All Loved Up: November Favourites

I can't believe it's already December! Where did November go?! This period in the school year is a busy one with reports, concerts and assessments taking place. So that is what I have been doing mainly these days. I can't wait to be on holidays in just under 2 weeks time!

So I thought, I would post a favourites blog post on beauty products I have been getting the most out of from the past 2 months. Some are oldies and a few a newbies!

L-R: Laura M Tinted Moisturiser, Skindinavia Makeup Finishing Spray, Milani Blush, Maybelline Age Rewind Concealer, L'Action Lip Plumper, Gerarc Cosmetics Hydra Matte Liquid Lipstick.

#1 Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturiser in Sand: A few weeks ago, I dyed my hair a dark plum shade and found that this suited my skin better as it added more warmth than my beloved Garnier BB Cream. I forgot just how luminous, refining this moisturiser makes my skin look and I am in love again!

#2 Skindinavia Makeup Finishing Spray: So I got this as I wanted to see if the brand who makes the Urban Decay one is any better. The weather has actually got much cooler now but I still spritz this on to ensure my makeup remains intact throughout the working day. It feels refreshing and light and I am pleased to say I think it holds the makeup much longer than the Urban Decay All Nighter Setting Spray!

#3 Milani Baked Blush in Rose D'oro: I added this to my cart whilst shopping for the new Milani Liquid Lipsticks. I had wanted to get a few darker lip shades for the Autumn/Winter and thought as I loved Luminoso so much why not try another baked blush. I researched the shades and narrowed it down to Rose D'oro which is so pretty.  I used as a blush topper and it works wonders to luminate my skin like Luminoso does so thumbs up!

#4 Maybelline Age Rewind Concealer in Medium: I bought this back in the summer as I heard a lot of hype about this concealer and now I understand why! It is lightweight but provides medium - full coverage and is just perfect. It is blendable and matches my skintone and I also own another shade for my under eyes. So this looks like my new 'go-to' concealer now.

#5 L'Action Lip Plumper: I mentioned this a few months ago as it was a random purchase from Carrefour. I have to say it is one of the top lip plumping products I have owned as it is moisturising, lightweight and it does not create any tingling sensation on lips when plumping. Just incase you are wondering my top three lip plumping products are: Buxom, Soap and Glory and then L'Action.

#6 Gerard Cosmetics Hydra Matte Liquid Lipstick in Skinny Dip: GC have come out with a load of hydra mattes lately. I believe over 10 which has added to their collection which started off as only 6. They now have I think almost 30 shades?! Anyways, I saw this on beauty vlogger Camilla Coehlo and thought it looked pretty for an everyday natural mauve-pink/brown lip colour. It is moisturising and the colour payoff is beautiful. However I am wanting to compare it with the earlier lipsticks I own, as I feel the longevity is shorter, possibly with this new more watery formula. I will keep you posted!

That's a wrap, I have been using the above for at least a month now. I think I will do a post on my travel makeup next, as I will be going home for the holidays and I will be switching up a few products.

P.S. The background for the products here is actually one of my clutch bags which was a gift from Pakistan :P

Love & Blessings,

Sara xx

The Review: THE 5TH: Tokyo Range : 'Aki'

Hey,

So the lovely guys at THE 5TH sent me a watch to review. They kindly allowed me to choose one from their newest range named 'Tokyo' and I fell in love with 'Aki' - a navy blue and rose gold watch.

If you haven't read my blog before, I stumbled across this brand on Instagram and decided to purchase a watch purely based on their minimalistic designs. I was never into watches but they have definitely converted me - so thanks! I have pretty much worn my Melborne one since I bought it last year and I always get comments on how nice it looks. I reviewed it as part of their Melborne Minimal Range ( Peach & Rose Gold) last year.

The link is here: http://sariissupersweetblog.blogspot.com/2015/07/the-review-fifth-watch-in-peach-rose.html

So let's get on to the review! I will be reviewing THE 5TH Watches: Tokyo Range: Aki which will be available to purchase on www.the5th.co in 7 hours! ( Please note there will be a time difference depending on where you live)


The Brand: 

THE 5TH is an Australian based brand that I believe started off on Instagram and are pretty cool as they are pretty exclusive. On the 5th day at the 5th hour for 5 days they sell their exclusive range of products. This is great as you can guarantee they will have the stock and they ship out relatively quick too. I have to commend their shipping times on both occasions as I have received them in less than the allocated time frame. I should note they started off selling watches but they have now ventured into selling bags too which is great growth for the brand.

