Rachel MacDonald

It’s been a while between beauty posts, so I thought I’d bring a little lightheartedness to our Friday and share with you a few products that are kicking some serious goals for me at the moment.

1. Mario Badescu Drying Lotion

Ok, how come no one told me about this stuff?

All right, all right, so all the beauty eds do tend to bang on about it and I guess it’s my own fault for holding out, but seriously, let’s just say… AHH-MAZING.

My skin has always been pretty well behaved, bar a few hormonal pimps every month, but after our wedding, it seemed to go through some sort of post-traumatic stress disorder issshue and I ended up with a couple of painful, red, ugly-as-hell pimples (lumps?) on my chin, which certainly made this newlywed feel rather stunning. Not.

I’d like to say I didn’t touch them at all but that would be a lie and I’d never lie to you guys, so I’ll instead tell you the real story: I spent several mornings and evenings lathering myself in every product in my beauty cupboard and prodding my lumpy foes with my tweezers (yes, really) and the result was… nothing. No change.

Until Mario came into my life early last week. Mario, my hero. My sweet, sweet, hero in a bottle.

After applying the solution with a cotton tip before bed, the angry little bumps basically disappeared and I was left with a teensy bit of dry skin (which went away once I  moisturised) and after one more day of dabbing – once in the morning, once at night – the spots were gone. Cue champagne corks flying everywhere!

I’ve tried pimple clearing gels in the past and it has seriously taken a month for the red spots* left after using the gel to disappear. I’m also not a fan of the way they seem to burn your skin a little. Has anyone else found that?

This stuff, however, is completely different. My gels actually went straight to the bin once I saw it work its magic, and at $26.95, I think it was money very well spent.

If you’re keen for a bit of Mario action yourself, you can find him hanging out at Kit Cosmetics. Or with Luigi.

* Just on the post-pimple red spots, the best way to get rid of them is to apply Clinique’s Even Better Clinical or any other cream aimed at reducing pigmentation – with vigour.

2. Too Faced Better Than False Lashes

This product will totally wig you out. Wiggy wiggy wigggyyyy.

What you do: apply a base coat of the mascara, followed by a coat of what I’ll call cotton-wool but is in actual fact, Flexistretch nylon fibres (pardon me). Finish up by layering on another coat of mascara and watch on in wonder as your lashes are magically transformed into Totally Luscious Works of Art.

If you’re after length, this baby will deliver by the truckload, but… and there’s a but… if you like length AND thickness (you greedy little thing, you) you might find you have to put on another coat of another mascara like I did (Giorgio Armani Eyes to Kill, FYI).

It all depends what you’re after, but using this product is definitely the closest you’ll get to the length of lash extensions without actually getting lash extensions. It’s a girls-night-out-on-the-town superstar.

3. Trilogy Rosehip Oil Antioxidant +

Something happens when you’re a long time rosehip oil devotee.

If you fail to purchase a new bottle and go a week or two without it, your skin almost goes into shock. The punishment of course is that it gets all lacklustre and kinda meh and those expression lines under your eyes look decidedly deeper and OH HEY, FOREHEAD CREASE, are you new around here?

That’s what happens to me anyway. Especially in winter.

Thankfully, I’m fully stocked again on the rosehip front and I have to say that I now bypass the regular Trilogy oil for the fancy advanced formula Rosehip Oil Antioxidant +.

Why? Because Trilogy can do no wrong in my eyes, and if they’re ramping things up, then so am I. That’s all there is to it.

4. Dove Foaming Make-Up Remover

I bought this on a whim the other day as I’m still waiting for the perfect cleanser to jump off the shelf and into my heart (suggestions gratefully appreciated here my loves) and I have to say that I’m digging it.

I’m too lazy to do the whole remove-eye-makeup-and-then-cleanse scenario – with two different products, I mean – so any makeup removing product I used has to tick one very big box: it can’t sting my eyes, as it goes straight from the bottle, right onto my whole face. 10 points for Dove on that front – zero stinging is a big win.

