MONTHY MAKEUP OBJECTIVES: Goals for Aug/Sept 2013

Hello!

I apologise for being on the downlow lately, but I assure you I have not forgotten about the blog! I am currently on an anti-sugar crusade to cut it completely out of my diet (I ate way too much... so far so good though!) so my blogging time lately has turned into cooking time making sugar-free snacks for work!

Nonetheless, I have still been testing out products (including some polish for a change-up!) and these posts will go up when I have time to sit and put them together!

In the mean time, I have come up with a new section (to add to the oodles I already have lol) to blog about. My new topic is "Monthly Makeup Objectives". The purpose of this is to have a list of goals on here, of things I would like to do/try/wear over the specified time period (this one is August and September!). When I complete a said task, I will write a little post about it with some pictorial evidence... pilfered from my instagram account! haha. Hopefully it serves of some inspiration to you when you are next reaching for some makeup or polish!

So here are my current list of makeup objectives:

• Wear more glitter
• Fancy eyebrows
• Practise cat-eye eyeliner with an angled brush
• OCC Lip Tar/Illamasqua combos
• Do a makeup look inspired by someone on Instagram
• Wear Stila liquid lipsticks 
• Do a look with a Sleek i-Divine palette
• Use the Sleek Candy Collection
• Do a look with a nude lip
• Do a minimal look using BB cream
• Do a look with cream blush
• Use MAC Lipglasses
• Do a brown smokey eye
• Complete another #whydidn'tiwearitearlier
• Do some nail art
• Try and dupe MAC's 'O' Lipstick

There we have it! I wonder how many I will be able to get through! Are there any that you are looking forward to, or are there some that you think I should add to the list?

Love,

Your PM x

NON-REGRETTABLE IMPULSE BUY: Detangling Brush

We've all had those times, I'm sure, where we see something and are all like "oh my goodness I just, HAVE to have this!!!!!!!!". Only to find that weeks later, it hasn't been used and it was a bit of a silly idea. While this has happened to me a few more times than I care to say, I had one of those rare instances recently where it has actually paid off!

I was in my local beauty supplier recently buying other things I didn't need (it seems that EVERY time I walk in there I walk out with a pair of eyelashes at least. Those things are like a magnet!). Anyway, as I was about to pay I quickly threw in "oh do you have detangling brushes?". They are something that I've seen but felt like I've never needed, even though my hair has a habit of matting and ending up in a big dreadlock-esque mess. And I was presented with this spiky looking hairbrush. "Are they any good?" I asked. Everyone piped in with how much they loved them and they do work. I must say I was a bit skeptical as the very flexible bristles looked no match for the big knot that was sitting at the back of my head! It was a semi-reasonable price of about $13 (while this is a trade price, it was certainly a tad more reasonable than other places had them advertised). Anyway, long-ish story short I caved and bought it!

It really just looks like a hair brush but it has a ton of different sized (long and short) flexible bristles. Their purpose is to gently detangle your hair and remove knots without causing hair breakage or excessive pulling on the scalp! And (as you can probably already gather from the title of this post) I'm impressed! It definitely reduces the amount of pulling on your scalp which I really like. A detangling brush is definitely worth the investment if your hair often tends to get knotty.

Of course, prices and styles range depending on brand and you can also get some which cater for different hair types (fine, thick etc). I would like to assume that all of them work the same, but they probably don't! Make sure you choose one that is comfortable to use and suited to your hair type!

I have seen detangling brushes for purchase from beauty suppliers, Priceline (in Australia), as well as chemists and department stores.

Do you use a detangling brush? What are your thoughts?

Love,

Your PM x

What I've Been Up To...

Hello,

It has been a while since my last blog post. Sorry if you have been hanging on the edge of your seat for a new one (just be glad you weren't holding your breath! lol). Anyway, I haven't lost my enthusiasm for blogging (I have still been thinking about plenty of posts, looks and comparisons!) but I have just been caught up in non-interwebz events so my time to get posts done has been at a premium. Luckily, my activities are makeup related so I can share them with you! (I could probably share non-makeup related ones with you too but you may find those not as interesting!).

For the past month or so I have been on the makeup team helping out with my local theatre's production of "Hairspray". This was super exciting for me as I love playing with makeup, I love to learn and what better way to do that than help out in the theatre?! YAY. My makeup knowledge is quite small, and theatre even smaller, but I was lucky because the looks I had to do were glamour related (fancy every-day makeup basically) so I didn't feel too out of my comfort zone! I felt I could also push my personal makeup a little bit, because I was backstage at the theatre (not really in public) and around a bunch of creative people who would probably appreciate it anyway! Because the makeup was for stage, it had to be a bit brighter here and a bit bigger there (so I'm probably going to overdo all my makeup now! haha). My biggest challenges were time constraints (lots of people to do and only a short amount of time to get them all done) and eyeliner (yes, eyeliner!). Eyeliner was a bit of a challenge as it's something I usually tend to avoid on me, let alone trying to get it on other people. Repetition paid off though and by the end of it I feel a lot more confident putting on eyeliner and sticking on eyelashes. Awesome!

All in all, my first help-out in theatre was a success! I have definitely learnt alot of handy tips, had lots of practise and met some awesome people too! It was also a really proud moment to see every one's efforts pay off on the big stage (I got to watch one night and it was FANTASTIC!). I even won the raffle at the cast & crew party so I have a flag to mark the occasion! WOOHOO!

I even did my own little "Hairspray" inspired makeup look one night:

Eyes Closed

Eyes Open

Sorry the photo is the world's worst (thank you yellow-toned and dim theatre lighting! lol).

