Lip of the week – Clinique High Impact Lip Colour SPF 15

This one is a bit of a cheat.  This wonderful lipstick was a freebie in a 2012 GWP.  It's a High Impact Lip Colour (SPF15) in Nearly Violet.  But I love it and thought you needed to know (especially because of the SPF).

And although it is a fairly light, nudey kind of hue, it lasts really well, feels great on, and I've been stuck on it all week!!

FYI – Clinique lipsticks in this green plastic casing are GWP – the real ones look like this.

Have you tried a Clinique High Impact Lip Colour? What do you think? Let us know in the comments below if you're a fan (or not!).

 

Mother/Daughter Monday: Clinique Chubby Stick

The Product: Clinique Chubby Stick Moisturising Lip Colour Balm

The Purpose: They say "Super-nourishing balm is loaded with mango and shea butters. Just what dry, delicate lips need to feel comfortably soft and smooth. Eight mouth watering lip tints in all, each with a subtle sheen."

The Price: RRP $35 from Clinique counters in 16 shades


Sue Says:

Well it's not normally me that's the last one on the band wagon for a new lip product, but I have to admit that I was a Chubby Stick virgin until only two weeks ago.

Lots of excuses, but my main reason for not forking out the $35 was that it is a colour balm, not a lipstick, and not a gloss.  And at my age I need a product that shouts itself out loud and clear.

However, good old Clinique have jumped on the October Breast Cancer awareness, and I was able to purchase the Pink with a Purpose, Limited Edition Chubby Stick which comes in Plumped Up Pink, with a cute little barrel bag to go with it.  Definately worth waiting for as Clinique donates a whopping $5 for each one purchased.

It's not the colour I would have chosen.  If not buying for the good cause, I probably would have picked Fuller Fig or Graped Up.  But it is a lovely product and 89% of reviewers on the Clinique site said they would recommend it to a friend.  I would recommend it to anyone under 50, but beyond that it's just a fun lip balm that's easy to carry and apply.  Without a lip liner underneath it's too sheer to have much effect.

But it's Clinique – a brand I love – therefore I have to give it 9 out of 10.


Katherine Says:

I have to be honest, I mostly bought a Clinique Chubby Stick because the name was hilarious and the colours and 'chubbiness' of the stick are great. I am so much more a lip balm wearer than a lipstick wearer as the former has been a part of my life for so long and such a comfortable part of my life for so long that I am more likely to buy and wear a moisturising tinted balm than just about anything else.

I find lipsticks mostly drying and have really yet to to feel comfortable rocking the brightest shades every day (don't even get me started on the 'reapply' that I have yet to master).

Yes, I agree with Mum, the Clinique Chubby Stick is a pricey one but she I have to remind her of words she once told me when complaining about paying $100 for a pair of ballet flats. The quality of the product is still the same, even if you are choosing a flat over a heel. Perhaps the same can be said for the tinted lip balm? (Or maybe not because the Maybelline Baby Lips tinted balms are awesome at $3.99 a pop and I'm yet to review a similar Australis product that cost $10!)

I love the shape of the Chubby Stick, it makes the product easy to apply and it does last longer on your lips than, say, the Revlon Lip Butters (plus the shape is much more friendly on smaller lips). The colour I chose was Super Strawberry and I love the tint, not to mention the extra moisture you just don't get with a regular lip stick and the fact that it reminds me of Crayolas that I had when I was a kid. 

I'd probably give it an 8/10 mostly because $35 for a tinted lip balm is pretty pricey given my beauty budget!

What do you think? Where do you stand on the Chubby Stick bandwagon?

Imagine a world without breast cancer…

I've been a little absent lately, and for that I apologise.  Sometimes life just takes you down roads you didn't thing you were going to have to traverse.  I haven't even posted what came in September's Lust Have It! box.  But I will tomorrow – I promise.

I wanted to let you know 2 things about Clinique though first.  It is in the forefront of my mind because Rachael and I went down to Sydney and spent a couple of days in Sydney with Katherine last week.  And we did girly shopping together (and lots of talking and eating and drinking coffee) and the only thing I really wanted was to get in to David Jones and pick up Clinique's latest GWP.  Which is the first of the two things.

