Full face of first impressions #3

Well, wasn’t this experience just *something*?!

Let me talk you through it. I don’t know when this post will be going live but basically, when I sat down to make a play with my makeup, I was one week out from my 19th birthday party.

I wanted to try out some new products to see if they made the cut for my ‘birthday makeup’.

I usually do my makeup in my room which doesn’t see much natural light. Today, however, I did it at our kitchen table with my back to very expansive windows.

I don’t know if I was just having a bad skin day or it was the fact that all my pores and flaws were magnified in the sun, because sheesh applying makeup and getting it to look decent was a CHALLENGE!

Cinch Face Cheater / here

Bought this in the last Priceline skincare sale because I’d heard about it on IG and was intrigued (my excuse for every single purchase lololol). I put it on and the actual product was a lovely pearlescent shiny colour and, it did make my face “glow”. But it wasn’t the nicest base for makeup- not overly moisturising or anything. I had high expectations because Cortney said it made her look like a disco ball.

Innoxa Anti Ageing Life and Firm Foundation / here

Two things that may contribute to my dislike of this product- it’s colour and my application. I’m quite pale, and this looked like good match, but the yellow undertones were intense. It got stuck in my hairline and was like bad fake tan – ooft. I used a dense oval brush to apply it, which I’ve never used before. Maybe that wasn’t effective? I wasn’t vibing it, but I soldiered on.

Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion / here

I used the Australis eye primer and like it, but I did really notice a difference with this one. It was lovely! I can’t explain the difference, though- sorry about that. I just liked it ok.

W7 Glowcomotion Pink it up / here

I’ve heard great things about this highlighter, and when i tried it on the back of my hand it was beautiful. So I applied it liberally to my cheek bones. Ekkk. It’s very pink. Which is cool, but I prefer a champagne highlight. And I found it really hard to blend out (in my attempt to soften the pigment.)

It was at this point that I threw in the towel and was like, ‘nope I can not do this’. I rummaged around for some other makeup bits, wiped off the face I had on, and started again.

Hylamide Pore Delete / here

There is a reason you should ‘always read the label.’ Shame I didn’t for this product. I used it as my first step and as I applied thought ‘omg it’s making my pores worse!’ As it settled down I noticed a slight reduction… it may be more effective if you use it as recommended (face palm)- AFTER liquid foundation or as the last step in your skin care routine. Ah fun. (I bought this for $5 on clearance at my local Priceline. Please do not pay $22 for it.)

Then I went back in with the Cinch.

Revlon Colourstay Foundation Combination/Oily SPF15 / here

This has SPF15, which I was unaware of. The whole point of me trying this makeup was because I wanted to find my perfect party foundation without SPF. Some days, my brain fails to notice details like this. Sigh. Still wasn’t loving it, but applied with my fingers and that was much more successful than the previous foundation. After I had finished my makeup, and looked at myself in artificial light, I was liking the look a whole lot more than fresh faced in the sun. Also, has this been discontinued? It was shard to find online.

Revlon Candid Concealer in Banana / here

Yo this stuff is THICK! Yes it brightened but I found it realllllly hard to blend out so I would be scared to try again with an actual concealing colour.

Maybelline Fit Me Loose Finishing Powder / here

After struggling to open the lid for way too long, I opened this and used it under my eyes. OMG, I get the hype. It is lovely and velvety and agh. Yes to this. One of my standout faves from an otherwise unsuccessful makeup session.

Now I remembered that I’d forgotten to reapply my Urban Decay since wiping my previous makeup off. I tried and I still liked it, but it was a whole lot harder with foundation and concealer already on my eyes.

NYX Away We Glow / here (not exactly the same but similar!)

Tried to use this as a bronzer, unsuccessful. Does have a really nice sheen to the pigment, but it not very pigmented, if that makes sense. I think I will try and reuse this as an eyeshadow and it will be much more successful.

Colourpop Pretty Much / unavailable as it was limited edition – sorry!

