ever find that you love a product, but you allow marketing and hype to cloud your judgement?  I've bought a lot of cosmetics over the years based on advertisements or endorsements I've seen in magazines.  I've read what products are celebrity's favourites, what they carry in their handbag, and then I've gone out and bought them. Sometimes they've impressed, sometimes they've been found wanting.
 
I also always read the articles about what product people can't live without – mascara, lip gloss, the list goes on – but I can't live without foundation.  Because that's what it is, the foundation for everything else.  It smooths out your colour and evens your skin tone.  I have changed and upgraded my brand many times over the years, bought at all different price points, always on the look out for the perfect one.


 And I found it.  Clinique's Even Better, and it was even better than the one I was using before, and much cheaper.  And I loved it.  And I got a gift with my purchase.  Even better!

One of the products in the gift was Clinique's serum, Repairwear Laser Focus Wrinkle and UV Damage Corrector.  A beautiful product that I truly believe improved the appearance of my skin after a few days.  So, a couple of months later when I returned to the Clinique counter to replace my Even Better, and they had a new foundation with the serum in it, Repairwear Laser Focus All-Smooth Makeup, I bought that instead. 

With a bigger price tag and the added serum, it had to be even better than Even Better, surely.  And I wore it the next day and I hated it. It was thick and cakey but I persisted, because it should have been even better than my favourite.  I persisted for weeks in fact, day after day, disappointed every time I used it.
Then last week, in frustration, I went to the Clinique website to check the price differential between the two products, and I saw these little stars next to the products.  Clinique asks its customers to rate it's products and I noticed that the Repairwear only had half a star, and the Even Better was tracking ahead with four and a half stars.  I read the reviews and all the other reviewers hated Repairwear foundation.  So I was decided, it wasn't just me.  The Repairwear had to go and Even Better was back.
 
When I went to buy my Even Better, I was also on the hunt for the perfect red lipstick to see me through winter.  Where to buy a red lipstick?  Chanel of course!  And, with my beautiful new red lipstick, I got a sample of a Chanel foundation, which I wore one day this week.  It's not as good as Even Better.  Not even close.  Nothing is going to tempt me now.  Everytime I look in the mirror I'm glad that I'm wearing Clinique Even Better.  My skin looks great, and I feel great!

Do you have a product that you keep going back to?

 

 

Clinique Even Better retails for $50 rrp; Clinique Repairwear retails for $68rrp; and the Repairwear Laser Focus Wrinkle and UV Damage Corrector retails for $98. All images borrowed from the Clinique website for the purpose of promotion and review only!

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My Best GWP To Date

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I really wanted to leave the first Gift With Purchase post to Mum because she is, undeniably, the Queen of the GWP, but I just couldn't help it, I had to share this deal with you!!

As you are probably already aware, Priceline is dangerous. If you don't believe me, ask Michaela over at Lather Rinse Repeat; she will back me up! The other day, I innocently went in to buy a nail buffer to attempt a Shellac self-removal and I left the store about 40 minutes later with a ridiculous amount of product and a hazy memory of what took place there. It's kind of like what happens to contestants on The Voice if they look directly into Seal's eyes; they don't know what's happening and neither did I!

Firstly, I want to give you a brief idea of what I actually purchased (stay tuned for reviews on these bad boys):

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2 x Revlon Lip Butters, 1 x Revlon Colourburst lipstick, 1 x Revlon Translucide Nail Polish, 1 x Manicare nail buffer, 1 x Rimmel 60 Second Nail Polish, 1 x Rimmel Lasting Finish

Total spent = $62 (there was a crazy 2-4-1 thing happening)

This is what I walked away with (I say that like I stole it or won it on The Price Is Right, but I assure you, that is exaclty how it felt when I got home to see what I'd actually acquired):

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1 x snakeskin print bag, 1 x body pouf, 1 x 1000 Hours Nail Foils with applicator and nail tools, I x Manicare tweezers, 1 x Models Prefer sponge, 1 x Natio Mineral Pressed Powder, 1 x Australis Paparazzi Perfect Blush, 1 x Max Factor Xperience mascara, 1 x DB Savvy pencil, 1 x Models Prefer eye liner, 1 x Revlon Lipgloss, 1 x Innoxa lipstick, 1 x Rimmel Lasting Finish nail polish, 1 x Nude Soft Focus Illuminator, 2 x Press and Go nail kit, 1 x Garnier Exfoliator Wipes.

Total Value = $220

See, I scored big. The items in this GWP might not be what you would normally buy, but if you're in Priceline spending the money anyway (minimum $60 spend on selected brands), then you can't really be too disappointed with this glorious gift. I know I'm not!