I also love products that leave my skin feeling hydrated and smooth, not tight and squeaky, and I’m pleased to say this one does the former for me. Once I find a cleanser I can have a long-term love affair with, I’m sure it will take a backseat, but for now, it’s a keeper.

Do you have a favourite moisturiser/ cleanser/ serum/ mask/ hair treatment? I know we all love to try a great new product, so let’s unleash some love in the comments (also referred to as: shopping list time!).

Answer me this: what beauty products are you digging right now?

IF YOU ENJOYED THIS POST, I’D LOVE YOU TO SHARE IT USING THE BUTTONS BELOW. Merci! x

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Welcome to the second part of my Beauty Essentials series. For those that missed it, you’ll find Part 1: Skin & Fragrance here.

This time it’s all about the makeup I’m loving right now, so without any further ado…

Face + Cheeks

Before I get into my current favourites, I have to be honest, I have quite a few half finished tinted moisturisers and foundations sitting in my bathroom cupboard that aren’t mentioned below. I tend to mix two foundations/ tinted moisturisers together with an illuminator to get a consistency that works for me and to create the level of coverage I like, which is light to medium for during the week and heavier if I’m going out on the weekend. The ones I’m using as “mixers” at the moment are mostly by L’Oreal and Maybelline.

M.A.C Mineralise Skin Finish Natural: I’d never used powder until about a year and a half ago when I got my makeup done at M.A.C and the makeup artist waxed lyrical about how great it was for keeping your makeup in place for special occasions or for photos. Fair to say she had me at “No More Shiny Forehead.” I decided to give the Mineralise powder a go and although I only really use it on my T-zone to counteract any shininess I get as a result of using rosehip oil and dewy/ slightly oily foundations, it’s definitely a good one to have in the collection. She’s a keeper!

M.A.C. Studio Fix Fluid SPF 15: I’ve been using this foundation for a few years now – it’s a staple that I usually wear out on weekends, mixed with a tinted moisturiser. I used to mix it with the delightful Maybelline Liquid Mineral Foundation, that was an absolute steal at $20 and worked a treat, but has sadly been discontinued. Why Maybelline, WHY? So what skin type will Studio Fix work for? It offers outstanding coverage and is a really nice formula – a little thick for me for during the week but nice for a night out as it stays put for hours – so I would recommend it to anyone looking for medium to heavy coverage that provides a bit of glow. I hear from a friend Studio Sculpt is great (possibly better) so will have to try that next time. Have any of you tried it?

Maybelline Fit Me Foundation: Picked this up in NYC, and not sure if it’s out in Australia yet, but I’m really liking it. Because it’s quite sheer and has a dewy finish, I’d recommend it to those with skin that’s a little on the drier side. I find it works well with a bit of M.A.C Mineralise brushed on my forehead/ nose/ chin. Wore it a lot in NYC where the weather was really cold and the wind was drying my skin out a whole heap and it seemed to lock in the moisture quite well. Nice.

Benefit High Beam: Oh Benefit, how I love thee! This healthy-glow-in-a-bottle has come to my rescue more times than I can remember and I truly believe I’ll keep buying it forever. I dab a bit on the apple of each cheek and pat/ blend it upwards and it provides an instant lift for my skin. I apply it after foundation, under my blush.

Laura Mercier Illuminating Tinted Moisturiser SPF 20: Oooh, oooh, can’t wait to talk about this one! I heard about LM Illuminating via Yaz from PRIMPED (who has the yummiest skin in the universe so when she shares her skin secrets, my ears are well and truly perked!) I blend a pea-sized amount in with my foundation and adore the luminous glow it provides. Bring on the radiance! It’s also great for minimising dark under-eye circles and contains an SPF 20. Good one.

NARS Blush in Orgasm: This has to be one of the most hyped cheek products on the globe, but let me tell you, the hype is totally justified. The gorgeous peach colour works for so many different skin types and the pigmentation is great, filled with lovely little gold flecks to give you a beautiful healthy glow without being over-the-top glittery. For me, it’s as close to the perfect blush as you can get!

