Medusa's Makeup High Pigment Pressed Mineral Eyeshadows Review

Last year in my Halloween Swap with Tried and Tested I recieved this pack of four shimmery eyeshadows from Medusa's Makeup. I had never heard of this brand before so google came to the rescue.

Medusa's Makeup is an American brand of Makeup that sells cruelty free eyeshadows, pigments, lipsticks, brushes and so much more. When I looked at their website for the first time, all I could think of is Sugarpill and Limecrime. Medusa's makeup stocks some really bright coloured products which are great for Makeup Artists and those who love playing with colour. They are a completely new brand to me but they have been in the business since 2005. You can have a look at the products they sell here. They also provide International shipping for those of us who don't live in the US.

TOP L-R Midnight Oil and Headhunter  BOTTOM L-R Liger and Electro Black. The Fix Glitter Adhesive

The eyeshadows I have to review today for you are the High Pigment Pressed Mineral Eyeshadows. I have four very wearable colours but they also have colours like pink, yellow, green and red for those of you who want to go bold.

L-R Headhunter, Midnight Oil, Liger and Electro Black

L-R Headhunter, Midnight Oil, Liger and Electro Black

In my swatches above I have swatched the product as is on the left and then over the Fix Glitter Adhesive on the right. You can see that without a primer they are not very pigmented but over a primer they stand out pretty well. If you do want just a sheer wash of colour you can apply them on their own but if you like the colour to stand out, a primer is highly recommended. They are a little powdery too so you will get fall out if you do not use a primer. I used the shadows on their own on my eyes and they creased in less than an hour. Using my beloved Too Faced Shadow Insurance they lasted about 7 hours on my eyes without creasing. I did try them with the glitter adhesive too but they creased in 5 hours and I found that they were more vibrant with the Too Faced primer underneath them.

They retail for $8 each and for the price I am a little disappointed. I would definitely get some use out of them since they are shades I normally wear but I wouldn't go out and buy any more of these.

I am very keen on trying out their eye dusts and pigments though because they do seem to be very raved about.

Have you tried any of the makeup from Medusa's makeup?

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The Perfect Palette Tag

Hey guys,

A few weeks ago Sophie from Born to Buy did the perfect palette tag and I immediately went into my stash looking for my palettes to fit this tag. Without any further adieu lets just get right into it.

Best Packaging:

No doubt this goes to my Too Faced Pretty Rebels palette.  I love the slim size and black and gold packaging which is just wow! It also comes with a huge mirror so thats a bonus.

Best Colour Payoff:

For this one I would like to go with my Lorac Pro palette. I just got this a few months back but I love how each and every shade is consistently pigmented and they all blend very easily.

Most Versatille:

I think the most versatille palette for me is the Too Faced Chocolate Bar palette. It has a variety of shades ranging from light to dark, neutrals to pops of colour and mattes to shimmers. You could create just about any eye look with this palette.

Best for Travelling:

When I travel I like to have the least amount of makeup with me because I just hate carrying everything around. So for this one I would choose my Tarte Amazon Escape palette. I like this because it has 6 nuetral eyeshadows and 2 blushes. The quality of the eyeshadows and blushes are amazing. They are super pigmented and last a long time too. So the next time I am travelling, this palette comes with me.

Biggest Regret:

I don't have a biggest regret palette yet as I love and use almost all of them. But if I do come across something I don't like I would definitely write about it here on my blog.

Best Colour Names:

No doubt this has to go to my beloved Nude Tude by The Balm. In my opinion The Balm has some of the wackiest and funniest names for its products.

Least Used:

My Too Faced Jingle all the way palette. It is a very nice compact palette but I just don't get the chance to use it very often. Also the Sigma Creme De Couture as it is a palette with bright fun colours but I just don't use it very often.

Most used:

Hands down this goes to The Balm's Nude Tude. Always my go-to palette.

Most Loved:

I would go with The Pretty Rebel palette for this one too as it was my first ever high end palette purchase and I just love the colours and packaging of it.

Desert Island:

I am going to cheat on this one. If I could take only one palette with me I would customize my Inglot palette so multi task and take shades which would work for me as blush, eyebrow shades, liner etc. I do have quite a lot of Inglot eyeshadows so I could fill up a 10 pan palette to suit my needs. 

So those were my Perfect Palettes. If you would like to do this tag please go ahead and do it and don't forget to tag me on Twitter or Instagram with @dazzlegloss3 so I can check your answers out.

