December 12, 2014

Red-y for the holidays?

December 12, 2014/ Nicole McIntyre

Lots of things scare the crap out of me, like curling wands without clamps, crying babies and flying over the Pacific Ocean on my own. Red lipstick was once on the 'scary list' and occasionally lumped in the 'too hard basket'. Red lipstick is tricky, but when it's executed beautifully all bets are off.

It's December, so let's throw caution to the wind just this once. Dust off that tube of red lipstick and scrub those lips smooth for your best pout yet.

Without further ado, here are a few of my favourite red lipsticks working from wicked cheap to super luxe.

Rimmel's Kiss of Life ($12.95 AUS / $4.97 USD) - a rich, matte formula that'll last 'til the end of time.

MAC's Ruby Woo ($16.00 USD / $36.00 USD) - the lip pencil version of this classic red is my personal fave. Be sure to pick up the Keepsake Red Lip Bag before it sells out!

Illamasqua's Maneater ($25.00 AUS / $24.00 USD) - A red you have to work hard for, but it's totally worth it.

Burberry's Fuschia Pink ($30.00 USD / $50.00 AUS) - the motley crew of reds. Pink sentimentality with a cherry red twist.

Which shade of red lipstick do you like to reach for?

July 07, 2014

You can take it home with you: the nail lady

July 07, 2014/ Nicole McIntyre

Sporting Illamasqua's Marquise over OPI's Where Did Suzi's Man-go? (nails by me)

I l-o-v-e getting manicures, it's probably my biggest treat. In order to reign in my spending I cut back on weekly manicures, thankfully I took loads of mental notes and pictures and I think I'm now well equipped to paint my own talons every now and again.

My one takeaway tip from watching the pros do what they do is properly wiping off excess polish on the rim of the bottle before bringing the brush to the nail. A giant glob of polish is far more difficult and messier to deal with and takes entirely too long to dry.

To keep my cuticles in fighting form (especially in winter) I invested in a bottle of Essie's Apricot Cuticle Oil. Simply dab a small drop where the nail meets the cuticle and gently massage in. I find that if I keep the bottle near the sink it serves as a gentle reminder for me to apply it before hitting the pillow.

Another favourite product of mine is OPI's Avoplex Exfoliating Cuticle Treatment. This mighty tube of goodness helps to prevent hangnails by keeping my cuticles properly hydrated.

Elemis' Pro-Radiance Hand and Nail Cream

For those times when I don't have cuticle oil in close proximity, I count on moisturiser (the workhorse kind) to keep my hands soft.

These are my go-to hand moisturisers:

Elemis' Pro-Radiance Hand and Nail Cream* - I keep this baby at my desk. The lotion melts into my skin and nails without leaving behind a greasy residue.
Provence Sante's Hand Cream - merely purchased to keep the French Pink memories alive. This stuff is the cat's pajamas.
The Body Shop's Spa Wisdom Africa Honey & Beeswax Hand and Foot Butter - Personally, I really hate the jar it's packaged in, but I'm willing to deal because the scent and texture is pure magic.
The Body Shop's Almond & Nail Cream - Why Body Shop, why did you have to break something which didn't need to be fixed? The texture and overall performance is still the same, but the scent! Why?!?!

Hand lotion is my BFFL, can't you tell?

Also, be sure to invest in a really good pair of cuticle trimmers and remember to be super careful when nipping off dry bits of skin around your nail. Here's a helpful video from Cute Polish which showcases her nail care techniques.

Finally, I take one Flaxseed Oil supplement every day which helps to keep joint soreness in my knees at bay (yes I'm getting older) and the other added benefit is my nails have become noticeably stronger.

Healthy hands and nails make for happy hands and nails.

*PR sample provided – Thoughts and ramblings written here are completely my own.

April 25, 2014

Illamasqua's Shattered Star Nail Varnish in Trilliant

April 25, 2014/ Nicole McIntyre

Illamasqua's Nail Varnish in Trilliant (left) and Marquise (right)

What can I say, I'm a bit of princess when it comes to doing my nails. For two plus years I've been getting my nails done by the lovely ladies over at French Pink and also by Erin of Blonde Tiger. Once you find that cocktail (talent + communal banter) -- you keep asking for more.

With the long holiday weekend upon me, I was tasked with the challenge of doing my own nails and I was kind of looking forward to it. My skills might be rusty, but I had two shiny bottles brightly smiling at me on my desk.

Cue Illamasqua's Trilliant and Marquise, two of the three shades from the Glamore collection.

This week we'll take a closer look at Trilliant, a shimmering champagne featuring silver hexagons, half-sized bars and loads of sparkles.

Illamasqua isn't a brand I immediately think of when it comes to nail polish, but for me I can now see why it's a huge hit. The brush is easier to wield as the handle really lends itself to being closely hugged by my thumb, pointer and middle fingers. The polish flowed off the brush in a manageable fashion, spread evenly and dried fast.

I had serious misgivings about the three dimensional texture lifting off and peeling. Today marks day five of wearing Trilliant and there isn't one chip in sight. With that said, it could be a field day when it's finally time to remove this glitter bomb of a polish.

Visually I get Robin Sparkle's "Sandcastles in the Sand" or even a sparkling Madison from the film Splash.

Trilliant is a high-performing two coater and I can picture it looking cotton candy sweet on tanned tootsies.

The Bagful breakdown:

Total amount for Illamasqua's Shattered Star Nail Varnish in Trilliant:

$22.50 AUS / $17.00 USD

Value for money spent (performance and quality):

9 out of 10 bags — Pleasantly surprised.

Would another purchase be on the horizon?:

I've been kindly invited back to my local Illamasqua counter for a healthy helping of Glamore. What sort of look would you like to see on me?

*PR sample provided – Thoughts and ramblings written here are completely my own.

April 21, 2014

Beauty in a tick: Illamasqua's Maneater

April 21, 2014/ Nicole McIntyre

Released as part of the "I'm the One" Valentine's collection, this velvety, matte red isn't for the faint-hearted -- the name alone says it all.

Illamasqua's Maneater is a vanilla scented, "highly pigmented, classic cherry red." At first glimpse I immediately pictured Gwen Stefani on the cover of Tragic Kingdom -- the tilt of her head, her Gretta Garbo inspired 'do and those bright red lips.

In order to achieve full opacity, Maneater requires patience, persistence, Q-tips, makeup remover and a slow/steady hand. The texture might feel creamy when swatched on the back of your hand or on the inside of your arm, but don't let that experience fool you. Be prepared for tug o' war when it's time to apply Maneater; it's as if you're going against the grain.

Illamasqua's formula proved to be long-lasting (I wore Maneater for 5+ hours and experienced minimal fading) and non-drying (thank goodness).

Want to try red lipstick, but don't feel brave? Here's a tip I gave my friend Vanessa. Start by wearing a bright shade around the house to see how it wears and feels. Before you know it you'll be walking around the mall or out for a drink with your friends -- I bet you'll even find your girlfriends will be asking where you picked up said bold lippie.

The Bagful breakdown:

Total amount for Illamasqua's Maneater: