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Sunday, March 29, 2015

Battle of the Maybelline Concealers: Fit Me vs. Instant Age Rewind.

I'm sure I've mentioned a flooptillion times about my horrendous under eye bags by now, but in case you've missed it every time: I don't have overly bad skin, or acne, or a ton of redness.
What I do have.. is bags, big ol' Italian under eye bags; yadda yadda yadda so naturally, I firmly believe in a good concealer. On the other hand, I'm sure I've also mentioned a flooptillion and one times about how incredibly stingy frugal I am. You see my dilemma, YSL? An average Joe like myself simply cannot fathom spending upwards of $60 on a single tube of concealer, no matter how wonderful you may be.

Enter: the drugstore. My saviour.

When I look for a concealer, I look for a product that brightens my complexion, hides my dark under eyes and evens out my skin tone, all the while looking natural. The two drugstore concealers that I find myself reaching for time after time are both from Maybelline. I wear one or the other daily, but it had never occurred to me to compare the two.. They both have different strengths and different weaknesses, and I've seen that many debates and comparisons, I think it's time for my two cents on the matter.
I am currently sitting at my work desk (yes, in public!) wearing both concealers, one under each eye for the ultimate comparison. I apply my concealer right after my moisturiser each day and then apply my foundation. After which I'll apply another coat of concealer and set with powder.
Here are my findings:

Fit Me
I find Fit Me the easiest to apply of the two. It has a doe foot applicator and the formula is so creamy, it spreads and blends beautifully, leaving a dewier finish all the while feeling so soft on the skin.

Straight after application, I liked Fit Me more than Instant Age Rewind because it's a lot more brightening. I use the shade "fair" and it instantly lights up the area under my eyes, making me look more awake. As the day went on, however, I discovered that it fades away pretty quickly and by mid day, those purple tones were definitely more visible. It still did a great job of hiding those blemishes and red spots, however.

Because the formula is so creamy, it definitely does not accentuate my dry and sometimes flaky skin like so many other concealers have in the past, but it also means it's a little on the oily side. Because I apply concealer quite high up (between the nose and inner eye corners), I find that I'll have to wipe off a line that has settled into my eyelid crease right about lunch time. I've also found that due to the creaminess, on hotter days, it tends to slide off, and can emphasize lines around and under the eyes, even when set with powder.

PROS:
A bigger range of shades
Lighter shades for brightening & highlighting
Easy application
Great first off coverage
Blends wonderfully

CONS:
Can crease on top of eyelids

Purple-ness shows through after a few hours
Can look oily after time
 
Instant Age Rewind Eraser Dark Circles
Application is interesting with this one.. On one hand, I love that it's a wind-up, meaning you can basically get every last drop from the tube, but on the other, I wasn't a huge fan of the sponge nib applicator at first. Although I've gotten used to it now, it's still impossible to clean and is quite large, making it difficult to get the product into the smaller parts of the eye. Doable, but difficult.
 
 The formula of this concealer is hard to beat: Although Fit Me is a lot easier to blend, this is thick enough to cover the under eye area but also smooth enough to blend out nicely, filling in fine lines without settling into them or creasing, while still not accentuating my dry skin (which is pretty rare for me). It also boasts a formulation consisting of Goji Berries to decrease under eye puffiness, but in all honesty, I didn't notice a difference.
 
The colour range is limited, with only three shades. I use the lightest shade and although it matches the colour of my face perfectly, I like to buy a concealer that's a shade or two lighter than my face for brightening and highlighting purposes. The shade "Light" just does not do that. For that reason, first impressions lead to my preference of the Fit Me concealer in regards to colour. 

Come mid day, the eye that was used to test this one was definitely less purple-looking.. Noticeably so. I found that it lasted incredibly well throughout the whole day, definitely better than Fit Me did, all the while maintaining it's matte finish.