Hope you have a lovely weekend

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GKMBJ One Minute Hair Treatment Review

I received the GKMBJ One Minute Treatment in one of my Lust Have it boxes a few months ago. I had tossed it in my products to try bin and recently used it. 

Without heating this one minute treatment can do everything you need in only one minute. Penetrating deeply, it restructures hair and repairs damaged hair.It also supplies nutrients for the hair after a bleach, colour or perm. Ideal for those with busy lifestyles.
GKMBJ Treatment contains the essence of natural plants , amino acid, hydrolyse protein and other nutritious products.

I got a sample size of 30g which lasted me two uses because I have long thick hair. I used it after shampooing and conditioning for the first time and although I did not notice a massive difference, it did make my hair feel a bit softer than usual. The second time I used it without conditioning my hair and it gave me the same effect. It is not a miracle product but for those of you who hate waiting a long time, this might be a good product to try. I personally do not like waiting 5-10 minutes with a hair mask or treatment on and that is why I liked using this product. Although the effect it gave my hair was not drastic but I think with regular use, it may help repair damaged hair.

You can buy the full size which is 200ml for $29.95 from here.

Have you tried any GKMBJ products before? What do you think of them? Let me know in the comments below.

Everyday Hydration with Optiva *

As we all know when the whole world is preparing for summer, We in the southern hemisphere are dreading the winter. Nonetheless winter has almost set in, at least here in Melbourne and we prepare to keep our skin hydrated and soft against the harsh winter months. Today I have for you two really good products that will help you to battle this cold weather and keep your skin feeling and looking healthy.

Boots laboratories introduces the Optiva range which goes beyond hydration to help strengthen the skin's moisture barrier, resulting in healthier looking skin. It hydrates the skin for up to 24 hours, quenches free radicles and helps revitalize skin leaving it velvety smooth and glowing with health.Optiva is formulated with Althaea Officinalis (marshmellow root) extract, known for its soothing and protective properties. Other active ingredients include Allantoin, Shea Butter and Glycerin. 

Optiva Comforting Body Balm 150ml $16

This body balm is rich and creamy which helps intensively hydrate and soften the skin. Boosts moisture levels to soothe dry skin for upto 24 hours. Contains coconut oil, cocoa seed butter, grape seed oil and althaea officinalis root extract.

I have been using this for the past couple of weeks and have noticed that my skin does not feel dry and tight after a shower. It has definitely made my skin feel softer. I used to use this day and night on my whole body and it does not feel sticky or heavy on my skin. I found that my skin soaked the cream in completely and did not have a greasy or oily film on top. Above all it smells heavenly and the fragrance is hypoallergenic so it suits my skin. 

Optiva Nourishing Night Cream 40ml $22

A rich moisturizing night cream that absorbs easily to help restore skin overnight. This cream contains the althaea officinalis extract together with other moisturizing ingredients to strengthen and nourish while you sleep.

I have one word to say about this night cream- Wow! I have used a couple of night creams before and unfortunately they have broken me out badly. I then switched to using day creams without SPF at night. I have oily acne prone skin and some night creams are just too heavy for my skin. I was in two minds about using this night cream but after using it for a week I fell in love with it. It is creamy and rich without being overly heavy on my skin. I love the way it just soaks into my skin leaving it soft and supple the next morning. I only use a pea sized amount and that covers my face and neck. It does have the same fragrance as the body balm and I find it very calming. 

The Boots Optiva range is suitable for sensitive skin, is hypoallergenic and paraben free.

You can purchase these products from your local Amcal, Amcal Max, Guardian Pharmacies or online from here.

*This item was kindly provided to me. As with all my posts, it is 100% honest and of my own personal opinion. For more information, visit my Disclosure Policy

Klara Cosmetics Kiss Proof Lips in Madgenta Review

I was introduced to the brand Klara Cosmetics at Salon Melbourne which was held two weeks ago and I picked up the famous Kiss Proof Lips in 10 'Madgenta' from them. Klara is an Australian owned and designed brand that concentrated to make superior quality cosmetics with 100% pigmentation. 

Klara Cosmetics’ cult and most-wanted product. No matter how much you play around, this lipstick will never betray you. Consisting of 100% pigmentation, Kiss Proof gives you 24-hour long lasting matte lips, full coverage  and high voltage shades that make lips pop in 60 seconds. A stunning range of tones, from classic nudes to the hottest notice-me colours, that don’t smudge, fade or bleed all day. Recommended and tested by passionate women who don’t want to leave any evidence.

