Purple Zebra NOTD

Hi ladies!! I am SUPER busy at the moment so unfortunately I haven't had much of a chance to blog or reply to comments or really do my nails much. Hopefully things will slow down after this week! Here's a quick NOTD I did last week. It was a VERY rough mani so do excuse the rough application of polish!


I started off with 2 coats of NARS Pokerface as a base. Unfortunately I didn't get a good swatch photo of Pokerface by itself doh! I then added 2 coats of OPI Show It and Glow It! on my accent fingers. On all other fingers, I used China Glaze Millenium to stamp full zebra design from Born Pretty plate m69*.

I cut my ring finger =(

I hope you've all been well and having a lovely weekend =) I can't believe it's Monday tomorrow already. Where the heck did my weekend go?

Thanks for looking as always =D

* Product(s) sent to me for consideration but this in no way influenced my review in any way. As always, my reviews are my 100% honest opinion. My Disclosure Policy can be viewed here.

An OPI My Private Jet dupe? BK Diamond Duet 20 black holo swatches

When you think of a black holo, I always think of the elusive and amazing OPI My Private Jet original version. I don't own a bottle myself unfortunately but I do own the new version and yeah, it kinda sucks as a holo. You can check out pics of the original OPI My Private Jet on The Polish Addict and the Lacquerista. Anyhoo, I believe I may have discovered a dupe for it!! May I introduce to you: BK Diamond Duet in 20. Prepare to be WOWED.


I have been waiting to swatch this baby since I arrived home from Hong Kong in May. I picked this up from the HK Konad distributor (full details coming soon - I have a "HK where to buy" in the works but it's a lot of work!) and OH MY GOD WORDS CANNOT DESCRIBE ITS FREAKING AWESOMENESS. Hence I will say little and show you pics =D Pictured is 2 coats of 20 which is a smoky black/grey holographic. In my rush to catch the sun I accidentally dented my middle finger. Oops!


Close up:





Bottle pic:


In artificial light:



How I wish I owned a bottle of the original My Private Jet so I could compare the two! But in my opinion this is at the very least is a fan-bloody-tastic black holo! What do you think?

Thanks for looking as always! International ladies, don't forget to enter my Beautysnapz giveaway here!

Schwarzkopf 's Stylin' Partnership!

Hi ladies! Now I don't normally post this kind of thing but I thought my Aussie ladies would be interested in a very cool competition courtesy of the awesome guys over at Schwarzkopf.


Is your boyfriend an understyler, waking up in the morning with bed head that remains all day? Or do you know a guy who’s the typical ‘overstyler’, curling and coiffing his hair in to a rigid structure?

Schwarzkopf and MTV Style’s Erin McNaught have joined forces and are holding style interventions to teach Aussie males the secret art of INVISIBLE STYLING!

Our Schwarzkopf Style Ninja’s are ready to knock some hair-sense into males across the country and they are armed with new TAFT Full-On Rough and Tough Styling Powder – a revolutionary product that becomes invisible in seconds and instantly texturises and mattifies hair with ultra control!

If you know a guy in need of a style intervention – dob him in today! OR dob in yourself to WIN!!!

Simply log on to the Schwarzkopf Australia Facebook to enter!

THE PRIZE?
Four winners and their +1’s have the chance to win the prize of a lifetime – a day with the gorgeous Erin McNaught and our Style Ninjas as they stage a complete style intervention!

You’ll receive complimentary return flights to Sydney, a night in a cool city hotel, an appearance on MTV and a Taft Full On gift pack to take home. Competition closes July 30th.
D happens to really fancy Erin McNaught and I'm sure he would like to enter the competition but I think he's worried I'll go into a jealous rage when he drools over her if we win shy so we won't be entering. He actually met her a few years back at some IT convention and has a photo with her but he won't give it to me to put on my blog for this post!!! xp I think she's gorgeous and I would love to meet her and find out her beauty and hair secrets!

Good luck if you enter!!

