what to expect when beauty blogging

Hi my loves! I took a random break just because my laptop went haywire because of this blasted heatwave we had to endure. Summer is here, Christmas is around the corner and I'm trying to keep up with everything in between. However today's topic is about, what to expect when you start beauty blogging! I've been doing this for a couple of years now, and whilst I'm by no means a huge, popular blog by any means, I do believe in sharing products I love and or don't love.

01. Most bloggers are actually very unable to make choices without browsing their favourite blogs first. I however actually look at blogs after I have purchased a product if at random, unless I'm really unsure then I'll look at swatches and reviews and it helps me to make up my mind.

02. You'll spend so much time looking at your blog, hating the layout, tweaking it, then hating it some more and changing it all together.

03. If you are like me and live in Australia you'll get season envy, we are in Summer, and most are in Winter, showcasing their love of candles, Pumpkin spiced lattes and so on.

04. You will forever be searching for new items, its now become a habit of mine and maybe a bit of an obsession, I have half finished bottles and products everywhere.
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05. You will want to change your blog url a thousand and one times haha if only we could do that in real life with our names

so guys and gals there are some things of what to expect! If you are new to blogging let me know! or even if you are a veteran of sorts!

hugs JESS

Designer brands by db make up roundup!

Hi lovelies! today I worked out I have a growing collection of Designer brands make up Designer brands by db has flourished lately, the last few years I never, really took any notice of them but this last year however, wow!

I'm going to show you my current favourites of their products that I own, and have tested out myself, so I know these work for me. I also have their full range of long lasting lipsticks because I won it earlier on their instagram prize. But I'm showing other products at the moment. Let me know if you want a round up of their lip products.

A lot of their products are certified for no parabens, talc, and I find that so incredible at these prices.

Ok so I have, ten products! I can't believe actually how my stash of db cosmetics have grown but it has quite significantly. Not only are they're products really good quality, especially for the price point, they are accredited cruelty free and vegan friendly.

So starting off with their Pro contour kit, you get six amazing shades, ranging from warm to cool, I love this palette and for $17.99 its worth it. However I had to buy mine on their website as I can't find it in stock. I also got free shipping at the time which is why I jumped on the band wagon because Instagram was going nuts for this Kat Von D dupe.

Next their snowflake palette, also $17.99 and a Christmas limited edition, so many shades to play with for a variety of looks, I wont be running out of eye shadows any time soon, blends out well, and decently enough pigmented.

Their Glam clutch eye shadow palette is a true favourite of mine! I picked it up half price at my local chemist but you can buy it online. 10 shades ranging from shimmer to matte, earthy and purple based, I love this palette! its glittery silver clutch is also stunning, and easy to travel with.

The trio concealer correction palette I picked up when I ordered online as a free gift as I had purchased three products. Very creamy, and easy to blend, works well on my fair skin tone, and love the salmon and purple for brightening and correcting.

The Pore minimizing primer, is meant to be a dupe for the porefessional by benefit and I love this primer! You don't need to use a lot, it blends out well, and also fills in fine lines, and my large pores which I like to hide, a lot! anyone else out there like me? for $14.99 I believe, looks exactly like the benefit one when applying.

Another benefit dupe is their high lights liquid, illuminated, a radiant glow that looks from within, peachy pink in shade, and very flattering on the skin. $9.99, great price point for a drugstore product, there are two shades, I have the shade starlight and the other one available, is bronzing.

Their long wearing foundation is a big thing at the moment, recently purchased I've been testing it out the last couple of weeks. $12.99 its a dupe for the Estee lauder double wear foundation, which is why I bought it because I cannot afford high end.

Next is the Gatsby palette which was a limited edition but I managed to snag mine amazingly at the reject shop for $3.50! its got an amazing array of eye shadows, blushes and powders and I use it on a daily basis as I picked up two of them. It's stunning rose gold case looks, well stunning!

