Haul: What I got for Christmas!

Hi lovely people! I'm finally getting back into my jam after these holidays. It's been pretty exciting with so many sales and seasonal products around. I'm totally stuffed with shopping, so I thought I'd share with you all the things I got for Christmas and around Christmas.

(Christmas Presents -  red-eyed dog not included)

Etude House Facial Masks in Green Tea and Lemon.

I haven't tried these yet, but I'm kinda spiffed I have a bit of Etude House in my collection.

Hioki Platforms by ROC Footwear.

I am totally in love with these shoes. A really cute twist on school sandles. They add so much height, they're comfortable and they look good with so many clothes. I couldn't skip out on them when I saw them on sale.

Pore Care Pack from Daiso

Girl, we all need some pore strips in our lives to deal with those nasty blackheads.

L.A. Girl Pro Conceal in Creamy Beige

I hunted down every Makeup Clearance store in Auckland until I finally found this baby in Dress-Smart. So far I'm really, really impressed with this pigmented, full-coverage concealer. Full review coming soon.

MIKI Glitter Liner in Gold

I bought this especially for festive makeup - what's more festive than a little gold glitter on the eyes?

E.L.F. Mineral Eyeshadow Primer

So far, I've been really liking this primer. Really brings out the colours of my eyeshadows and the texture is silky smooth. Review coming! 

QVS Flat Top Powder Brush

I bought this brush to replace my Thin Lizzy kabuki brush that sheds like crazy. It's very dense, very firm and works well with a lot of my foundations. Review coming soon!

MUA Undressed Palette

Ever since I saw Shaanxo's Cara Delevingne tutorial I've been dying-itching-wanting to get Urban Decay's Smog. I found this dupe on Trademe and I really like it. Nice, soft and pigmented eyeshadows. Review coming!

Morgana Cryptoria Lipsticks in Belladonna, Love Lies Bleeding, Azalea Blue and Absinthe

I found this amazing indie brand through Phyrra and ordered these on Black Friday. These are harder and drier than most lipsticks, but this formulation means the colour stays on your lips like glue. And the colours are beautiful and unique. Review coming soon.

Baby Pink BB Cream in Shade No. 2

It's Summer here in NZ and I needed a lightweight and protective base. BB cream was the best answer. I got this from Ippondo in town. It gives light coverage, but still evens out the skin tone. I love how it's SPF 30. Review coming soon.

I've had a wonderful Christmas and New Years and I hope all of you have had the same! Wishing you all a great year. Cheers to 2014!

Review: Physician's Formula Shimmer Strips in Nude Eyes

Hey there! I'm back with a review on a lovely little gem I discovered while searching for an Urban Decay Naked Palette dupe.

Quick Pros:
♥ Cheap for a palette of 9 colours (approx. $11 NZD)
♥ Cute packaging!
♥ Gorgeous neutral shades
♥ Shimmery without chunks of glitter in the formula
♥ Blends well
♥ Paraben free
♥ Cruelty free

Quick Cons:
♥ Lighter shadows aren't very pigmented
♥ Not the same buttery, silky texture as TheBalm eyeshadows
♥ All shimmer - no matte shades

(Product swatched over white eyeliner. Hopefully you can see!)

The Urban Decay Naked Palette and it's sister Naked Palette 2 are some of the most sought after eyeshadow palettes in the beauty world. With their strong pigmentation and buttery texture, beauty addicts love this product.

However, I'm just a student with a budge to uphold. I can't really afford to splurge on things, especially when the Naked Palettes are sold at over $100 in New Zealand (cries).I've sought out for some good dupes for the Naked Palette itself, and I found this Physician's Formula palette.

What I love about this palette is the range of shades they offer. For nine shades, you get a selection of cool and warm shades, all which are really nice to blend and don't flake and have much fall out. The finish of these eyeshadows is really great - they aren't some tacky glittery eyeshadow nightmare that we've all seen. These give off a soft shimmery finish - if anything, metallic, without being over the top. I've found myself able to create a wide variety of looks with just this palette (anyone looking for a tutorial?).

This is a great neutral palette for anyone who wishes for some shimmery eyeshadows - seeing as there are no matte shades in this palette.

To top it off, it's paraben-free! Great for those out there who are wary of what goes into their cosmetics.




Have you tried this product out? What did you think? Leave a comment below!