This is my first ever Colourpop product, and I actually won it in a giveaway. I used the matte shade ‘cool it’ all over my lid and then used the W7 highlight on my inner corder and half way across the lid. My crease was a bit messy but i liked this combo. I can’t wait to experiment with the shimmers in this palette.

Rimmel Wonder’luxe Volume Mascara/ here

Wasn’t expecting the wand to be so thin, but I did enjoy using this. Was lengthening but I did find it quite clumpy, and had some fall out by the end of a 9 hour day.

Full Brow Brow Fibre / here

Alongside the Maybelline powder, this product and the next two were standouts for me. I have the shade Light Blonde which is perfect for me- and doesn’t have the reddish undertone a lot of blonde brow products tend to have. The consistency wasn’t thick or gluggy, and you didn’t have to wipe too much excess off the wand before use (This is an issue with other brow mascaras I’ve tried). And omg, it lasted agesssssss. So much love for this product.

Essence Plumping Nudes Lip Gloss in 04 That’s Big / here

Love a lip gloss and am always curious about ‘plumping’ promises. This shade appears pinky but on the lips it’s more nude. I felt a slight tingle but nothing really very noticeable. Really enjoyed the colour, look and feel but the only negative to this product (apart from it’s false promise at plumping which actually doesn’t bother me) is that it is not long lasting at all.

MAC Fix +Setting Spray in White Tea / here

The smell, you guys. Heaven. Hard to say if this product made my makeup stay put, or if it were the products themselves, but I was happy with the wear time of my look. Also, shocked with the intense spray of this product, it wasn’t a light mist at all. Still, I liked it and it smelt amazing. Andddd it’s cute and tiny. I like!

What new product have you tried recently? Tell me about it in the comments!

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My 19th Birthday: Makeup Of The Night, Haul & First Impressions

ROLLY Mag

I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve mentioned my birthday on my blog.

To be honest, this year is the first that I’ve really “advertised” my birthday.

In the past, I’ve been happy to let it come and go with an ice cream cake and not too much fuss.

But this year I went all out. Because yolo.

So this weekend I had the final birthday celebrations, a joint party with my bestie.

I’ve been so excited to share my makeup look and a few other things, so I hope you enjoy this jam packed post!

Let’s start with the makeup.

Makeup

Tribe Skincare Anti Redness Serum / here

Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer / here

OMShe Primer (my one and only!) / here

Chi Chi CC Cream / here

Maybelline Age Rewind Concealer / here

Rimmel Conceal and Bake Setting Powder / here

Rimmel Bronzer / here

Models Prefer Mineral Powder / here

Llivia Beaute Highlight in Chai / here

Rimmel Eye Brow Pencil / here

Full Brow Brow Fibre / here

Mecca Max Sugar Queen Eyeshadow and Face palette / here

Colours I used on my eyes indicated in pink.

Blush colour indicated in purple.

L’Oréal Telescopic Mascara / here

Covergirl Lip Primer / here

Barry M Lip Kit: Lip liner and gloss in shade Femme / here

MAC Setting Spray / here

I have a another “First Impressions” blog post coming which reviews a lot of these products… so you’ll hear all about them then!

Sorry that the order of posts is a bit all over the place ha!

But basically, I was testing out a lot of makeup to see which products would make the cut to be used for my birthday… so you can assume that I love all the things I’ve mentioned above!

Haul

On the way to my party, I swung past Chemist Warehouse to buy some things from their “buy 2, get 1 free deal” on Flower Beauty. I knew I wanted to try the blush and mascara but it took me ages to decide on a third product. I was contemplating the setting spray but I already have quite a few, so I chose the lipstick instead! I did want a brush but the store I was at didn’t stock them- sad face.

Blush in Sweet Pea

Lash Warrior Mascara in Black (first impressions below!)

Lip Duo in Honey Nude: I gave this a quick try and really like the lipstick. It’s a browny-nude which I don’t have in my collection. But the lip gloss is literally just a glitter gloss so don’t love that.

