Thursday Night Haul - Clinique Myer Gift With Purchase GWP February / March 2013

Hello hello :)

I received the Myer beauty catalogue in the mail the other day and saw there was a nice Clinique GWP happening. I haven't tried much from them besides their DDM moisturizing lotion and the soap cleanser. I also have one of their concealers and blush which i love. So while i've been wanting to get their concealer in the proper shade, i decided now was the right time. However my first visit was to my small local shopping centre and there wasn't much to look at.
Last night while i was in the city i managed to pick up 2 things and the gift with purchase :)
I was looking around forever and Clinique is just not the brand for me. It's the brand my mother uses. The skincare is very basic and so is the make up. They only have a million different foundations on offer but besides that i was confused at what i should get.
The line smoothing concealer i really wanted didn't come in a suitable shade. The ones light enough were too pink toned and the closest yellow one was way too dark and similar to the one i already had.
So i picked up their All About Eyes Concealer in 01 Light Neutral. This was the perfect shade for me. It swatched really thick which is what i liked but dried down very dry which was a little concerning.
After circling around almost 20 times i decided to try their cream liner as well. I wear eyeliner pretty much everyday. It was a practical choice :D
The cream liner looked very glossy and gel like. Not like MAC or any other gel liner i've tried. This has good reviews besides being easily used up so i'll see how i like it :)

And the exciting part, the GWP!

Included is:
Youth Surge Day SPF 15 Age Decelerating Moisturizer 15ml
Youth Surge Night Age Decelerating Night Moisturizer 15ml
7 Day Scrub Cream Rinse-Off Formula 30ml
Take the Day Off Makeup Remover For Lids, Lashes & lips 50ml
NEW Quickliner For Eyes Intense in Black 1.1g
Chubby Stick Moisturizing Lip Colour Balm in Mega Melon 1.2g
High Impact Mascara in Black 3.5ml
Floral Bag

Purchased:
All About Eyes Concealer 01 Light Neutral $36
Brush on Cream Liner True Black $37

I was told when purchasing that the eyeliner in the gift doesn't wind down and only up. When i came across the Clinique's Facebook there was a lot of comments on this as well. I guess maybe that's why it was included? It is pretty much full size and glides on amazingly smooth. It does take a while to dry down and is definitely not Intense Black. It shows almost a dark blue and when i swatched the blue one and black together they were almost the same. I wore it to work today and really liked it. Usually i liquid line and then gel line over and have a hard time getting a full thick line but this worked super well. Line once and it was done :) I quite like it. If only it was more black.

Overall i think this is a great GWP. The Chubby Stick is a really great neutral red shade. All those lip colour pencils are very popular at the moment and i've just not been keen on trying them. But maybe after trying this one i will understand why everyone loves them :) I'm not usually a sucker for Clinique's GWP but this one included some good make up items which is what i'm after more. Most Myer's i've been to still have plenty in stock!

Some other stuff i've purchased recently as well:

Nude By Nature Ultimate Heroes Kit

Scored this for $15 at Priceline! It was down to $25 and they had $10 off Kits :) I'm so glad my friend told me about this!

Chanel Perfection Lumiere 20 Beige swatch

Got the Chanel Perfection Lumiere Foundation in 20 Beige. I forgot which one all the youtubers were raving about and i only remembered the word Lumiere. And unfortunately for me, all Chanel Foundations were something Lumiere! After numerous swatching, i liked the Mat Lumiere most but at the last minute i asked the sales assistant which had most coverage and this was suppose to be Medium - buildable to full coverage.

I have tried this and besides making my complexion extremely glowy, the coverage is lacking. I like to glow but i like to cover my freckles also. And this doesn't do it. It isn't buildable either like she said. Even redness which i hardly have shows through. Not a fan and i'll be staying away from Chanel foundations if this is what their medium to full coverage foundations are like! It was $82 from memory and i wish i spent the money better elsewhere :( It feels thick also. I rate this 4/10.

Speaking of foundations, here is my mini Ozsale haul of Bourjois Foundations.

