Battle of the Oranges

I am in love with orange lipstick. Sometimes I wonder why, considering with my pink cheeks and cool-toned skin it should be a huge no-no. But I do! And I have realised I have far too many, so I decided to do a little head-to-head battle to narrow down my favourite.

The Competitors

L to R: Australis Colour Inject Mineral Lipstick in Electro, Ulta3 Lipstick in Firecracker, Revlon Colourburst Matte Balm in Audacious, Revlon Colourburst Matte Balm in Mischievous, Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain in Rendezvous, Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain in Charm, Face of Australia Glossy Lip Crayon in Peach Parfait, Essence 50s Girls Reloaded Lipstick in I'm Sailing

As above. My Essence lipstick on the right broke in the tube :( I just can't bear to throw it out just yet.

The Competition

It's a tough one. I know. They all bring different finishes, shades, and variety in pigmentation. Here are some swatches to show you how they perform:

This is indoor lighting and flash. The flash swatches are slightly more true to life (as they don't have a blue tone to them), but make the finishes look shinier than they are. I'll go through each individually below.

Australis Colour Inject Lipstick in "Electro":

These lipsticks get a lot of love in Australia, and it's no wonder! Electro is a red-leaning orange that is super pigmented and feel comfortable on the lips. It is very bright and definitely stands out from the rest of the oranges. This is one of the first oranges I got (in fact, I bought it right after the Ulta3 one before realising the colours are so similar) and it is definitely a go-to. However, the colour can be a bit too bright, which means I mostly wear it to parties or when I'm in plain clothes.

Ulta3 Lipstick in "Firecracker":

My very first orange. Also a red-leaning orange, it is slightly less pigmented than Electro and also slightly (only slightly!) less red. I was really annoyed when I realised they were so similar, but Firecracker is actually much more wearable. The formula of the Ulta3 lipsticks is great, they are worth much more than $4 each. It stays nicely on the lips and doesn't feel like it 'slips' around. I even like the smell of them. Is that weird?

Revlon Colourburst Matte Balm in "Audacious":
Oh man, these babies are my love. If you follow my Instagram (which you should), you would have seen I own way too many of the Revlon Colourburst/Just Bitten Kissable Balms, which is evident even in this small selection. Audacious is, again, a red-leaning orange, but has a completely matte finish. These feel amazing on the lips, they are creamy and soft, and also dry down after a while, minimising their transferability. The only problem I have with this colour is it catches the dry pieces of skin on my lips and settles into lines after a while, eventually looking very unattractive indeed. I counteract this by scrubbing my lips and trying to apply lip balm at the beginning of my routine, so by the time I apply lipstick I can blot it off and my lips will be nice and soft. They are fairly drying on the lips but I am so in love with the colour and finish that it doesn't stop me buying more of these. Definitely one of my favourites.

Revlon Colourburst Matte Balm in "Mischievous":

This balm is, unfortunately, even worse application-wise than Audacious. It applies quite patchily and catches the dry parts of my lips. Again, I scrub my lips like crazy and soak them in Paw Paw Ointment to try reduce this effect. The colour is insane though. I absolutely love it. It is the most yellow-leaning orange of the bunch (the flash swatch above is very true to life). I love these so, but they are not an easy formula (well, the light colours at least, this isn't true for other colours in the line). If you want an easy, quick orange lip, this isn't your best choice.

Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain in "Rendezvous":

Revlon just keep throwing curve balls because this is the complete opposite of Mischievous for me. Applies like an angel on my lips, opaque and really 'sticks' to them (I don't know a better way of saying it. It stays there are doesn't feel like it's going to come straight off or get on my teeth or my chin or something crazy). It isn't sparkly like the Revlon Lacquer Balms, instead just has a slight sheen. It also stains your lips, which I love, as it means as it starts to fade it isn't immediately obvious, as you have the slight 'stain' underneath. The only issue I have with the Just Bitten Kissable line is the scent, which is meant to be peppermint. The Matte and Lacquer balms are peppermint too but it is a really nice, faint pepperminty smell. These are also peppermint, but much stronger, and it smells, almost... gluey? Or something? I can't put my finger on it. It just isn't as nice as the Matte and Lacquer ones in terms of smell, but in no way turns me off of them. The formula is to die for, which makes it all worth it. The colour of this is just the perfect orange too, not too bright or red-leaning, and I can see this becoming a favourite in my collection.