I am not affiliated with/compensated by the company. This post is for information purposes only. I love letting you guys know about great competitions and offers!

Glittery purple NOTD

Hi ladies. Just a very quick post for you today with a NOTD I did last week featuring one of my favourite colours PURPLE!! It's a glittery purple too omg! This post will be short on words sorry, I'm just not in the mood tonight x(


I started off with 2 coats of the delightful Flormar Supershine Shine and Hot Perfect Polish in 14. I picked this up when I did some hauling at the Flormar stand at Parramatta Westifeld thanks to the awesome 15% off code thanks to lovely Lilit. I have wanted to try Flormar polishes FOREVER since Deniz featured them in her NOTDS. I was really hoping they would have the duochromes but unfortunately not. Fingers crossed they will later!


14 is a dark purple polish filled with purple microglitter - IT'S FREAKING GORGEOUS. 2 coats was needed for opacity and I did experience the tiniest bit of dragging on my ring finger because I didn't wait long enough between coats. It applied very easily and dry time was great. The brush is on the softer side but still easy to handle. I'm loving the long cap too because I can hold it like a pen which makes controlling the brush easier

Close up:



I then added a coat of Deborah Lippmann Bad Romance to ring fingers and thumb for an accent.




Thanks for looking as always ladies =) International ladies, don't forget to enter my Beautysnapz giveaway here!

Beautysnapz giveaway!!

GIVEAWAY NOW CLOSED!

Thank you for entering!

Winner will be announced shortly
Hi ladies! I have a little giveaway featuring a fab Aussie product I reviewed a few weeks ago - Beautysnapz cuticle conditioners. You can read my full review here to see just how awesome they are. A few of you lovely international ladies were a bit disappointed that they're only available in Aus so what better way to share the Aussie love then to give some away! I wanted to hold my giveaway earlier but unfortunately I couldn't get to Big W so I had to coerce my sis into helping me buy them x)


I have 3 of these awesome Beautysnapz cuticle conditioners packs to give away to 3 of my lucky readers!! This giveaway will be open to my international readers only as Aussie ladies you can purchase them yourselves ;) I'll also be including some Aussie sweets too for the winners! For my Aussie readers don't worry, I have an awesome giveaway coming up just for you guys too very soon!


I've left it very simple this time! To enter, simply be a public follower of Cosmetic Cupcake via Google Friends Connect and leave me a valid email address. You can gain one extra entry by tweeting about my little giveaway (make sure you @cosmeticcupcake). I'd also like to know what your favourite nail treatments are so let me know what you love! Please enter your details ONCE only.

Giveaway is open internationally only for one week and will close on July 29th 2011 at 10pm Australian Eastern Standard Time.

GOOD LUCK!

Review: Kiehl's Lip Balm SPF 15 Hue no. 58B

I think I have 10+ lip balms on rotation at any given time. I seriously am addicted to lip balms and I can't do without them! The air conditioning at work is terrible so I stockpile them in my work drawer, I also keep 5 in my handbag (along with lipsticks and glosses!) and another few on my bedside table. Crazy I know! I enjoy using Kiehl's products but I'd never tried their lip balms so I was excited to be given the opportunity to try out their Lip Balm SPF 15 in Black Raspberry Hue no. 58B. There is also a great offer from Kiehl's for Aussie ladies so read on!


What they say:

"A traditional base formulated with the latest technology, this emollient balm helps to moisturize and soothe dry, parched lips with skin conditioning agents as Sweet Almond Oil, Wheat Germ Oil, Aloe Vera and Squalane. SPF 15 sunscreen provides UVA and UVB protection."

Black Raspberry Hue 58B is a sheer lip balm with cool red tones. It contains SPF 15 sunscreen which provides UVA and UVB protection which is essential for us Aussie ladies! There's a slight scent and it's packaged in a handy tube with a slanted tip applicator to help with application. The lip balm looks SUPER dark in the tube but it's actually quite sheer once applied.


