I'm back :)

Hello to everyone who reads my blog.
I have had a very very long break from blogging & my YouTube channel lately and I've been waiting for the right time to start blogging again but I've just been soooo busy applying for uni (yes, I'm finally progressing in the career department) and running around buying Christmas presents / sorting life out and I've also been quite run down which is really getting on my nerves / making life hard and annoying! :(

 

But anyway I'm back, and here to stay!
I've got some interesting blog posts / video ideas on my mind and I'm excited to get back to it all!
On the makeup side of things I have recently discovered two amazing shops I didn't even know existed...
I thought Mecca Maxima was just an online store but I'd never bought from it, and while shopping the other week I realized they'd opened a new store at a shopping centre close to me, I think I almost fell over!
You can buy international brands / high end brands all in one place...
too faced, narz, Clarisonic all that kind of stuff and try it all on without having to buy online!
Unfortunately I was with my boyfriend at the time and didn't want to spend too much time looking around and bore him to death, so I kinda rushed to have a look.
Ahwell I'm sure I'll be able to have a better look next time for sure! :)
The second store is one I've been meaning to have a look at for a while now but never had time / forgot all about it after driving past!
It's a makeup outlet that sells international brands like  LA colors, Wet 'N' wild, Milani and Jordana.
as well as many other drugstore brands, MAC and skincare too which is really handy.




So yeah, will definitely be paying that shop another visit soon too.
But yeah, sorry there's not a whole lot of interesting stuff in this post ...
It's just a update post on what's been happening / why I haven't been posting kind of post haha.
I hope you all have a great Christmas if I don't post in the next couple of days
(although I'm sure I will) haha.

Emily.
xo




 

Christmas gift ideas!

I've seen quite a few beauty bloggers posting about Christmas gift ideas in the last couple of weeks and I wanted to get in on the trend haha. 

More for myself though because I always struggle in this area!

I'm terrible when it comes to thinking of presents for everyone, so I try and start thinking early on so I have it all covered! I especially struggle when thinking of presents for men
and I have absolutely no clue what to buy so I think this post will be very helpful.
I might even discover some things that I want to buy! (most probably will) and hopefully you will too! 

Because it's definitely not an easy task.

♥

So I've done my research and found some great beauty / self care buys for everyone, men and kids included! 

 When you don't know what to buy for Kris Kringle...

Lush Shine Gift
Includes:
So White Shower Gel 
Multi-purpose Gold Fun and Reindeer Rock Soap

AUD $19.95

I love the Lush christmas gifts available this year, and I think I will definitely be buying a few!
They're just so easy, all the products are put together for you instead of choosing them one by one.
There's no thinking for this one, you don't even have to wrap them and for $20 I think you're getting quite a bit for your money!
Perfect for Kris Kringle or another little something to put under the tree!

MOR Sparkle Duo in Lychee Flower
Hand cream and Soapette

AUD $19.95

This set is beautiful, I absolutely love MOR's packaging!
Perfect for Kris Kringle and so pretty.
I think any girl would appreciate this.

Bulldog Skincare For Men Man's Best Friend Due Gift Set
Includes: Original Face Wash & Original Moisturiser
with collectable tin.

AUD $18.

90

Now I'm not quite sure how many men would appreciate self care products
in a Kris Kringle, but if you think they may like it / are that kind of guy who likes to look good / take care of himself, I think it could definitely work!

Miki Cosmetics Lip Gloss LadiesAll on keychains! 
AUD $9.95

I've seen these in chemists everywhere and they are so cute!
Miki cosmetics is such a cute company and if you need a Kris Kringle for kids
this ones perfect. They can hang them on their school bag too!

And when you're buying for family or friends...

I had to include some more Lush gifts because they are just so cool haha.
Lush ♥



Santa Claus is Coming to Town Gift
Includes: Golden Wonder Bath Bomb, So White Shower Gel,
Snow Angel Bath Melt, Butterbear Bath Bomb,
Dashing Santa Bath Bomb, Snowman Jelly, Reindeer Rock Soap,
Holly Go Lightly Bubble Bar.

 

AUD $59.95

If you want to spoil someone, this is definitely a gift to consider! There's a whole heap of different ones on the Lush website, at all different prices and sizes.
I'm just choosing ones to show here that I like most!




e.l.f 12 Piece Nail Cube
Colours included: Desert Haze, Wedding Bells, Prissy Chrissy, Nude, Purple Pleaser, Blush,  Sea Escape, Gold Star, Gina Girl, Smokin Hot, Raspberry, and Purple Dream

 

 

AUD $25.00

This is a great gift for a mother, a daughter, or a friend!




Le Labo Classic Collection - Solid Perfume
In any scent from Le Labo

$85.00

This is a unisex solid perfume which I think is a great idea for men especially.
They can put it in their toiletries bag or in their pocket, I think it's easy and stylish!

So there you go, I hope I've given you some inspiration for Christmas presents this year!
I love unique presents and I think these are perfect! :)

Good luck with your Christmas shopping
and I will talk to you in my next post . x

Byyeeee!