PROS:
Blends out nicely
Long lasting coverage
Hides purple-tones incredibly well
Doesn't settle in to fine lines

CONS:
Awkward applicator
Limited shade range
Not very brightening

After a full day of wearing both concealers, the winner is clear. For me, Maybelline's Instant Age Rewind Eraser Dark Circle concealer came out of top. I feel that Fit Me would be great for short-term use.. Say, if you were only going out to lunch, because after first application, it lightens wonderfully and has great fist-off coverage, but I think it works better as an under eye brightener more than a dark circle concealer. For an all-day concealer, I'd definitely opt for Instant Age Rewind (which is awkward because I've actually been choosing Fit Me for months now). I personally prefer a matte finish over a dewy look, and perhaps with continued use, I'll notice the effects of the Goji Berry..

Friday, March 27, 2015

Friday Finds.

Here's all I've found and loved this past week:


\\  Since Summer's ended, I'm in major need of some tropical vibes.. I'm loving this super easy pineapple light.  //
\\  How cute is this watermelon candle?! If only it smelt like watermelon to.  //
\\  I've been pouring over so many Pins of the Maldives this month and I need to go. It's so beautiful and there's a sea that glows at night. Fucking glows!  //
\\  This is the fanciest French onion dip I've ever seen! In saying that, I buy the $3 packaged dips from Coles.. This recipe sounds so much tastier.  //
\\  Basically.. I need this shirt.  //
\\  I'm not sure why this even exists.. But it's fucking awesome! Behold: burger eyeshadow.  //


Happy Friday, kids!

Monday, March 23, 2015

Priceline Haul.

Do you ever feel like you use up all of your beauty products at once? I swear, every single time I run out of one thing, 4,000 more will follow suite that week. For example, yesterday, I used up the very last bit of mascara I had in the tube, then today I scraped the last of my Stay Matte out of the pan, and squeezed the final bit of my favourite concealer out of the tube. Come mid-day, I used the last ounce of eyeliner and dropped and ruined my favourite pan of blush (technically that one was my bad, but you get the point). And so, it was time to visit Priceline. Being the human sloth that I am, I did all my shopping online.. in pyjamas.. with a glass of wine. #TheLife

I stumbled a pon this kickass site the other day and this was my opportunity to use it: Cuponation. Basically, it puts together sales, deals and coupon codes all in one place. And I mean ALL in one place - There are coupons for so many different categories: fashion and beauty, travel and food, electronics and entertainment, the list literally goes on. So if you're a bargain hunter (and self-proclaimed tight-ass) like me, welcome to online shopping heaven.
I deliberately spent over $100 to get the free shipping Priceline offers but with Cuponation's 30% off selected items coupon, I got an extra three items with the money I'd saved. Ka-Ching.

Here's what I ordered:


I always keep a pack of blotting paper inside my purse for easy touch ups when I'm out and about. Each thin sheet does a nice job of soaking up oil and sweat and mattifying the skin.

Rimmel Match Perfect Foundation
This has been my favourite foundation for years now. It blends out so wonderfully, providing the perfect amount of coverage for my taste. This is honestly the best drugstore foundation I've used when it comes to covering blemishes, dark spots and uneven skin tone, all the while looking natural. Even better? It doesn't break me out or react negatively with my sensitive skin.
Maybelline Fit Me Concealer
I use the lightest shade on top of Maybelline's Instant Age Rewind Eraser Concealer and foundation as more of an under eye brightener, rather than a concealer alone. It does provide coverage of under eye bags, however I find the staying power isn't as good as I'd like as my dark circles will start to show through after a couple of hours' worth of wear when used alone. When applied on top of everything right at the end of my makeup routine, though, it gives that awake and bright-eyed look I love. I've also been known to blend the cream down on to the tops of my cheekbones; the light shade works great as a highlighter to!
Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Eraser Concealer
As I just mentioned, this is the concealer I use every day.
It blends out beautifully and covers my dark under eyes so well; the best I've found to date. Application is interesting and takes some getting used to as the nib is quite large, but it's well worth taking the time to get the hang of it. It leaves me with a matte finish that doesn't crease throughout the day, seriously, the staying power of this bad boy is amazing. The only downside I've found is the fact that it's not as brightening as I'
d like as there's limited shades to choose from, but that's an easy fix as I pair it with Maybelline's Fit Me.
Rimmel Stay Matte Pressed Powder
This is another daily product, and I think it works wonderfully with the Match Perfect foundation. Before I found this, my skin would start to get that oily sheen come 11am. This seriously off-set's that and I could honestly go the whole work day without the need for a foundation touch-up. I use it mostly for setting my foundation and concealer, but it also provides a nice extra bit of coverage, again, with that matte finish I love while still managing to look natural. The pan also lasts quite a while. I use this powder every single day and it still manages to last for months.
Trilogy Rosehip Oil Antioxidant+
I ignored all the hype about rose hip oil for years because I have oily skin and oil and oily skin surely would be a disaster waiting to happen. I finally gave it a go when I received a free sample sized bottle and was thrilled when it didn't leave a greasy trace of its existence. I've been using it nightly for maybe 4 months now and the improvement is so obvious! Aside from the insanely nourished feeling, and the brightened glow I wake up with, long-term use has also helped reduce the appearance of a few scars as well as lighten my random patch of nose freckles. On particularly dry mornings, I'll put two drops in my moisturiser and it feels amazing, let me tell you.