First Impressions

I took a few sample products to try whilst I was away, as part of @bottledbeautyblog’s #SeptemberSamples challenge.

Here’s what I thought!

Garnier Micellar Water: I received this in a Priceline GWP last month. I have only ever tried the milky water version of this and I enjoy that. But I understand the hype for this now. Was very gentle on my skin yet effective. Impressed!

Shop full size here.

White Glo: This is from the Priceline GWP as well. I’m a big fan of the charcoal toothpaste and so I wasn’t surprised when I enjoyed this too. Definitely has a coconutty taste so if you don’t like that, this isn’t for you!

Shop full size here.

Kielh’s Overnight Masque: this had a gel like consistency which I wasn’t expecting but oh my gosh- it’s incredible! My skin was feeling amazing the next day! The instructions say to wipe off excess after 10 minutes by I didn’t do that. I will definitely be purchasing this full sized! Dangerous to try “higher end” products and love them haha!

Shop full size here.

Now on to other non-sample first impressions!

Skin Republic Prep and Prime Mask: This mask is pink which is fun but also quite small. I have an average size face and find that often masks are too big, but this was really quite small. Had a subtle scent and whilst it was nice to use, I don’t think I’d repurchase. You could use any sort of sheet mask and receive the same effect of provide a “plump” base for makeup.

Shop here.

Flower Beauty Lash Warrior Mascara: (image and link above!)

Even though I had spent a lot of effort choosing the products I would wear for my birthday makeup… I went wild and tried this mascara for the first time as well!

The brush is thin, which I didn’t love. It was lengthening but I found my lashes clumped together and weren’t separated.

I’ve read that a lot of people had issues with the staying power of this mascara but I thought it held up well.

I don’t, however, believe it lives up to the hype.

It is too much of a bold look for everyday but not bold enough for a night out.

Of course, I’ve only used this product once and so my thoughts may change but that’s where I’m at with this.

I ended up topping up my mascara with my L’Oréal (what I had intended to wear) but still wasn’t happy with the overall look of my mascara.

Models Prefer Mineral Powder:

This product was another last minute addition to my makeup look. I wanted to have something a bit more shimmery to top over my bronzer. And I have heard comparisons of this to Hourglass so I had high expectations…

That weren’t fulfilled.

I tried to apply this first with brush, and then with my fingers… but the payoff was really poor both ways.

It left a lovely glow on my finger that didn’t transfer to my face at all.

So I’m not sure how I will continue to use it.

Mecca Sugar Queen Palette:

My bestie bought this for me for my birthday and I was soooooo excited to use it for the first time.

I was really excited about using the shimmer shades but honestly, it was the mattes that blew me away.

They were so creamy, not overly pigmented which was nice because it could be built up.

I adore it!

I did try using the mattes as a blush but found they didn’t work as well as they did as eyeshadow.

It was actually the shade “Sprinkle” that is a silvery pink that disappointed me. All it was, was silver. There was not much pink pigment to it at all which I was sad about.

But overall, I am so in love with this palette.

It had such a hype, both by the brand and bloggers, but I do understand it and think it’s justified.

And it is a huge, quality palette at a really great price.

Super happy!

Random

I also just wanted to share some of the gifts my friends gave me.

– assorted face masks from my one my besties recent visits to Japan

– a poetry book, with the most beautiful title; “The Princess Saves Herself In This One.” I can’t explain why but this quote just gives me all the feels. My new life motto, I’ve already put this quote on my felt board hah!

– a foil eyeshadow from Mecca, gold shimmers are my fave eye look so I’m excited to use this!

– and, omg, a Caye Life travel mug! I am so thrilled with this, it’s exactly what I wanted. I have been eyeing it up for ages and my bestie said she would buy it for me, so I’ve been hanging out for it to arrive! Can’t wait to use it. I love the colour too!

Ta-da!

That’s my birthday makeup, done and dusted!