I actually got more than pictured but lets try to not look like a make up hoarder. I got my favourite Healthy Mix ones all in shade 52. I decided i liked this version more than the gel serum one because that one was way too shiny on my skin during summer. I make me look like i was greasy. And i have dry skin! With the foundations at $10 a piece, i picked up the heavier coverage Flower Perfection Foundation also. They're so pricey in shops that i've been reluctant to try it. But now i have and i must say i love it :) It is a tiny bit thicker but the coverage is aweeeesome. I feel like i can skip concealer with this on. I just love Bourjois foundations so much now :)

Calvin Klein Lipgloss in 32207 Georgia and 32206 Euphoria

Picked these up ages ago but i had swatch photos in my phone :) Got these from Chemist Warehouse. They seem to have stopped stocking CK cosmetics. Not that they stocked them properly. 

They were always in tiny baskets with mixed stuff thrown together. I don't like lip gloss but when i saw these colours i had to have themmm. Their lipsticks are amazingly nice as well and also their eyeshadows! I've managed to collect a few eyeshadows which are amazing quality and a few blush brushes. The eyeshadows were on clearance for $2! OMG?? And i bought every single one that wasn't broken or touched. There were a few nude cream shades that even when i swatch now, i could just die staring at them. Chemist Warehouse no longer has them anymore so it must have been a temporary thing which didn't last very long.
Myer has had a new Calvin Klein cosmetics section for a while now. Maybe i will stop by next time but the packaging isn't tempting at all. Looks like some kind of white spaceship toy. Has anyone tried them? Are they any good?

MOR Marshmallow Set :)

I love MOR because they have the prettiest packaging i've ever seen. And their marshmallow scent makes me dream off into candyland.

I finally got my hands on their pricey perfume! For the same price of the perfume alone, i got a bonus hand cream and soap bar. I'm only a little sad i didn't get the box for the perfume because it is super pretty! I have a habit of collecting their stuff and never using it. It displays nicely on my vanity table hehe

Revlon Xmas Set 2012

I got this gigantic Revlon gift set around 2-3 weeks ago. It was normally $79 i think on sale at Myer for $39! It was part of their Boxing day clearance sales and they had so much of these available! The amount of products it comes with is insane! Not to mention it includes one of my favourite pencil liners normally $20+.

I picked up 2 sets and gifted some of the products to a friend :) Myer is completely sold out now but David Jones does still have a few for $55 on sale. I love sales :)

Mecca Cosmetica Nars Haul :) 

Eyeshadow Duo in Grand Palais (Limited edition)

Can't remember when i picked these 2 up but it wasn't too long ago. I got the nail polish in the bright yellow and the eyeshadow duo.The polish goes on super pigmented and the staying power is wonderful. I've had this on my toes for 2 weeks and took a long time before it started to chip. It's so hard to find a bright sunny good quality yellow polish! I love this :)

O.P.I Haul!

These i believe are a mix from the Spiderman and Skyfall Collection :)

I got these a longggg time ago but i haven't got around to using them. The colours are amazing though. Also Myer has started to stock O.P.I and i've been watching the stands slowly fill up with super pretty colours :)

I can get O.P.I from my local Myer now which is nice hehe

Live and Let Die, On Her Majestys Secret Service, Just Spotted the Lizard, Number One Nemesis, The World Is Not Enough

So pretty :)

Illamasqua Neutral Palette

I can never resist a neutral palette. That metallic shade makes me melt.

 Illamasqua Neutral Palette Swatches

Essie Haul!

Haute As Hello, French Affair, Nice is Nice, Topless & Barefoot, Van D' Go, Neo Whimsical, Mod Squad, Mucho Dinero, ??? (sorry i forgot what this was)

I actually have most of these shades in mini versions and when i saw a Essie sale pop up on buyinvite.com.au, i decided to pick up the shades i loved the most. Everything came packed in lots of bubble wrap and very fast too. I love Haute and Hello and Topless & Barefoot. Just can't get enough of these nude pastel shades! Essie is definitely my favourite polish brand :)

And these are the shades my sister picked up:

Nice is Nice, Topless & Barefoot, Waltz, Da Bush and Absolutely Shore

Ok i think i've included most of the things i've been meaning to post about and i can peacefully go on without thinking about how much i need to blog about!