L'Oreal False Lash Butterfly Wings Waterproof Mascara
This is my favourite mascara! I love the shape of the wand - it really helps to extend those corner lashes that are hard to reach to make your eyes look bigger and more elongated. It's not clumpy, doesn't flake and overall has a nice texture once dry. Smooth, even coverage with a glossy black finish and easy to remove when you're ready.

Aveeno Daily Moisturising Lotion
I LOVE THIS DAMN LOTION!It's such a nice formula and doesn't irritate my sensitive skin. I've even used it on my face a couple of times and I do feel it's gentle enough to do so, but I mostly just stick to rubbing it on my hands, arms and legs. It has a faint smell; not a chemically one, I find it soothing, natural and clean. It reminds me of wheat and oatmeal. The formula is quickly absorbed in to the skin without leaving that sticky/slimy residue, leaving my skin feeling soft and nourished.

Simple Daily Radiance Cleansing Wipes
I've not used this particular wipe before but I love Simple Skincare's range. Everything is so perfect for the condition of my skin and I've never been left with any negative effects. I've just ran out of Simple's exfoliating wipes, so I'm excited to give these ones a try.
Now, to play the waiting game.


Saturday, March 21, 2015

Friday Finds.

\\  Ugly cables are the bane of my existence. THE BANE! This cable cityscape is such a clever idea  for when you just can't hide those cords.  //
\\  I love me an easy peasy DIY. This DIY doily lamp is so cute!  //
\\  When I first saw the photo of this twisted crown braid, I was sure it'd be too elaborate for me, but the tutorial proved me wrong. It's so simple and looks great!  //
\\  I've been obsessing over Alice in Wonderland lately, and I'm loving this drink me necklace. I doubt I'd wear it, but it's just one of those cool things you want for no real reason.  //
\\  I'm too in love with this mimosa Mondays shirt.. sigh.. A world where Monday's aren't so bad.  //
\\  This colour blocked chocolate & edible flower bark is so pretty! As in, too pretty to eat pretty.  //



Sunday, March 15, 2015

Thanks A Lot, Jesse.

I guess two or so weeks ago, I began developing somewhat of a new habit..
Does anyone remember that 'Thanks Obama' video that was all over the interwebs circa two years ago?  With the times, Christie. With the times. insert thumbs-up emoji here
Anywhoozle, if you were living under a rock in 2013 and didn't climb back out in to the real world until this new year's eve, it's basically a video where everything and anything was blamed on President Obama - Funny shit and I've basically picked up that very mindset.. only you can just go ahead and replace Obama with my boyfriend and welcome to the weird and wonderful world of Christie Brown, population: 1.



I guess when you spend so much time with another human being, everything and anything links back to or reminds you of them in some way or the other. I guess nobody other than Jesse will actually understand what this post is even talking about, rendering it a pretty big and pointless waste of time, but hey! It's fun to blame things on other people..

For example:

I still have the strongest desire imaginable to bob along to 'Happy', the song I loathe the most.
Thanks a lot, Jesse.

I chose to listen to Metallica over Drake on my drive to work today. 
Thanks a lot, Jesse

I crave Hungry Jacks' meatless hash brown cheeseburger hourly.
Thanks a lot, Jesse.