My Beauty & Fashion Wish List ♥

 

I'm always lusting over new makeup, skincare and a little bit of fashion too.

There's always something I want to try out that I've seen on a blog, YouTube channel or something that has caught my eye. I thought I'd share my wish list with you, I guess this could be my Christmas wish list, but I never really ask for anything at Christmas!
These are the things I will be getting my hands on in hopefully very soon!

I get so excited going to buy things when I've been thinking about buying it for a while or a day... ha

♥

 

Lush
There's quite a few Lush products I've got my eye on at the moment which I am actually planning on buying as soon as I finish this blog post most likely.
These include:

Big Liquid Shampoo

I read a review about this on a blog a couple of weeks ago and I think it might just help out with my hair situation. My hair is quite thin, it has hardly any volume to it and will get weighed down with any products or styling you put in. So when I heard about what this shampoo does and read some reviews, I think I might just have to try it!

    

Catastrophe Cosmetic Fresh Face Mask
 If you've read my last post about my skin, you'll know I have acne.
And through reading some blogs, I've come across a mask that I neeeeeed to get onto my skin now!
The Catastrophe Cosmetic Mask is made from fresh blueberries, calamine powder, Irish moss and almond oil to soothe, calm and reduce inflammation.
I need this, it sounds like it smells amazing, and might keep my angry spots under control!

Vanillary Perfume - 30ml Spritzer

The only reasons I want this is because I need a new perfume, I was on the Lush website, saw their new gorilla perfumes and fell in love with the packaging.
I probably need to go to the shop to test all these products because I find that I don't really know what I want until I smell the them. If it doesn't smell good, I won't buy it.
And obviously with perfume scent is the most important thing.
So I better go to lush instead of buy online.
Wish it was a little closer to me, it's like 40 mins away :/
I love the packaging though ♥

 

You can also get this in a 10ml spritzer and a solid perfume balm.

 

 

MOR

These products are soooo pretty. I just can't get over it.

Love love them and every time I see them I'm drawn to the marshmallow scented products.

 I'd really like to try out one of their candles and a body wash so

I'll definitely have to look around on their website a little more but I want these two for sure...

Little Luxuries Marshmallow Petite Candle

 Marshmallow Hand and Body Milk

 

 

 

FOA

I am in need of some new lip liners, I have got into the habit of not wearing lip liner, and it really does make a difference to the look of your lipstick. I've come across these Face of Australia mechanical liners. I've tried a few testers in store, and I'll be buying them in red and nude.

 

 

                                 
 

 

TheBalm
The balm have some really cute nail colours.
They're called Hot Ticket Nail Polish...
And they're the last beauty related things...


Lookbook and Hunted Dreams Boutique

I have fallen in love with these two beautiful pieces of clothing from lookbookstore.co and Hunted Dreams Boutique. The first one is by lookbookstore and I love this sooooo much. The fact that it's Spring in Australia and I am willing to buy this NOW shows how much I love it. It's just so unique, I love the frills. I love everything about it. Even if I have to wait like six months to wear it !
I'm going to get my hands on it somehow. They actually said on instagram that they 'might' be putting this on their website, but they have to! I don't know what I'm going to do if they don't. :(




And this one... this just looks adoreable.
I love the colours, and the flowers... yeah.
I think it speaks for itself. It's a beautiful piece.

 http://www.hunteddreams.com/shop/jumpsuits?product_id=1082

What's on your beauty / fashion wish list?

♥

 

 

How long does my makeup really last?

 Makeup doesn't last forever, and there comes a time where we have to part with it as it maybe doing more harm then good for our health and skin.

Makeup can become a breeding ground for bacteria so replacing it frequently is very important to ensure that you don't get a nasty eye infection or break out.

A lot of women don't know that a mascara lasts less than 6 months, let alone the life of other makeup products so I thought it would be good to give some advice that I've learnt over time and clear everything up!

I did some research to find out what others have to say on expiration dates for makeup and skincare, and a lot of the answers were different, so always check the packaging for the specifics and as it can be difficult to determine how long you've had a product, write the date on it with a permanent marker so you know.

As you can see on this moisturizer, it shows a little tub with an opening lid and a 6M on it.

This means that the product's life should expire within 6 months.
If the product doesn't have this on it, look for another date indicator or use the tips below to determine whether it's ready to bin or not!

I found it difficult to remember how long I had my makeup, and recently I heard someone on YouTube putting the month and year somewhere on her products so I started doing that too!
That way you know exactly how long you've had it!
I think it's a brilliant idea ♥

Makeup:

Mascara
Mascara has one of the shortest use by dates as it is very easy for bacteria to grow inside.
Never pump the mascara as it will cause air to get in and spoil it.
Like most makeup don't share it unless you use a disposable wand each time.
A mascara is recommended to last 2 - 6 months,
it seems like there is different opinions on this,
so whatever you choose to go by, the maximum is 6 months!
If it's getting dry or starts to smell, bin it!

