Rimmel London Apocalips Lip Lacquer Giveaway Winner

Congratz to Sakina!

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Please reply to my email within 48 hours or a new winner will be drawn.

Thank you everyone for participating. I promise there will be more giveaways to come!

Featuring Cezka Mariz: Rising Star

When I caught up with Cezka Mariz a few months ago, apart from her blonde locks, nothing else about her has changed. She was bursting with energy and still bubbly as ever. I've known this singer/songwriter since Year 10 and had not seen her much for a couple of years after high school. We finally got together to do a photoshoot and just catch up in general.

As some of you may be completely new to Cezka, let me up bring you up to speed. She is the eldest out of three siblings and has lived in Saudi Arabia, Philippines, New Zealand and Australia. She's been singing for as long as she can remember. This acoustic/R&B songstress released her debut album last August, with two original tracks written by herself. Cezka has an amazing voice. You might call me bias simply because I'm her friend but have a listen and you'll change your mind.
 

Cezka is one of the most grounded people I know. Instead of choosing to quit school and take on music full time, Cezka finished her secondary education first. She in fact went on and completed a certificate in Interior Designing. When we chatted about her life as an artist thus far, I was shocked to discover that she's a victim of bullying. Ever since her journey to stardom began, she's been receiving cruel prank calls. The anonymous caller(s) sneer(s) about her singing and her smile. They turned her most beautiful assets into something negative. She told me that it affects her but she tries her best to ignore them. It made my blood boiled that someone could do something horrible to a lovely person such as herself.

Of course Cezka is not going to let a couple of bullies stop her. She will in fact be on her way to LA in September. Andrew Lane, a record producer (for Backstreet Boys), has contacted her and would like to see what they can come up with. Cezka is thrilled and when she told me about the news, I was really excited for her. She has worked so hard and I wish her success in every possible way. As long as Cezka keeps her mega-watt smile and wonderful personality, I can guarantee you she and her music are unstoppable.

On a final note, since I'm a beauty nut, I had to ask her some beauty-related questions.

Favourite mascara? L'Oreal Paris Telescopic Mascara
Favourite eyeliner? Rimmel London Exaggerate Liquid Liner
Favourite lipstick? MAC lipstick in Rebel

Just became a fan of Cezka's? You can follow her Facebook page here and check out her website here.


Would you like to know more about Cezka and her music? Leave a comment down below and let me know! 

Sukin Rose Hip Oil Review

Sukin Certified Organic Rose Hip Oil 
Claims: "contains vital nutrients to promote healthy skin, assist skin renewal and repair skin conditions."
RRP: AUD19.95/AUD32.95 for 25mL/50mL
Packaging: 5 out of 5
Review: Zoe Foster swore by rose hip oil and advocated it in her book, Amazing Face (read my review here). I've been meaning to get my hands on a bottle ever since I read her recommendation. I wasn't until a couple of months ago when my face got attacked by bouts of acne that I got desperate. I contacted the PR for Sukin and they were very kind in providing me a bottle to trial.

I had high hopes for this product. My imagination ran a little wild. I wanted to believe that it was the magic bullet that my skin had been waiting for. I wanted the product to clear up my acne and fade my scars and essentially give me flawless skin. Big mistake, Ty! When you have higher expectations, you just crash down with disappointment harder. I am by no means implying that I am disappointed with this product. No, I am trying to remind you and myself that one must be realistic when trying out new products.

I trialed this product for a month. I gently pressed and massaged it onto my skin day and night, after cleansing but before moisturising. Three drops was sufficient to cover my entire face. I apply any residue on my hands onto my neck. The biggest difference I noticed was oil control. I had a slightly oilier T-zone. Now, my whole face is even; it helped keep my face moisturised but not oily. I highly recommend this to people who have oily T-zone or skin in general. Unfortunately, the benefits stopped there for me. I have read reviews whereby this product faded acne scars and did many other amazing things. But hey, no one product will work for everyone.

I really like that this product came in a glass bottle. I dislike oil products in plastic bottles, particularly cheap plastic. Somehow, oil just seeps and oozes out of cheap plastic bottles. I also like that it came with a glass dropper, minimising contamination of the product. My favourite bit is that Sukin is Australian made and owned.