I did pick up the Chi Chi Nude palette today but i will leave that for another post! Have a lovely night :)

Thursday Night Haul - David Jones and Clarins

Hi :)

Somehow i've managed to not blog in almost a month! I guess i've somehow kept myself too busy in the real world, even though all i do is work and sleep hehe

Ok! As always, i went Thursday night shopping with L and this time i didn't shop too long but i did manage to pick up some fun things from David Jones :)

David Jones once again had their Deluxe Beauty Sampler Bag on offer. Purchase any beauty item and you can purchase the bag for $19.95.

I've bought the previous 2 they had and it was definitely worth it. There's always a mix of nice brand items and some full size items as well! They come out twice a year i think. Maybe more but i've somehow picked up the habit of collecting them and i can't wait for the next ones they have!

So firstly, i shall start with what i bought.

I was wandering around the beauty counters trying to see what i could buy and found this. 

The Clarins Instant Beauty Kit.

It comes with 2 full sized items. The Brush-On Perfecter and the Instant Smooth Perfecting Touch. Both usually around $50 each. I have the Instant Smooth Perfecting Touch and this stuff is the perfect primer base for pores and bumpy areas. It feels like a super matte paste and smooths on so well.

I have not tried the Brush-On Perfecter though but it does remind me of the YSL Touche Eclat. So i checked the shade, 02, checked the tester and it turns out to be the perfect one for me :) Not only that, it seems to have more coverage and more shine than the YSL. I fell in love with it on the spot. 

The 2 other products are mini sizes of the Complexion Perfector which is an illuminator and the Natural Lip Perfector. This lipgloss will make you have the juiciest looking lips ever! I'm not a fan of lipgloss but i loveeee this stuff. It's amazing and not sticky! It comes in the peachy shade which i don't so it was the perfect kit for me.

This was $50 with the value of $107. I'm surprised at how cheap this is. Maybe it's because drugstore brands these days are just getting more and more pricey. I can find a L'oreal or Maybelline product similar to the YSL Touche eclat for $30 which is just not worth it. Considering how higher end brands are cutting their prices in Australia now to make it more fair on consumers.

I will try the Brush-On Perfector and probably do a comparison review on it soon :)

Now the exciting part! The David Jones Deluxe Beauty Sampler Bag! There were 2 different bags to choose from and i chose the one which i thought contained items i would use most.

Here are photos to show what's inside :)

Inside Includes:

Dermalogica Daily Microfoliant 13g

Kosmea Skin Clinic Rescue Balm 5g - super cute

A'kin  Intensive Moisture Anti-Oxidant Complex

Batiste Dry Shampoo 50ml - In blush scent

Live Clean Argan Oil Treatment 30ml

Crabtree & Evelyn Himalayan Blue Hand Therapy 25g  - They do amazing hand creams!

David Jones Beauty Liquid Foundation SPF15 in Tan 35ml or Silk Finish pressed Powder in Translucent 12g - I got the Tan foundation and it's around MAC NC35. Way too dark for me. I don't recall any of the bags having the Translucent Pressed Powder though.

Also there were bonuses!

Bonus David Jones Facial Cleanser and Day Cream. 

And mini O.P.I polish :)

This all comes in a cute David Jones Tote. The bag is quite long although it's very slim sized like a suitcase.

I'm always one to collect purse size products so i'm super excited over these. The O.P.I polishes vary and you're free to choose the bag you like. I have a feeling i might be back in David Jones the next few days to get the other bag. And most likely some other goodies :)

I've done so much other shopping in between, i really need to find time and energy to blog about them! They will come soon. Hopefully hehe :)

2013! Collective Haul

Annoying people say this every year, but i really can't believe 2012 is over. It almost feels like it just started. I spent all last year obsessing over working more and more to the point where i was working everyday and wanted to die. But all that is over now. 2013 i'm going to take it easy for now. Maybe i'll get restless as time goes on but right now i'm going to enjoy my free time.