The Review:

From the package I received, THE 5TH seem to have updated their sleek packaging to a much more wider case. However it may be for the 'Tokyo' range so I am not sure, but still I like it as it still fulfils their minimalistic approach to design.

The Packaging

As you can see from below, it comes in sleeve and then once the box is opened you see their clear strapline 'Time is what we make it'. There is a small envelope with a information about the watch and its guarantee which is 24 months. The 'Aki' watch has a grained navy blue strap with rose gold casing around the watch dial. The watch face has white indents to show the hours with white hands but the ticking hand is black. It definitely defines 'Tokyo' to me. It comes with the strap detached so you have to put it together but it is so easy and simple to do so.  Just for your information it retails at 129 AUD/ 90 EUR/ 80 GBP. Personally, this is excellent value for a beautifully crafted and exclusive watch.

Opening the box :)

                                                                                    

THE 5TH 'Aki' Watch from their Tokyo Range

The Strap Detail

I LOVE it!


     

The strap is a good width and feels really strong and sturdy too. I like how comfortable it feels on my wrist and the detailing on the leather strap. It really is a different but fabulous addition to my watch collection. I now own 2 beautiful watches all thanks to THE 5TH! :)

The Rating:
I absolutely love this watch as navy blue goes with so many outfits and I can definitely say I am obsessed. It gets a 10/10 from me!I am all for simplicity when it comes to accessories and this has ticked the boxes for sure. So I've had this only a few days and have worn this SO many times. It is now my watch to wear for work whilst my Melborne Minimal watch is for the weekends.

THE 5TH have also given me a discount code which gives you 10% discount on anyone who reads this blog post whether you have been following me since the beginning or you are a newbie. Just enter 'SARA' at the checkout to obtain your discount!

Lastly, I would like to say 'Thanks' to THE 5TH for providing me with such an awesome watch to review!

Love & Blessings,

Sara :)

UPDATE: My Make Up Storage!

So I've done a few make up storage posts but a couple of months ago I really wanted to downsize and depot my collection. I had been researching the best options but didn't want to purchase anything too costly and also it would have to be something I could pack up too.

I ended up purchasing the large MUFE Magnetic Metal Palettes from Dubai on a quick visit and have been SO happy with how it has all turned out. I had lots of products in bulky packaging and whilst aesthetically they looked nice, it was time to depot and place in a palette for easy accessibility too. Most of my products depotted easily but I lost 3 Sleek blushes in the process and had to mend my ABH highlighter and MAC Give Me Sun with rubbing alcohol . I know sad times but they are still usable!

I have 3 palettes, eyeshadows, highlight/contour and blush. Even though I have used these palettes I do still have a number of products I was unable to depot and a few that were easier to keep in their packaging.

I've shown below how it has all worked out and I am pretty happy with the outcome. What do you guys think?

Highlight & Contour Palette
L-R Top: ABH Contour Kit, Kevin Aucoyn Cream Glow, Wet n Wild Precious Petals, Physicians Formula Waikiki Strip.
L - R Bottom: LM Baked Bronzer 03, LM Baked Bronzer 04, LM Baked Highlighter in 01, MAC Soft & Gentle.

Eyeshadow Palette
L-R 1st Row: Inglot Matte 369, Triple 104, Matte 307, UD Deluxe in Adore, Inglot Metallic 15, NARS Mekong, BB Sable.
2nd Row: UD Deluxe Palette (can't remember all the names!)
3rd Row: 1st 6 shades are from BN2B2BB (not available anymore), MUG Jester, MUG Typhoon, MUG Burlesque, MAC Star Violet.
4th Row: 1st 3 Barry M pressed pigments ( I did these myself), MAC (can't remember the name as unlabelled and bought from a collection), MAC Ricepaper, next 3 are also Barry M pressed pigments, MAC Sushi Flower.
5th Row: MUG Shimma Shimma, I'm Peachless, Mango Tango, Chikadee, Peach Smoothie, Creme Brulee, Frappe, Cocoa Bear, Corrupt!

Blush Palette
L - R 1st Row: NARS Torrid, NARS Madly, LM Illuminating Quad in Coral Red.
2nd Row: MAC Pink Swoon, CG Classic Pink, Sleek Suede (not convinced as this looks so different to my last one so may throw out soon!), MAC Margin, MAC Peaches.
3rd Row: Milani Bella Rose, MAC Mineralize in Petal Power, NYX in Plum Mauve, MAC Gingerly, Milani Luminoso!

