thebeautyblot

Marvelous Oils

Emma — Mon, 16 Jul 2012 23:06:36 +0000

Remember when oil was a dirty word? (No pun intended!) There was once a time where the idea of oil and our hair/face were enough to make us run for the shower. But now? Oils are marvelous and we can’t get enough!

For your face: Rosehip oil can’t be beat.

I massage a few drops into my face and neck every night without fail. It will plump your skin and give you a healthy glow while also working against pesky pigmentation. But just a few drops, don’t go overboard.

For your body: what did I do before Palmers body oil came into my life?

I used to think body oil was best left to body builders, I mean, who wants to look like an oil slick? But that was before I realized how absolutely amazing body oil is, especially in winter when I’m dry as a desert. Massage the oil into your skin after a shower and allow it to absorb for a few minutes before getting dressed. Heaven!

For your hair: yeah you know what’s coming. If you haven’t heard of Moroccan Oil you must live under a rock!

I swear by this stuff. Once a week I work a pump of this liquid gold through damp hair from mid length to ends. Never on the roots. It smells good and my hair feels fantastic afterwards. A bottle is quite pricey but thankfully there are many comparable (and cheaper) options out there – nip down to Priceline to find some.

And there you have it, good oils.

Do you use oil? Any recommendations or tips?

Another Day, Another Primped Posse Post!

Emma — Sat, 14 Jul 2012 05:03:11 +0000

Another day, another Primped Posse post to share!

Voila, Confessions Of A (Budget) Shopaholic.

I hope to be back to regular blogging very soon as I have so many fun new products to share with you. It’s just been really busy lately with End of Financial Year (yeah, I’m officially a boring adult!).

In the mean time, you can keep track of what I’m doing in the ‘Portfolio’ tab of my blog. I’ll be posting links to all my published work in there.

As always, thank you for your support and stay tuned!

My Primped Posse Blog Is Finally Here!

Emma — Wed, 27 Jun 2012 07:53:56 +0000

Remember how I won the Primped Posse competition last year? Well I know it’s been a while, but it’s finally here!

So in a blatant act of self promotion, click the link to be taken to my blog post: 5 Beauty Essentials I Can’t Live Without.

Hopefully my blog will become more regular and I’ll make sure to share the links as they appear. This is a really exciting opportunity for me, I’m so thankful to have an opportunity to write for an audience since I now work in an industry where I do zilch in the way of writing. Thank you for all of your support!

My Winter Skin Saver

Emma — Wed, 13 Jun 2012 00:05:15 +0000

I don’t know about you, but my skin is dry dry dry right now. Damn winter.

It was particularly dry and tight last week on my work trip to Canberra. No matter how much water I drank, or how much rose hip oil I applied, nothing could make my skin plump and healthy. Until this.

Skinvitals Cloth Facial packs are amazing. I chose a hydrating one this time, but I mostly favor the brightening masks. They’re super easy to apply – get the mask out, slip it on your face and relax! – and for just per $10 for a pack of three (at Priceline) they’re a cheap indulgence. Plus they come in sachets which makes them the perfect travel companion.

They leave my skin feeling fresh and hydrated. Follow up with some moisturizer or rose hip oil and you’re bound to wake up with amazing skin that defies the winter gloom.

You deserve it.

The Big Chop

Emma — Sun, 10 Jun 2012 23:00:47 +0000

Remember my post a few weeks ago about hair I’d love to have, if only I was braver? Well yesterday I sat in my hairdressers chair and surprised myself.

“Cut it off” I said. “Like Olivia Palermo’s long bob, sleek, no layers, easy.”

The inspiration.

My hairdresser was shocked as she’s been trying to convince me to cut my almost waist length hair for a year now. So she picked up and her scissors and my heart raced. Snip! one snip and 30cm (or so) of hair was on the ground. Wow! Look at me now!

And you know what? I think I love it. And I feel so liberated! My head feels so light and my hair feels so healthy. I feel confident and short hair really isn’t as scary as I thought it would be. It’s just long enough to put up so I can still use my donut (yay!). But I guess now I’m going to need to be creative with how I style my hair (tousled curls are a must) – maybe I’ll even bring headbands back!

So readers I challenge you to make a change – big or small. Part your hair differently, experiment with colour, make use of those products you never use, or maybe even do the big chop. Come on, it’s fun!

Beauty Steal: Sportsgirl ‘Wild At Heart’ Palette In ‘Berry’

Emma — Fri, 08 Jun 2012 06:54:38 +0000

Sorry I’ve been MIA, everything got insanely busy for a bit there. But now I’m back and what better way to say ‘thank you for staying with me’, than a heads up on an awesome beauty bargain?

