The Beauty Lab.

I CANNOT BELIEVE HOW FAST THIS YEAR HAS GONE!! Time has absolutely flown by! 

I hope everyone's Christmas was filled with love, family and lots of food, and that you all stayed safe and were spoilt! 😊

I'm writing about the Alogologie skincare range today, as I've been using this particular line for quite a while. I haven't seen many reviews online about these products and whilst they are high end cosmetics, I believe they are worth it.

Please note that while reading this, keep in mind that EVERYBODY'S skin is different, whether it be acne prone, normal, combination, ageing, young, oily, dry, or dehydrated. My skin type has been 'diagnosed' so to speak, as normal - combination. I am also 20 years old so I don't particularly look for anti-ageing products on the beauty market, although however I do like to use eye creams and oils to prevent harsh ageing later on in life... but I will perhaps make a separate blogpost on my actual skincare routine later on!! 😊

Algologie is a line of skincare from France, with products dedicated to anti-ageing, sensitive skin, body, detox, and algae-based substances and skincare. I personally own the Algae Maceration, Soft Caress Peel, Comfort Mask, Soft Freshness Lotion, and the Caress Cleanser. Here is a breakdown review and my thoughts on each product:

Algae Maceration - this is my favourite product of all my Algologie range! It firms my skin, refines my pores and recovers my skins balance. I usually use this product 2-3 times a week, specifically when my skin is feeling dehydrated or when it looks like I am lacking nutrients. The maceration is made with 100% natural Fucus, and contains a large amount of nutrients to help draw the elements the skin needs to recover the vitality. The smell is a little funky, but I don't really mind as it makes my skin feeling absolutely beautiful and glowy!

Soft Caress Peel - this is a soft white cream that contain green and white exfoliant beads which are actually Jojoba Esters. It has a beautiful massaging effect when applied to the skin and can be applied to even the most sensitive of skins, as it does not irritate and contains Aloe, Shea Butter and Camomile. To use, I massage it into my damp face for approximately 2-3 minutes using soft circle motions. The longer you massage, the more you will see dead skin being 'peeled' from your skin. Once I am satisfied with the peeling of my skin, I rinse off with warm water and pat dry. I am always left with a fresh and bright complexion that is silky smooth! This peel is also a great preparation for the Caress Comfort Mask (next).

Caress Comfort Mask - this mask contains a soft cream that has been specifically formulated to be used on problem areas of skin, especially sensitive skin. It contains anti-inflammatory ingredients, and essential oils and vitamins to clean the skin and absorb impurities. To use this mask, I tend to apply it very thick to my entire face and neck about once a week. I leave it on for 20-30 mins, then rinse off with warm water and pat dry. My skin feels very fresh and supple afterwards, and my pores are more refined and my skin looks healthy! By using this once a week, I believe it has improved impurities on my skin.

Soft Freshness Lotion - is a soft lotion that is alcohol free, including rose water, essential vitamins and extracts. This is usually applied AFTER the caress cleanser, by a cotton tip. I use this approximately every second night, and afterwards I am left with beautiful soft, radiant skin. It frees my skin of impurities, and puts in everything that my skin is craving.

Caress Cleanser - this is my number one step for a very clean face! I use this BEFORE the soft freshness lotion every second day. It includes corn, almond and what germ oils, and vitamins and extracts- perfect to really get into the skin and give it a good clean. I massage the light cream into my skin softly for approx 30 seconds and then rinse thoroughly and pat dry. This makes me skin feel so clean, especially after those long makeup days!

As I mentioned earlier, these products are in the higher end market of beauty products, so their price range is quite high. However if you're similar to me, and don't mind spending money on skincare to help and look after your skin, then its definitely worth a try!!
look here:
http://www.algologie.com/ang/index.html
or here:
http://www.beautyonpark.com.au/products/products?search=1&brands[]=1

xoxo

Hi Everyone!! Only 4 days until Christmas 🎄

This year has gone so fast, and before 2015 ends I want to do a '2015 Favourites' post, on all the products, cosmetics and beauty-related things that were my absolute favourite throughout the year of 2015! So wait for that post before New Years ☺️

However, today I am writing about the Too Faced limited edition Christmas kit called the Le Grand Chateau! This pack is so freakin beautiful!! As I shared on my Instagram (@thebeautylabaus), I was waiting for this pack to hit the shelves, and then it sold out and I was devastated. Then I was lucky enough to walk into a Mecca store about a month ago and they had 3 left so I rushed and got it!!! I was so happy and excited haha.