So there you have it! It is so much easier to use and access more of my make up products now. I forgot to mention I also have a medium MUFE palette which I use whenever I am travelling :)

Love & Blessings,

Sara xx

What Look Am I Rockin'?...Blue Sparkly Eyes

The other day I was really feelin' wearing blue (AGAIN!) on my eyes but wanted to use some eyeshadow and also make it more vibrant, like the main thing going on on my face.. LOL!

So I created this look and think it turned out pretty well!

I didn't include the face products in the photo but I will list everything I have used below. Enjoy reading :)

L-R: LM Gel Liner in Cobalt, L'Oreal False Lash Sculpt Mascara, Revlon Skinny Liner in Cobalt, Gerard Cosmetics Liquid Lipstick in Aphrodite, NYX Soft Matte Lip Cream in Cairo, MAC Pro Longwear Lipliner in Nice 'n' Spicy, Topshop Glow Highlighter in Bronze, Colourpop Eyeshadows in I Heart This and Alchemy, MAC Paint in Bare Canvas, UD 24/7 Liner in Ultraviolet.

Breakdown of products:

Base: Garnier BB Cream in Medium, MAC Prep+Prime Illuminator in Peach Lustre (dark circles) and Bright Forecast (highlight), Maybelline Age Rewind Concealer in Nude, ABH Contour Palette, MAC Give Me Sun and I baked with LM Secret Brightening Powder.

Cheeks: MAC Peaches, Milani Luminoso, MAC MSF in Soft and Gentle.

Eyes: Primed with MAC Paint in Bare Canvas, applied CP I Heart This and topped with Alchemy using my fingers, painted on LM liner on upper lash line, topped with Revlon Skinny Liner in Cobalt, lower lash lined with UD Ultraviolet and topped with Revlon Skinny Linter, finished with L'Oreal mascara!

Lips: MAC Lipliner in Nice'n' Spicy, Gerard Cosmetics Liquid Lip in Aphrodite, topped with NYX Lipcream in Cairo.

Until next time my lovelies :)

Love & Blessings,

Sara

                                   

All Loved Up: September Favourites

Hey,
I'm back after an extended break! I thought I would start off with my favourites feature as I haven't posted since June/July.

So, last month I had been wanting to use some alternative products from my makeup collection and have been hooked on these beauties!


                                     

L -R:

#1 L'oreal False Lash Sculpt Mascara: I decided to switch to this incase I use up my Benefit and UD mascara's (they aren't available over here!) and I really love it. The applicator is amazing and it really lengthens and volumizes my lashes.

#2 Revlon Skinny Eyeliner in Cobalt Blue: I've been wearing a lot of blue liner recently on my lower lash line and have found that painting this on top of my pencil liner makes it appear more vibrant and stays put for longer.

#3 IsaDora Liquid Eyeliner in Black: This is definitely my new favourite black liquid liner! I've blogged before about Collection's liner and whilst I still like it I found that it didn't stay so black throughout the day. I love this one especially because of the precise felt tip like applicator and how black it is.

#4 L'Action Lip Plumper: Another product I have blogged about before, this is such an underrated lip plumper. It is quite a glossy but lightweight, creamy formula that instantly creates fuller lips. You don't feel any tingling and it is well worth the money!

#5 Maybelline Lipstick in Peach Poppy: I love me some coral! I bought this last year when I was in the States but have really only used it in the last few months. It is SO buttery and creamy and moisturising. The colour payoff is so beautiful too. I love it!

#6NYX Butter Gloss in Apple Strudel: I love using this alone and as a topper. But paired with Peach Poppy it is beautiful!

#7 MAC Blush in Pink Swoon: I have a love/hate relationship with this blush. I bought it a fair few months ago and swatched it before I bought and loved it. I am not sure if my pan was a little dried out but I have to swipe my blush brush on this a good number of times to pick up the colour. But once on I adore how subtle this pink is on me.

#8 MAC Blush in Peaches: I have been loving a pop of coral on my cheeks lately and love how subtle this looks.

#9 Milani Blush in Luminoso: I use this a blush topper for Peaches and it is so pretty.

#10 UD 24/7 Eyeliner in Ultraviolet: You can see just how much love this product has and I am so gutted I cannot repurchase as it is not available online. I actually received it as part of a gift from my mum. Love, love the vibrant bluey-purple shade. It really makes brown eyes POP!

So there you have it! I am also trying to switch up my lip products so I am using more in my collection.

Love & Blessings,

Sara xx

Skincare Saviours!

Hello lovelies,

This morning I thought it would be a great post to blog about my current skincare saviours. I have included a mixture of face and body products that have been working for me within the last month or so. I have listed them in order from left to right. So let's get started!