Ta da! I am smitten with this Sportsgirl ‘Wild At Heart’ eyeshadow palette in ‘Berry’. I picked it up for the insanely small price of $4.95 in store. Aren’t the berry shades just delicious?

I am obsessed with purple eyeshadow so this is a huge treat – the palette has everything from a soft pastel pink to a dark eggplant shadow that just demands to be smudged into a smokey eye. This is a great palette for the girly girl in us all!

I can’t wait to debut this palette this long weekend…

Found any beauty bargains lately? Share them!

A Lesson From Diane Kruger

Emma — Thu, 17 May 2012 11:24:43 +0000

Serious question, have you ever seen Diane Kruger look less than utterly amazing? I haven’t.

She knows what works for her. And what’s perfect is ethereal, goddess makeup with the occasional splurge on colour. The look she favors resembles that of her character in Troy – the famous Helen of Troy, the woman that launched a thousand ships.

Her makeup this weekend at Cannes was no exception.

So classic. So impeccable. So Diane.

Get her look with the bare minimum – think tinted moisturiser, Illuminator, rosy or peach cream blush, mascara and a hint of a pink lip. The look is all about appearing as though you’re wearing next to no product. It’s about celebrating natural beauty, not hiding behind a mask of makeup.

So what this comes down to is knowing yourself. Be true to yourself when it comes to makeup. Work with what you’ve got. Understated elegance never goes out of style.

Do you like Diane’s look? Who was your favourite beauty star at Cannes?

Product Review: Sukin Hand & Nail Cream

Emma — Tue, 08 May 2012 23:00:10 +0000

It’s no secret that I love Sukin products. They have been fantastic for my skin, and are so reasonably priced that it’s nothing at all for me to use them liberally and then replace straight away when finished. Plus it makes me feel kind of good to be ‘doing my bit’ for the environment as the products are carbon neutral and devoid of all the common chemicals.

So when I discovered their hand and nail cream recently I knew I had to try it.

When I started the cream my hands were quite dry and my nails brittle following a disaster at my nail salon a few weeks back – long story short, they filed and buffed my nails to bendy stubs. End of rant.

Anyway what were the results of the cream?

Day 1: As with all Sukin products, a little goes a long way. I applied the cream to my hands liberally after any encounter with water. My hands seemed a little better but not noticeably improved. The cream does however get a big tick for being non greasy.

Day 2: my hands felt a little better today with the dry scaly skin on my knuckles noticeably reduced. My hands still felt a little dry but not obviously so. Still I found myself compulsively rubbing cream on my hands numerous times during the day which tells me that it’s probably not very effective. I do like the soft fragrance though, and if anything good has come of this it is that my colleagues are now using hand cream to. We’re a vain lot!

Day 3: my hands are dry again despite religiously applying the cream the last few days. I give up!

All in all, as much as I want to love it, there are far better hand creams out there for a fraction of the price. Nothing I’ve tried so far comes close to my Nivea Q10 tube from Safeway ($3.99).

What hand cream is a must have in your handbag?

The Hair I’d Have If I Was Braver

Emma — Mon, 07 May 2012 01:10:52 +0000

I have long hair. It wasn’t always long but for the last few years I have slowly gotten it to a great length – around elbow length. But as is often the case, once I got what I want, I want something else. And that something else is to be adventurous with my hair and really mix it up. Colour, cut, everything.

Maybe something like this?

Jessica Alba looks amazing. Her hair is that perfect mid length and has great movement. Her colour is beautiful to. And its kinda safe. Do I dare?

Or if I was braver, perhaps a sexy cut like Scarlet Johannson’s?

I’ve always had a fascination with red hair. But to be a red head is so risky. And the maintenance is tough. But it’s so tempting!

I’ll definitely put some serious consideration into mixing it up. Hair grows back afterall!

If you were brave enough, what hair style change would you make?

Beauty Crush: Odette Annable

Emma — Sat, 05 May 2012 01:04:37 +0000

I have no idea who Odette Annable is. Nor do I know why she’s famous. But I really don’t care, she’s just so fricken gorgeous and her makeup is impeccable.

She has the most gorgeous brown hair and luminescent skin. She is perfection. Whether she’s rocking a bright lip or an elegant up do, Odette gets it right every time. Check it out for yourself.

I have my uni graduation in a few weeks and i plan to copy Odette’s perfect waves in picture 2. I might even go for a bright lip to, to stand out in the crowd of black gowns.

I am such a fan of understated, elegant beauty, and Odette has that in spades.

Do you love Odette’s look?