Please excuse my extremely dry hands in the next pic. It's Winter here in Sydney and my hands just DO NOT play nicely in this weather =(


On my lips:



Lip Balm SPF 15 in Black Raspberry Hue no. 58B.
Overall: Sun protection is so important here in Aus and I really love that Kiehl's Lip Balm SPF 15 Hue no. 58B contains SPF 15 to help protect against sunburn as not many balms have SPF. The balm feels nice on the lips as the formula isn't sticky at all and it applies smoothly. I also love the slight hint of colour Hue no. 58B gives my lips - a rosy "my lips but better" with a hint of shine.

The lip balm is supposed to be unscented but there's a definite funky scent going on. I prefer my balms to be either fruit scented or to have no scent whatsoever like pawpaw ointment. The slanted tip applicator is good for on the application in theory, but as the balm is dark in colour it makes the applicator look really messy which is a little pet peeve of mine. The balm doesn't feel that moisturising unfortunately but the staying power is quite reasonable on me. The main ingredient is petroleum which may not be agreeable to everyone. I'm not hugely fussed honestly but I know that some of my readers may be.

Would I repurchase: Unfortunately no. I however am very interested in trying the Scented lip balms!! Especially the Mango and Pear ones mmmmmm.

Details:
In Australia, Kiehl's Lip Balm SPF 15 in Hue no. 58B retails for $12 and can be purchased from the Kiehl's Aus online store here .

In the US, Kiehl's Lip Balm SPF 15 in Hue no. 58B retails for $9.50 and can be purchased from the Kiehl's US online store here

A special offer for Aussie readers!!
During the month of July, Kiehl's are rewarding their online customers with the following:

* Free shipping on all orders of Dermatologist Solutions Powerful-Strength Line-Reducing Concentrate
* Samples of Dermatologist Solutions Powerful-Strength Line-Reducing Concentrate with Every. Single. Order.
* A deluxe sample of Dermatologist Solutions Powerful-Strength Line-Reducing Concentrate when you purchase a “powerful partner” (Think: Midnight Recovery Concentrate, Double Strength Deep Wrinkle Filler, Abyssine Cream or Whitening Cream).

What are you waiting for ladies!! Get shopping here! Thanks for looking as always =)

* Product(s) sent to me for consideration but this in no way influenced my review in any way. As always, my reviews are my 100% honest opinion. My Disclosure Policy can be viewed here.

Cult Nails My Kind of Cool Aid swatches + stamping

Hi ladies! A very quick post for you today featuring a mani I did a little while ago featuring one of the lovely polishes I hauled last month from Cult Nails. I needed a demure mani for an event I was attending and My Kind of Cool Aid was the perfect shade!

For those who haven't come across Cult Nails before, it's the nail polish company created by R3 Daily blogger Maria. In 2010, Maria developed her own line of nail polishes with a green philosophy - all polishes are vegan friendly and packaged using recyclable materials. The nail polishes are Big 3 Free and don't contain Phthalate or Camphor which is fantastic. They are a cruelty free company and do not test on animals.


My Kind of Cool Aid was the very first Cult Nails colour and was released on January 11 2011 in its Inaugural collection. It's described as a purple/gray - a "gravender" creme polish with a delicate shimmer. It is an ABSOLUTELY gorgeous shade! It leans more grey on me and is the perfect shade for this time of year in Sydney. It's work appropriate but the shimmer sets it apart and makes it extra special. I LOVE SHIMMER!

Close up:


The bottle shape is very similar to Catrice bottles so it took a moment to get used to using as I prefer the normal bottle caps. I love the look of the round bottles but the cap throws me! The brush is nice and firm but very flexible and fantastic to use. It's very easy to control the polish and no clean up was needed whatsoever. The formula is a dream - it glided onto my nails and only 2 coats was needed for opacity which is pictured in all photos (no topcoat). Dry time was average and it dried to a high gloss finish.


As usual I can't leave any mani alone so I added some subtle stamping with China Glaze Awaken using Konad plate m71. You couldn't really notice the stamping unless you looked closely!