Firstly, lets start off by saying the packaging is the most beautiful thing I have ever laid my eyes on haha! Although, you can expect nothing less from Too Faced, their packaging never seizes to amaze me! The pack comes in a pink box (refer to pics down below) and once you open it up, a little Too Faced 'doll house' is inside!! So gorgeous and such a wonderfully unique idea. The house then opens up my magnet doors, to reveal a deluxe size of the bestselling Better Than Sex Mascara and 3 palettes (Paris In Love, Paris Au Naturale, and Paris After Dark) that include 18 eyeshadows, 2 blushes and 1 bronzer. I purchased this from Mecca for approx. $70, and for what you receive in the pack, I think thats quite a good price here in Australia!!

As per usual with Too Faced, the eyeshadows are very pigmented, some shimmery and glittery, some matte and satin. These eyeshadows are honestly the most softest and butteriest formula I have ever experienced!! I am so darn impressed with the make of this holiday pack, its ridiculous!! You can create so many diverse looks with the palettes, such as natural every-day looks with the browns, warms and neutrals, dramatic evening looks with the pigment-like shadows and dark shades, and girly glittery day looks. Perfect for any occasion!

To be quite honest, when I saw that the bronzer had a little bit of shimmer in it in the palette, I didn't think I would like it, as I tend to prefer more matte bronzers and blushes as I think they can look odd and turn oily on the cheeks. However, when I applied the bronzer to my face, it looks beautiful! There is the tiniest shimmer, but it just portrays a natural glow on the face, I love it and use it every day, aloge with the blush from the Paris Au Naturale palette, and I use the Paris After Dark blush for evening makeup.
Here is an overview of each individual shadow:

PARIS IN LOVE PALETTE -
Amour: Satin beige/off white shadow, can be used to set your eyeshadow base or hate a subtle brow and inner corner highlight
Fleur: Glitter the most gorgeous orange with gold reflects. Applies like a pigment!
Je t'aime: Glitter a beautiful baby pink with gold and silver reflects amongst it, it also applies like a pigment!
Moi: Glitter chocolate brown with gold highlights, applies also like a pigment!
Cherie: Glitter looks blue in the pan, however when applied, it looks like a true grey with gold reflects. Again, applies like a pigment
Tout Suite: Glitter looks like a true brown in the pan, however when applied, it looks like a brown with an orange undertone with gold throughout it.. applies like a pigment
Jolie: Bronzer shimmery bronze that can be built up and applied to all skinniness depending on the harshness of application. Very buttery and easy to apply and blend out, not muddy!

PARIS AU NATURALE PALETTE -
Pot Du Creme: matte white that can be applied as an intense matte brow or inner corner highlight, or even as an eyeshadow base
Fifi: Satin brown that is perfect for a transition shade
La Femme: Satin dark brown that is a perfect crease colour on natural makeup days
Bonjour: Glitter true gold with copper undertone. Applies like a pigment and blends so easily! My favourite colour
Merci: Satin shimmer similar to Tout Suite from the Paris In Love palette, however a little more shimmery. Perfect brown to put in the outer V of the eye
Oui: Glitter dark grey in the pan, however when applied it comes out an intense black with pink and silver reflects amongst it
Mademoiselle: Blush that is a coral matte. Can be built up and best for everyday looks when you want a natural cheek flush

PARIS AFTER DARK PALETTE -
Le Marais: Satin white in the pan, however when applied, it looks like it has shimmers and reflects in it. Perfect for that intense inner-corner highlight
Rendezvous: Matte caramel brown. Perfect transition and crease shade. very buttery and easy to apply!
Provence: Satin purple with subtle reflects amongst it. Beautiful when used for a pop of colour on the eye, and is very buttery!
Parfait: Glitter champagne/rose gold. my second favourite among the palettes! Applies so beautifully and buttery, and looks like a pigment!! I use it for my lid or an intense inner-corner highlight
Tres Chic: Glitter looks like a dark purple with pink reflects in the pan, however when applied, it looks like a midnight black with a purple undertone and pink shimmers. Gorgeous!!
Noir: Matte/Satin true black, every palette/pack needs one! Again, applies so nicely
Tres Fab: Blush that is a matte hot pink. Isn't extremely pigmented so it can be built up. Very easy to apply and a soft formula. I use this on evenings or events out.

Overall, I am extremely impressed with the quality of this holiday edition Too Faced pack, and I think its worth the money for what you receive! Its especially good if you want to split the pack up into gifts for friends, siblings or relatives, as there are cute "to and from" sections on the back of each palette!! The pigmentation is great, the range of shades is great and the packaging is to DIE for!!! Too Faced, you've outdone yourself 👏🏼💗

xoxo
Merry Christmas everyone!!!

interior

what the pack opens up to

Paris Au Naturale swatches

Paris After Dark swatches

Paris in Love swatches

Paris Au Naturale palette

Paris After Dark palette

Paris in Love palette

Deluxe size Better Than Sex Mascara

Hi Everyone! Welcome back to my blog! Xx

Today I'm going to write and review the Too Faced Born This Way foundation. This isn't a totally 'new' product, however it hasn't been on the market very long. 

