How to: Clean Makeup Brushes

So, you know which brush you use for your foundation and which one to use for your eyebrows. You must know giving these guys a thorough clean should also be a part of your routine right? The more product you use on your makeup brushes; the more coarse and brittle the bristles become. All the makeup and dirt can eventually build up. Subsequently, your skin will suffer from irritation and will cause breakouts. Dirty brushes are a breeding ground for bacteria especially if it's left out in the open which is how I store mine. It is better to steer clear from filthy brushes and clean them as frequently as possible. Thankfully, cleaning them can be a breeze as you get used to it. You certainly don't need any fancy, expensive products. Most of the products you need will be lying around the house or you can pick these up at a local supermarket.

What you need

1. Tissue paper / serviettes
2. Baby oil
3. Dettol
4. Baby shampoo
5. Cloth (optional)

Instructions

1. Begin by grabbing your tissue paper and pouring a coin size amount of baby oil onto it. I like to fold up my tissue paper so I get more use out of it. Take your brush and swirl it over the oil so all the makeup and dirt comes off. You'll be amazed as to how much dirt brushes can collect.
2. Fill up a bowl with luke warm water and put a little bit of Dettol hand-wash liquid in. I couldn't find the normal one so I ended up buying the foaming wash. I do like to mix this up so the Dettol dissolves a little with the water. Try to add just enough water that it doesn't reach the point where the bristles meet the head of the brush. This will avoid shedding over time. Leave the brushes in the water for 5-10 minutes or until you can see most of the makeup has come off the brush.
3. For this next step - take one brush at a time. Rinse it under luke warm water again. Pour some baby shampoo onto the palm of your hand. Remember: a little bit goes a long way. Swirl the makeup brush on the shampoo and let it do it's job. I like to wash the brush out for about 30 seconds to a minute.
4. The last and final step is to take a paper towel or a cloth and dry out the brushes as you wash them. You can lay them flat but I like to raise the back so they sit on an angle. This makes sure all the water flows out to the bristles rather then staying in the head. Let them dry over night.

Hope you guys found this post helpful. What are your tips and tricks?

xx

In my collection | Chi Chi Viva La Diva

Let me just say this, if you haven't tried any lipsticks from the Chi Chi line.... YOU SHOULD! Created in Australia in 1997, Chi Chi have slowly started to make their mark in other countries. I was lucky enough to receive some of these as a Secret Santa gift from work and then bought a couple of my own.

 Left to right:

Glamazon

Hollywood Wannabe

Turn Me On

Lady Bump

Disco Inferno

I'm such a sucker for matte shades because I'm generally very lazy and tend to not touch up my makeup during the day. Bad, I know! Thankfully all the shades I own are very  much matte and last almost an 8 hour day. Although they are matte - applying them onto your lips is a breeze. It goes on smoothly and is very pigmented. Like most lipsticks, they do transfer a bit especially when you're eating or drinking. However, after a long day I do find that it does sometimes start to crumble. The only tip I would have for you' is to not forget to moisturize and exfoliate your lips  before and after taking it off because it can dry your lips a lot. 

 Left to right

Exhibitionist

Countess

Hot Mama

Corporate Femme

Let Me Tempt You

Chi Chi not only offers lip products but also a range of other makeup products as well as bath and body. If you are within Australia or New Zealand, you can find Chi Chi Cosmetics available at all major retailers which include Myer, Target and Farmers. If buying outside these countries you can do so from their website as the products are shipped straight from Australia. If you'd like to learn more about the shipping and returns policy - you can find it here.

Have you every tried this brand of makeup before? Feel free to let me know if you'd like me to review any other products from this line.

xx

Most Reached For Products For 2016

It's that time of the year again where we all share our favorite products from our makeup stash. Posts like these have been at the top of my reading list because it's such a great way to discover more products. I've rounded 10 of my most reached for beauty and makeup products for 2016. Most of these products have been a re-purchase this year as I've been using them for a couple of years now.