The designer brands liquid eye liner is one of my all time favourite liquid eye liners, it has shimmer in it but once dried on the eye lid, you can't notice it that much, it was a freebie gift, however so I'm not sure how much it is, however their other liquid eye liners are good too for the price of $8.99, they do have one similar called Silver glitter.

The most recently purchased eye shadow palette was the Midnight moon palette which is limited edition, and I picked up mine from my chemist as it was on sale with $2 off, I'm actually stoked with the colour pay off on this! pigmented, creamy, very good to blend out, you can see my first impressions of it here! first impressions usually $14.99 I thought I'd give this baby a whirl for its money, and I'm glad I did!

no filter, natural daylight pic

what are your designer brands by db favourites?

anything you think I should try next? I'm a huge fan of their eye shadows! amazing quality for such prices. 

hugs Jess

Designer brands limited edition midnight moon Christmas 2015 palette

I might have gone shopping... after my doctors appointment today I needed a bit of cheering up, because I had to get some diagnoses and what not, and that's always boring/annoying/being a downer. However the chemist where I went to get my medication had an eye shadow palette that I've been lusting after for a wee bit, since Db Cosmetics launched their Christmas stock a month ago actually. I was surprised that they were having a xmas sale so I got the palette for $2 less. I got the foundation too however that's going back tomorrow as, I got the wrong one, lightwear instead of full coverage lol

 The packaging is a sleek black case, not plastic but almost a soft padded feel so not really certain, mostly cardboard but nice enough and sturdy enough. It is also shimmery but the shimmer doesn't rub off. However I have already noticed that the case does get messy with fingerprints, and eye shadow smudges quite easily.

 The shadows are shimmery, however can appear semi matte in the swatches, I think its just the over spray of glitter on the eye shadows. You get 8 eye shadow colours, they swatch amazingly well, this was one swipe on each colour, the only one that didn't do too well was the light pink shade.

I loved the bolder colours and the white was a nice shimmery white which is pigmented. They blend out well, and are buildable in colour. So this was my first impressions of this eye shadow palette, what have you guys been buying?

hugs Jess

Silent illnesses and being a burden. A chatty update.

Hi lovelies, today I thought I'd share with you some thoughts I've had on my health and what not, this week has been hard. I must admit, I've come to the realization that my body is not perfect, not that I ever thought it was but it seem's that with its knocks, hard work and so on, its catching up on me. I'm only 31 years old, but I've been diagnosed with lymphoedema. I was 14 when I had feet reconstruction in both feet, because they were turned in and had other complications as well, the side effect of that operation is now known to me. Chronic pain, severe swelling to the point I can't walk some days

But I press on, on days I can, I push forward and then almost regret it like I do now, feeling sorry for myself. I know there are others who are a lot worse off. But I wanted to raise awareness, and know for myself I still can do something. Silent illnesses are a burden but not all is bleak!

I am enrolling in school again and was quite taken with the building that I'll be attending to next year if all goes well.

I'm also trying to be more healthy with my diet as of late, and am eating more fruit, fruit smoothies, and salads I've been eating less meat, rarely eat meat these days except if I'm really craving it

I've also had some interesting updates from my doctors, being diagnosed with Chronic pain syndrome, and are trying to develop an action plan for me so I can deal with things better and not let things get on top of me, self care is so important to everyone! this is what I'm learning about, I need to remember its ok to rest, to take a painkiller if needed, and not feel guilty about doing so.


On a happier note, I'll be catching up with my good instagram friend Mel, and we will be in the city for some girl time, shopping and Christmas shopping.

Anyways guys and gals that's my life's update for now! I do hope yours is going as well as it can or wonderfully!

Let me know how you are doing in the comments below!

lots of love,

Jess

a lipstick love affair

Hi lovelies! well its no hidden secret that I adore a good lipstick or two!or (32 and counting) I also love a good drugstore lipstick, that's cheap and good quality, is there such a thing in Australia? yes! Savvybydb in the last couple of months brought out their reduced line and limited line of products, they had eye liners, mascaras, lipglosses and lipsticks, I picked up each shade of lipstick at the time, and they were $3 each.