What to buy to get it this time was very easy, and this is the second thing.  Clinique is supporting The Breast Cancer Research Foundation®,  founded by Evelyn H. Lauder and dedicated to preventing breast cancer and finding a cure by funding clinical and translational research worldwide.  Two products are available during Breast Cancer Awareness month (October) and, when you purchase either of them, Clinique is donating part of the profit to the Foundation.

The first is the Limited Edition Chubby Stick in Plumped Up Pink, which comes with a barrel-shaped pink purse.  The second is the Dramatically Different Moisturising Lotion, in a whopping 200ml, which comes with a beautiful "Breast Cancer' pink ribbon key charm.  $5 from the $35 retail price on the Chubby Stick, and $20 from the $110 retail on the Moisture Lotion goes to the Foundation.

As usual the products in the GWP are fantastic, and all so useable (especially for travelling).  But even more exciting this time is the knowledge that I am contributing toward the research into a disease that touches so many of us.

So I returned home with a pretty new pink Chubby Stick, a bunch of other Clinique products, and a few things I pinched from Katherine, knowing that one day we may not have to worry about the threat of breast cancer because the world has found a cure.

 

 

Disclaimer: These products were all purchased by us and images were borrowed from the Clinique links in this post!

Weekly Wishlist

Hello there! How has your week been? It's definitely been feeling like Spring this week, we love the warmer weather. It's definitely time to start getting ready for it! Defuzzing, getting feet sandal-ready, and legs primed for shorts. Here are the supplies we need in our lives this week:

Sue's Wishlist:

 

 

 

1. Nars, The Multiple. Probably in Copacabana  RRP $64 -Multipurpose stick for eyes, cheeks, lips and body.  Cream to powder, giving shimmering accents, contours and highlights!

2. Revlon Colourstay Smoky Shadow Stick.  $16 at Myer until 30 September. I like Revlon products and I'm enjoying using cream eye shadows instead of powder, just for a change.

3. Clinique Even Better Eyes Dark Circle Corrector. $50. Just because I need it.

4. L'Oreal Paris Revitalift Total Repair 10 BB Cream $35.95. Although I love the Garnier BB Cream (and the price is so competitive) it is for younger skin and this L'Oreal one is anti-aging.  It claims to perfect complexion and fight the 10 steps of aging (I didn't know there was a number. Now I have to research the 10!)

5. Chanel Rouge Coco Shine in Rebelle $50. Because my Chanel Rouge Coco is not glossy enough for me. 

 


Katherine's Wishlist

1. Marc Jacobs EDP Dot $120 – I haven't even had the chance to smell this but the packaging is absolutely adorable and after much resistance, I have decided that I JUST HAVE TO HAVE IT!

2. KMS California Curl Up Wave Foam $ – I've become so lazy with my hair and in summer I just get worse. Curls are pretty easy with my curly hair, they just need a bit of assistance so it doesn't look like my head has become a fuzzball!

3. Kiehl's Pineapple Papaya Facial Scrub $38 – Mostly because the sound of this just screams summer to me. Delicious.

4. Garnier Fructus Pure Volume Fortifying Shampoo and Conditioner $5.99ea – My grandmother emailed me this week to tell me that she has been using Garnier Volume Fortifying Shampoo and Conditioner and her hair is noticeably thicker. May as well give it a go for that ridiculously affordable price!

5.Illamasqua Empower Palette $53 – I adore the Illamasqua packaging and I really need to get one of these palettes and with the new Australian 'Fair Prices', it's about time I do! I think the Empower colours are my favourite but I could go one of each and be perfectly happy.

Ah Clinique…your latest GWP deserves Gold

Myer is the best contender for purchasing Clinique products currently, as it is the retailer with the winning GWP. 

I only needed to spend $60 to take home a great new stash of product, and with a husband who's winter-affected skin needed a new Post Shave Healer ($40) it only took a little nudge to get me over the line.

