Real Techniques Duo Fibre Brushes (Limited Edition)

So it's been about a year since the Real Techniques brushes hit Australian shores and still, I always buy mine from iHerb for much cheaper. You can read about my first two hauls here and here. This time I purchased the limited edition Duo Fibre brushes using my accumulated reward points credits! 

This collection does not come with the 2-in-1 Case & Stand that the other sets come with. Instead they are housed in a foam-like case. The brushes are made of 'ultra plush taklon bristles'.

L-R:

Face Brush: 'for lightweight application and blending of face powder or pigments'. I like this brush for applying powder blush or bronzer. Personally I find that this is not dense enough for pressed powder (which I would have liked).

Contour Brush: 'for controlled contouring and sculpting'. This one is great for highlighting or contour bronzing! Perfect size and probably my favourite brush of the set.

Eye Brush: 'add finishing touches to the eyes'. This looks like a typical blending brush for eyeshadow, however I do find it slightly prickly and not as fluffy or soft as the other RT eye brushes I own. This was quite a let down but I may try this for concealer or contouring down my nose instead.

While I do like this collection and I'll definitely get use out of these brushes, I was a bit disappointed. I feel like these aren't of the same calibre as their previous sets and quite average on the whole. The original range impressed me much more than these limited edition brushes!

These duo fibre brushes will be available for one year so be quick if you do want to get your hands on them. I am not sure whether they are available in Australia, but for those interested, my code BOJ355 for $5 off your first order or $10 off orders over $40 is still active from iherb.com!

Rimmel Apocalips Lip Lacquers: Luna and Galaxy

I'm sure that most makeup lovers have seen rave reviews of the Rimmel Apocalips Lip Lacquers all over the blogosphere by now. These are not yet available in Australia (as usual, way behind the times) unfortunately, although I'm sure they were released at least half a year ago. I ordered mine from ASOS for only $6AUD each! I picked up the colours Luna and Galaxy. I was initially after Celestial but it was sold out at the time :(

The packaging is cute! The caps are reminiscent of meteor rocks - get it, because it's an apocalypse? Haha!

The doefoot applicator has a dent in the middle that collects the product which is quite handy as it means you don't need to redip the brush several times.

Luna is a bright, peachy coral colour. This was actually a surprise for me as I had thought it was more pinky (from online swatches). It's super pigmented and creamy with only one coat.

Galaxy was also a surprise as I didn't expect the colour to be so dark! I actually own several lipsticks in this sort of berry, plum shade. Excuse the messy swatches as they are on my right arm and I'm not left handed!

L-R: Rimmel Galaxy, MAC Craving, MAC Captive, MAC Rebel, MAC Brick-O-La

The closest lipstick dupe I own to Galaxy is MAC Captive.

These lip lacquers are very comfortable to wear - light feeling and not sticky at all. Whilst the pigmentation is fantastic, the wear time is quite poor. As soon as you eat, these are gone. They are definitely not transfer-resistant. This is what I expected though - for something so creamy, I would have been extremely impressed if they did last through food! Without eating, they can last several hours.

The other important thing to note about the Apocalips is that they do have a strong smell. I can't quite pinpoint the scent but it's fairly overpowering at first so do beware of that if you're sensitive to fragrances. 

I can see why these garnered so much hype online as it really is a lovely product. It's a pity the shade range is quite limited. I found it difficult choosing which ones I liked. I'm tempted to pick up Celestial now that it's back in stock on ASOS... there is a bright red called Big Bang that is a popular one too!

Will you be trying out the Apocalips Lip Lacquers when they finally hit Australian shores?

May Food Post

It was the last day of Semester 1 yesterday which is actually really scary. I honestly cannot believe how fast the uni year is flying by. Before I know it'll, I'll be graduating! And what the heck, I start exams in a week and a half :( It's also officially the end of Autumn which saddens me. I miss Summer so much! But for now ... this is what I've been eating in the past month!

Caught up with some of my favourite girls for dinner at Urban Garden - a new restaurant/cafe on Swanston St near uni that our friend opened! He was nice enough to provide us with a few complimentary desserts too!

Feeling peckish one day after uni and decided to get some cupcakes from Cupcake Central. One was Sangria and I can't remember what the other one was :(

San Churro were doing a promotion this month where the churros were 2 for 1 if you used the code word 'MADRID'. Yum! Perfect post-uni snack.

I loooooove Guylian Sea Shells ... the ideal level of richness in chocolate. I could finish this entire box within a few hours if you let me.

Looks like I really had a sweet tooth this month. Hadn't had a macaron in much too long so decided it was time. Strawberries & Cream, Violet & Blueberry, Salted Caramel and Vanilla. Cacao do the best macarons ever.

Not my dessert but T loves this pudding from Patterns Cafe. He always orders it!

Breakfast at Coco Lounge in Glen Waverley with T. I had eggs on toast with MUSHROOOOMS (hi Bambi) and he had eggs benedict.