I have been absolutely dying to purchase this foundation since it released, however whenever I went into Mecca to buy it, or even consider having a look, the shade they matched me with was ALWAYS sold out 😫 Anyway, a couple of months ago I then did go into Mecca to purchase something else, and looked at the Born This Way out of curiosity and they had one left in my shade (porcelain) yay!! I don't regret buying this product at all.

As I mentioned in my review on the Lancome Miracle Cushion, I always tend to go for full-coverage foundations as I like them better on my skin and they cover up any marks (which we all want, right?!). The lady at Mecca said the foundation was very dewy and light coverage, and I was confused as every other review I looked at on the product, they said it was a full-coverage foundation that was semi-matte.

The foundation is definitely quite semi-matte. It isn't completely stale and matte, however it isn't completely dewy and shiny. It applies sort of matte however when it dries it looks so natural. Too Faced advertises - Boasts an 'undetectable' finish, people will think you were 'born' with naturally radiant looking skin. Enriched with Coconut Water to replenish moisture levels, Alpine Rose to brighten the skin's appearance and boost elasticity and Hyaluronic Acid to smooth skin. The look of imperfections is blurred for a flawless looking complexion. I definitely agree with this, although you never really know if any product involves all those 'good things' for your skin. 

I personally think it is quite a medium coverage on me, which I have decided that I love! The formula blends beautifully, you have plenty of time to brush it over your face, and it doesn't show pores terribly or anything. A positive is that it isn't the most expensive on the market regarding foundations, its more on the cheaper side (not as cheap as drugstore obviously). I recall that I paid approx. $58 from Mecca, and I believe it is still that price. Another pro about the product is that it comes with a pump bottle, which is so good and convenient to apply with!

I apply the product with a buffing brush and then blend it in with the Real Techniques sponge and it gives such a flawless, natural finish. 

If I were you, and I was thinking of purchasing this product, I say DO IT! Its definitely worth the money if you're wanting to try out a new foundation, and they have such a great range of colours too! yellow based, neutral based and pink based! 

purchase from: http://mecca.com.au/too-faced/born-this-way-foundation/V-022129.html

See pics down below :) 

Xoxo

consistency is not too runny, however not completely thick

tools used to apply the product with

HELLO LOVLIES!!

Hope you're all doing well! Im back with another blogpost, this time on the Lance Miracle Cushion foundation! I want to start by saying that this product is a liquid cushion compact foundation with fresh, dewy hydration that gives you a beautiful glow, and is definitely a light coverage, although it does prove to be buildable.

I haven't previously tried any Lancome products in the past, and haven't seen many reviews nor talks about their products. I purchased this foundation at Terry White Chemist here in Australia (drugstore that sells more luxurious brands such as Lancome, Chanel, Clinique etc), and they were having a special of $80 for a two pack of the foundation, which is quite a good price for two if you ask me!! One is a proper casing for the insert, and the other is another insert/refill! Such a great idea and sale!! I know that Myer was selling just one for $90 at some stage in the past.

The product comes with a compact of foundation with a sponge-like circle that dispenses the product. You dab the cushion that it provides into the foundation-dispensing circle and the product will be on the cushion ready to put on your face. I start off by just grabbing enough product to bounce over my face. I then take a second layer and start buffing it in with the cushion provided (hard to explain, refer to pics down below). In my personal experience, the more you buff and blend the product onto the skin, the better and more natural it looks. I have normal-combination skin, and I sometimes tend to get oily in my T-zone, especially on hot days! However, this product didn't make me overly oily at all, it gives me a beautiful glow all day, and it doesn't seep into my crevices and lines, or around my nose. However, I do notice it sometimes shows my pores around my nose area, so I would advise wearing a light blurring primer such as Loreal Blur perfecter, or Benefit Porefessional. I also love the size of the product. You can literally fit it in your clutch or purse, and is so easy to take with you on travel as it just slides into little spaces.

I have always owned quite medium-full coverage foundations and wanted to purchase something a bit different, so I went for the Miracle Cushion after seeing Chloe Morello do a demo. It looked gorgeous, and to be completely honest, it also looks very gorgeous on! It makes your skin look like you have a real glowy, clear, flawless complexion without looking cakey. I am very impressed and I will continue to use this on days I want to look fresh faced and flawless!!

Check out some pics down below of the product

xoxo

External packaging of product

Casing of the product

Dispenser and cushion

Foundation dispenser and provided cushion