Face of Australia Glossy Lip Crayon in "Peach Parfait":

I got this in the crazy Kmart sale earlier this year when they were clearing out all their stock. I actually got it and about 5 others from the line. This lip crayon swatches so nicely, but unfortunately this colour doesn't translate to the lips. It is very very sheer, and somewhat patchy. This might be good for those looking for just a wash of colour on their lips. This line is also very moisturising, with a glossy finish as the name suggests. However, I don't like how it 'sits' on top of your lips as it feels like it is just going to smudge everywhere in 5 minutes. Some of the other Glossy Lip Crayons I prefer much more than this one. I don't reach for it a lot, but I am also a fan of crazy pigment and matte finishes. So I am really the exact wrong person to buy this!

Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain in "Charm":

This one is fairly new to my collection, and I'm not actually sure if I should have included it. It is orange-leaning in tone, but is actually a nude stain. I got it as a 'I'm feeling lazy but want something on my lips' colour. It's nice enough, it's just... kind of boring. It makes my lips a slightly lighter, slightly more nude version of themselves.It's also a light enough colour I haven't really noticed the 'staining' effect, but, again, it's only a new one. The jury's still out on this one.

Essence 50s Girls Reloaded Lipstick in "I'm Sailing":

I got this from a friend, I think it might have been a limited edition colour? To be honest, the packaging is my favourite part of the product. It is simply gorgeous and I don't think I've ever seen a white tube of lipstick before. Ahh I love it. The bullet is also broken, which is unfortunate. It's a nice peachy-nudey orange, which is quite sheer, but stays on well. I barely ever reach for it. I just like admiring the packaging.

The Results

Did I make it obvious? I don't think so. My favourite is.... 

Rendezvous!

You can't go past a colour that is wearable daily, in easy-to-use crayon packaging, with decent lasting power and great pigmentation.

Each competitor fills a little niche in my collection, and I don't regret buying any of them. However, my love affair with Revlon Balms continues, no surprises there!

I was planning on doing lip swatches as well (which really would have made this a crazy long post), but my lips were crying with pain from the wind today, and I still haven't gotten a decent camera that can get in-focus close-ups (it's coming, I promise!) So I'll leave you with a swatch of just Rendezvous, the best one I could get:

Yep, crappy quality. I'm so sorry. I promise I'll improve.

So that's it! Let me know what you think about this post. Should I do more battles? Different lipstick colours? Different products? Let me know what you think, either in the comments here, or on Instagram (@jemsbeautyau) or Twitter (@jemmakp).

Thanks for reading if you've gotten this far, you rock!

My Everyday Contour

Hey guys!

Something simple today because I'm wrecked after a huge weekend (happy birthday to me!), but it's something I feel like a lot of people avoid because it's a bit intimidating, and I'm trying to remove that thought! Well, if you read the title, you know that I'm talking about contouring!

I contour everyday, but when I say 'contour' I am only referring to the 'dark' parts of contouring a face in order to create shadow (don't know how else to describe it), rather than the highlighting aspect. This is solely because I don't really own a highlighter I love yet, and also prefer a matte looking face, so it's simply not a part of my routine at the moment in time. I'm sure you guys will be the first to know once it is though!

Contouring is pretty much a necessity for me since my round face shape means I lack defined cheekbones. But getting to pretend they are there is just as much fun! It's not a difficult step in my routine, it only takes a few seconds really to do it, so I really think it's worth it for me.

It also only requires one product. I use the e.l.f. Studio Contouring Blush and Bronzer Powder in St Lucia, available here or on iHerb for $3 (I think) not including postage. I only use the right hand side (the bronzer), which I still think is a tad warm for my cool-toned skin, but was cheap enough that I'm happy to use it anyway, and it adds a bit of life to my skin anyway.

One thing that you'll notice about this powder if you get it, or if you read every single review available on the interner (as I do before I buy something online.. seriously) is that it is crazy pigmented. Like some people think its almost too pigmented - which I think would be true if you were to use it as a bronzer. However, as a contour, I think it's perfect, as long as you make sure you work with a very light hand.