Hope you enjoyed this post- it did take a little while to compile everything together. And wait for the sun to come out so I could get a photo 😅

Thank you for all my birthday wishes.

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hellorollymag@gmail.com

August Favourites

ROLLY Mag

August favourites 🌟

Proud of myself for remembering to do this post for the second month in a row 🤗

Actually LOVEEEEEE all the products I’m talking about today. In no particular order…

Floss Beauty Lip Gloss / here

I received this is gloss in the August Bella Box and I literally haven’t stopped wearing it. This shade is JFK and I would describe it as “your lips but better”.

Llivia Beaute Highlighter in Chai / here

This single highlight is honestly crazyyyyy pigmented and lasts on the cheekbones ALL DAY! I also love using it on the inner corners of my eye. It’s the perfect rose gold/champagne mix. Agh – heaven. You might have seen on my IG that I recently bought the Game Changer eyeshadow palette from Llivia too! Can’t wait to play with it!

Tribe Skincare Anti Redness Serum / here

I shared this serum on Instagram and I had a few of my lovely followers literally buy it straight away! Probably because I was preaching it’s incredible effects. I used it on top of my moisturiser one morning and almost like magic, my redness reduced. So impressed. Will definitely repurchase the full size when I get through this mini!

Physicians Formula Blush / unable to find online sorry!

I won this from Fickle Kitten Beauty but actually picked up another one in a Priceline sale earlier in the year. I used this for the first time as an eyeshadow and it is so pigmented and creamy to use. The glitter topping on the blush was also working gorgeously for the eyes, but I’m not sure how I’d use this blush actually on the cheeks.

Australis Setting Spray / here

Not going to lie, I thought setting sprays were a bit of a gimmick (before I used one!) But, since trying this mini, my thoughts have changed! It gives your makeup so much staying power- I’m very impressed. And now I’m intrigued, what’s your fave setting spray?

Ulta3 Serum Foundation / here

I have actually reviewed this foundation here, but to summarise: fresh-faced look with light coverage but won’t last 8 hours without the help of a setting spray! And personally, this foundation is actually a bit hard to get a hold off unless it’s online.

I’d love to know some of your beauty faves from this month- leave them in the comments below!

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Full face of first impressions #1

ROLLY Mag

Ok, so maybe not a full face… but key players!

And, ok, maybe not “new in” more like, “products I’ve had for ages and am only using for the first time”.

Yeah, that’s more like it. (But a tad too long for a title, agree?)

The moral of the story: new things, all cheap, all relatively difficult to get your hands on in store. Soz.

Ulta3 Serum Foundation in 1. ivory // buy it here

– Picture credit: Emily at @emmiesbeautylife // read her review here

– buildable coverage

– very brightening with a dewy finish that became more matte as it dried down

– gives an almost “filtered” effect in blurring the appearance of your skin

– so affordable

– very very veryyyyyy limited colour range

– after 8 hours of wear, it had begun to slightly cling around my nose and almost totally wore off on my chin, but still had an overall “fresh glow” to my complexion. Loveeeeee!

Ulta3 2-in-1 brows in brunette // buy it here

– I normally go for blonde in brow products but find they often have an red undertone, so chose this one instead (that and it was the only option at the store hah)

– really enjoyed the crayon end of this, however if you miss your eyebrow (like I did) it’s hard to blend the product

– the clear gel was nice, but didn’t dry very well… I noticed it went a bit tacky like dry PVA glue and I had to pull it off… but maybe I just applied too much in that particular spot because the rest of my brows were fine!

Barry M Crushed Jewel Cream Eyeshadow in 1. Duvet Day // buy it in store at Big W

– very wet formula that is difficult to apply

– no matter if I used my finger, a brush or the applicator, it seemed to wipe off more product that in out on

– however once dried, it stayed put

– wouldn’t choose this colour again, I’d prefer something more bronzey

Essence “I need a miracle” mascara // buy it in store at Priceline and Target

– love the brush shape

– gave good length

– didn’t feel overly voluminous though

– didn’t live up to the hype in my opinion, after first use

Flower Beauty Light Illusions Concealer in Fair // buy it here

– this product has so much hype!