Available in 11 different shades to suit all skin tones, Klara Kiss Proof lips are here to stay. These liquid lipsticks apply smoothly with no mess and seal to a matte finish that won't budge till you want to take them off. You can eat and drink and you won't have to reapply your lipstick but I would stay away from excessive oily foods. Oil tends to break the pigment in these lipsticks. I applied the lipstick at 5.30 am and till about 4 pm, I still had it on with no smudging or budging. I also recommend exfoliating and moisturizing your lips pretty well before you use this, as it will emphasize dry lips. If you like matte lippies you should check these out.

One layer of Klara Kiss Proof Madgenta

Available online for $29 you get 8ml of product which is very good for the price. I wanted to compare these to the Lime Crime Velvetine in Pink Velvet and so I used Klara one day to work and Lime Crime the next day. This is what I found

• Klara Kiss proof was more pigmented than the velvetine. One layer is all you need. It is a little thicker in texture so thats where the pigmentation comes from. Velvetine is very watery and you need two to three layers to match up the pigmentation.
• Klara Kiss Proof did not transfer after it set which was in 30 seconds. I did the 'kiss the back of my hand test' and the Velvetine transfered even after 5 minutes of application.
• After lunch the Velvetine balled up and wore off in patches on my lips thus I had to reapply. Klara was not that bad but it did fade from the inner part of my lips, I didn't feel the need to reapply as it wasn't seen.
• Velvetine made my lips feel dry after I took it off. Klara came off easily with makeup remover and I did not feel the need to apply a lip balm. It just felt like normal lips.
• Velvetine stained my lips- they were pink for two days. Klara came off completely with just regular makeup remover.
• You get value for money with Klara as it is $29 for 8ml while the Velvetine is $24 for 2.6ml.
• There is also a wide variety of colors to choose from with Klara which is 11 vs 3 in Velvetines. 

I am not saying that the Lime Crime Velvetines are a bad product, they are really good but compared to the Kiss Proof lips I think they lack behind a little.

Honestly, I am amazed by the pigmentation of some of the products I checked out at Salon Melbourne from Klara Cosmetics. I was not expecting a lot, thus I bought only one shade but now I am kicking myself that I should have bought more. I am also eyeing their matte eyeshadows and base products as I would like to see how they perform. 

Kiss Proof Lips shades

Golden Rose, Natural Pink, Passion Pink, Neon Hot Pink, Flaming Red, Vintage Burgundy, Sienna Nude, Neon Tangerine, Watermelon Kiss, Madgenta and Psycho Violet.

Available for purchase here.

Have you tried any product from the Klara Cosmetics range? Let me know in the comments what you think of them.

 

The Beauty Scenario Tag

Hey guys, 

I have been tagged by the lovely Jasmine of SweetaholicBeauty to do the Beauty Scenario tag. I love these kind of tags as they are not only fun to do but really interesting to read about what every individuals choices are.

You have to get rid of all your foundations and only keep one high end and one drugstore, which do you keep?

My most favorite high end foundation is my Chantecaille Future Skin foundation, I would never want to part with it so I will choose that for highend. For drugstore my new absolute favorite is the Bourjois Happy Light Foundation. Love Love Love!

You go for an interview and the lady interviewing you has lipstick on her teeth. 

Do you approach the subject or ignore it completely?

Well if it is a job interview and if I really want the job I would completely ignore it but if the atmosphere was really casual, I would definitely let her know. 

You're not feeling yourself and you need a pick me up lipstick, which one do you go for?

My mood changing lipstick would be my Yves Saint Laurent Rouge Volupte lipstick in Rose Culte. This bright pink shade definitely picks me up.

You go back in time for a day to your teenage years, how would you do your hair and makeup differently?

In my teenage years I hardly put any makeup on other than maybe a lipstick or gloss while going out. I wasn't very whacky with my hair either so I don't think I would do any thing differently.

You ask your hairdresser for a shoulder length pixie lott hair cut but they hear you wrong and give you a pixie hair cut. Do you a) smile, say thank you, leave, call your mum and cry hysterically b) cry in the chair and things get awkward or c) complain to the manager and demand a refund.

This has never happened to me as I always was very particular with my hair cut. But if this was to happen to me I would politely let the hair dresser know that she/he has made a mistake and if she/he was not sorry and very rude about it, maybe I would complain to the manager and demand a refund.  

Your friend surprises you with a 4 day city break and you have 1 hour to pack. 