I've stopped using this product for a couple of weeks now to see if it makes any changes to my skin. So far my oil control is holding up. To me it means that its effects are long-lasting, which is great! This means that I'll use it whenever I need to. I'm guessing I'll start using it again as the weather warms and my T-zone gets oily again. I am not in love with this product but I do like it. I believe that you've got nothing to lose by giving it a try because it has done wonders for a lot of people.

Have you tried rose hip oil? What do you think of this product? Would you ever give it a try?

Fudge Urban Colour Chalk Review + Demo

Fudge Urban Colour Chalk in Pumped-up Purple
Claims: "creates vibrant, coloured hair instantly without commitment."
RRP: AUD9.99
Packaging: 5 out of 5
Review:  I've been holding off reviewing this product because I love it to bits but I know that it's not perfect. This is the first hair chalk that I've come across that works on my black hair, which is the number one reason why I love it! All the other hair chalks say "only for blondes, brunettes and red-heads". I got really excited when I saw that an Asian girl with black hair was used in one of their promotional images. I will come back to this point later.

I like the packaging. For something that is very affordable, the plastic jar has a good quality feel to it. They have designed it such that the application is easy and mess-free. You basically hold the jar and run the chalk dome over your hair. The potential problem that I can imagine is that the dome will flatten as I use it and it will eventually become harder to apply. I'll keep you posted on that front.

Okay, now here comes the part that makes me sad. It applies beautifully on my hair and the colour is very vibrant... initially.

As you can see in the photo above the colour is bright and stands out against my dark hair. Sorry about the photo, I didn't realise that my camera was a bit out of focus.

Here's what the colour looks like after a few minutes. It's becomes dull and blends in with my hair. You may prefer it this way but I prefer it to stay bright and vibrant. Dark hair is a pain to work with! I've tried hairspray to make the colour last but I've notice that the vibrancy disappears the moment the spray hits the hair. Even though the instruction say to work the product with your fingers after you apply it, I find that it just takes a lot of the chalk off and I lose a lot of colour. I have a feeling that light-haired ladies don't have as much difficulty with this product as I do. Fudge never made any claims of this product being long-lasting (at least not that I am aware of). So I applaud them for their honesty.

I'm thinking maybe I should get one in Iced White to layer it under the purple.  Perhaps the colour would stand out for longer and not "seep into" my hair so quickly. Will post and update if I do so!

Have you ever tried hair chalking? Did it work for you?

P.S. I've made a slight amendment to my blog post regarding the nail polish that I'm wearing (in the photo).

Rimmel London Apocalips Lip Lacquers Giveaway CLOSED

I finally caved and created a Facebook page for this blog. Why? Because Blogspot isn't the best platform to have conversations with people. Not that I'm saying that Facebook is the best. Face-to-face will always be my first preference.

Anyway, the point is, I'd love to get to know you guys better and chit chat about all things beauty related. It can even be unrelated to beauty. So feel free to drop by my page and write away on my Wall!

Now, on to the giveaway... I'm giving away four Apocalips Lip Lacquers. You can read the review and see the swatches here. And behold! The shades are revealed!

303 Apocaliptic
102 Nova
100 Phenomenon
701 Stargazer

Rules
1. You must be either 18 or above to enter this giveaway
2. If you are under 18 you must obtain consent from your parents
3. You must be a follower of this blog; either by Google Friend Connect or Bloglovin'
4. Winner will be selected through Rafflecopter.
5. Giveaway closes on 31st August 2013.
6. Simply follow the prompts below to enter the draw!



a Rafflecopter giveaway

Good luck! Talk to you soon!

What platform (on the internet) do you prefer to talk to people on? 

Rimmel London Apocalips Lip Lacquer Review + Swatches

Okay, there are so many reviews out there on the World Wide Web that you're probably sick of seeing, hearing and reading about it. I guess this product really took the world by storm. Anyhow, I'd like to contribute my two cents.

Rimmel London Apocalips Lip Lacquer
Claims:  "Combines the colour of a lipstick and lacquer shine of a lip gloss. The creamy conditioning formula features pure colour pigments, leaving lips vibrant and glossy."
RRP: AUD15.95

Packaging: 5 out of 5
Review:  I am not a big fan of lip glosses because no matter what colour I choose, they don't show up on my lips. I might as well only buy and wear clear lipglosses. When Rimmel came up with these Lip Lacquers. I was overjoyed! These babies are seriously pigmented. Okay, well, maybe this isn't new invention. After all, YSL did come up with Glossy Stains first but there's a huge difference: Rimmel is a lot more affordable, especially if you live in Australia.

