Cherry Culture Lip Gloss Pencils *

Lippies in pencil form are my newest obsession. They're modest, simple to use products and are easy to store and travel with. These days I carry essential beauty products that are in pencil form because they're just a lot easier to use and apply or touch up with.

Cherry Culture recently released a new line of lip gloss pencils in a range of six different colours all named after sultry, silver-screen hollywood icons. These pencils have amazing colour pay-off I'd describe them as having the opacity of a lipstick, the finish of a lip gloss and the moisturising benefits of a lip balm.

"The lip gloss pencil features sumptuous, high-definition pigments that are sure to turn heads. A lustrous and glossy hue is packaged in an intuitive pencil design to offer a smooth and precise application, while a smudge-resistant formula ensures a paparazzi-ready pout from dusk 'til dawn."

These Cherry Culture lip gloss pencils contains 4.5g of product and come packaged in the form of sharpenable pencils which makes them portable and definitely ensures precise application. There is a range of 6 highly pigmented and saturated colours with high-shine and a semi-opaque to fully opaque coverage. 

The texture of these products are extremely smooth and creamy, though the product remains dense enough that it doesn't yield to pressure when applied. The formula of these are so pigmented and rich in colour that it does not require heavy coating. Despite it being a lip gloss, which are normally sheer and notoriously heavier or sticky/tacky, the consistency of this is quite lightweight making them very comfortable on the lips. 

To apply this I normally layer on one generous coat and blot with tissue then reapply again. If you're after a more weightless, matte finish, I suggest you blot twice. This formula is super moisturising and has a very glossy, high-shine finish. These are cherry scented lip products that do linger for a while on the lips so if you're sensitive to scents this is definitely a miss. However I'm not at all phased by the smell of them, I actually quite like sweet scents so this is right up my alley. 

From left to right: Julia, Vivien, Emma, Marilyn, Marlene and Faye

These do transfer and can smear so you're going to have to take extra special care if you've got longer hair or if you're wearing light-coloured clothing. Cherry Culture lip gloss pencils have up to 3, maybe 4 full hour of wear and stain the lips beautifully however they did slightly feather and bleed out so I'd definitely suggest using a lip liner to prevent this from happening and extend the longevity of them. I actually find them to be completely transfer-proof and smudge proof once they sheer down to a mere stain/tint. They're deeply nourishing and are incredibly affordable - $3US dollars each and are available to purchase online here (international shipping).

This is not a sponsored post. I have not been paid and products mentioned in this post were sent to me by PR for consideration. I am not obligated to promote or review them. 

Cocoa Brown Tan Gentle Bronze Gradual Tanning Moisturiser *

For those of you who struggle to naturally tan, (fear of UV exposure, adverse affects to health, photo-sensitivity or your skin simply just burns instead) there are ways... If you're a little intimidated by self tanners, or if you've never tried self-tanning and simply do not want to commit to a long-lasting tan but want a weekend-long glow, Cocoa Brown Tan's Gentle Bronze Gradual Tanning Moisturiser is your new best friend.

I have been using this product for the past month now and I am so impressed with it. It comes in a large pink squeeze tube bottle (very cute!) and the first thing I noticed about this product is the scent - it is bursting with freshness! It is fragranced, but it smells so rich and fresh unlike other tanners that can have a slight offensive smell. This will give you a lovely golden bronze tan, not orange. Before each tanning session, I heavily moisturise with the Vaseline spray-on moisturiser. If you're going to be using your hands to apply this product, it is recommended that you slather on moisturiser on both your hands and allow it to set for a few minutes to create a barrier so that the pigments from the tan does not cling to your hands leaving you with unsightly discoloured palms. To avoid this process completely I'd recommend using a tanning mitt which is available here or at Priceline and other selected chemists.

The consistency of this product is not quite watery, but it is fairly runny. This is a very, very moisturising formula and once applied it does have a very dewy, glistening finish. Once this sets (or wash off) the tan is a beautiful warm bronze which looks so natural, so unbelievably gorgeous! The best thing about this product is the tan will never be an overwhelming shade, it gradually deepens your skin tone and once the tan develops (normally 10 minutes) it will have a beautiful golden tinge. First application will give you a very light bronze tan however, if you're looking to darken it up, this product definitely has buildable colour. For a light to medium bronze tan, I reapply the tan within the next half hour. For a medium tan, I apply three full layers. This tan can be built up to a medium-dark tan but it requires a lot of effort and product, so I don't recommend you doing that because it can be pretty wasteful…instead, try their '1 hour tan' which lasts up to 5 days and gives you an instant 'cocoa-brown' tan.

This is such a great product! It moisturises and hydrates the skin rather than dry it out or irritate it, it fades evenly and doesn't look streaky or patchy and it smells gloriously fresh! This gradual tanner is perfect for those who want a temporary, commitment-free light bronze tan for up to 3 days. I use this to even out skin tone and minimise the look of harsh tan lines and the best part is it looks natural and fades beautifully. The only con is I used my hands to apply this and my palms become grossly orange, despite the tan looking nothing at all orange on my skin. Try to wash your hands immediately after! I love the results and definitely recommend this product.

Cocoa Brown products are now available in Australia at selected chemists and online at Cocoa Brown (see list of stockists) unfortunately the Gentle Bronze isn't available to purchase on there but can be found here at feelunique who ships internationally.

Disclosure
This post is not sponsored or paid for. This product review remains honest and in my own opinion. Product mentioned was provided by PR for consideration and I am not obligated to review or promote them.