NARS Bronzer in Laguna: Buoyed by my love for Orgasm (err, that sounds weird!) I trotted off to purchase the NARS Laguna Bronzer and I’m definitely a fan. I usually only use bronzer when I’m going out (when I normally have fake tan on my face and don’t really need bronzer anyway – go figure) but out of the bronzers I’ve tried over the years, this is the best. Doesn’t leave you looking “muddy” or orangey, has very fine gold flecks that catch the light and lasts forever.

Eyes

Giorgio Armani Eyes to Kill mascara: I looooove a good mascara that adds volume and a bit of curl and have seriously made it my mission to find The One that does it all. One of the best mascaras I’ve ever used is Maybelline’s Sky High Curves (such a great price and far better than a lot of the others I’ve tried – still not sure why everyone raves about Maybelline’s Great Lash, which to me, has a horrible watery consistency and does nothing in the way or curling or thickening). Anyway, I got a sample of Mr Armani’s Eyes to Kill in a goodie bag and after using it to the clumpy, bitter end, decided it was time to invest in a larger one and I’ve been so happy with it. I’ve actually got lash extensions on at the moment – girly, frivolous and highly addictive FYI – but still use Eyes to Kill on my lower lashes. When I was using it on my upper lashes, I found it to be fabulous for thickening. I have reasonably long-ish lashes but always want more thickness and volume and it really seems to fill the gaps. Big thumbs up from me!

Eyeshadow and Eyeliner: It’s hard to get creative about eyeshadows and eyeliners, and really, they are something that most of us have quite a few of in a multitude of colours. I don’t wear eyeshadow all the time but my staples are loose pigments in grey, fawn/ taupe or sand. I also LOVE Bobbi Brown and highly recommend her amazing eyeshadows – so smooth and perfect for blending. The one shown above is called Stone. The pencils (and magnificent Stila liquid liner pen) are in grey, brown, black and navy – essentials in any beauty bag in my opinion.

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My entire lip gloss/ lipstick collection! Needs it’s own post, believe me. Notable mentions in the lip gloss category however are: 1. Vanilla Birthday Cake Lip Shine by Philosophy (adore vanilla scented anything and this gloss is delicious) (and no, I haven’t actually eaten it, but I may have considered it once or twice!) 2. Lancome Juicy Tubes in Berry Bold 3. M.A.C Dazzleglass in Steppin’ Out and 4. L’oreal Made for Me Naturals in Orchid. I’m going to go out on a limb and say that’s the best damn nude lipstick I’ve ever used. Yep.

+ Phew, that was huge!  How’s that shopping list looking now, ha!
+ Your turn – what makeup do you use and love? Can’t wait to hear your recommendations!

Images: taken by me

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I’ve always had a penchant for beauty products. The curious little experimenter in me is forever on the hunt for that elusive lip gloss that’s glossy without being too glossy and thick without being sticky; the hair treatment that works wonders on ratty hair; or the foundation that delivers the perfect ratio of coverage and dewiness. Without being oily – of course.

I blame my mother.

I remember getting ridiculously excited as a youngster when mum would clean out her make up bag and her old products would find their way into my eager little hands. So many pretty things to play with! Daring pink lipsticks to rub all over my seven year old lips! Clumpy electric blue mascara, peach and aqua eyeshadows with cool little brushes that I pretended to know how to use. It was the 80’s and with mum’s hand-me-downs in tow, I was fierce. Or so I thought. I was also seven so I never actually went anywhere with a fully made up face (I waited until I was at least eight for that, obviously) which is for the best, because I’m pretty sure I would have looked like a clown smokin’ hot. At that tender age, I hadn’t quite mastered the art of makeup application, although I do remember “decorating” (quite skillfully, if you ask me) my brother’s face once in a thick cream foundation that was about six shades too light for his olive skin… but, ah, that’s a story for another time. Sorry Andy.

