The Good Stuff: Five Things I'm Loving

Moroccan Oil

I know I'm a bit late and everyone goes on and on about Moroccan Oil now but I've been using this stuff for about six months and I can honestly say I really do think it lives up to the hype. I use about the amount of a ten cent coin (I have a lot of hair) on damp hair after the shower. I find that when I use Moroccan Oil my hair dries faster, looks shinier, healthier and feels softer. Honestly, what more could you want? Also, I'd be interested in using other oil treatments, anyone know a goodie?

OPI: Black Cherry Chutney

So everyone knows my favourite nail polish colour is OPI's Mod About You, but with winter creeping up over here in Australia soft colours just aren't cutting it anymore. Black Cherry Chutney is a gorgeous deep burgundy. From far away it almost looks black. It is similar to OPI's Lincoln Park After Dark but it has more burgundy tones and a tad more shimmer. It really is beautiful and perfect for winter.

MAC Lady Gaga Viva Glam Lipstick

I admit that I bought this lipstick because it was sold out in the US at the time and because I have a soft spot for Gaga but I honestly love it. It's a light blue based pink and it's a lustre. Usually I hate lustres because they can be chunky but this one is smooth and the colour payoff is perfect. I rock it with dark smokey eyes when I'm going out or just black liquid liner on my upper lash line.

Dermalogica Special Cleansing Gel

I always come back to Dermalogica and I always feel like my skin has never felt better when I use it. I've been using it again for the last couple of months after running out of my cetaphil and It's just reminded me of why I always come back to it. My skin always feels so clean and smooth after I use it and that's what I want from a cleanser.

Benzoyl Peroxide

I know some people are crazy anti using Benzoyl Peroxide to treat acne but I find that if I get a spot that I know will take forever to heal, a little BP goes a LONG way. It basically just dries out the spots but I've found that it really works for me and it's cheap! Pick it up from any chemist. There's tonnes of different types, I've been using Benzac AC 10% but honestly I think there all as good as each other.

Hope some of that was interesting to you guys, let me know if you enjoy this type of post!

Curly Hair? Sorted!

A little while ago I was sent some lovely products for curly hair, the only problem is my hair is almost dead straight. I agonized over what to do but decided to give the products to one of my friends with a crazy curly mop to road test for you and this is what she thought!

The products are from the Indola- Innova Curl range. There are four products a Curl Detangling Shampoo, a Restructuing Spritz, A Curl Tame Cream and A Curl Bounce Fluid (all $17.95).

Some products are recommended for thicker curls and some for finer curls, so whatever you've got Indola has it covered.

Shampoo - She said this was lovely and smelled good, she used it twice as you would a regular shampoo and then followed with a regular conditioner. I asked her if she could tell a difference and she said yes! Her hair felt easier to brush once it was dry and felt beautifully cleansed.

Restructuring Spritz - This is a bit like a leave in conditioner for curly hair. She sprayed it in then combed it through and was surprised and how smooth and relaxed her curls felt afterwards.

Bounce Fluid Curl - This was for fine hair but I made her use it anyway, she said she doesn't usually like putting products like this in her hair because they can feel heavy but I assured her to just use a little bit on her fingertips and lightly apply it through her hair. Success. It added a nice little shine and a little bit of volume.

Tame Cream Curl - Again she said she doesnt like to put things like this in her hair because they "feel heavy" I gave her a break but asked her to try it the next day and she rang me to say it was awesome at getting rid of flyaways and frizz and leaving her curls "curly" (her words not mine) shaped.

So the bottom line?

Pretty cheap and pretty darn good.

Formal Time

Got a formal coming up? If you go to highschool than probably, my sister is going to THREE this year and she's only in year ten. Such a socialite that kid. I remember when I was in highschool formal time was always STRESSFUL way more stressfull than say exam time.

But now you don't have to worry about what your going to do about your makeup cause I've got it covered for you! NP Set are going to help you make it a formal to remember! They are formal doing makeovers at David Jones, it costs 80 big ones but thats all redemable for product on the day which means you basically get a free makeover and $80 worth of products hand picked just for you!

Still wondering? NP Set will also throw in a free Lip Gloss Compact, perfect for keeping your lips pouty all night long!

Why being a slave to trends is less important now more than ever

You know how sometimes there is a makeup/beauty trend and you think "that sounds insanely crazy", (I'm talking about things like glitter mascaras here) you think that it a trend reserved only for the truly insane and then you see a really hot girl wearing it and she doesnt look half bad so maybe you can give it a go too.

Well I'm about to tell you about one of those trends that you should NOT give a go, even if you see a model wearing it on Oxford St and it looks pretty rad on her.

Im talking about black lips.

Black Lips are huge at the moment beauties. Have you noticed all the makeup brands bringing out black lip products? Chanel has a black lipstick and back in March Lancome had the Piha Beach gloss. MAC is about to go one step further with their latest Style Black collection (Available in Australia October 5th), an entire black collection featuring no less than 6 black toned lip products.

But take my word of warning beauties, save your money for the other black products. Unless you are a model, a vampire or a goth leave the black lips at home, or you will SCARE CHILDREN.

Project Ten Pan Fail

Remember how I told you I was gonna do Project Ten Pan to save money for my holiday. Well it didn't work. I used up five things and then Style Warriors came out and my favourite MAC lady was working so I bought more stuff than I needed.

So now I'm going away in seven days and my funds are severley depleted. Thankfully KRudd came through with the $900 and I have a bit from work so I do have some spending money but taking exchange rates into play probably not as much as I want. Fingers crossed I win the $60 mill lotto jackpot next week yeah?