Eye pencil / Lip liner
Like mascara, an eye pencil is introduced to bacteria around the eye.
Always sharpen an eye pencil before each use and you can expect it to last up to 3 years.
The same goes for a lip liner. Sharpen and bin after 3 years.

Lipstick
Lipstick will last up to 3 years,
keep it in the fridge to extend it's life.
Don't share to prevent infection.
Don't use when ill / have an active cold sore.


Lip gloss
Lip gloss will last 18 - 24 months.
Follow same tips as lipstick.


Foundation
Foundation will last 12 - 18 months,
make sure you don't stick your fingers / brush into the bottle as this can introduce bacteria,
spoiling the makeup.
 

Concealer
Expect concealer to last up to 12 months.

Follow the same tips for foundation.

Liquid Eye shadow

Liquid eye shadow will last up to 12 months.

Powder Eye shadow

Powder doesn't grow bacteria as fast as liquid so can be kept up to 3 years.

Nail Polish
12 months depending on quality of product.

Powder - 2 years

Cream blushes & bronzers - 1 year

Powder blushes & bronzers - 2 years

Skin care:

Cleanser - 1 year
Toner, Moisturizer, Eye cream & Exfoliant - 6 - 12 months

Lip balm
Don't share.

 & do not use directly from the stick

while you have an active cold sore.

If you aren't too sure how long you've had a product, check the consistency, smell and try to think back to a distant memory you have of using it.

If in doubt I say just bin it!

I hope you learnt some new things from this post.

How long do you usually keep your makeup?

Emily Jane.
xo

Instagram: http://instagram.com/emilyjane___x
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/MilyBennett
Bloglovin: http://www.bloglovin.com/emily11099

 

Beautiful You Australia | Beauty, health and fitness expo!

 

 

Hello beautifuls. Yesterday I went to the Beautiful You Australia, beauty health and fitness expo in Melbourne. My boyfriend's sister got free tickets from work so we went to check it out! On the way in we received a goodie bag which included all this:

 

Uncle Tobys Honey, Fig & Macadamia Oats ❤

Waxaway wax strip packs

Green People shampoo & conditioner

Skin Doctors gamma hydroxy skin resurfacing cream

The Skin Boutique $50 gift voucher

CoconutRevolution Original Coconut Body Lotion ❤

Dilmah Pure Camomile Flowers Infusion

New Balance LightningDry Singlet ❤

As you can see by the hearts, the Oats were super yummy, I fell in love with the CoconutRevolution body lotion, and the singlet was very inspiring, thanks Beautiful You!

We wondered around the expo and found a truly beautiful brand called Bésame Cosmetics which we were drawn to by all the lovely packaging of their products. Bésame cosmetics is vintage inspired makeup, they even had the same red shade of lipstick that Marilyn Monroe wore once upon a time. Bésame means 'Kiss me' in Spanish.

I had to post a photo to show you how beautiful these products really are...

❤

 

 

Bésame Signature Cashmere Compact $42

As you can see, they are soooooo pretty, so if any of you are interested have a look at their website http://www.besamecosmetics.com/

I didn't buy anything from their stall, but I will be definitely buying some of their lipstick (which is very long wearing - it stained my hand, and took a bit to come off! )

❤

And for something a little bit random.. a lady doing eyebrow threading stuck this on my head.

There are always lots of pushy sales people at beauty expos / places in general, and I find it hard to say no, but you just gotta say no! Anyway I got a pretty indian bindi haha woops.

 

Another stall which we went to was the Wotnot stall.

Wotnot are an Australian  range of organic and natural facial wipes, sunscreens, and body care products which are suited to sensitive skin with no nasty chemicals. I brought two packs of facial wipes for $10 which is cheap as they are usually around $7 - $8. These wipes are soooo soft, and they don't irritate the skin like many facial wipes do!

www.wotnot.com.au

 

One of my favorite brands at the expo was Coconut Revolution, I am kicking myself now that I didn't get any of their Coconut Body Lotion which I got in my sample bag! This stuff smells so good, I don't know how I've lived without it! This brand has a range of skin, body, hair and dietary products all made from coconuts!  I did however pick up a jar of coconut oil. I use this as a body moisturizer and it smells so good :)!

http://www.coconutrevolution.com.au/




Jennifer Hawkins was at the expo aswell as Rae Morris. Jennifer talked about her spray tan range Jbronze and we watched Rae talk about timeless makeup for anti-aging which wasn't really suited to us but we watched anyway :)! We did however visit her stall to talk to her, and we bought her book which she signed for us haha yaaaaay!  she's so nice !

http://www.jbronze.com.au/
http://raemorris.com/

Here's the book I bought:

Really excited to try everything in this book as I am always stuck for eye makeup looks!
Anyway, thanks for reading whoever is out there reading this and watch out for some more blog posts and YouTube videos coming soon!
Hope you all have a good day! :)
❤
Emily . xx