My Kind of Cool Aid can be purchased from the Cult Nails online store for $10. I purchased my bottle during a sale which Maria does from time to time so make sure you keep an eye out for them! I think it's so awesome that a fellow blogger has followed her dream and created her own line of nail polishes!! I think it's every little girl's dream x)

What do you think? Have you tried Cult Nail polishes yourself? Thanks for looking as always!

Yellow, purple and gold freehand rose manicure fail

I've been trying to master freehand rose nail art like in the Japanese nail mags without success for ages now. It's so frustrating as you can probably tell I LOVE rose manicures and the manis I've seen in the mags look so good. Every time I tried, the roses ended up looking like multi-coloured blobs! I was determined last week to try and make the roses work but in the end they still looked crap, just big and awkward =( I guess they looked somewhat alright from far away so don't look too closely at my pictures haha.


For this mani I used:

Pinky, middle and index fingers: I started off with 3 coats of Orly Lemonade. I then used a dotting tool from Born Pretty to place dots using China Glaze Grape Pop. I then used a small brush (also from Born Pretty) to add small lines using NARS Pokerface and China Glaze Sugar High. For the leaves I used OPI Jade is the New Black.

Ring finger: I used 2 coats of NARS Pokerface and then added a glitter half moon using Art Deco nail striper in gold glitter.

Thumb: 2 coats of OPI Glitzerland.



I loved the combination of yellow, purple and gold but I just wish I could get the hang of freehand roses! What nail art do you love but can't seem to get right?

Thanks for looking as always!

Review: Dove Go Fresh Revive Nourishing body wash

Hi ladies! I've had very sensitive skin for as long as I can remember and I've had eczema in varying degrees on different parts of my body since I was a child. It was very bad on the backs of my knees and arms at one point and I recall my Dr telling my mum I needed to stop using all soaps. They just stripped my skin of all moisture and I was one angry itching little girl! I started using the iconic Dove Beauty Bar (with 1/4 moisturising cream!) and my eczema improved out of sight.

When Dove body washes came out I switched over and they've been my absolute favourite body wash ever since. Of course I try many different brands but I find myself always going back to Dove so you can imagine my delight when I received one of the new Dove Nourishing body washes to try out a few weeks ago.


The new Dove Nourishing body washes contain NutriumMoisture® technology which is touted as Dove's biggest skin cleansing breakthrough since the launch of the Dove Beauty Bar. The technology is based on the technology found in the Beauty Bars but is in liquid form and enriched with lipids. These lipids work to keep the skin's moisture barrier intact while the mild cleansers remove dirt and oil from the skin.

What they say:

"Some body washes can strip the moisture from your skin. Dove is different. With breakthrough NutriumMoisture®, it's proven to hydrate and nourish skin deep down and maintain its beauty.. they contain an ultra mild formula that is designed for everyday use and has a product for every skin type and is clinically proven to nourish skin, leaving it soft and smooth."


I was very kindly sent the Dove Go Fresh Revive Nourishing body wash to try. It contains a lovely pomegranate and lemon verbena scent and is nice and moisturising. I'm a big fan of the updated packaging - the old packaging was clunky and heavy and this is much easier to open and close when in the shower which is fantastic.


Overall: I absolutely love this new addition to the Dove body wash range!! I love the scent and a little goes a long way as you only need a teaspoon of product for your whole body. It's gentle enough for my sensitive skin but still feels nourishing. The body wash also happens to be pink and contains pomegranate which are two of my favourite things so what's not to love! I can't fault this product at all except that perhaps Dove should consider a larger size in a pump bottle at some point ;)

Would I repurchase?: YES!! I'd love to try the Go Fresh Fresh Touch body wash next as it contains a refreshing scent of cucumber and green tea. Mmmmmm! Plus you can't go past the price either. $7 for a body wash that lasts and lasts gets a big tick in my book.

Details: The Dove Go Fresh Revive Nourishing body wash retails for $6.99 and is available from leading supermarkets, pharmacies and variety stores Australia wide.