1. Melanie Mills Hollywood Gleam Radiance in Rose Gold (travel size)

I first found out about this on Makeup By Shayla's Youtubr channel as she mentioned she adds this to her favorite body moisturiser Nivea Nourishing Body Lotion for that subtle but healthy glow. I had ordered a few things for My Mall Box so thought why not trial this out. It comes in I think 4 shades ranging from light gold to deep or bronze gold . I chose rose gold and have been using it with the Nivea body lotion too and I love the flow it gives to my skin. So thumbs up and great recommendation Shayla!

2. Nivea Nourishing Body Lotion (for dry to very dry skin)

Prior to moisturing my body with this I was using Garnier Hydrating Tonic Lotion (bright yellow bottle) which was great as it melted into my skin and left it super smooth. However it I found that it didn't moisturiser my skin as well as I wanted. I have dryness on my elbows and legs so I decided to try this out. It is of a thicker consistency but it moisturiser my skin so nicely with Nivea's subtle creamy scent. I think I will be repurchasing this for sure when I run out.

3. Nivea Indulgent Cleansing Milk

I mentioned a few months ago how I had become a Kiehl's convert and whilst I like some of their products, some didn't work out for me. The cleanser and toner from the Calendula collection actually broke me out after a lot of investigation! So I decided to switch my cleansing routine with something creamy as I can get dryness on my face at times.  I love how creamy this is and it cleanses my face like a dream. 

4. Bioderma Sebium H2O Micellar Solution

So I've tried Bioderma before but the red called bottle and liked it but didn't repurchase as I just thought it was okay. Then I received a sample of this one a month ago with My Mall Box order and thought I would give it a go. I love the clean, cucumber scent and it feels so refreshing on my skin. I have found that it has helped with clearing up my breakouts too.

5. Kiehl's Hydro Plumping Re-texturising Serum Concentrate

This is one of my favorite skincare products this year and also my favorite from Kiehl's. I think I've mentioned this before, I received this as a sample and then went to repurchase it earlier this year. I really feel as though it plumps my skin and has resulted in it becoming radiant too. I definitely notice a difference when I don't use it. It a serum that is designed to be used after toning your skin and before you apply your regular moisturiser. It can also been applied day and night too. I use this everyday before my moisturiser but sometimes in replace of my moisturiser too. I also apply this at night time. I feel that it holds my makeup well throughout the day too. This is another product I will be repurchasing once finished.

I hope you enjoyed reading about my skincare saviours! Tell me about yours :)

Love Sara xx

                             

My Marvellous Makeup Brushes!

Hey hey,

Eid Mubarak to those who celebrate it 😊

As it's been Ramadan I haven't had time to blog but now that's it's over I will be uploading a few more beauty based posts. I hope you have all been well.

I was washing my makeup brushes today and thought why not blog about my favorite ones. Now I have a fair few brushes from a range of companies such as MAC, Zoeva, Morphe, Real Techniques and Barry M. I have narrowed my list down to 8 and included a mix of face and eye brushes.

I have detailed them from left to right so let's get started!

#1 Zoeva 315 Fine Liner Brush - This is a recent purchase and I have been opting for this brush anytime I wear gel liner and I love how you can change your position yet the angle of the brush is perfect to shape the kind of wing I am after.

#2 ABH No 12 Eyebrow Brush - I bought this when I was in the USA last year I think and I use this with the Dipbrow Pomade. I find it really defines your brows well as its not too stiff or too flimsy. 

#3 Zoeva 226 Smudger Brush - I love this brush for smoking out my liner on my lower lash line.

#4 Real Techniques Angled Shadow Brush- This is my go to brush for blending out my crease line and it is amazing and so easy to use. The bristles are a good density so blending is a dream.

#5 MAC 239 Eyeshadow Brush- This is great for packing on a particular colour as it creates an intense base. I also use this to apply my Inglot cream eye liner/shadow and it applies quite well.

#6 Mikyajy 110 Fan Brush - So I went on the hunt for a fan brush after watching a few YouTube videos focusing on highlighter application. I have been using this pretty much every since I bought it about 3 months ago. It applies highlighter lightly and evenly and you are able to build up the product as much as you want.

#7 Real Techniques Blush Brush- Okay so this is the brush with the silver handle. This is my most used brush for blush as I like how dense the bristles are as they pick up lots of products which means you don't have to keep applying more. I find that it applies the blush really well.

#8 Real Techniques Blush Brush - Now I this was a recent purchase too but I haven't been using it to apply blush as I find it way too big. So I use it to apply my bronzer and I LOVE how it applies onto my skin.

                                         

 So those were my most used brushes and I hope you enjoyed reading!

Love, Sara xx