I've really cut down on my shopping habit and stopped buying small things. All my money goes towards food and the occasional splurge which is what i need to be doing since i'm working lesser now.

Here's a little update of all the pretty things i've acquire during the Christmas period. 

L's parents came over in Nov and i didn't go have dinner with them like they wanted because i was overworked and unwell at the time. They brought me back gifts from their trip to Hong Kong and i feel really bad for not making more effort to see them. 

I got this pearl bracelet from them which is super cute with the little silver flower clasp. I really love this and have worn it many times since.

I also got this lovely flora scarf which is super soft! His mum also made me some delicious healthy soup and i hope she makes me more again next time :D

I got L's parents the cutest Christmas card. The only sad part is there's no space for a small message besides Merry Christmas and they didn't get it till after Christmas even though we sent it out a few days before.

I was spoilt for Christmas and got 3 presents. One each week until Christmas.

The first week i got the Marc Jacobs watch i've been lusting over. I have the purple/gold one and really want to collect all the other colours. But because rose gold is so popular right now i wanted a white/rose gold one which is what i got :) Although i was promised a watch for our ignored anniversary and never got it!

I was worried it'll be hard to match things but it surprisingly goes with almost everything and i've worn it so much already. Confirms i should definitely collect all colours! I believe this is the 'Amy' watch.

The second present i got the next week is the perfume i've been wanting and reminds me of a Lush store.

Dior's Miss Dior Cherie! I love the bottle. It reminds me of the Chloe bottle and i sit them both together on my drawers now :)

I only expected to get the perfume but L said he went looking around to find it in a gift set and managed to find one place that had it. The box it came in is so lovely and the body lotion is so pretty but i don't really approve of spending that much on body lotion! I use that stuff up like no tomorrow! 

And my third gift :) I had no idea what this was going to be. Since the previous 2 were things i've been hinting very hard and L let me know he got them for me early on.

I got a diamond bracelet which L picked out himself. I've worn it once and it's not really my style. It's very thin and girly looking and reminds me of something my mum wears. It might grow on me but until i'm older and only into dainty stuff i'm afraid it will be sitting in it's box for quite a while :( It does look super pretty in this photo, please ignore my glossy moisturizer which made my arm glitter. I would have to wear it without a watch because it looks like just a chain against things.

C started talking to me again not long ago and i hope we can be friends again although i've made sure to keep my distance enough but not ignore him completely. He got me a Xmas gift and it was delivered to my place. I had no idea and was shocked when i can home to a giant box outside my room.

It was one of those mirror jewellery cabinets that i've seen in those pretty homeware stores and i've eyed these many times but always decided i shouldn't spend the money on another piece of furniture my room doesn't have space for.

I did however shift furniture and made space for it :) It's so full of jewellery now. And i'm actually quite happy that i have everything in one place now.

Ok now it's time for the shopping!

Clarins Xmas Gift Sets! I ordered a few more sets but they were actually out of stock so i didn't receive them which made me very sad! If i knew i would have bought some other sets instead.

I got these for a really great price on Ozsale.com.au. However i don't recommend that site to be very reliable in stock quantities. I've also received missing items before and had to get it sorted. Also, these came in a plastic envelope. No packaging. The pretty boxes were all crushed and looked like i was receiving second hand old stock. They are current Christmas sets though and i've seen these in store so i'm kicking myself for not getting a few more other sets.

Lush goodies! I must admit i got into Lush a lot later than most people only because the closest store to me is in the city so i tend to only go there on Thursday nights when i go out with L.

I love the sugar scrub so i got the limited edition Santa one which didn't look like santa at all lol And picked up a few other fun and different things to experiment with. I was feeling splurgy that day.