Estee Lauder Matte Perfecting Primer

The formula is silicone free, packed with many anti-aging ingredients making the product great for oily and sensitive skin. I was unsure about spending such a large amount of money on such a small amount of product. It comes in a tube like packaging easy to squeeze out and goes onto your skin smoothly. It has a velvety texture and a little bit definitely goes a long way. I would recommend this primer for those who have oily; hard to control skin. This is the only primer I have used so far that doesn't make my skin and makeup look more oily then it already is. It controls shine perfectly!

Estee Lauder Double Wear Foundation

What I love about the Estee Lauder Foundation range, is the fact that it caters to many different ladies with different skin tones. You will find the colors in stores making it easier for you to find your perfect shade. I've been using this foundation for about a year now and I haven't changed since. It does help with oily skin and is super long lasting but also keeps you from looking cakey. I would suggest blending the product out with a wet sponge to give it that natural; flawless look and finishing with a setting powder. The only con I have with the product is the packaging. It doesn't have a pump making it hard to get the right amount of product. The best way is to start small and work your way up rather then tipping half the bottle on your palm.

Dolce and Gabana The One

Out of all  my perfumes, I keep coming back to this one. This would be my signature scent if I had to make my own, It's one of those scents you can use the whole year round. The opening is very strong - kind of like mandarin but dies down in a couple of minutes to a long lasting scent of vanilla. The smell is very unique and isn't overpowering  that it makes your head spin.

Schwarzkopf Ultimate Repair Shampoo and Conditioner

If you have very dry, dull and damaged hair, please go ahead and give this product a go. The formula is created with liquid keratin to repair damaged hair and refill the gaps within the hair cuticle. I did use my straightener on my hair quite a lot without using any protection before. After I started using this shampoo and conditioner, I have almost stopped using any heat on my hair. My hair is left feeling soft, silky and smelling great. This shampoo and conditioner combo not only helps in the restoration of my hair but also cleanses  my scalp. With most products I find that I get a lot of dandruff but totally the opposite with this.

Nivea Mattifying Gel Cream

Another amazing product for oily and sensitive skin. I use this cream at the start of each day and a first step to my makeup routine. This Nivea Pure Effects Shine Control Mattifying Gel Cream has a very light and soft consistency which is what oily skin needs. It does apply nicely onto the skin and has a slight fresh and creamy scent. It is very moisturizing and doesn't make you break out.

Health Basics DermaPlus Lotion

This cream is amazing value for what it does for your skin. I'll be honest, I've been using this cream for a couple of years now and absolutely love it. I can get white patchy dry skin especially during summer but after consistent use for a couple of months - my skin looks and feels amazing. It is formulated to calm and moisturize dry skin with a fresh scent to it. It has amazing ingredients like aloe vera and is paraben free, Being made in New Zealand and not tested on animals is a huge advantage.

Real Techniques Makeup Brushes

Okay, so I couldn't choose 1 makeup brush from this line which was my intention, RT has many brushes which are all amazing for doing different tasks. If you are a beginner, I would most definitely suggest investing in some of these. They are value for money and also comes in packs which allows you to try many different brushes and their importance. These are synthetic brushes meaning you can clean them on a regular basis. I've had all my brushes for over a year and they have never shed. I will be doing a post on how I clean my makeup brushes soon. Although they have their own names and description, feel free to multi task and experiment with them.

Essie Nail Polish

This is a brand I'm happy to have discovered  in 2016. I wasn't too big and didn't know much about nail polishes before I discovered Essie. This range comes in so many shades; it's overwhelming. They're opaque, very long lasting, apply like a breeze and most importantly don't chip as quickly as other brands do. The most important feature about this line, is it's brush. It's just the right size and gathers just enough product for those who have small nails like I do.

