Tarte Shape Tape Review and July Beauty Favourites
July Beauty Favourites
Winter makeup is something I’ve always struggled with. The season is full of trying new things to see if they work! Whatever I do in Summer, never works for Winter. This month a lot has landed on my desk, which means I’ve been trying out a whole lot of new products! From Lip conditioners to shampoo, I have so many new beauty favourites for mid-year.
I’m going to be completely honest and let you guys know I’ve been much stricter with my spending lately, so I haven’t been purchasing many things myself. Most of these items are sent to me through paid campaigns with brands that I already love. ALTHOUGH this post is not part of any of my work - This is my genuine list of products that have really stood out to me in the hustle and bustle of the cluttered beauty products on my desk.
My next beauty purchases will be:
- Ciate London x Chloe Morello Palette
- Nars Loaded Eyeshadow Palette
- Urban Decay De-Slick Complexion Primer
- Anastasia Beverly Hills Renaissance Palette
If you’ve used any of these, let me know in the comments what you think of these before I buy them!
Face products:
Tarte Shape Tape
I bought this from the US site - I couldn't find it in Aus!
There’s a lot of fuss about this concealer at the moment so naturally, I had to get my hands on it and try it for myself! The packaging is pretty, purple and gold while the bottle is much larger (wider/thicker) than I expected! The hoof applicator pulls a lot of product out of the bottle so I have to be careful to only use a small amount from it.
I don’t dab straight onto my face, I use a brush to swipe off the hoof and then I use the brush on my face. Not sure if this is more hygienic, but I can wash or change brushes, where the hoof has to go back into the bottle with the rest of the product.
My first use, I didn’t like it. It separated on my face! I was so disappointed so I gave it another chance, this time I used a thinner amount and blended a lot more. Blending with my fingers has worked well by warming the concealer and spreading it further. Now I wear this every day under my eyes, and often my jawline. At work, I sit with my head in my hands a lot and my makeup always comes off around my mouth/jaw!
Who doesn’t love this palette? I received this from Sephora to review and I fell in love! I wrote a post on my 5 best highlighters and this is definitely up there. Read my full review here! My favourite shades to use this month are Shimmering Skin Perfector Pressed in Champagne Pop and the Mineral Blush in Pamplemousse. I lightly dust them over the high points of my face with a fan brush.
This is in my Highlighting post too! This is one of my most favourite highlighters, not just because it works so well - but the packaging and the fact that it’s a dewy liquid is so different to any other highlighter I’ve used! The bottle is large, minimalistic and luxe with a pump and a rounded lid - making the bottle the shape of a long egg? It’s cute okay.
I’ve mixed a small amount of this in with my foundation and oh my gosh, it had an incredible effect! I’ll be wearing this look on balmy summer nights that’s for sure.
Bobbi Brown Highlighting Powder in Bronze Glow*
I've always been a fan of highlighting powders, I find that I can always pack it on as much as possible. is back. It's light-reflective so it doesn't always look glowing unless in the light, which I kind of like for a natural glow. I lightly dust this over bronzing and before using a bright highlighter on any high points. Layering this before a blinding highlight feels a tad more natural looking. It can be a little tough to get onto my brush, I'd like to use this slightly wet as an eyeshadow too!
This highlighter works best for me with a false tan when my skin is already bronzed. Using this shimmering bronze highlight without a tan can look a little orange/streaky so it's definitely for darker skin tones!
The mirrored compact is sweet, classic Bobbi Brown packaging with a press button to open.
Eyes:
I have also been using an eyelash serum for the last three months, this may affect the results of these eye products! Read up on the lash growing serum here!
I was given this back in June and didn’t start using it until around July, why didn’t I start using it earlier!? It lengthens my lashes rather than ‘volumising’ them. I dislike mascaras that promise volume with a passion, so this mascara has been a godsend for me. The formula doesn’t smell terrible and it’s not clumpy on the wand. I think the consistency of the mascara is quite thin, this works well though because it hardly clumps.
Every morning before the gym I apply my mascara for the day. Then, I can do a full sweaty workout with the mascara on. Afterwards, I wipe my foundation off with micellar water, wash with face wash and then reapply my face and the lashes are still there! I do have to be careful though, it’s not waterproof. I’m impressed with the length I can get with this mascara, and I’m so happy with how long it lasts throughout the day. When I get home from a day of work my eyelashes always look the same as when I leave the house. It makes it super easy for going to events after work, going out for dinner and especially if I’m rushing for a Friday night out!
Lips:
The luxe Rose-gold packaging sells me straight up. I probably wouldn’t care what the colour was inside, I’d still wear it. So I’m definitely biased because I'm pretty sure I love all CT products, but it still counts as a favourite! The shade is a little bit of a brighter pink than your average nude shade, making it a pop of colour rather than a natural lip. It’s so so creamy and even smells good? Is there anything bad about this lipstick? Nope.
I received this lipstick for work I did with MAC earlier in June. I wear this colour so often that I think I'm going to have to go and buy a backup! It's an orange toned shade but looks slightly nude. When I apply any lipstick I normally dab a bit of the product off with a tissue so the colour isn't so strong. Without a tissue, this lipstick is definitely darker and more orange! It's really moisturising and looks natural with a simple makeup look. I wear this to the office on a day when I feel like a touch of colour!