I walked past Priceline in the city on Sunday (yes, I refrained from going in) and they were still advertising the insanity that I took part in, it's worth checking out. 

What's the best GWP you've received?

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Lips or Eyes?

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Lips or eyes?  Eyes or lips?  Which one to accentuate whilst you down-play the other?  Everything I've read about make-up tells me that you have to choose one and stick to it.  But which one?

Going with bold red lips?  Then eyes need to be soft and natural.

Source: bit.ly via Katherine on Pinterest

Wearing out the kohl by going for smoldering, smokey eyes?  Then nude lips are the go.

I've favoured my eyes now for many years.  I wear black pencil along both my top lid and underneath my bottom lashes nearly every day; I do the 2 or 3 shade eyeshadow as well; and tidy up my brows with a soft beige pencil.  Last but not least, I finish with two coats of black mascara on all lashes.  It's my standard 'go to work' look.  Then, at night, I will often add liquid eyeliner, which I've steadily perfected over the years (only to be fighting an uphill battle as age makes the lines go a little crepey!).

Source: tumblr.com via Katherine on Pinterest

I will also admit here to trying semi-permanent lash extensions earlier this year, but that is a story for another day…

Because of my trust in all media on cosmetics, I have tended to stick to lighter coloured lipsticks to balance my more made-up eyes.  I have also found that once you hit about 40, darker colours have a tendency to bleed into the lines around your lips, which is not a good look.  

Until earlier this month, that is. I had lunch with 3 girlfriends (well, they are more women than girls, but great friends none-the-less) and one (who is much younger than the rest of us) was sporting bold, red lipstick and I was hooked.  I was going to try the red lips again if it was the last thing I did.

Back at home, searching in amongst my 100-odd lipsticks, I found six reds of varying hues, and equally varying brands but not one of them was what I wanted.  They all looked old and sad and I knew in my heart of hearts that if you're going to do red lipstick, there's only one brand that is going to cut it and it was missing from my life.

I went to see the ladies at Chanel, because no one knew red lipstick like Coco and, into my life, I introduced the perfect red lipstick for me – matched to my complexion, with just the right amount of glossiness and no bleeding into the lines.  Thank you, Chanel.

Armed with my new purchase, I was ready to take on a new look but with bold, red lips instinct told me, I needed to tone down my eyes. Which I did.  However, every time I saw myself in a mirror, I looked all wrong.  My eyes had disappeared into my head; they needed a little encouragement to stand out as a part of my face. 

Maybe it's my age.  Maybe these rules are made for girls in their 20s.  Maybe I should read less magazines. Maybe more mature aged ladies need the balance of lips and eyes to look good. Does the advice mean that women with naturally dark eyes, think luxurious lashes and strong eyebrows have to steer away from bold, red lips? No!

So I have put down the magazine and picked up the eyeshadow brush, even when sporting my Rouge Coco 22.  After all these years I know what looks good on me and, after all, aren't rules meant to be broken?

 

 

 

Chanel's Rouge Coco 22 retails for $50 and is available in Australia from Myer and David Jones department stores.

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The Perfect Lipstick

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There are three things, it seems, that women are on the search for at some point in their life – the perfect man, the perfect bag, and the perfect lipstick. You might be lucky enough to find the man (Ryan Gosling, duh) and the bag (even if it might just be out of your price range), but the perfect lipstick is always on the horizon, the perfect colour changes from season to season and will we ever find one that doesn't budge while you sip your latte?

Obviously, there are things in life more significant than the perfect lipstick – love, family, laughter, memories – but it’s one of those things that can make any dull day seem brighter. In bad economic times, it is a fact that lipstick sales go up because it is the one, affordable luxury item that women can count on even when times are tough.

The Perfect Lipstick came into fruition when my mum and I decided to take years worth of research, samples, and purchases and put it to good use. From when we lived together and, now, over Skype, we have always loved sharing our recent beauty buys, sneaky gifts with purchase (GWP), current loves, and make up mishaps with each other and now we’ve decided it’s time to share it with anyone who is interested.

Mumsie!

We have a lot of great stuff to tell you about, but first I better introduce us (that's us up there ^). I’m Katherine; a 20-something living in Sydney. I work in television, spend too much time online, think cake and coffee is as great a combination as eye liner and mascara, and write a lifestyle blog called Through My Looking Glass.

My mum, Sue, will be co-writing this blog. She is a 50-something living in Brisbane, she is an incredible optimist who has taught me everything I know, she has the most intense lipstick collection I have ever seen, and never turns down free postage or a GWP.

Together, we plan on bringing you up to date reviews of our beauty and fashion purchases from two different age groups so be sure to come back and invite your mother or your daughter along too!

 

 

 

 

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