I'm trying a new winter regime of cream-based makeup 'sans powder', so a Brushwear Cream Stick blush ($43) was my purchase of choice.  Rosy Blush is a great colour, and stays see through while building in colour (Clinique's claim). 

As you can see the gift bag is bright and colourful, and huddled within it was 8 trial sized products – Liquid Facial Soap, All About Eyes Serum De-Puffing Eye Massage, Moisture Surge Intense Skin Fortifying Hydrator, Moisture Surge Tinted Moisturiser SPF15, Blushing Blush Powder Blush, High Impact Mascara, Dual Ended High Impact Lip Colour/Long Last Glosswear, and finally……Deep Comfort Hand and Cuticle Cream.  And OMG – I've just gone to put the products back into the cosmetics bag, and there is a mini bag that matches inside it.  Score!!

Also see here the colours of the products that I have swatched all the way up Katherine's arm!  They go in order, from the wrist to the elbow – High Impact Lip Colour, Long Last Glosswear, Rosy Blush (swatched) then Rosy Blush (swatched and blended) and Powder Blush.

It costs so little to take home medal-winning products.

Weekly Wishlists

It's that time again! 

Sue's Wishlist:

 

1 - Maybelline Lash Stilletto Mascara $18.95 – because it does for lashes what stilettos do for legs … Well, thank you Maybelline!

2 - Napoleon The One Concealer $36 – because it hides dark circles and excess eye baggage.

3 - Clinique Chubby Stick $35 in Mega Melon – because I just want one, and therefore I should have one!

4 - Clinique Eye Liner Brush $33 – because it's just too hard applying with the tiny brush that is supplied with the Clinique Cream Liner.

5 - Garnier Miracle Skin Perfector BB Cream  – 5 Instant benefits - Hydrates for 24hrs;  Evens tone; Corrects blemishes; Boosts healthy glow; UV Protection SPF 15 – $13.95


Katherine's Wishlist:

 

 

 

1 – Darling Nail Polish in Millions of Peaches, Max, and Let Them Eat Cake $18.95 –  Darling have got buy 2, get 1 free on at the moment if you enter JULYLOVE at the check out here. If that's not a good reason to get into these delicious colours, then I don't know what is!

2 – Gorgeous Lip Pencil in Moulin $25 – I'm not really big into lip pencils, I'm a lipstick rebel, but these are so cute, I want to use them for colouring in!

3 – Shiseido FUTURE SOLUTION LX Concentrated Balancing Softener $90 – I don't know why, but the whole Future Solution LX range just screams luxury and oppulance! I like the sound of the Balancing Softner too.

4 – Lippys Butter London in Trout Pout $22 – Anything that says lip and butter in the same breath has my attention. This colour is on my must have list!

5 - Kiehls Creme de Corps $15 – I keep reading about this and think I definitely need to try it out for my ultimate winter skin test!

Cheers to the weekend, ladies! Have a wonderful one and do feel free to share your beauty wishlists with us in the comments below, or here, or here!

Mother/Daughter Monday – Eyeliner

We've been very busy in life lately, but hopefully this week we'll be back on beauty blogging track! To kick things off, we've got another Mother/Daughter Monday fresh and ready for the week. This week, we want to share with you our love of all things eye liner and our favourites over years of testing and trying different shades, brands, and types of liquids, pencils, and creams.
 
The Product – Eyeliner
 
The Purpose – To add definition and shape to your eyes
 
The Price - There are oh so many different brands producing all different kinds of eyeliner that you can pick one up for $2 or $40!

Sue says:
 
Because I love the smokey black eye look, I have worked to perfect my eye lining over the years, and have scoured high and low looking for the best products to do this with.  After a lot of research, I have whittled it down now to 3 different products that I use all the time, interchangeably.
 
This is my latest find and definately my favourite.  I have used nothing else for months now, applying on both top and bottom lashes, but it takes a little time and care to apply.  I have the True Black, but I know from reading the reviews that Honey Black is a big favourite with others.  It comes with its own little brush, but it's fiddley, so I'm going to buy a long handled Clinque Eye Definer Brush since I've found one is available.
 