I used the following products:

FACE

• Illamasqua Matte Primer
• Kryolan TV Paint Stick in NB1
• Illamasqua Skinbase Foundation in #6
• Napoleon Perdis Camera Finish Powder in N2

BLUSH

• MAC Blush in Hot Nights

EYES

• Kryolan TV Paint Stick in NB1
• Kryolan Translucent Powder in TL1
• MAC Eyeshadow in Satin Taupe (Crease)
• MAC Eyeshadow in Aquadisiac (Lid)
• Napoleon Perdis Loose Eye Dust in Mosaic Gold (Highlight)
• Napoleon Perdis Mesmer-Eyes Mascara
• Napoleon Perdis China Doll Gel Liner in Equinox
• Illamasqua Precision Ink in Abyss
• Eyebrows: Illamasqua Eyebrow Cake in Gaze
• Lashes: Lash Republic's 'The Hunter' (I think that's what they were...)

LIPS

• MAC Lipstick in Feel My Pulse

Feel My Pulse lipstick and Hot Nights blush are part of MAC's new Temperature Rising collection, which was released here in Aus on the 3rd of June. If you are quick, you might still be able to get your hands on these items... When I looked at the website last night they were still available! :)

I hope you haven't missed me too much and I have more posts to come soon!
Love,

Your PM x

It's Called WHAT?!

**Polished Makeup would like to advise that reader discretion is advised for this post! :D hehe**

Hello again,

Tonight's post is another little one and is something I've been noticing more and more lately... funny product names!

Hiding amongst various brands are those products that have, well, laughable names (whether it be haha funny or weird funny) or names that are just plain inappropriate.

So, here is a little list I have compiled of some products that I have come across that have given me a laugh!:

• Nars Blushes in Orgasm and Deep Throat
• Call me a prude (which I kinda am!), but I'm not at all keen to explain to people that comment on my blush that I am wearing an Orgasm or Deep Throat all over my face! ew.
• I have previously compared these two blushes and you can read about it here if you are interested! :)
• Illamasqua Eyeshadow in Sex
• Pretty much the same deal as the Nars Blushes here! (why must you do this cosmetic companies... why?!). "Oh I have Sex on my eyes today". No thanks.
• All of Illamasqua's eyeshadows are single words... If you were that bored you could conjure up amusing sentences (i.e. Sister Sex Fiasco, Creep Soul Inception etc)
• OCC Lip Tar in Electric Grandma
• Whenever I think of this colour (which is like a gold-shimmered orange), I always think of someone's dear little grandma wrapped up in light bulbs like a christmas tree... Not sure why! lol - It is a pretty awesome colour!
• Illamasqua Lipstick in Apocalips
• I love this one purely for the pun factor! Apocalyps... Apocalips! LOL! (I find it hilarious anyway!). I was joking about this one when the world was apparently going to end in 2012... I thought it would be an apt end-of-world purchase!
• I have swatched Apocalips and you can read about it here!
• OPI Polishes
• OPI polishes have a reptuation for amusing names! (e.g. Not So Bora-Bora-ing Pink, You're a Pisa Work and Do You Lilac It?)
• Lippy Girl Lipsticks
• I do not own any of these, but I stumbled across them on the Lipstick Republic website and they provided me with many LOL's, due to their wildly inappropriate names! The fiance and I got a laugh out of 'Mother Pucker' (which actually looks like a pretty nice red!).

Of course, there are many other amusingly-named products out on the marketplace but these are a few I own or know about! Do you have any poorly named products in your collection?

I will post some more swatches and reviews soon... I am off to Salon Melbourne on the weekend so that will conjure up a post or two! 

Love,

Your PM xx

What to Expect from the PM!

... NOT MUCH! haha just kidding :)

By PM I mean me, Polished Makeup!

Tonights post will be short and sweet as I'm out and about (and I HATE typing long mesaages/emails etc on a touch screen! lol) but I just wanted to let you know what I'll be blogging about over the next little while!

I aim to review: (in no particular order!)
- Beauty Sponges  (they seem to be all the rage atm!)
- Bite Beauty Matte lip pencils
- Zoya Diva Collection (if I can get my hands on it at Salon Melbourne!)
- Violent Lips/Violent Eyes
- LineCrime Geradium
- My newest Nars blushes! (including Sin)
- MAC Mineralize Lipstick

I hope to talk about:
- Eye Highlighters
- Brush Washing Tips
- My Makeup Routine
- Brushes I Use
- Dupes

I will also post some looks as well as what I've got happening on my nails! (and I have just done some Easter themed ones too!)

But now I will put it to you! What would you like to see on Polished Makeup?

xx
Ebony :)

Welcome!

Greetings!

I have finally decided to bite the bullet and start a blog... so welcome!

It is my aim to talk about makeup... and polish! (and I love a good pun/play on words, so I felt "Polished Makeup" was appropriate!)

As for the 44... it's a running joke between the fiance and I! Thought it would have a bit more meaning being that polishedmakeup is taken :( sad part is it's not even used anymore!

I will post looks and reviews and probably some other random things on the way!

You can also find me on instagram! My user name is ebdog (still having a dilemma whether to change it or not! lol)

For those who don't know me, I am actually a Scientist by trade - with majors in Chemistry and Microbiology! I then fell in love with nail polish so I decided to go to tafe and study a Certificate II in Nail Technology! It was at tafe that I got more serious with makeup and I did a short course on Makeup Techniques. I would like to study more makeup but the availability where I am is pretty limited :(

Anyway, I best get back to sleep! (if you can't sleep, start a blog! right? lol)

I shall do a proper post sometime soon!

Ebony
xx