Freeman Clay Mask: Mint and Lemon

If you suffer from oily and sensitive skin, this mask is a must have for your skincare. I myself suffer from oily skin and have large pores on my nose. The 3 ingredients used in this product can do wonderous for you skin. Clay is known to help with absorbing any extra oil, dirt and all harmful toxins from your skin. Lemon in masks help to clear dirt and bacteria whereas mint soothes the skin. I've got nothing but great things to say about this product. I would love to do a thorough review on it so please comment below if you'd be interested.

Rimmel London Apocolips Lip Velvet

"Burning Lava" from this line has been my go to throughout the year. The shade is suitable for all skin tones with a light weight formula. As much as I love my matte lippies, I enjoy how this feels on my lips. It's not drying but doesn't have a wet look to it either . On the plus side, it will not dry out your lips but would recommend using a lip liner as it can bleed over time.

So, there you have it. It was really hard to pick the top 10 products but it had to be done. If you'd like me to do a proper review on any of the products above; please do let me know. All of these products were purchased in store at Farmers and Life Pharmacy. What are your favorites for 2016?

xx

NZ Twitter Secret Santa

So that time of the year has come and passed again - Christmas! This is most definitely my favorite time of the year that I look forward to. I love spending time with my family and friends especially those who I may have not seen a lot. Unlike some countries, Christmas in New Zealand is celebrated while it's summer so of course we've got to have an outdoor BBQ. Christmas for me has been amazing this year (or the past year I should say now!) and I hope it was the same for you. Enough talking from me, let's get onto the actual post.

Basically, NZ Secret Santa is where we participate on Twitter and we randomly get assigned to someone we anonymously give a gift to. The registrations opened the 10th of November 2016 and the gifts were shipped off on the 5th of December 2016.

Here's a little sneak peak of what I got.

Anatomicals is a brand that I have heard of and seen but never picked anything up for myself. Shower gels, body lotions and creams are a great gift to give as it's something a lot of people don't purchase for themselves. What I love about these - is the packaging. The colors, fonts and the size works well together. I can't wait to try this range so thank you secret santa!

I'd definitely recommend you to participate in this if you live in New Zealand. How was your experience if you had participated? Finally, what's your favorite thing/tradition for Christmas?

xx

New Year, New You

A new year calls for a new objective and brand new goals. There is no better time to reflect on the past and change what you can then now. But of course there are some things you can't change at all. Take it into consideration, learn from it and make something good out of it. Forget all those dreadful times and focus on the future. The past is nothing but a memory. 2016 was a rocky year for me with a lot of ups and downs. However, I'm quite blessed and thankful that it ended on a good note. This calls for a fresh start for the new year and puts me in a position where I can start to think about more achievements I can accomplish. I've listed down some objectives below I would like to work towards. I love reading these kind of posts but it's also a great way to reflect back on my goals throughout the year.

Life

• I've got a little one due on the 20th of this month so I'm quite excited to meet and create a bond with her. She is my first baby so I am taking everything as it comes.
• The past year was a pretty crazy year for me so I hope to re-kindle my relationship with my friends and family.
• Overall, I'd like to be a happier person - enjoy the little things more in life. Make time out for my husband and try to do little things that make us both happy.

Career

• Sign up and successfully enroll for an online course to complete my degree so I can get a qualification.
• Start to work on a plan so I can prioritize my time as it will be harder with a baby.

Blog

• Regularly update my blog and create better content.
• Update my social media as much as I can so everyone is aware of what is happening.
• Write and publish at least 2 posts a week.
• Create friendships with other bloggers who share the same passion as I do.

So there it is!  This is my little list of goals for 2017 but of course there will be other small goals I may have during the year. I would love to know what your goals and aspirations are for 2017 no matter how big or small. 

“A person should set his goals as early as he can and devote all his energy and talent to getting there. With enough effort, he may achieve it. Or he may find something that is even more rewarding. But in the end, no matter what the outcome, he will know he has been alive.” 

– Walt Disney

xx