Which 'do it all' palette do you pack in your makeup bag?

No surprises on this one. It has to be my The Balm Nude Tude Palette. This is a very versatile palette for me and I  can create many day and night time looks with this palette alone. You can't really see it in here but I have used this palette a lot and a little goes a long way. I love the shades Sultry (almost hitting pan on it), Seductive, Sophisticated, Sexy and Silly the most. 

Your house has been robbed, don't worry everyone is safe, but your beauty stash has been raided. What's the product you really hope is safe?

There are a lot of products I wish were safe but if I had to pick only one I would have to say my Chanel Poudre de Signee Illuminator. I remember searching high and low for it. Rang up all the Myers and David Jones in Melbourne and finally there was a last one left at Chadstone. Put it on hold and rushed there to buy it. Just as I was paying for it another girl came up looking for it. If I was late 5 more minutes, maybe I wouldn't have owned this today.

Your friend borrows your makeup and returns it in awful condition. Do you a) just pretend you haven't noticed b) ask them to repurchase it or c) secretly do the same to something of theirs

First of all I would not like sharing any of my makeup for hygienic reasons. If I really had to share something, I would share any inexpensive makeup that I had so I really wouldn't care if anything happened to it. 

So those were all the questions of the tag and I tag

Varinder from Makeupmeandyoyo

Divya from TheBeautyMantra

Dani from KaboomCosmetics

Kristy from LipstickAddiction

Nikita from NJTReviews

and everyone else who wants to do this tag.

If you do this tag don't forget to tag me on Twitter with @dazzegloss3 so I can read your answers.

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March 2014 Makeup and Skincare Favorites

I have never done one of these before, but I love watching videos and reading posts on what others have been loving for the past month. There is always a first time so here goes my first monthly favorites.

The month of March has been a very hectic month for me but it has also been a very exciting one because it gave me the chance to try some amazing new products and I attended Salon Melbourne which was just fantastic. Anyways now lets just get right into it.

My very first favorite of the month has to be my ELES Micro Bubble Lipstick in Micro Mocha. I have been using this lipstick almost everyday since the time I got it. Its is the perfect everyday colour for my skin tone and I love the formula of these lipsticks. You can check out my review here. 

The next makeup favorite has to be the Hourglass Ambient Lighting Blush in Mood Exposure. It gives me the perfect neutral flush of colour. I have reviewed the blush here. To apply my blush I have been loving the Furless Perfectly Pink stipple brush PPF3. It helps pick up the exact amount of product needed and blends the blush in seamlessly. I will be having a review of a few Furless brushes soon so keep an eye out for that.

Moving on, my next makeup favorite is the Bourjois Happy Light Foundation in Golden Beige. I had been wanting to try this foundation for so long but was waiting for a Bourjois sale. I picked this up in the 40% off Cosmetics sale at Priceline a few weeks ago and I absolutely love it. I think it is my favorite drugstore foundation of all time. No favorites post is complete without a mascara and I have been loving the Essence Get Big Lashes Volume Curl Mascara. I love the brush and the volume it gives my lashes, plus it is very affordable. I am not too sure about the curling factor as it does not do that very well, but as a volumising mascara I love it.

Moving on to skincare favorites and my first skincare favorite of the month has to be my Enbacci Vitis Vinifera Rejuvenating Essence which is a toner. I don't use it as a toner but as a refresher throughout the day. It comes with a spray nozzle and I love spritzing my face with it when ever my skin feels it needs a little boost. I have reviewed the entire Vitis Vinifera range here. 

Next up is the Boots Optiva Nourishing Night Cream, I started using this just towards the end of the month but I absolutely love it. I have tried a few night creams and a lot of them started to break me out. Thats when I thought maybe my skin does not like night creams so I resorted to oils and day creams without SPF for my night routine. Since I started using the Optiva night cream my notion has changed. First of all this cream smells divine and does not leave my skin feeling oily or greasy. Most importantly it does not break me out and when I wake up the next morning my skin feels soft and supple. Before I started using the Optiva night cream, I used to use the Tarte Maracuja oil as my night time moisturizer. I have oily-acne prone skin but I love to use this oil as a moisture booster and it honestly helps revive my skin. If only this product wasn't so expensive I would repurchase it all my life. I still may repurchase the full size till I find a cheaper alternative to it. 

So those were my favorites for the month of March. I hope you enjoyed this post and if you would like to see more of these monthly favorites do let me know in the comments below.

Have you tried any of these products before and were they in your monthly favorites too?

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