– it did really impress me with the full coverage and brightening effect

– it did however crease under my eyes almost immediately! And I don’t really have under eye creases!

Have you used any of these products?

Let me know your thoughts in the comments!

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And say hello via email >>>

hellorollymag@gmail.com

Natura Maga Review

ROLLY Mag

How pretty are these products from @naturamaga 😍🤩

When Samantha reached out to me and asked if I’d like to try any products- I immediately gravitated towards the solid perfume (top) and the lip balm (obviously! 💁‍♀️)

Many people I know- including two of my best friends- are very sensitive to perfumes… if something disagrees with them, it often brings on sneezing, skin irritations and itchy eyes! And so, I was excited to try the solid perfume, in hope that it would be a good solution for them too.

This one is for “positivity”, with notes of orange, lemon, clove, cinnamon, ginger- which is divine 😍 I apply this to my pulse points. The scent doesn’t last as long as a traditional spray EDP would, however because of its handy solid size, it’s so easy to pop in your handbag and reapply throughout the day (without the fear of it spilling everywhere!)

And good news, when I wear this, my besties don’t sneeze constantly (like they do when I wear my RiRi fragrance 😅🙊) I’ve also found that the balm formulation of this perfume is almost therapeutic when applied. I link the feeling of positivity with the perfume when I take a moment to pause throughout my day to put this on. It’s like an “ahhh” moment! 🤩

If that’s to “ju ju” for you (😅) know that Samantha holds a Bachelor of Applied Science (among other qualifications!), so she knows what she is talking about.

Thank you so much for generously gifting these to me, Sam 💕 If you have any questions about the Natura Maga range, leave them below 💁‍♀️

For a chance to try your own Natura Maga products, enter my giveaway a few posts back to win the Magnesium Oil 🤗

Now, you all know I’m a lip balm girl… so of course I was in my element when testing this one.

It smells amazing… seriously.

I don’t normally go for pots of lip balm lip this because, germs.

But! It’s too cute.

It’s a “plumping” lip balm. I get a very slight “warming” sensation but nothing dramatic. And I’m ok with that!

It’s extremely nourishing in the lips too. Chapped lips be gone!

But what I love most is that I don’t have to worry about ingesting any nasties. It’s made entirely from a la natural ingredients.

You can shop the entire Natura Maga range here.

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Hand cream isn’t just for Grandmas (Du’it: Review)

ROLLY Mag

Hands up if you love skincare? 🙋‍♀️

Hands up if you love skincare but often forget that “skincare” includes parts of your body that aren’t your face? 🙋‍♀️

#Guilty!

In Winter, it is often too cold to bother with full-body moisturising. All I want to do is go straight from the shower, to pjs, to my bed. Relatable?

But you guys will know from my June Editor’s Letter (here & also lol forgot to do one this month 😬) that taking care of skin other than on my face was a goal of mine.

Happy to say, that thanks to @duitau, I’ve achieved that! Hand cream is not something I would usually pick up for myself. To me, it’s in the category of “gifts for grandma”. The packaging isn’t necessarily *aesthetic* and nothing about it screams “BUY ME” when you see this on the shelf.

Let me tell you, friends, this product ain’t just for grandmas. “Tough Hands For Her” sat on my bedside table and every night (since Friday 5th when I received this!) I applied the hand cream before I went to bed. In the morning, hello baby’s bum hands!

My job is pretty physical and I do a lot of cutting and folding of paper, tearing open boxes, touching stickers and things… so it’s not uncommon for me to get home from a 9 hour shift and have a new paper cut or 12. At the same time, I have my hands on full display to customers as I point here, pass them this or that etc. I put in the effort to paint my nails, but why not the rest of my hand care? This is kinda why I love this handcream so much. It’s minimal effort for maximum results.