MAC Lip Conditioner (tube)*
When I first tried this I thought it was so strange. It felt like a lip primer. Lately, I’ve been using it every day and I can definitely feel the difference when I don’t use it for a week! It’s a little slimy, smells good and tastes a bit nice… Plus I feel like it helps smooth my lips before applying lip colour - especially for matte shades!
Skincare:
A bit of background -
Around two months ago, my skin was breaking out pretty bad. I thought acne was for teenagers! I was at the end of a month of antibiotics for my skin and going through some personal stuff- I didn’t feel like anything was working for me at all! Around this time I also started training at F45, so I began exercising regularly and I eat fairly well at work (besides the odd packet of Doritos).
I thought I’d let you guys know that there are many other factors that have probably contributed to how these products worked for me and my skin. It’s important to look after your skin from within as well as on the outside. I truly believe that you are what you eat, and that exercise can only improve things further! Now, I’m training at F45 3-4 times a week and I find I still get spots and small blemishes, but noticeably less than I was before training. I even wore no makeup into woollies one afternoon - A miracle for me!
I had to purchase the Originals on back order! This brand is so in-demand at the moment and it’s not hard to guess why - it’s amazing! It didn’t take long for my order to process and my items to arrive, one product even arrived a week later (they notified me) and they didn’t charge extra costs for shipping.
I started using this around two months ago when my skin wasn’t great so there are definitely other things that could have changed my skin as well as this product. Each morning a few minutes before applying makeup, I drop one drop onto each cheek and massage the serum into my face and across my nose. I feel like it’s minimised the appearance of my pores a little, especially any sebaceous filaments! (sorry, gross). Before bed, I apply the same amount then use a moisturiser afterwards.
This moisturiser is really light on my skin! I have loved wearing this all over my face, or on my larger face areas while using a Lamer eye cream at the same time. It soaks into my skin really well and it definitely doesn't apply yellow like in the bottle.
in the beginning, the only thing that put me off this moisturiser was the smell. It's so strange I can't put my finger on what it is! After the third use, I couldn't smell it anymore anyway. The bottle looks heavy and luxe but is surprisingly light and the pump top is so handy! I leave this on my drawers so I remember to apply it before bed.
Every time I run out of body wash, conveniently I am always sent a new one! I really love trying new washes and I’m in love with this Apelles wash, specifically because it smells like sandalwood! I love having this in the shower because my partner loves it too, I think he got a bit sick of using the Victorias Secret Body Wash I had in the bathroom previously...
Fragrance:
This is one of my favourite scents I own, I want to wear it every day but at the same time, I want to save it. I definitely feel like it's a rich, evening scent. It's long-lasting and I normally only have to spray it twice, once for neck and once for wrists but I'm usually happy with just once on my neck and it's still strong. I had absolutely no idea how to describe the scent so I had to look it up! Fragrantica describes it as "Black truffle and ylang-ylang are mixed with fresh bergamot and blackcurrant"
The scent is based on the fictional Tom Ford Black Orchid with "tuberose and fruity accords". The base of the perfume is a combination of lotus wood, patchouli, vetiver, sandalwood, vanilla and incense.
I bought this perfume back in 2012 or 2011 when it was launched and Reis has always loved the scent. I haven't used it since around 2012 - My mother stole and hid the bottle because it irritates her eyes... Thanks.
This year for our 7 year anniversary Reis organised a range of surprises for me and this was one of them. Five years since I wore this perfume and I have it again! I never realised he loved it so much, he said it was a no-brainer as the perfect present!
Anyway, about the perfume! The bottle is absolutely gorgeous, it's definitely one of the prettier bottles I own with rubbery floral decorations attached to the cap. The bottle is large, clear and the perfume is a pretty pale pink, toning the whole bottle. The most obvious smells are grapefruit, raspberry and pear, while sometimes I can smell jasmine, apple and plum. It's a feminine musky floral scent and I love wearing it during the day and the evening. I'll definitely save this as much as I can though, the 100ml is incredibly expensive and very difficult to find now!
I received this in a Peony Parcel, a bi-monthly delivery of emerging Australian brands consisting of beauty and lifestyle products! Such a good idea to find some new favourites. I recently reviewed Peony Parcel here, and I filmed an unboxing here.
The mist is an essential oil blend of Lavender and I often use it before bed or after a stressful day. I'm not too sure how to use it, sometimes I spray onto my bare face or I spray my pillows/bed before sleep. I'm the kind of person that can fall into a deep sleep anywhere, so I can't say whether it helped me fall asleep - but it definitely helped me to relax.
Apelles Comfrey Hand and Body Wash / Nina Bailey Lavender Pillow Mist
*Marked products have been sent to me in exchange for a review or payment. Products are all used and tested over a 2 week period at a minimum! All opinions and reviews are honest and my own. Brands also understand and acknowledge this when agreeing to send me products. If I don’t like something, you’ll know! (This is a favourites post though, so you’re getting all the good stuff today!)