Cosmetic Cupcake

I'm back after spending the last 3 weeks in Hong Kong for Chinese New Year and the post holiday slump has well and truly hit. Combined with jet lag and catching a cold off my nieces I am so not liking being back. It was great to just relax, spend time with my family and mainly just eat lots and lots!

I didn't really shop too much because the exchange rate isn't crash hot at the moment so this is probably the smallest HK haul I've done over the years. I did of course purchase a few items I've been lusting after but lately I haven't been blown away by new products so I'm mainly finishing off products in my stash which my wallet is happy about.


I thoroughly regretted not purchasing Les Merveilleuses Ladurée cosmetics when I was in Paris last year so when Christina told me they had launched in HK I had to rectify that immediately. I bought 2 of the blushes, the cheek brush and brush holder along with some gifts - plus an item to give away shortly too! I'll be swatching the gorgeous blushes soon too.


Gucci Beauty launched in HK late last year so of course the nail polishes were on my wishlist. It was hard deciding which of the shades to get so I went with some of the iconic shades - Red, Gold and Ottanio.


So technically I didn't purchase these while in HK but I did bring them home with me from HK so I've included them in this post. I can never resist a good sale and the Models Own 50% off sales are pretty epic! Sadly they don't ship to Australia anymore but they do ship to HK so I got my order shipped to the in-laws and they arrived just as I got to HK. Absolutely perfect timing! I hauled the entire Colour Chrome collection which are perfect for stamping.


The Dolly Wink mascaras are my Holy Grail so I stocked up on a few to last until my next trip. They've been my favourite for the last few years and they don't budge on my oily lids.


My first Ferragamo piece! I've been after a small coin purse for my Chanel wallet on chain and the Vara bow coin case in Macaron is so sweet and exactly what I was after. It fits neatly into my wallet too!


I also bought a few phone cases for my new iphone 6 and a replacement Longchamp bag but that's it for this year! Very tame compared to previous years haha. What have you guys hauled lately? Thanks for looking as always!

HELLOOOOOOOO everyone!! I am back home and it feels weird after being away for a month. I just want to continue honeymooning! It is nice to not live out of a suitcase but the worst thing about returning home is all the unpacking and laundry that needs to be done! URGH. We had an amazing time and I'll try to post some pics later but for now I have some of my hauls for you! We didn't really do too much shopping as we spent most of our time eating, sightseeing and doing more eating but I did buy a few polishes (of course!) and 2 big ticket items in Paris =D

Happy Friday ladies!! I've been back at work for only 5 days and I feel like I need another holiday already haha! I've definitely got the post holiday blues but at least it's Christmas soon so there's public holidays (and presents!) to enjoy =D Today I have my haul from my latest trip to Hong Kong for you!!! I didn't actually buy much in comparison to my other trips which is a good thing for my wallet haha xp The exchange rate wasn't so great and I'm saving for a few things so I used a LOT of restraint! I did more eating to make up for it lol.


As soon as I saw the Deborah Lippmann Space Oddity set on her Instagram I knew I had to have it!!! They aren't your typical holiday shades but they look absolutely gorgeous by themselves and together too. I also picked up the Stronger which is the collaboration shade with Kelly Clarkson - it's been on my wishlist for months and I finally picked it up squeeeeeeeeee! I love Kelly Clarkson!


I let myself get talked into buying the OPI Mariah Carey Pure 18K White Gold & Silver Top Coat xp I missed out on The Man With the Golden Gun last year so couldn't miss out this year!


I hauled a few things from Etude House for myself and for pressies! I love their stuff because it's just so sweet - pink everything! I got some polishes and a foot mask for myself and scored the little tin as a freebie.


My niece had her birthday party while I was in HK and my sis in-law asked me to do a little nail bar for the girls. Of course I said yes and it was so much fun! I didn't bring any of my tools so I bought the Lucky Trendy Dot Artist set to use but didn't end up needing to use it so I'm keeping it for myself haha. The purple is really pretty! I came across a Korean brand called Ally's Ajell and they had dual nail art pens so I picked up one in white to try out. I also bought 2 gorgeous glitters from Tony Moly!


I adore Anna Sui and I couldn't resist this limited edition Nail Care Oil!!! Isn't it just gorgeous? You shake it up and then apply and works wonderfully.


I stocked up on my favourite Zoya Remove and also picked up my first Pixie Dust in Stevie. I wish I had got a few other shades too because I am loving Pixie Dust! They wear so well and the shades are so pretty.


I picked up one of the new Canmake creme blushes in 04 and also restocked my HG Dolly Wink mascara which came with a bonus eyeliner woot!


Bioderma is my HG makeup remover and so I had to pick up this new bottle with pump dispenser. You should have seen how excited I was then I saw it haha!


Some lovely gifts from Jen who blogs over at Life and Lens of Beauty! I met up with her as usual and did some shopping =D Thank you Jen and I can't wait to go shopping with you next year!! (Thanks for letting me use your Joyce Beauty member discount btw!!)


I picked up the new Roses de Chloe on an impulse but I haven't opened it yet because I'm not sure I'm going to keep it! I love the smell of it but I have so many perfumes already I'm not sure I really need another one.. I might end up gifting it to my sis but we'll see.


Some Forever 21 accessories! I love their accessories and always try to pick up a few each trip. Their accessories department takes up like an entire floor and it is always SO DAMN HARD deciding what to buy when on a budget!


My biggest splurge on my trip was a new 11" MacBook Air!! My beloved Air died a few months ago so I took advantage of duty free and bought a replacement. The 11" is the perfect size I think!


I hope you enjoyed seeing my Hong Kong haul! Thanks for looking as always and don't forget to enter my Face of Australia Carnivale giveaway!

This post is sponsored by Nuffnang.

In less than 5 months I’m getting married and my fiancé and I are very excited as you can imagine! The organising has been fun and relatively stress-free (except for the odd freak out by me) but there’s still lots to do. One of those things is deciding how to do my makeup of course! The photos and video that will be captured on the day is so important to me because that’s what I’ll have to remember the day by so I want my skin to be glowing and in the best condition on my big day.


This is very achievable since I’ve been using the automated dispensing delivery system of the Clearasil PerfectaWash for the last few months! If I’m feeling confident with my skin I know that will show through in the photos and give me so much more confidence on the day. There’s nothing worse than having cameras follow you around if you’re self conscious.


I want a really natural look but I want to play up my eyes with a slightly darker neutral smokey eye. I love a neutral eye and it’s what I feel most comfortable. I won’t be doing my own makeup on the day but that hasn’t stopped me from trying different looks myself!


For this look I used a light base of Make Up For Ever Face and Body foundation in 20 and used a light dusting of powder. For the eyes I lined my eyes using Make Up For Ever Aqua eyes in black and used Urban Decay Sin and Busted from the Naked Palettes to create a smokey eye.


I curled my lashes and applied 2 coats of Dolly Wink mascara. For the rest of the face I kept it natural by using Tarte Amazonian Clay Blush in dollface and Dior Addict lipstick in Model.


I have one last Clearasil PerfectaWash Dispenser & Refill to give away today! If you didn't win last time here's one last chance to get your hands on one. All you have to do is answer the following question:

Have you tried the new Clearasil PerfectaWash, what were your thoughts?
Leave me a comment with your answer below for your chance to win! Easy! The competition is open to Australian residents only and ends at 5pm AEST on December 18th 2012. The winner will be chosen by Nuffnang. See Terms & Conditions here.

GOOD LUCK!!

This post is sponsored by Nuffnang.

When I was in Hong Kong recently, there were promo posters everywhere for Taylor Swift’s upcoming Red album. I’ve always been a fan of her makeup looks – her skin is always glowing and she looks so polished and fresh faced. In this particular pic she’s rocking a cherry red lip, winged liner and paired it with a cute black and white retro top and I loved the look so much I had to recreate it as soon as I got home! She’s been sporting a similar look while out and about on her promo tour for the new album this month and I love seeing the pics as it gives me great beauty inspiration. Her flawless skin and red pout look fantastic and is a look that would suit everyone.


You too can get flawless red carpet ready skin at home with the Clearasil PerfectaWash which I’ve introduced to you previously. Celebrities may have their makeup artists to help them look picture perfect but makeup can only hide so much. It’s important to start off with good basics like cleansing and moisturising twice daily and making sure to remove all traces of makeup at the end of the night to help achieve a healthy and glowing complexion.


While trialling the Clearasil PerfectaWash I must say my skin has been behaving itself and I haven’t experienced as many breakouts as usual. I’ve been rocking the natural look as much as I can so I started off with a sheer base by using Make Up For Ever Face and Body foundation in 20. I skipped powder and just used MAC Select Moisture Cover concealer in NW20 to conceal my dark circles (lack of sleep!). Taylor only has a hint of colour on her cheeks as the lip colour is so strong so I contoured my cheeks using Estee Lauder Bronze Goddess and skipped the blush.


I applied a wash of Illamasqua Cream Pigment in Hollow and winged out my Face of Australia liquid liner for a small cat eye. On the lower lash line I smudged Make Up For Ever Aqua Eyes liner in black on the outer third of my eye and I finished with Dolly Wink Long mascara.

For my bright red lips I lined my lips using Shisheido The Makeup Lip Liner & Pencil in Red Rouge and applied Tom Ford Lip Color in Cherry Lush!


I have another Clearasil PerfectaWash Dispenser & Refill to give away to ONE luck reader! If you didn't win last time here's another chance to get your hands on one. All you have to do is answer the following question:

Have you tried the new Clearasil PerfectaWash, what were your thoughts?
Leave me a comment with your answer below for your chance to win! Easy! The competition is open to Australian residents only and ends at 5pm AEST on November 22nd 2012. The winner will be chosen by Nuffnang. See Terms & Conditions here.