I now say 'pudding' instead of dessert'.
Thanks a lot, Jesse.

I've found myself (secretly) watching the highlights from the F1 Grand Prix all morning.
Thanks a lot, Jesse.

I wake up lonely because my sheets smell like him.
Thanks a lot, Jesse.

There's a spot on my doona that looks suspiciously like the sauce he had on his lamb chops the other week.
Thanks a lot, Jesse.

My car will never be fast or loud enough to satisfy me.
Thanks a lot, Jesse.

I tripped over the cord to my laptop this morning.
Thanks a lot, Jesse.

My bin needs to be emptied because it's full of lolly and fast food wrappers.
Thanks a lot, Jesse.

Whenever someone asks me what I want to do, my first thought is "TIMEZONE!"
Thanks a lot Jesse.

I find myself browsing Facebook for car events to go to.
Thanks a lot, Jesse.

My TV was on full-blast and scared the shit out of me when I turned it on this morning.
Thanks a lot, Jesse.

I'm disgusted in the fact that I am sad because 'Dead Island 2' isn't coming to Xbox 360.
Thanks a lot, Jesse.

Or how about the fact that an XBox 360 permanantly resides in my room..
Thanks a lot, Jesse. 

..and I play it. All the time.
Thanks a lot, Jesse. 

I can't go a single day without missing his face.
Thanks a whole fucking lot, Jesse.

Friday, March 13, 2015

Friday Finds.


\\  Mini food will always be my weakness. How cute are these teeny tiny burgers & beer shots?  //
\\  Nope. Still haven't gotten over my Vogue shirt obsession (Remember the other week?).  //
\\  I'm told foot tattoos hurt like all shades of hell, but I'm so tempted to get this tattoo myself. Such perfect words for a footsie tatt.  //
\\  Mermaid nails. Need I say more?  //
\\ If someone would be so kind as to escort me to my new home, that'd be great. //
\\ Okay. How perfect is this boho-esque hanging shelf?!  //


Happy Friday, kids!


Wednesday, March 11, 2015

I'm a Pain in the Ass Because..

This morning, I awoke and went through my usual procrastination ritual: scrolling through my various news feeds, and just so happened a pon this 'Don't Bother Abducting Me - I'm a Pain in the A**' shirt. It was all too fitting to the morning I had..

First, a backstory of sorts: See, the thought, "Dude, you're the biggest pain in the ass" comes in to my head throughout the course of my day at least four times before lunch. Fast forward to somewhere around 4am this morning when that first very thought of the day popped in to my head, for I woke up and decided that'd be a good time to start thinking of what to buy from Lush tonight. Because clearly that can't wait until a normal hour. And so I laid in my bed last night/this morning for about an hour thinking and making a list of things I needed wanted to buy.
Most items on said list, now that I'm awake, I can't even read because 4am and writing seemingly do not go hand in hand.

I'm also a pain in the ass because I constantly ruin the photos that my friends look the cutest in:


I'm a pain in the ass because I get grumpy at Jesse until he brings me to food.

I'm a pain in the ass because I don't eat meat so mum must make special meals for me.

I'm a pain in the ass because I text mean things to my friends:

I'm a pain in the ass because my body is too sensitive to the cold, necessitating 500 blankets on my bed during Summer, subsequently killing my boyfriend. He doesn't stay over much anymore.

I'm a pain in the ass because I wake my brother up at stupid times in the morning to get spiders out of my room.

I'm a pain in the ass because I annoy Jesse with my nonsense while he's at work:

I'm a pain in the ass because I lay in the sun on my lunch break, then complain about how sunburnt I am until home time, when I go and complain some more to a whole new set of ears.

I'm a pain in the ass because I text my best friend shit intended to ruin her day..
Every single day:

I'm a pain in the ass because I get way too heartbroken when one of my fish dies, so I call Jesse over to dispose of it (which he loooovvveeesss doing) while I sit in a corner crying.

I'm a pain in the ass because I sabotage my workmate's desks when they're having a sick day:
 

I'm a pain in the ass because when I break something, I leave it for someone else to find.