For many years this has been my dramatic go-to evening product.  Beautiful to apply, it doesn't move until you're ready to remove it.  For formal evenings out this is the perfect big statement product.
 
This is a pencil that needs sharpening, but I use it (in Black Diamond) when I need a quick rim around the eyes and don't have time to take the care that the Cream Liner requires.  I also have it in Brown Sugar, which give a much softer look.  I've road tested many kohls and pencils over the years, looking for something with staying power, and I have to say this is the best of this type of product on the market.


Katherine says:

I have had a pretty solid make up routine for my whole adult life and it's only really been since I got into the world of beauty blogging that I've been game to try out so many new things! Recently I learned how dramamtic an affect the different ways you apply eye liner can make to your eyes and so I change my routine up on a daily basis, not to mention experimenting with different colours and styles of eye liners.

I have two particular products in my make up bag all year round that have really gone the distance and never let me down:

Napoleon Eye LIner in Onyx Factor ($28) 
This is my standard every day eye liner. I've tried lots of different brands but I definitely prefer the Napoleon pencil because it's not too hard and not too soft (yes, I'm the eye liner equivalent of Goldilocks)

Mac Liquidlast Eyeliner ($35)
I switch to a liquid eye liner when I want a more dramatic look, particularly for nights out or big events. I have been using the Mac Liquidlast for so long and really love it

As I said, I've started experimenting with lots of different colours and brands lately, but I'll save them for another time until I'm confident they can be added to this holy grail list!

 

Our Weekly Wishlists

Okay, normally I am excited that the weekend has approached so quickly, but when Mum sent me her weekly wishlist today I thought, 'gee, someone's keen' but it is actually the end of the week. I've just been so busy I didn't notice!

Sue's Wishlist:

1.  Burt's Bees Sugar Scrub ($29.95) - comes in Mango & Orange; Cranberry & Pomegranate; Honey & Shea.  Can't decide what flavour I want, so I might have to have all three!!
 
2.  John Frieda Frizz-Ease 3-Day Straight ($16.99) - it's a spray to keep hair sleek and smooth and I know I'll need it next time it rains, now that my hair is a bit longer. 
 
3.  L'Oreal Paris Infallible Le Rouge ($24.95) - it's a long wearing lipstick that, apparently, won't dry out your lips. I'm leaning toward Resilient Raisin at the moment.
 
4.GHD Ceramic Vented Radial Brush Size 3 ($29) - for my longer hair.  If the brushes are anywhere near as good as the straightener, I'm onto a winner.  Great price too!
 
5.  And last – but not least.  I need a new eyebrow pencil.  (The thing they don't tell you when you're young is that your eyebrows thin out, and some of them turn grey).  So, as they are the frame around your eyes, you really do need to fill them in.  I'm looking for suggestions of a good one – needs to go with blond hair and fair complexion. Note from Katherine – maybe try one of these.
 

Katherine's List:

1. Elizabeth Arden 8-Hour Cream 50 ml ($38) – deemed the perfect fix for any skin concern. Nuff said IMHO

2. Eyelash Extensions – except for the price and how often they need to be redone, they look so good!

3. John Frieda Frizz-Ease 3-Day Straight ($16.99) – When I saw this on Mum's list, I decided to steal it and put it on my list too!

4. Clinique Chubby Stick Moisturising Lip Colour Balm in Super Strawberry ($35) – Ever since I bought my first Revlon Lip Butter, I have found normal lipstick difficult to go back to. I want colour AND moisture damn it and Clinique's new Chubby Stick is not only fun to say, it looks amazing!

5. Face of Australia Sheer Gloss Lip Crayons ($14.95) – I know, it's almost the same as the Chubby Stick but it might give you an indication of my current coloured lip moisturising goodness!

Have a fab weekend, lovelies!

My Currently Clinique Face Routine

Despite the fact I am going to have to switch to a more aggressive winter skin regime (a list of potential products can be seen here), I have been using a Clinique facial system for the past couple of months mostly because of Mum's influence to start with and then when I found out that they were all natural, fragrance and chemical free, I was in.