T & I went to the Japan Festival in Box Hill again this year. It's almost become a tradition to attend each year although it's basically the same thing every time. I did a full blog post on the Festival last year however the pictures have all gone missing :( Anyway this year we only stayed for half an hour and got these fried crab things because they looked interesting. It didn't actually taste that great plus it was very messy to eat!

Got me some marble cake and tea to help make the long evenings of 'study' more bearable.

Chicken parmigiana at MC Lion Hotel - not mine either lol but I ate most of the chips :D 

Went to MC VIP shopping night and planned to have hot pot after. We ended up at Darac though which T had been wanting to re-visit after our first time a year and a half ago - you can read about that here (one of my first blog posts!). It was interesting to compare the posts! This time we ordered the seafood stew (not spicy like last time), a plate of extras and also beef bulgogi. Looks like our tummies have expanded since our first visit! Also couldn't resist photographing the 'toilet paper roll holders' ... 

K and I finally made a trip to Wagamama's Southgate after both wanting to try it for several years! We ordered an entree of gyoza to share, then K had the yaki udon whilst I wanted to try the seafood ramen - typical option for me! I thought the food was decent, although not somewhere I'd frequent on a student budget. There was also a creepy male waiter who brushed my skirt 'accidentally' as well as glancing over with creepy smiles. This did not make my experience any more enjoyable unfortunately!

After lunch K and I indulged in some gelato at Tutto Bene also in Southgate. K chose classic vanilla and I chose tiramisu! It was a lovely day so it felt perfectly relaxing, with the sun shining on our backs.

Lunch break at uni - again not mine (I have a habit of tagging along with T when he eats and just taking photos of all his food hahaha). Pork bibimbap, seaweed soup and the complimentary side dishes of beanshoot, kimchi and seaweed.

Had to buy some gifts at Haigh's so obviously indulged in something as well ;)

One of my dinners that awaited me when I returned home from uni. Yay :D Lots of vegies on rice.

I saw photos of cakes and sweets on Instagram one afternoon which made me have a huge craving! Had no one to go with until luckily I bumped into my friends who were on their way to eat as well. YAY so I tagged along and we ended up at Middle Fish next to Seven Seeds (because SS was too full) and I had this homemade banana & chocolate muffin. It was a bit dry and the bottom was burnt though :(

End of semester drinks wooooo fun night! Everyone got loose and way too many confessions/secrets were exposed - can never look at some people in the same way again! Ordered 8 pizzas and they pretty much disappeared within 10 seconds. I'm lucky I even got any photos of the food.

And so begins June and Winter! We had the worst evening in Melbourne last night - absolutely crazy storm. If you follow me on Twitter you probably saw me panicking! The thunder was ear-splitting and literally felt like it was happening RIGHT next to me. There were points where I actually screamed and instinctively hunched down to protect myself in case the walls caved in (no joke, I really thought it was going to happen). Anyway hope every stays warm and safe this month!

L'Oreal Shine Caresse - YSL Glossy Stain Dupe?

I'm sure most of you are aware of the recently launched L'Oreal Shine Caresse Lip Colours by now. What intrigued me the most about these products were the apparent similarities between them and the YSL Vernis à Lèvres Glossy Stains. I also reviewed #9 earlier this year for those who are interested. It's always interesting to compare possible high-end vs. drugstore dupe products when they belong to same company (L'Oreal owns Yves Saint Laurent).

First of all I absolutely adore the L'Oreal packaging; I think they're much nicer than the YSL Glossy Stains and certainly looks more luxurious than the price tag. What can I say, I'm a sucker for gorgeous packaging!

The colour I picked up is in 101 Lolita; a lovely 'my lips but better' neutral pink. It is quite sheer but definitely buildable with two or three coats. One of the first things I noticed was the scent - it's quite strong and from what I can tell, almost identical to the YSL Glossy Stains. This doesn't bother me as it's quite sweet and fruity. It's not unpleasant, nor does it linger, however if you are adverse to strongly scented products then you may find this overwhelming.

The doe-foot applicator is also very similar to the YSL Glossy Stain. As you can see, the L'Oreal has a small dip in the centre where it catches the product - an interesting concept which I personally like. Application was quick, easy and mess-free. It definitely has the same lightweight, watery texture as the YSL but I find that it feels 'stickier' on the lips.

The lasting power of the L'Oreal Shine Caresse is excellent ... until you eat. I applied this at 4pm and managed to eat snacks, dinner and drink tea (albeit very cautiously) in the next 5 hours without moving the colour or glossiness at all. The moment I took a bite out of my apple however, it all disappeared. I would say the glossiness transfers extremely easily which is quite disappointing as the YSL maintains the shine very well. I also noticed that once the gloss disappeared, large glitter particles became more visible. I couldn't see much of a 'stain' on my lips but this may be due to the shade. I'm sure that with the darker, more pigmented colours, the stain would be more prominent.