Anyway, that early love for beauty products never dissipated and whether it’s great skin care products, sweet smelling perfumes, lotions, hair treatments, makeup – you name it – I’m interested. Let’s just say thank god Sephora hasn’t made it’s way to Australia (yet). Oh, and I may or may not also have a little (gargantuan) problem with lip gloss (current handbag count: 15). Like I said, the path to the pearly gates of lip gloss perfection is a long and windy one.

Being the curious beast that I am, I love peeking into other people’s makeup bags. Below I’ll share the products that are on high rotation in my bathroom at the moment and I look forward to hearing about your faves in the comments. Tell us all about your Holy Grail, never fail, superstar beauty buys!

*** By the way, I’ve broken this series into two parts – Part 1: Skin & Fragrance and then on Monday, I’ll post Part 2: Makeup – as I didn’t want to bombard you with too many products and shiny things in one post!

Self-tanners

St Tropez Tanning Mousse: I love leather handbags and shoes, but leather skin? Not so much. I’m all for a faux glow and the St Tropez Tanning Mousse comes in equal first place in the “best self-tanning product I’ve ever used” stakes. Leaves your skin a beautiful, rich caramel colour (tangerine factor: zero), is tinted on application so you can be assured proper coverage, and the biggest bonus of all is that it doesn’t smell. I wear latex gloves when I apply the mousse to avoid stained hands and although it dries quickly (I generally put my clothes on within 10 minutes of application) I find it takes about five hours for the colour to deepen to my desired colour.

Ella Bache Great Tan Without Sun: Five stars all the way for my fail-safe tanning product. I was introduced to Ella Bache’s Great Tan about 8 years ago (wowsers, that seems like a long time!) and haven’t looked back since. The thick formula goes on dark and is green-based so, again, no sneaky orangeness at all. I absolutely love the result – a delicious, chocolatey sun-kissed glow. Perfection. I get asked about this one a bit when I have it on and always recommend it enthusiastically. Go forth and Great Tan! Don’t forget your gloves as it will stain your hands (I have been known to scrub my hands with washing powder to get it off). Whoops.

Sunscreen

Nivea Moisturising Sunscreen Lotion 30+: Love this sunscreen from Nivea. Light (with a good amount of dewiness), doesn’t leave you with a face resembling Casper the Friendly Ghost, lasts forever and definitely won’t break the bank. I wear this under my makeup every day (yep, even in winter). For days when I’m not wearing foundation, I also love, love, love Invisible Zinc Tinted Daywear for its three-in-one UV screening formula – great coverage via the tint, which comes in medium and light, 30+ sun protection and splendid moisturising properties.

Fragrance

I’m constantly spritzing perfumes and body mists and have quite a good collection happening, but here are a few of the fragrances I’m wearing at the moment:

Daisy Marc Jacobs: If a playful mix of strawberry, voilet, gardenia and jasmine is your thing, then you’ll love Daisy. I got this as a gift and I must admit, I wouldn’t normally have chosen it for myself as I generally gravitate towards vanilla-y, sweet smelling perfumes (or crisp citrus-y ones) but I really do love it. A great “every day” fragrance that comes in a super cute bottle. The new Daisy Eau So Fresh is lovely as well, a bit fruitier and the bottle is also divine.  Great gift idea!

Flowerbomb Viktor + Rolf: Ahh, Flowerbomb! My number one, favourite fragrance – my “signature scent” I suppose you could say. I love everything about Flowerbomb, from the beautiful bottle to the gorgeous and feminine notes of  rose, vanilla, orchid and freesia. I think I’m onto my fifth bottle number of Flowerbomb now, which says as lot as I’m definitely one to mix it up beauty-wise. Actually, I stuffed up and accidentally bought the smaller version from Sephora recently but thankfully still have some of my 100ml bottle left to get me through the next little while. I’m a firm believer in using your good perfumes – don’t let them sit on the shelf to get dusty, every day is a special occasion! – so I tend to go through these babies at a faster-than-normal pace. To sum up, Flowerbomb is distinctive, full-bodied, sexy, intoxicating… and if you want a prospective partner to go googly-eyed over you on a first date, I strongly recommend you wear this!