I find the nude colours are not as long lasting and as the pinks, particularly the brighter ones. I found that as long as I am not eating or drinking, the product really stays put. If you're gonna eat or drink, expect to only reapply once. I am also happy to announce that these lip lacquers are not drying to the lips, which is something that I struggle with lipsticks. Another thing to note, the bright pinks are not for the faint-hearted. The colours are very fun and loud. Personally, I like it that way but you can tone it down my dabbing a bit of the product on the centre of your lips and spread it out with your ring finger. That way, you get a sheer finish.

I don't want to rave on and on about this product because I'm sure you would have heard enough of it if you've been watching Youtube beauty videos and reading beauty blogs for the past few months. Now, on to the swatches!


 Here's a photo of what my lips look like with nothing but a bit of lip balm on.

Pale girls, Phenomenon (beige-y nude) is perfect for you! Pair it with a dark smokey eye.

100 Phenomenon

100 Phenomenon

Nude lips for those with darker complexion? No problem! Nude Eclipse (brown-y nude) has you covered!

600 Nude Eclipse

600 Nude Eclipse

Stargazer (shimmery honey brown nude), I imagine would look great on people like Beyonce! Extra shimmer to look extra glam.

701 Stargazer

701 Stargazer

If you fancy yourself some berry-toned lip colour, Solstice is your girl!

201Solstice

201 Solstice

Ladies, if you're a fan of mauve-y pinks, give Celestial a try.

101 Celestial

101 Celestial

Want a taste of what it's like to be a princess? Put Nova (true girly pink) on. 

102 Nova

102 Nova

Pink, red and fuchsia got together and made the ultimate colour baby: Apocaliptic.

300 Apocaliptic

300 Apocaliptic

For a dose of red, give Stellar (reddish pink) a go! P.S. I don't know why my camera can't pick up the hint of pink in Stellar. Sorry!

501 Stellar

501 Stellar

I'm giving away four Apocalips Lip Lacquers! Check back in on Wednesday to find out what shades and how to enter. Also, I've created a Facebook page for this blog. Hooray! Finally! Feel free to drop by and say hello. I'd love to chat.

Have you tried these lip lacquers? Which is your favourite colour? I can't decide between Apocaliptic and Stellar.

Nail Polish for August

Here Down Under, it's warming up a little, especially where I live. We are so very close to Spring now and I'm counting down the days 'cause I'm a warm weather person. On the other hand, for those of you who are living in the Northern hemisphere, you'll be bidding Summer farewell and welcoming Autumn soon.

I present to you two nail polishes; I've got you covered no matter what part of the world you live in.

I notice that as the weather warms up, everyone just whips out their pastel polishes. Although I am a huge fan of pastel colours, I reckon it's nice to be different; to stand out from the crowd. Go BRIGHT pink instead of PALE pink!

I wore OPI A Definite Moust-Have in the photo above. Kudos to OPI for coming up with a collection based on my childhood favourite Disney character, Minnie Mouse. I'll be the first to admit that I am not the biggest fan of pinks, especially hot or neon pink. However, for some strange reason, this colour really appeals to me. It has a very subtle gleam/sheen. I tested it out with base or top coat and it lasted four days without chipping.

As the weather gets colder, you see photos of berry hued nails plastered all over the internet. Personally, I prefer to dark purple colours. It's no-brainer 'cause purple is my favourite colour! OPI has taken it to the next level by coming up with a new collection called Liquid Sand. So if you're bored of the Shatter or Caviar look, give this a try. I apologise that this photo is not an accurate representation of what the nail polish looks like in real life. However, it's the only way you can see the texture. My friends Oooh'ed and Aaah'ed over my nails when I wore it. It looked like I had deep purple sand on my nails. I think it looks classy and sexy and would work really well with a dark vampy look.

Edit: The polish is very easy to apply but a bit of a nightmare to remove. It requires a fair bit of nail polish remover. And you'll get glitter all over your fingers afterwards. It chips more easily (lasted only two days) and if you apply a top coat over it or you'll lose the matte finish. The name of the shade that I wore in the photo is Vesper.

Have you tried any of these nail polishes? What will you be wearing this month?