Here is what I use every day at the moment:

Redness Solutions Soothing Cleanser – $38

Dramatically Different Moisturising Lotion – Free GWP  (full size – $40)

All About Eyes – Free GWP (full size – $58)

Redness Soultions Daily Relief Cream – $90

Moisture Surge Extended Thirst Relief – Free GWP (full size – $60)

 

DAY TIME:

Before putting on my makeup, I cleanse with the Redness Solutions Cleanser, put on the Dramatically Different Moisturisng Lotion, the All About Eyes for dark circles, and then the Redness Solutions Daily Relief Moisturiser.

 

NIGHT TIME:

At night, I exchange the Dramatically Different Moisturising Lotion for the Moisture Surge Extended Thirst Relief.

I would love to try Take The Day Off Make Up Remover, All About LipsTurnaround Instant Facial, and De-Puffing Eye Massage because they all sound like they would be great additions to any beauty cabinet!

This is probably the most I've ever spent on skin care but I have found there has been a significant improvement in my skin since I started using the Clinique products.  As the weather is getting colder and I'm having some skin problems possibly because of super sweaty Bikram Yoga, I may have to try something new out for a while, but Clinique will definitely be a brand I always keep as my general use skin care system.

What products do you use morning and night?

5 ‘Try Before You Buy’ Tips

I've definitely started becoming more adventurous this year with trying out beauty trends and experimenting with colour, but I have bought something on a whim to try it out, decided it doesn't suit me or is too out there for me, and never worn it again.

Sometimes, I find myself shying away from trying a new trend for this reason alone and lately I've found a way to try new things without the risk of not liking it and wasting money I could be spending on more Revlon Lip Butters! Some things you love straight away and know they are going to work with your current beauty regime and some things you need to put on trial before committing to loving them unconditionally.

I've got a few tips that I've put into action in the past couple of weeks and I wanted to share them with you:

You can skimp on some products – I would never go cheap on a moisturiser or serum but there are plenty of items you can skimp on and not have to worry about.  I recently bit the bullet and spent an entire $2.95 on a teal eye liner. This way I can try it out, see if I like it, and if I don't, I've sacrificed less than a cup of coffee to give it a go plus it's not an item I'm worried about my sensitive skin reacting to and if it doesn't last the whole day, it's not going to be a massive disaster.

Try a sample size or colour first – Being a big fan of pastel colours and the new yellow nail trend seen on Seal from The Voice and on the Mercedes Benz Fashion Week catwalks, I definitely wanted to check this colour out but was wary of how the yellow might look against my pale colouring. Instead of a $20 OPI or Essie nail polish I might normally buy, I decided to save my bucks until I was certain. I grabbed a polish for less than $5 at the chemist the other day and although I don't expect my yellow mani to last too long, it will be long enough for me to decide if I want to invest in a pricier brand.

Take advantage of free gifts or 2-4-1 specials – I have been interested in the ModelCo Fibre Lash product for a while now but just haven't been super keen to throw down $40+ on it without knowing if I like it or not. I picked up the May issue of Cleo magazine for less than $8 and got a free travel size Fibre Lash worth $38 for free!
 

Ask for a sample – Since Mum reviewed Clinique's Even Better, she has been insisting that I try it too. I just bought a brand new foundation and didn't want to buy another but I asked at the counter if I could try some and the gave me a small pot of Even Better in Alabaster for me to try out for a couple of days before i commit to buying. The ladies were so helpful and happy to let me try it out.
 

Share with friends -  Mum and I both wanted to try two perfumes that were exactly the same but we weren't sure how badly we wanted them. Instead of both of us splashing out a couple of hundred bucks each on perfumes we weren't sure we'd wear, we bought one each with the intention to swap after a few months. We ended up keeping our original purchases because we liked them so much, but it's a good tip if you don't have the budget or the overwhelming desire to part wtih the cash.

There are so many ways you can try out a new product or trend without getting too out of pocket before you're sure it's right for you. I'd love to hear if you have other ways of trying before you buy.