Have you tried these new body washes? Thanks for looking as always! =)

Product(s) sent to me for consideration but this in no way influenced my review in any way. As always, my reviews are my 100% honest opinion. My Disclosure Policy can be viewed here.

Harry Potter nails

Hi ladies!! I went to watch Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 2 today and boy was it EPIC!! Everything and more I'd hoped for in the final installment of the movies. It was so emotional and of course I blubbered like a baby x) I'm so sad to see the end of an era as the Harry Potter series has been such a huge part of my life. I was 11 when The Philosopher's Stone came out and my Latin teacher introduced my class to the "Boy Who Lived" and it's been a journey along with Harry, Hermione and Ron ever since. Thank goodness I can read the books over and over again! I wanted some special nails to mark the occasion so here are my Harry Potter nails inspired by the Hogwarts house colours.


What I used:


Pinky: Ravenclaw (blue & bronze) - I used 2 coats of BYS Astro Gold (it's more a bronzey foil than gold) and then added a coat of OPI Blue Shatter *.

Ring finger: Slytherin (green & silver) - I used 2 coats of OPI Jade is the New Black and then added a Dark Mark inspired image from Bundle Monster plate BM-225 using China Glaze Millenium.

Middle finger: Hufflepuff (yellow & black) - I used 3 coats of China Glaze Happy Go Lucky and then stamped full diamond tartan design from Konad plate m60 using Konad Special Polish in black.

Index finger: Gryffindor (red & gold) - I used 2 coats of Flormar 358 and then stamped full diagonal line design from Bundle Monster plate BM20 using China Glaze Passion.

Thumb: I used 2 coats of Face Of Australia Gold* and then added a lightning bolt with a small brush using Ulta 3 Black Satin.


In case you're wondering, the Harry Potter wand was a gift from D who purchased it from Noble Collection. My mother knitted the Gryffindor scarf and the Harry Potter glases are 3D ones from Event Cinemas. My sister also has a Gryffindor tie and jumper too! xD




Event Cinemas George St have some official movie props on display until this Tuesday and it's worth checking out! They don't have too much but still well worth it for fans.

Clockwise from top: The Daily Prophet from Order of the Phoenix; Mafalda Hopkirk's Identity card from Deathly Hallows - Part 1; The Daily Prophet from Order of the Phoenix; Dark Arts Defence Basics for Beginners from Order of the Phoenix and Dumbledore's wand:


Luna's dress and shoes that she wore to Professor Slughorn's party in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince:




If you haven't seen the movie yet then what are you waiting for??!! Are you a Harry Potter fan?

Thanks for looking as always!

*Products sent to me for consideration. My Disclosure Policy can be viewed here.

A skincare care package from Monika

I received a very sweet package in the mail last week from the lovely Monika. I've been having skin problems lately and Monika very sweetly sent me some products to help with my poor dry skin! ♥


So many new products for me to try!! Masks, creams, polishes, chocolates and a sweet note ^_^


Some Nivea goodies!! The mask is a honey mask and looks great. I love the handy pocket size of the Nivea creams - great for on the go!


I love sheet masks and I get to try 5 new ones yay!! These are from Etude House, Hadanomy, SANA, and FaceQ. The FaceQ masks are so cute =p


Some assorted samples from L'occitane, Shiseido, Rice Force and NOV. I'm dying to try these out but I want to find some small containers to put these samples in first so I don't waste any. I hate when you open up a sample and then go back later and it's all dried up =(


Monika knows I love nail polish and also included 2 polishes for me EEEEEK! Essence Whoom Boooomm!! You've Got the Art and MNY in 552. Plus some Lindt chocolate bars!! Which are long gone now Xp


I say it time and time again - the blogging community has been so wonderful to me and I've been so blessed to make such wonderful friends from across the globe and Monika is one of many I have the pleasure of knowing. Thank you so much for your very generous and sweet care package Monika!!

Thanks for looking!