GOOD LUCK!!

The winner of my last Clearasil PerfectaWash giveaway was Crepe and her prize is on it's way to her now!

This post is sponsored by Nuffnang and Clearasil.

It’s finally spring here in Australia! I LOVE this time of year as it means I can break out the pretty colours I put away for winter, dewy skin and enjoy a fresh-faced look. One of the biggest beauty trends this spring is the no-makeup look and a twist is the barely there makeup look as I prefer a bit of colour in Spring. To achieve this look it doesn’t actually mean one doesn’t wear makeup though! For me it’s about enhancing your features for a fresh faced look by working with colours that suit your skintone. We want to enhance rather than conceal our natural beauty! Because I’m quite fair I love using peach and pink tones and this look is often my go to for spring.


Great skin is always the perfect canvas to start any makeup look but especially for the barely there makeup look! It’s a huge confidence boost when you can leave the house wearing minimal makeup or having only used just a few products. The Clearasil PerfectaWash can help you put your best face forward every day without makeup with the Super Fruit Extract and Soothing Plant Extract formulas to help soothe and protect against blemishes for visibly clearer skin. Something I think all of us ladies covet! The Clearasil PerfectaWash dispenses just the right amount of cleanser using the unique automated face wash dispenser that delivers exactly 1.5mls of product each time.


The automated dosage system prevents drying out the skin using too much product and active ingredients can irritate the skin and cause further problems. My skin is still a little on the dry side from winter and the formulas contain Vitamin E and antioxidants which are known for their soothing properties so are gentle enough for daily use. They’re dermatologist tested and with the combination of pimple fighting and beneficial ingredients it’s perfect for all young adult skin types to help attain clear skin.



I love a dewy finish in spring so I used the Clinique Even Better Foundation in 01 for a slightly heavier coverage than I would normally use as I find can get away with not having to use concealer when my skin is behaving well. It evens out my skintone and covers any blemishes or acne scarring well. I set it with Face of Australia Translucent Powder and I lightly swept MAC powder blush in Hipness on the apples of my cheeks for a just pinched look. I couldn’t resist a bit of highlighter so I used Benefit Watts Up highlighter on my cheekbones!

For the eyes, I primed my lids using Too Faced Shadow Insurance and applied a very soft wash of pink using MAC eyeshadow in Ego and highlighted my brow bone using MAC eyeshadow in Shroom. I used a teeny bit of the dark brown shade from the Stila eyeshadow trio in gold glow in my outer corner and added Illamasqua Powder eye shadow in Synth to the centre of my lid. I lined my eyes lightly using Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Shadow Pencil in Juju and 2 coats of Dolly Wink Volume mascara and one coat of Clinique Bottom Lash mascara in black.


For the lips I used Chanel Rouge Coco Shine in Flirt for a sheer peach lip. I prefer using these lipstick-balm hybrids in the warmer months for a more natural look.


Fancy trying out the Clearasil PerfectaWash yourself? I'm giving away a Clearasil PerfectaWash Automatic Facewash Dispenser & Refill to ONE lucky reader! All you have to do is answer the following question:

Have you tried the new Clearasil PerfectaWash, what were your thoughts?
Leave me a comment with your answer below for your chance to win! The competition is open to Australian residents only and ends at 5pm AEST on October 28th 2012. The winner will be chosen by Nuffnang. See Terms & Conditions here.

Good luck!

Hi ladies! I'm finally back after my long absence. I've been back home now for a few days but I've been so rundown I haven't felt like doing much at all let alone come home and blog after work. Plus I got food poisoning a few days ago argh! So annoying! Anyway, here is my haul post for you all which is much requested every time I go to Hong Kong =) I didn't have a lot of time to shop this trip but I actually came home with nearly the same amount of stuff as I usually do or more even *shakes head* I work better under pressure what can I say! Looking at my previous HK haul posts they all sort of look similar.. I always tend to stock up on the same brands and things haha.

WARNING: This post is INSANELY pic heavy! I was going to split it into 2 posts but I couldn't be bothered xp I'm making up for not blogging for so long I guess!


I'm not responsible for creating any lemmings!


My nail polish haul for this trip. Not a lot because I have a crazy amount of untrieds! I limited myself to picking up some lemmings which included Color Club Where's the Soiree, OPI Alpine Snow (I needed a new bottle), 3 of the Essie Luxeffects and Zoya Roxy. The BK holos are getting discontinued so I stocked up on a few colours to include in swaps. Also a Lajour duochrome recommended to me by my fellow polish and food lover Abby. Thanks for the tip Abby! Also two magnetic polishes from a random brand I came across too.


These Canmake polishes deserve a pic on their own! These are their new Nail Topping Coat polishes to create easy ice-cream nail art. They also released a chocolate coloured polish (pictured on the left) with some adorable pastels to help create the look. I was itching to get the pastels too but had to show restraint every time I walked past a Canmake counter since I have dupes at home =( I am SUPER excited to try these out!