This is literally only a small handful, folks. Moral of the story? Do not befriend me. Don't even try. Save yourself before it's too late 'cause there ain't no getting rid of the pain in the ass that is Christie once she leaches on to your very being.

Friday, March 6, 2015

Friday Finds.

Here's what I've found and loved this past week:


\\  I'd attempt this semi precious stone soap DIY if I were even a little bit creative enough. They'd make such cute gifts.  //
\\  This glitter bow is adorable! Especially in a high sock bun!  // 
\\  Cutting glass is scary if you're as unco as me, but how cool is this gem mirror DIY?  //
\\  This fruit & floral centrepiece is gorgeous, and screams Spring!  //
\\Whelp, that's my Autumn fashion inspiration sorted.  // 

Thursday, March 5, 2015

Autumn Inspiration Boards.

Whelp. After months of dreading the inevitable, it finally happened: Summer is over.
To get myself out of that end-of-Summer-depression, I looked to good old Pinterest for some Autumn inspiration, and you know what? I've decided it's not so bad. I mean warm soups and jacket potatoes, scented candles and fairy lights, big scarves and Ugg boots...
Really, what's not to love?

Minus my fading Summer tan, of course.
Food

One  Two  Three  Four  Five  Six  Seven  Eight
Fashion
One  Two  Three  Four  Five  Six  Seven  Eight
Beauty

One  Two  Three  Four  Five  Six  Seven  Eight

Monday, March 2, 2015

February Lookback & March Goals.

Did anyone else wake up today shocked at the fact that it's March? (holy shit)
Maybe it's due to the public holiday we had yesterday, but I swear we were somewhere mid Feb when I left work on Friday.
Anyways, here's how I went with my February goals..
On a related note: Does anyone have any tips for motivating a lazy-assed mofo? I don't think I've ever successfully completed over half of the goals I set for myself..
 
Have an exercise routine
Well shit. Christie didn't stick to a goal involving exercise. What a surprise
I did, however, re-join a netball team which was the least I wanted to do.
 
Post at least 1 recipe per month
It has only been a month since posting my goals, but I did post a recipe.. Whether I keep posing recipes is another matter, but for now, I'll count this as a pass.
 
Refocus on financial health
Looking at my bank statement this month, it would seem I spent a whole less than I have in a long, long time. I didn't even look at my favourite clothes and shoe sites. Ka-Ching.
 
Eat a healthy breakfast daily
Whoops. I started off so well.. then.. not so much. I'm lazy, what can I say? I am getting better at this whole breakfast business, just not as good as I would have liked.. I'm still only having about two breakfasts on weekdays, and one on the weekend if I'm lucky.
 
 
Take more photos
Remember those Week's End posts I used to do? Whelp, the only reason I've stopped posting them is because I got lazy (surprise) and just plain stopped taking photos.. Even my Instagram is suffering.. I want to take at least four photos of four different places/things a week.

Cook dinner for Jesse at least twice
Considering homeboy doesn't live with me, and we both work full-time, it's hard to get the time to cook a meal we can eat together. This month, I'd like to cook him dinner like the good little girlfriend I am once a fortnight at the least. Hopefully carrying on my 1 recipe post a month plan at the same time. TO PINTEREST!

Wind down before bed
I've been having the most awful night's sleep for months now, and it's resulted in me popping the good ol' sleeping pill every night.. which can't be good.
As soon as Jesse leaves at night, rather than keep the TV on for that extra half hour while I scroll through my various newsfeeds, I want to switch off and 
use that time to read a chapter, or pamper myself with a face mask and pedi.. Anything that doesn't involve staring at a screen.

Connect with other bloggers
I've met some amazing people the past year thanks to blogging. I'd like to I'd like to join chats on Twitter, and reach out to new people to form new relationships as well as connect more with my regular blogging friends this month. I'd especially love to meet some more Australian bloggers! 
 
Try that yoga class right next to work
It's amazing what you find when you actually look..
I discovered that there's a yoga class literally right next to my office.
They're doing a $39 for 30 day promotion as well! I'm thinking I'm going to try it out.. Maybe start by going every Friday to unwind, with a few mid-week sessions thrown in every now and then?
 

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