No eye makeup - just foundation and Lolita on the lips!

Whilst these are not exactly on par with their YSL counterpart, I would recommend the L'Oreal Shine Caresse Lip Colours as a very good, cheaper alternative. The shade range of 8 colours is not fantastic but it's always fun to try something out of your comfort zone once in a while!

What's In My Travel Makeup Bag?

Since I've just successfully spammed you all with my Gold Coast blog posts, I thought I'd also share what I packed with me in terms of makeup. Generally when I go away, I find that I'm much too lazy or busy to bother with much makeup and definitely not when I'm by the beach! Nevertheless I still packed for all occasions, just in case. Needless to say I did not end up using half the things I brought.

Jurlique Herbal Recovery Gel 

I did a full review of the 15mL bottle back in September and managed to get the 30mL at a sale. 

Murad Oil Control Mattifier

I've been using this for nearly two years and I can't do without it. This paired with a setting powder really keeps the oiliness in my T-Zone at bay!

Liole Beyond the Solution BB Cream

I decided to bring a BB cream rather than a foundation and this one was my pick as it's somewhat waterproof. Full review here.

Rimmel Stay Matte Pressed Powder
This has been my HG setting powder for years! Absolutely love the finish it provides it has excellent oil control. Though the packaging is very flimsy, for something that's around $5, I will forever repurchase this!

Maybelline Dream Lumi Touch Highlighting Concealer

I'm a big fan of this concealer for brightening up my under eye area especially! This is my second tube and I love it. It does run out rather quickly though :(

Revlon ColorStay Eyeliner in Black

For the last 3 or 4 years, I've been loyal to this eyeliner for my waterline. I recently finished it though and have finally ventured out to try something different! 

Benefit They're Real! Mascara

This travel sized mascara was perfect to bring along. I normally don't use waterproof mascaras as I hate removing them, and although this isn't marketed as a waterproof formula, it's certainly much more resistant than any of my other ones! I don't know why I bothered with mascara at Wet n Wild Water World but by the end of the day, my mascara was still smudge and streak free!

Anastasia Brow Powder Duo in Brunette

I've been loving this duo to fill in my brows lately. I normally just use the lighter colour however sometimes I mix the two shades for a bolder look. I'm sure I'll use the darker colour one of these days when I decide to dye my hair darker again!

K-Palette Real Lasting Eyeliner 24h 1 Day Tattoo

I received this liquid eyeliner from a Christmas swap last year and have really been enjoying the pigmentation and smooth application. It's been a good few months since I started using it and it hasn't dried up at all yet! I'll definitely be picking up more when I'm out. I don't actually remember using this on my trip though.

L'Oreal Nude Magique BB Blush

I was trying to save room by taking as less brushes as possible so I thought this would be perfect as it doesn't require a brush. I did a mini review when I received it here. I don't believe I ended up using this much either whilst on holiday.

Dior 5 Couleurs Eyeshadow Palette in 734 Grege

This mini eyeshadow palette was included in the Dior set that I received as a birthday gift last year. It's a great travel sized neutrals palette and to be honest I did not expect to bother with eyeshadows at all, but since it was so small, I thought I may as well! But alas, I was right and didn't use this either.

Dior Crème de Rose Smoothing Plumping Lip Balm

I received this lip balm for Christmas from my sister last year and although I'm not keen on lip balms in pots, I have to say I really love this. I mainly use it at night before I sleep as it's quite thick and it's really been helping with the dry lips I normally get in winter. It smells lovely too!

Naked Tan Goddess Bronze Self-Tanner

When I attended the Australian Open back in January, I managed to get a very obvious and embarrassing sleeve tan on my arm. It looks absolutely horrible! I received this in a beauty subscription box (can't remember which one due to the ridiculous amount of tanners I've accumulated from them). Whenever I need to bare my arms, I make sure to cover the pale section of my arm in fake tan to blend the stark, contrasting skin tones.

MAC Lipsticks

Don't remember which colours I brought but I definitely did not use either. That is all.

Urban Decay Primer Potion

This went untouched as well since I didn't wear any eye makeup aside from mascara!

Ecotools Powder Brush

This baby has served me so well! I've had this for 3 or 4 years and it is my favourite powder brush ever. It has not shed a single hair and applies my setting powder so flawlessly. 

Shu Uemura Eyelash Curler

Because I have Asian eyelashes - enough said.

Real Techniques Brow Brush

To use with the Anastasia Brow Powder Duo

And then I was stupid and brought along a bunch of brushes for eye makeup which I obviously did not touch:

MAC 217 Blending Brush

Urban Decay Eyeshadow Brush

Ecotools Eyeshadow Brush

Artiste Blending Brush

What do you think? Was I crazy for bringing so much along with me? Personally I think next time I should just go with my instinct and only pack the necessities!