But there is something I really really need. As a result of project ten pan I now have no more moisturiser. I used up my day one and my night one and am currently living off those sample ones you get in Gift-With-Purchases.

So I need you to recommend me something great, something stellar.

I have normal to dry skin, during the day I like to use something light (I was using Lancommes Hydra-Fusion) and at night I use something a bit heavier and more hydrating (I used to use Philosophys Hope In A Jar).

What do you use?

Would you recommend it?

Help a sister out.

Hair Aware

Kevin Murphy Born Again Masque (He must be french or something cause I always thought it was spelt mask)

I will be honest with you, when it comes to my hair I am lazy. I know your supposed to go in for a cut and a colour (if that's your thing) every 6 weeks or so but for me it's more like ever 6 months. Ponytails, messy buns or GHD straight are pretty much all I have in my repertoire. (see I can use fancy french words too Mr. Murphy!)

So in between salon visits my hair can get a bit rank. Not to mention it's pretty damaged seeing as I've dyed it every colour conceivable (not even kidding, in high school I had magenta streaks) and I GHD and blow dry a bit too often.

So on one of my infrequent hairdresser visits my hairdresser noted how dry my hair was and recommended I give this a go, normally I just say yes to whatever he tries to sell me because I feel so bad for not going in for so long and then finally presenting him with this mess he has to attempt to fix.

I tried it and success! My hair actually feels amazingly soft, and I didn't even realise it felt dry before. It has Shea butter in it which is the oiliest of oils and my hair just drank it all up and then asked in a  small voice "Please Sir...I want some more".

So would I use it again? YES. And do I think you should too? Of course.

If your hair is dry and damaged, give it the moisture it needs. Oily haired need not apply.

Project Ten Pan

Project Ten Pan: Like Project Runway Cept not with Clothes or Designers.

In case you don't know Project Ten Pan is a "movement" circulating at the moment on youtube. I know; it sounds like some weird local council recycling project and should actually be called "Using up your old shit before you spend anymore money on stuff you have no room for project". What it entails exactly is you using up Ten beauty products before you are allowed to buy anything new. At first I was like nahhhh, not for me thanks. I am definitely a spender and have no self control when it comes to buying new things, but when I took a look at my latest bank statement and saw the link between my lack of moolah and my five newest eye shadows I thought to myself, WHAT ARE YOU DOING? DON'T YOU KNOW THERE IS A FINANCIAL CRISIS? YOU DON'T NEED TEN DIFFERENT FACE SCRUBS. Also that and my Studio Fix Powder smashed on the ground and I sneakily thought, hey that's one down already.

So I thought as these are obviously products I've used a lot I'd let you know what I thought about them.

So the two items I have already used up are:

1. MAC Studio Fix Powder: I've been using this stuff since I was about 15. I've tried other powders but I always come back to this. It is a medium coverage but is quite buildable. Use lightly though as it can look cakey.

2. MAC Studio Fix Fluid: I have been through about 10 bottles of this but I always come back to it. It is a medium (but again buildable) coverage liquid foundation with SPF 15. It's easy to blend and has a dewy finish. I always set it with MAC Invisible Set Powder Pro to matte it down and make it stay alllll day.

Items that I think will be next to go"

3. MAC Eyeshadow in Ricepaper: This was the first eyeshadow I bought in pan form and is a beautiful frosty neutral gold. You can use it as a highlighter or all over the lid as a wash. Universally flattering and a definite staple for me. I would have used it up already but in winter I tend to reach more for Matte colours and have been using MAC's Brule as a highlighter/ all over colour more often.

4. Maybelline Define-A-Lash Mascara

This was the first plastic brush mascara I ever used. I think it really delivers on it's claims (which are funnily enough to define your lashes) but it doesn't give much volume or curl and is something you'd wear if you wanted to go for a more subtle lash look.

5. Lancome Hypnosse Mascara

I bought this on a recommendation from a friend and I loved it at the time. It gives nice volume which holds all day but after using Virtuosse (which is essentially the same but gives more curl) I found I preferred that. I wouldn't buy this again but it was good at the time.

6. MAC Fluidline in Blacktrack.

Standard black gel eyeliner. Takes agggggeeess to use up because you only need a tiny bit but I'm getting there. I'd repurchase for sure but I'm using the Bobbi Brown one at the moment so probably wont need to for awhile.

7. MAC Dazzleglass in Bare Necessity

This was my favourite of the dazzleglasses, it is a peach with gold shimmer and is PRETTY. It's almost done but I avoided using it up at the time because I thought they wouldn't repromote it, however it's being made permanent.

8. MAC Dazzleglass in Sugarrimmed

Same as above really except the colour is a bit more neutral.

9. NARS Pressed Iridescent Powder in Macchu Pichu

This is a beautiful light gold shimmery powder that can be used all over the face for a nice glow, or as a highlighter on certain areas of the face or decolletage. I've hit pan on it but it still has a little bit to go. This was limited edition so you might not be able to find it, and again probably why I avoided using it.

10. Philosophy Hope in A Jar Moisturiser

I got a free sample of this last year from Sephora and fell in love with it. I bought it again from MECCA Cosmetica in December. I HATE the smell (fly spray and lavender) but I'm in love with the product and use it every night. I'm hanging out to try a new moisturiser though so I cant WAIT till this is done.

So that's it.

Are you doing project ten pan?

If yes, are you making progress?

If no, why not?

Let me know in the comments!

Stay posted for a Project Ten Pan update in the future!