It’s very subtly scented, nothing offensive at all. It’s not overly thick or sticky, and “soaks in” almost instantly once rubbed in (which is easy to do!). And, a little goes a long way!

Similarly, I exfoliate my face 2-3 times a week, and my body *occasionally* before shaving but that’s about where it ends.

It was definitely harder to add the Tough Scrub to my every-second-day-routine, but just like the hand cream, I saw big results!

The scrub works similarly a face scrub- removing dead skin and rejuvenating the appearance.

However, I have only used this once. So, the test will be if it’s something I can continue to use on a regular basis. Hand scrubs don’t come as easily to my body care habits as say, brushing my teeth! So time will tell.

And finally, the Vitamin E Cream. Even though I am *loving* using a hand cream now (it makes me feel like an adult haha) this product is the standout in the range!

I have recently started using a whole new array of skin products so it’s hard to say if my skin is enjoying that or this product in particular, but whatever it is, it’s a great combo!

The instructions direct you to apply this face cream twice a day or as needed. It also said it works well as a base under makeup. My eyes nearly popped out of my head!

Yay!

So I quickly discovered my perfect use for this cream.

I pop this on, followed by SPF and then concealer and powder.

My GOSH!

It has a very subtle scent (barely noticeable) and an almost tacky consistency. It’s not at all uncomfortable on the skin. It dries quickly but you can feel that it gives your makeup something to stick to.

I am so impressed with this product. Not only is a it a fabulous primer, it has left my skin looking clear, soft and even.

I saw it when shopping at my local Chemist Warehouse the other day in the body care aisle and honestly, wouldn’t have looked twice at this product if I hadn’t tried it.

I would honestly recommend that everyone tries this Vitamin E cream, because it is sooooo effective and so cheap.

If you’re struggling to find a primer you like- try this!

If you struggle with problem skin and are afraid of trying anything new- try this!

Because remember, it is skin care first. It’s not a makeup product, by definition. Benefit for us is, it works like a makeup product whilst having the benefits of skincare!

For a review of both Tough Hands and Tough Hands For Her, visit @allmyshittymakeup post here.

Buy the Essential Repair Kit here.

Buy the Vitamin E+ Cream here.

Buy the Tough Scrub here.

Buy Tough Hands For Her here or here.

Thank you to Amy at Sweaty Betty PR for kindly sending these Du’it products to me.

All opinions are my own.

These products were exchanged for a genuine review. That is what I have shared. I genuinely do enjoy the products I have tried from Du’it.

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Sarah’s Day x Veux Review

ROLLY Mag

I have mentioned this before, but I’m a sucker for good advertising.

The Sarah’s Day x Veux Sunglasses collaboration is a perfect example of this.

I saw the images, and the concept of ‘blue light glasses’ for the first time… and I was like ‘yep, need.’

But I had limits. I wasn’t spending over $60 for them (the prices weren’t advertised.)

Ha ha ha when I ended up paying $75 for them.

BUT!

Since I’ve received them, I’ve used and loved them.

So, with the restock approaching (Edit: the restock went live TODAY!!) I wanted to share my thoughts, in case you were contemplating the purchase.

First impressions, I love the transparent pink and the subtle logo.

But, if you notice on Sarah’s head they look quote oversized… on me, they *just* fit.

And I would say I have an average sized head.

So keep that in mind. She must have a tiny head!

In terms of how they feel on the eyes, I noticed a difference straight away. They sort of have yellow tint to them. It’s not overly noticeable once you’ve worn them for a while but initially, yes you see a difference.

It’s like the night mode on your phone, but in glasses.

I don’t have much of an issue with blue light… I’m often on my phone right before I go to sleep and usually can fall asleep fine.

So for me, wearing them is more of a protective factor.

I really enjoy them, and I am definitely getting my money’s worth.

However, this style may not be suited to your taste.

Baxter Blue and Quay have a heap of stylish options and at a cheaper cost.

I’d love to know your experiences with blue light glasses? Share in the comments below!

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