I made quite a few trips to Lush during the xmas period and also picked up a gift box for my secret santa at work which had the cutest packaging but i guess i forgot to take a photo of that :(

I found out online that Lush has a 50% off all xmas items for their Boxing Day sales which got me very excited but i didn't go till a week later and they didn't have too much stock left. I did stock up on the midnight clock massage bar thingy because i love it so much. It's so moisturizing on the skin i can still feel the layer on oils on me when i get out of the shower! But besides that nothing tempted me. There were heaps of bubble bars and bath bombs left but sadly i only take showers

Relaxing tea break :)

Next up is the Dior Abricot Creme! Yay. I've been wanting this ever since i saw it. My nails are constantly dead from work and my constant use of nail polish. The second i use nail polish my nails dry and chip like crazy! However even with the amazing reviews online i refrained from purchasing this as it's $50! Which is very steep. However it does seem like it would last me well over a year or two. And every time i look at my nails i think a investment is needed. 

 

Dior had this limited edition set on offer which included the abricot creme for $75. So i decided i might as well upgrade and get the set. Also because the make up bag is really nice. I don't really need the polish but it was worth paying a bit more to get 3 polishes right?

Picked up MAC's mineralized blush in Warm Soul. Was eyeing this colour last time when i purchase Dainty. Now i have them both :)

Sometimes it's not good to have so much shops nearby while at work. Everyone at work was talking about their boxing day purchases and it made me feeling like shopping so i got these randomly from Colette. They had a 50% off sale. I love the keyring and these hair bows. I didn't find anything else that was too tempting. I was trying really hard to not buy too much 'small useless' things like i always do. The bows were only $2 each and the keyring $4. How can you say no at those prices!

Next up is just a photo collection of food. With my new diet in place, my food choices are very limited. Looking at stuff i didn't have to cook for myself makes me happy :)

Snag Stand Hotdogs! Mine is the Chicken Rocket with Gluten free roll and mustard :)

 Thai Chicken with Papaya Salad.

 Thai Beef Pad See Ew

Spuds N Crepes

 

Japanese Hot Pot :)

Vietnamese Chicken Rice Noodle Soup

Tomato Rice with Pork

Fries! Yummy :)

Now back to the shopping.

 L'Occitane Cherry perfume. They had a Fleur floral one which i liked but L preferred this more. Smells a lot like The Body Shop's Japanese Cherry Blossom perfume which is one of my favourites.

Shu Uemura Mon Shu Palette!

 

Mon Shu Bordeaux Palette. Totally cute and creepy at the same time hehe

Such pretty girly colours

Orange Pistachio Palette! From Chocolat Donna Collection!

It's one of my most prettiest palettes. And i love the matte browns it has. I went home and immediately regretted not getting the Vanilla & Mint one as well. I had in mind to get it the next time i was in the city but i didn't get a chance to last week and i was freaking out that they might ship the stock back soon since it is limited edition and i guess after talking about how i want it so much L got it for me yesterday while he was at work :) I'm so spoilt and lucky hehe

Spoilt because i really didn't want him to get it for me! I accidently dented my Mon Shu Bordeaux Palette while showing it to my sister and i told him about it and how sad i was. And he surprised me later on with the same palette and the Smoky Velvet one as well! He also got the cute tote bag with the purchase so i was already really happy and i feel bad that he ended up getting me a third palette too! I guess i'm lucky that he loves me enough :)

 And last but not least is my most recently splurge at Review. They had a further 25% off reduced items which was pretty much everything in their Myer section. And i couldn't help but get 4 blazers. At the RRP of around $280, i think getting them for around $100 each is a really good buy right? And i've been thinking about how i want to invest in a nice blazer, preferably a navy one.

I've only got a picture of my favourite one for now. It's blazery yet still casual classy, can be dressed up or down and has very nice detail.

I got it in white as well as a last minute impulse decision and i must say i'm not regretting it at all! I've shopped around quite a bit lately and cannot find any nicer jackets/blazers and all the ugly stuff is around $100 anyways not on sale so it makes these well worth it :)

I've got a lot more other things i've bought and loved since but i've been writing this post way too long and i'm getting a little sleepy :P So they will just have to wait for another day.

I hope this makes up for the time i've been slacking and not posting anything!

Hopefully i will continue to have a lot more happy things to post here in 2013 :)