Ravishing Love Victoria’s Secret: Along with my insane underwear haul, I picked up a few bottles of Ravishing Love and some other body mists like the DELIGHTFUL Exotic Bloom Refreshing Mist at Victoria’s Secret in New York in April. Ravishing Love is saccharine sweet, with juicy notes of pomegranate and blackberry and makes you feel all girly and VS Angel-esque (haha). Basically, it’s happiness in a bottle. Great price and a perfect size for carrying in your handbag. Adore.

Face

Lush Ocean Salt Scrub: If you want baby smooth skin, definitely give this gem of a scrub a go. Lush products always smell great and this one is no exception. I use it once a week to deep clean my skin and it leaves my face really refreshed and ultra-smooth. The salt crystals are quite large and if you really get in there and scrub hard like I do, you’ll end up with a lovely rosy red face for a while, so I find it’s best to scrub before bed. I guarantee the next morning you’ll be all well, helloooo glow!

Trilogy Rosehip Oil: Saviour for dry skin and fine lines. Beautiful, light formula (for an oil). Organic. Packed full of anti-ageing antioxidents. Ridiculously hydrating.  Should I go on? Fabulous beauty wonder Zoe Foster at PRIMPED (click it, bookmark it, make it your beauty bible – you’ll thank me later) first introduced me to Rosehip Oil and while I’ve tried a few different brands, the Trilogy offering reigns supreme in my eyes. Can’t get enough of the stuff and I really notice a difference in my skin if I don’t use it. Especially around my eyes in those pesky under-eye lines where makeup loves to gather for a little party sometimes.

Clinique Even Better Clinical: Hands up who wants to look older? Yep, me either. Did you know pigmentation, dark spots and uneven skin tone can make you look older than having wrinkles does? Read on here if you need to wrap your head around that a bit more. I’ve got spots on my face that lighten and darken with the seasons so I started using this serum regularly and have definitely noticed a difference. Really brightens my skin and seems to make it more “even,” as the name promises. I use it nightly under my night cream.

Clinique Repairwear Lift SPF 15: I got this in a Clinique gift-with-purchase pack and interchange it with the Even Tone Moisturiser below. Nice consistency, and seems to smooth out fine lines.

Clinique Even Better Skin Tone Moisturiser: Purchased this one at Sephora with the Even Tone Clinical and as expected, they complement each other quite nicely. I mix up the brands of day/ night facial moisturisers I use on a regular basis and sometimes I’ll forgo this moisturiser and just use my suncreen and a dab of rosehip. Basically, it depends on what my skin needs at any given time. My skin type is normal but I can get a bit oily around the chin around that time of the month and can also experience bouts of dryness (related to the weather, air-con at work, one too many cocktails or a lack of good fats in my diet). So I just go with what my skin asks for. This is a nice mosituriser but I’ll probably try something new next time. Because I’m fickle like that.

Lancome Genifique Repair Youth Activating Night Cream: This, I LOVE. Thick, luxurious and non-greasy like all good night creams should be, I wake up with my skin all rejuvenated and supple when I use it. Winner! It’s a little on the exxy side (I bought it in the U.S at a much more purse-friendly price) but you only need a little bit and it spreads really well. I will definitely buy this one again as I do believe in investing in good skin care products (but I am happy to skimp a bit on some make up products). If you’re looking for a night cream that delivers, give this one a go.

+ So, there’s my round up – what skin care is working for you at the moment?
+ Any good product recommendations, things we have just gotta try?
+ Spill the beans below… and check back for Part 2: Makeup on Monday!

Images: top image Veronique Tres Jolie via Pinterest. All other images taken by me in my Dad’s home studio.

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