Bobbi Brown BB Cream SPF 35

When it comes to my make up routine, BB creams always take a backseat to foundations. Normally for everyday wear, BB creams, tinted moisturisers or CC creams are the more preferable and sensible choices, but I haven't been reaching for them as much until now - I finally found my holy grail BB cream!

The Bobbi Brown BB Cream SPF 30+ is an all-in-one moisturiser, treatment and foundation with SPF protection. It claims to be a multitasking formula - a combination of moisturiser, treatment and broad spectrum SPF. It's formulated to cover imperfection and evens skin tone, draw moisture to the skin, brighten dullness instantly and over time, reduce the look of wrinkles and provide SPF sun protection

The packaging of this product is pretty basic. It's a glossy black plastic squeeze tube with a nozzle tip applicator containing 40ml worth of product which makes sense since it's kind of a hybrid between a foundation and a BB cream. It is packaged in a fairly slim tube which makes this a perfect travel-pal for a professional kit or in your make up bag for touch-ups. This is also available in a mini sized version ($22AUD)

The consistency of this BB cream is smooth and creamy. This product blends effortlessly with fingers and flawlessly with a sponge or a foundation brush. The formula of the Bobbi Brown BB cream is lightweight and emollient - It's very moisturising and creamy and can retexture dry flaky skin. It is pore-refining and contains light-reflective pearls which makes the skin appear dewy and radiant.

This BB cream has a light-medium, buildable coverage which instantly evens skin tone and brightens the complexion. On my skin, this product completely covers redness, scarring, uneven pigmentation and smooths out all my dry patches and faint lines. I love that this gives my dry skin a healthy and subtle dewy glow without feeling heavy or greasy and it does not catch to my dry flakes. Despite it being quite pigmented, it looks absolutely natural, like skin! This definitely does not look or feel masking at all. 

Taken under natural lighting.

The Bobbi Brown BB cream doesn't have a fragrance to it so it's great for those who are sensitive to scents or fragranced products, however, because this product does contain SPF, this is not flash photography-friendly but it is excellent for everyday wear since it helps boost hydration and protects your skin from UV exposure. If you prefer fuller coverage, this works exceptionally well as a base primer underneath other foundations. This minimises the look of pores and imperfections and gives the skin a more smoother and even texture allowing products to layer and blend on top with ease.

I find that this product wears beautifully for a full 6 hours without melting off, fading, separating or clumping. If you have oily skin this product may not work as well for you, but if you have very dry skin like me, I highly recommend trying this product out…definitely my new holy grail product. For people with normal or slightly combination skin, I suggest you set your T-zone with either a translucent setting powder. I use the Bare Minerals powder to set this and add a little extra coverage and it lasts all day! It did not cake up and it still felt very, very lightweight! The Bobbi Brown BB cream felt so comfortable to wear. It's breathable and did not transfer onto clothing or feel heavy or sticky to the touch…it just felt like skin and it looked like skin, but definitely better!

This product retails for $60 AUD online or in stores at Mecca, David Jones, Myers or direct from the Bobbi Brown Australia website. It is a very high-end product and ridiculously expensive, but definitely worth the investment. I will definitely be repurchasing this!

BareMinerals Complexion Rescue Hydrating Gel Cream

Lately, I've been binging on foundations, BB creams and tinted moisturisers. When I first heard about the new Bare Minerals Complexion Rescue, I knew instantly I needed it in my life. It must be fate because it was released at Mecca right before we head into the Winter season here in Australia.

This product is described as a versatile cream gel that combines skincare benefits and naturally radiant coverage in one.

The Bare Minerals Complexion Rescue Tinted Hydrating Gel comes in a squeeze tube with a nozzle tip applicator and contains 35ml worth of product…more than a standard foundation, less than the standard BB/CC cream and tinted moisturiser which is typically 50ml. This product is available in 10 different shades, however Mecca only stocks a limited shade range catering only to pale to a medium tan skin tones.

This is a mineral-based formulation with a creamy gel texture that helps brighten, retexture and hydrate dry skin. To apply I dispense a marble sized amount of product onto the back of my hand and blend it into the skin with clean fingers. For a professional finish, it is recommended that you use it with their new duo fibre smoothing face brush ($36AUD) which gives a more smoother and airbrushed finish. 

This product is so smooth and blendable and it melts into the skin! It feels hydrating, super lightweight (almost weightless!) and unbelievably soothing on my dry skin! The Complexion Rescue Gel Cream instantly reduces the look of dullness, dry patches, flakiness, redness and uneven pigmentation. It is fragrance-free and has a sheer to light coverage with a dewy, luminous finish and makes my skin look and feel smooth and naturally flawless! This can also be used as a base primer underneath full coverage foundations - I normally lather this all over and spot conceal on top.

This product wears for 6 hours on me (cold windy conditions) and did not cause any breakouts, did not irritate my skin, settle into fine lines, separate or oxidise!

The Bare Minerals Complexion Rescue is a paraben-free, oil-free, silicone-free formula with broad spectrum SPF 30 - great for daily wear/minimal and naturally glowing look. It is clinically tested, dermatologically tested, non comedogenic and hypoallergenic for those with dry and sensitive skin. This product is also fragrance-free, which is a big plus for those who are sensitive to scented cosmetics.

This product currently retails for $38 AUD at Mecca Maxima, online and in store. Overall, this product is a must-have (for dry skin types) and a make up bag/travel bag essential. This definitely retextures the skin and keeps the skin hydrated all-day! It's so comfortable to wear and looks brightening and smooth on the skin. Coverage is very sheer and shades are quite limited, but it definitely improves the look of my skin so yes, I will definitely repurchase this product in the future.