Well let me tell you they are not only good quality, they actually also smell really nice when applying, are pigmented, creamy and I have fallen in love with one in particular

This savvy by db lipstick is in the shade velvet, I love its pinky raspberry tones, and paired with my current favourite lipliner in bitter by elf, its magical.  I'm somewhat actually saddened by the fact that this is a limited edition product. When they run out, that's it, no more.

I love these as they are longlasting, opaque, and are so so creamy they don't tug on the lips, and the colour is amazing.

Have you fallen in love with a lipstick?
hugs Jess

Chichi beauty sponge a dupe for the beauty blender

Hello lovelies! this week I've been lucky enough to have won a couple of instagram prizes which I'm super pumped about. I'm reviewing a product in which was sent to me in part of that prize pack.

This sponge is soft, not hard like some super cheap sponges you can buy, its not as dense either however it soaks up enough water and actually applies the make up flawlessly. I've tried it with different foundations, contouring, concealers and even powders.

I am obsessed with this sponge so far and will be getting the others to try out in the range as I believe there are four other shapes. $5 isn't a bad price to pay for a sponge like this either, I have read its meant to be a dupe for the actual beauty blender, so I don't think I'll be forking out my money after I have found this baby.

I do feel because its not as dense you need to hold it carefully, otherwise I'd be worried about gauging out pieces of whatever its made from. But other than that my make up glides on so nicely and looks airbrushed. 

Have you tried this?

hugs Jess

Garnier Fructis Goodbye damage split ends hair growth and hair care for afro like hair

Hi lovelies! well today I have a review for two products that I have fallen head over heels for! #sorrynotsorry for that pun haha. I picked up these two in my grocery shopping at Coles Supermarket last week and have been using them religiously. I have very dry, brittle, and damaged hair that is prone to looking dry, almost afro like if I don't do anything with it. My mum is to blame, she is actually aboriginal and has thick, curly hair, and whilst mine isn't curly some days it just doesn't know what it wants to be. I've used hair tools a lot on it, you name it, and am always on the search for my holy grail hair product, I think I've found it.

It was on sale, I always pick things up on sale where possible. I do like natural products however sometimes on my hair, natural just doesn't work. My hair is usually like straw if I don't look after it throughout the week, I wash my hair twice a week using my Organics 2-1 kids shampoo, then I use the leave in conditioner. I also make my own hair masks, currently been loving an egg mask and I believe my hair has been growing because of that. The problem with my hair is, that it grows out thick instead of long. But since using this new regime I've noticed my hair has grown about two inches so I'm pretty excited about that.

First off, the packaging is a bright orange and accented in green so it catches the eye nicely, these two products are in plastic bottles but I don't mind that because I tend to be clumsy and am scared I will drop a glass bottle.

My hair breaks due to dryness and I have found after using this, there has been less breakage, I use it twice a day when needed. I use a drop, rub it in the palms of my hands and run it through my hair to distribute the product.

It's a small bottle that would be great for travelling or putting in your purse or make up bag so you can use it when needed. The heat protecting miraculous oil is a god send to my poor dry hair, it made an instant result with leaving my hair smooth, shiny, and looking less damaged.

I've found you can combat some of the chemicals in your hair by using a mix of natural products and other types of products. I use a gentle sulfate free and paraben free shampoo, and leave in conditioner. This helps my scalp and dryness, whilst this product helps to condition, smooth and treat frizz. Overall I highly advise those who are looking for an affordable way to treat frizz to go buy this product!

Pro's of both products 
Travel friendly
Easy to use, no complicated instructions
Versatile, use it on wet or dry hair
Makes hair shiny

Cost effective
Great packaging
Non greasy
Conditioning and helps split ends
Lovely fruity smell
Perfect for the lazy girl who doesn't want to do too much to her hair

Con's of both products 
Need's reapplication
Organic users might stay away from this as it does contain chemicals
Doesn't smooth totally but it does help manage frizz and split ends


have you guys tried these products?

hugs Jess