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Portia
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Hey there APJ Crew,
HOW did I fit all this into a week? Continuing last weeks theme of Netflix and perfumes. There was a bit of travel, a visit to Chicago the musical, loads of friends, fun and food. It felt like Jin and I really got to see each other quite a lot this week, that’s a win in anyones books. Also, the ankle is improving, YAY!
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Post by AF Beauty
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If you live in Australia, you will be used to products appearing in your life and then disappearing, never to be seen again. Mostly though, this happens at the supermarket, yes I’m looking at you Coles and Woolworths. Woolworths recently got me with a double whammy discontinuing both my favourite yoghurt AND my favourite granola within a week of one another. HEARTLESS!!
But for me, the real pain is the discontinuance of beauty products. Chances are, a beauty product will last you weeks or months and you’ll not know a product has been discontinued until you go to repurchase only to find the racks bare and a SA offering you a poor substitute. Woe.
The following products are some that have been discontinued to my dismay – if you see these – BUY IMMEDIATELY because they are amazing ☺
The first, Body Shop Nutriganics Softening Cleansing Gel
This was a beautiful soft gel that softened to an oil, which on contact with water became milky and rinsed away leaving only soft skin. Lovely. I went to buy a few weeks back only to find it gone. I’m sort of heartened that they still have it on the website, if only to say it’s not available – perhaps they will bring it back?
I was persuaded in store to buy this alternative, which I am presently using and will review among a bunch of other cleansing balms and oils. (but suffice to say, it’s not my softening cleansing gel ☹)
Next, from MAC, a face powder. MAC are truly evil in this regard because they specifically do Limited Editions JUST TO MESS WITH YOUR HEAD. I found this powder when it came out years back – it was in the Raquel Welch limited edition and was a light powder called Peaceful. It’s the powder in the very bottom left corner of the picture above.
This was a beautifully light even powder – I was lucky enough to find a store which had one left when I went back to repurchase, but it’s never been seen since unfortunately. And I search in vain for a near match. This Rimmel one isn’t too bad, but Peaceful was lighter and peachier, the Rimmel is too much of a bronzer – but I get that it’s intended to be a bronzer so….
My last product discontinued is one you guys will likely be most familiar with – Dior’s Tendre Poison. I’m prepared to admit, this might be nostalgia rather than true longing, it has been that long since I even smelled this perfume. I wore this for about 4 years straight in my early 20’s only to find it discontinued one day I went to buy more. From what I’ve learned about perfume, this turnover of fragrances is increasingly common and normal – I honestly don’t know how you guys cope.
What favourites of yours have been discontinued? Did you manage to stock up before they vanished for good, or were you caught surprised and then saddened?
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Post by AF Beauty
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If you go anywhere near Pinterest it is easy to get caught up in make up trends which, of course, look pathetically easy. They show a few before and after pictures, nothing looks that difficult and quite probably you’ll find yourself in the nearest beauty store looking for the next gizmo that you’ve seen in an effort to replicate this easy fix on your face.
Cue contouring.
I had seen this on Pinterest, the before and after pictures were impressive, it was just a little bit of powder here and there; et voila!
I had originally only seen this done with powder and this Australis palette was one of the ones recommended in the Australian market. I bought a slanted contouring brush, cracked open the palette, dipped and swiped across my face. THE HORROR!!! I’d completely underestimated how pigmented the powder is and I looked like I’d swiped my face in dirt!! No question though, this is my (lack of) skill, not the palette!
Dutifully, I went back to Pinterest, tried to give it another go, several times and then eventually just gave up and accepted my complete ineptitude.
Fast forward 12 months – maybe more. A group I belong to on Facebook and there’s a thread about contouring. I always read these things in a vague hope of finding some miracle answer. This one has a video, I often can’t be bothered to watch the videos, but I did, and I’m so glad I did!! Here’s the link for anyone interested – else skip to my experience…
The video recommends a Illamasqua Shadow Contour and a MAC highlight. I can’t find the exact colour on the MAC website, sorry.
I dutifully toddled off to Myer to look at both products but the Illamasqua contour didn’t appeal, so I went off to find an alternative. I knew by then I wanted a cream rather than a powder – I was already looking at MAC, for the highlighter but they had no obvious contour product. Wandering around the store I went and tried the Clinique and tried the Sculpting Contour Stick which actually worked surprisingly well. So I bought the Clinique stick and the MAC highlighter and skipped home to try the daytime contouring look. I basically followed the instructions in the video and….. IT WORKED!!!
I have to admit, I am still working on the different locations of shadow and highlighter and trying different combos. It is easy to start applying and think that your face just looks like a dirty mess – but persist!!! Don’t get caught up in the small detail on your face, it’s the bigger picture, how your whole face looks that’s important.
I used a foundation brush to apply the bronzer the first time but since travelling I’ve continued with just some fingers to guide the application for both bronzer and highlighter.
I have to say, I’ve really converted to this look and now feel a little ‘underdone’ when not applied some contour to my face. It has been a real turnaround.
Have any of you tried contouring? How have you gotten on? What about other make up disasters? Any that have come good eventually?
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Post by BlondesWunder
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Hi APJ,
Mum´s in Vienna with Portia today so you are stuck with me.
Currently I use about five perfumes. Anymore than that and i couldn’t make a decision of what to use each morning/evening. Before i started to care about perfume, I clearly remember my Mom buying a Bvlgari perfume and thinking how ridiculous it was to spend that much money on a bottle of “smell good”. Does anyone really care about how you smell?!
Well how wrong I was! Several years later I fell down the rabbit hole. Perfume is for me first!
It’s not only the smell, it is the story and feeling that comes with it.
I prefer to use perfumes in cooler weather and so wear more in the winter season.
Right now I sport:
Serge Lutens. La Fille de Berlin
Chanel. Eau Premiere No 5
Guerlain. Gourmande Coquin
Neela Vermeire Creations. Pichola
Lolita Lempicka de Lolita Lempicka (I have very little left, does anyone have some for me? I have been through five bottles since I was 14 years old. It was my first perfume.)
My dream since childhood is to work with makeup. A few weeks ago Sandra from Vienna took me into a MAC store and made me ask if they were hiring people. I got a business card.
To my surprise they called a week later and invited me to their recruitment day in Vienna. I was asked to bring my own model and brushes. I was the only unqualified person out of seven.
Within a week I received a call offering me a full-time job in the stand alone MAC store in Salzburg. Needless to say I burst into tears.
Blondes Wunder by Val
I am beyond excited and of course a little nervous, I can not believe they chose me!
I will keep you updated.
Love xoxo BlondesWunder
OMG!!
MAC is constantly coming up with super fun stuff but this is the BEST idea in ages. I can’t wait for this set to hit Aussie stores, just so I can check that it’s real. I love MAC and I love the Simpson’s. How totally excellent that they have been married in make up. Too Freaking Good
Portia xx
To celebrates the 25th anniversary of The Simpsons, MAC Cosmetics is launching a limited edition range of make-up inspired by our favourite cartoon family. The colourful range includes Nacho Cheese Explosion yellow lipglass, false lashes, a powder peach blush and Marge Cuti-cles nail stickers.
The limited edition collaboration will hit stores and online starting September 04th. (source)
Australian Perfume Junkies 