Anyway I should really get on to it! I use my Pur Minerals Stippling Brush, which I got as a present years ago so I'm not really sure if it's readily available in Australia, however any flat topped brush or even an angled blush brush (like this) will do, as long as it has some sort of edge.

What I've done in the above picture is used the edge of the brush and almost 'dotted' the bronzer along the hollow of my cheekbones in a relatively straight line. As a rough guide, your placement should start halfway down your ear and follow the bone down diagonally somewhat towards your mouth. Don't go down too far! You can always add extra. You can try and make a fishy face or push your mouth over to the side (does that make sense?) to try and see the 'line' you should follow, or just jab around your cheek and have a nice feel for your cheekbones. Getting comfortable with your face structure will help a lot with this.

Next, I push my mouth over to the side like I was talking about above (again I have no idea how else to describe it). I use the brush in small, circular motions backwards and up to blend in the contour. I use quite a heavy hand for this because it seems to work better for me. This is something you definitely have to practice and experiment with. I've only been contouring for a few months and I've swapped products three or four times to find something that worked for me. In general, powder works much better than cream for me (although sometimes I'll use cream then powder over the top for something more dramatic or long lasting) but again, it's something you need to try out for yourself.

I'll be honest, I still don't think my contour is as good as it could be, but it has improved substantially from when I first started. One of the issues I've had is that I have redness on my cheeks which made me afraid of blush for so long, and it always messed up where I thought my contour should go. Anyway, this is the finished product!:

 Probably not the best lighting, but it's just meant to look like your cheekbones are sculpted by the gods and therefore there is a shadow falling underneath them. You may not be used to how it looks at the beginning but it is definitely a valuable inclusion into your routine if you are looking to try new things.

Let me know what you think about this mini-tutorial (I don't know if I can call it that). Good? Bad? What do you want to see?

Thanks for reading and hope I've helped!

First Impressions and Review: Innoxa Summer Matte Lipstick

So it's my birthday coming up (woo hoo) and of course the only thing I asked for was *make-up* pretty much (I think my friends think something is wrong with me). Anyway, a parcel came from me from my Nanna and Grandad and I decided to open it as an early birthday present.

Such a great gift! They hit the nail on the head and sent me some make-up from brands I've never tried before - Almay, Innoxa, and Essie. That was just by pure luck but I was extra excited to give some new brands a go!

One of the things that caught my eye first was the Innoxa Summer Matte Lipstick in Fuchsia that came in a little Nail and Lip Pack with a polish in a chunky-as bottle (http://www.beautyheaven.com.au/product_images/32678/nail-polish.jpg for real, half of it is glass). And I decided to write a post on my first impressions and a mini review!

First of all, the lipstick looks gorgeous. Ah, it feels so luxe. As someone used to drugstore lipsticks with plastic lids that crack and whatnot, this is a welcome change.

This is what it looks like. I didn't manage to get a good one of the lid (it was night and the lighting was horrendous) but it's shiny and square and just is lovely (there's a small image in the collage below).

Now onto the colour - they're not joking when they say summer colours! Fuchsia is a hot, slightly blue-based medium pink that definitely makes me long for the warmer weather (who am I kidding, bring on winter. I'm rocking this all year round).

The formula itself is hella pigmented, as in one swipe and that's all you need. It's also creamy and feels so moisturising for something labelled 'matte'! Now, I am a complete matte lip fan, give me the mattest (is that a word?) lips possible over the glossy look any day. BUT I have come to realise that all, yes all, matte lipsticks are much more drying than their regular/moisturising equivalents. I've learnt to cope. Re-application, continual paw paw ointment application and flaky lips at the end of the day are WELL worth it to me. And I was expecting this lipstick to be the same.

This is my little edit from my instagram (@jemsbeautyau)

It's so moisturising! Honestly, it didn't feel as though I was wearing a matte lipstick. To be fair, it's not completely matte, I would say that it has a slight sheen to it, which disappears as it fades, or you could just blot it away. But I was super impressed! It also has that feeling on your lips where you know it's going to stay on for a while. Some lipsticks just sit on your lips and have good ol' fun sliding around, but this feels like it sticks (for lack of a better word) well to your lips. After about four hours, it was still there! I'm used to lipstick looking like lipliner by that point. It had faded, obviously, but evenly. That is a big, big plus in my book.

These are my lips, excuse the lighting (again, it was night time and I couldn't wait) but the colour is still quite true to life:

So I looked up the prices of these babies, since I've never owned any Innoxa before - they're only $14.95! Say what?! Creamy, pigmented colour that stays for hours? For the price of two lunches or five ferry trips? Needless to say I'll be keeping my eyes out for these - not that I need more matte lipsticks...

A Hello and A Face of the Day!

 Hey guys!

This is (obviously) my first post here. I've been telling myself that I'm going to start a blog for years now, and I've finally gotten my act together and started. Whilst this is mostly beauty-based, to be honest I ramble on a fair bit and am likely to go off topic and talk about other aspects of my life. But it'll be mostly beauty I promise!

A little about me - I'm Jemma, or Jems, or Jem, or anything really. I'm 18, from Sydney, studying at university at the moment. I probably spend more money than the average girl on makeup because you know, it's what I like and it makes me happy. That being said, most of what I own (read: all) is drugstore, ie readily available at Priceline, Chemists Warehouse, Target, etc. I think I own about two things considered "mid-end" so that's definitely not where my focus is at. I love Reddit and spend about 90% of my time on either /r/makeupaddiction, /r/randomactsofmakeup, or /r/australianmakeup.

As of now I can only really use my phone for taking photos, which obviously isn't the best quality but I'm hoping for an upgrade soon. Until then I'll do my best to describe colour, finish, etc if the photo doesn't present it the best.

That's all for now! Now onto my first post - a FOTD playing with liquid liner!

I looove liquid liner. It's my favourite type of eyeliner, above gel, cream or pencil. And it was my day off yesterday so I decided to play around with an inner corner cat eye, something I've attempted before but have never had the patience or the steady hand to get right.

This was my attempt:

Here's a list of the products I used:
Face
- Revlon Colourstay Foundation for Dry Skin in Ivory
- Maybelline Superstay Foundation in Sand Beige
- Rimmel Wake Me Up Concealer in Ivory
- e.l.f. Blush in Candid Coral
- e.l.f. Contouring Blush and Bronzer in St Lucia (only bronzer used)
- Pur Minerals Pressed Mineral Makeup (to set under eyes)
- Rimmel Stay Matte Pressed Powder in Transparent (to set everywhere else)

Eyes
- Lorac Unzipped palette
- Rimmel Glameyes Liquid Eyeliner
- Rimmel Khol Eyeliner in Jet Black (lower lash line)
- Rimmel Scandaleyes Lycra Flex Mascara

Eyebrows
- Nyx Eyebrow Cake Powder in Blonde
- Savvy by DB Eyebrow Pencil in Blonde

Lips
- Ulta3 Matte Lipstick in Brown Sugar


Liquid liner can be very difficult to work with. Especially if you're in a rush. Or just impatient like me. I found that the key to getting the really fine line into my inner corner was starting out with as little product as you can possibly get on the brush (the Glameyes is one of the ones in a little pot, so you can control product flow) and just dab the tiniest bit on, and work from there. Keep adding more and more because its easy to add more but if you add too much you're likely to end up with black all in your eye and if you have contacts like me it catches all around them and it's just an all-round not enjoyable experience. So try to avoid that.

Here's a close-up of my eye, which (I think) helps with seeing placement a bit more:

I didn't go all the way around my eyes because it makes me look crazy. Yeah. So I made it taper off on the lower part of the inner corner, then added the kohl eyeliner very lightly on my lower lash line. I did a tiny little wing on the outer corner to try and balance my eye out, and because with my hooded lids it's either massive bold wing or tiny wing, there's not much in between.

And that's about all for this post! Let me know if you decide to try this out! It's a dramatic look for sure, but once I got used to seeing myself with it I decided I loved it. It'd be great for going out somewhere where you're likely to have photos taken of you because it photographs really nicely. But you know, wear it whenever! I, personally, was at home all day, proud as all hell of my wings, and the only person that ended up seeing my efforts was the Thai delivery man. Ah well.