CLOSED: Giveaway no 3 - Make Up by Models Prefer & Flormar

Hi all, and here's the final giveaway that I promised for this year and this one is also international!

Don't forget that my other two giveways are still open.
Giveaway No 1 - Skincare (international) closes 6th January 2012
Giveaway No 2 - Haircare (Australia only) closes 6th January 2012

What you can win

• Models Prefer Bronzer quad in Million Bucks (click HERE for swatches... the swatches are of my own ones, the ones up for grabs are brand new with plastic wrapping)
• Models Prefer Highlighter quad in Fame & Fortune
• Models Prefer Extreme Lengthening Mascara
• Models Prefer Double ended dome smudge/slant eyeliner brush
• Models Prefer Professional Face Primer
• Flormar Longwearing Lipgloss
• Flormar Baked eyeshadow trios x 2 - in greens and browns

The Models Prefer products are very kindly sponsored by Models Prefer. The Flormar products are bought by me. All products are brand new in their seals/packaging.

Giveaway details

• Giveaway closes on 13th January 2012
• Open internationally
• If you're under 18 please get a parent or guardian's permission before entering
• Winner will be drawn via random.org and notified via email and blog post. The winner will have 3 days to respond and if no response is received a new winner will be drawn. 
• All prizes will be mailed by me, I will take care to wrap them up in bubblewrap when posting, however I take no liability for any loss or damage incurred in transit.

How to Enter

Mandatory entry (+1 entry)

• Simply fill out the form below telling me what type of posts you'd like to see on Makeup and Macaroons in 2012.

Additional entries (optional)

• Follow my blog publicly via Google Friend Connect (+3 entries)
• Follow my blog on Bloglovin' (+1 entry)
• Tweet about this giveaway and link back to this page (+1 entry) - e.g. enter @lilitsblog makeup giveaway here http://t.co/cEcC6ImS
• Blog or post in your blog's sidebar about this giveaway and leave the link here (+1 entry)

If you do it all you will have a total of 7 entries, but remember, the only thing you need to do is leave your contact details and tell me what type of posts you'd like to see more of next year. There is no need to leave comments in this post as they will not be counted as valid entries. The only way to enter is to fill out the form below.

Good luck, and Happy New Year!

The 11 most popular posts of 2011

I very unashamedly stole this post idea from the gorgeous Sara-May of the Makeup by Sara-May blog. It's a recap of the most popular posts I wrote on Makeup and Macaroons in 2011... and yes, no surprises but there are quite a few lipstick posts featured here. Ooops... I need to get a new obsession.

1. Dear MAC Shy Girl, I love you but...
This was an open letter to the famous Shy Girl lipstick expressing my love for the perfect colour, but not the dodgy formula.

 
2. Lipstick Love - Rimmel Kate lipstick in #14
This is a relatively new post so I was very surprised that this made it in the top 11, let alone #2 on the list of popular posts. I guess a lot of people were interested in what the Kate lipsticks were like.

3. These YSL Rouge Voluptes Satisfy My Pink Lipstick Cravings
Yes, another lipstick post! These are so luxurious, so beautiful to use, so beautiful to look at and looks like you also thought the same.

4.  MAC Snob vs Revlon Pink Pout
When I first bought Snob I did a lot of research to see if there were cheaper dupes out there, and Revlon Pink Pout was a close match! Did it stop me from buying Snob? Of course not.

5. MAC Chatterbox vs NYX Fig
Another dupe post. Fig is a great dupe for Chatterbox at a quarter of the price. The formula is to die for. And you know what? Soon after doing this post I ended up giving Chatterbox to my mum because I much prefer the Nyx formula. Just goes to show price doesn't always mean quality.

6. Tarte Amazonian Clay Blushes - Tipsy & Dollface
Aaahh, finally moving away from lipsticks and onto my next makeup love... blushes! At the time I bought these I thought Tipsy would be my favourite, but 6 months later I actually love Dollface more.

7. MAC Hue Dupes
Another lipstick / dupes post. I was so happy to discover that my beloved BYS Champagne Rain was almost identical to MAC Hue. Why? Because BYS costs $3.95aud, MAC costs $36aud in Australia. At those rates how could I not blog about it.

8. Cheap Dupes for Benefit Hoola and Too Faced Pink Leopard
Finally a dupe post that's not about lipstick! LOL. These weren't exactly 100% dupes, but at 1/5th the price of the originals here in Australia these are great value. Confession time - I haven't used them after posting about it because I'd completely forgotten about them until now! It's a sign of having too much makeup, clearly!

9. Wearing Blush as Eyeshadow
I had a lot of fun experimenting with a bright eyeshadow look, and looks like you enjoyed reading it! Thank you. :-)

10. NARS Orgasm Dupes
I think the famous Orgasm is one of those shades for which a gazillion dupes exist, and I owned 3 of them.

11. Make Up Forever HD Foundation Review & Photos
I'm surprised this made it into the list as well, especially since it wasn't really a positive review as the foundation just did not work for me. But I guess there were a lot of people doing their research before spending their hard earned cash on it.

I'd like to thank each and every one of you for reading my blog and supporting it with your lovely comments. I hope you enjoyed this recap of the most popular posts on my blog in the last year. Which was your favourite post?


Click HERE to see Sara-May's top 11 posts for 2011.

FOTD - requested look with Rimmel Pink Blush lipstick

When I posted about my top 11 beauty products for 2011 last week, I mentioned that Rimmel Lipstick in Pink Blush never leaves my handbag. It's one of those staples that I've been wearing quite regularly... yet for some reason I never actually posted much about it!

So Vita from Makeup 4 My Age requested a FOTD with this lipstick, and here it is. This is pretty much my every day face when I can't be bothered doing much with my makeup.

The Rimmel Lipstick in Pink Blush is a pale creamy pink that is really easy to wear, you don't need a lipliner or gloss on top of it. Simply apply from the tube and you're done.  And best of all, I love the sweet lollypop smell!

Here's a breakdown of the rest of the makeup. 

Face
Foundation: Revlon New Complexion Oil Control in Sand Beige
Powder: MAC MSFN in Medium
Contour: Beneft Hoola
Blush: Tarte Amazonian Clay in Dollface

Eyes
Lid: "Cut the cake" from Too Faced Romantic Eye palette
Outer V and smudged over eyeliner: " First dance" from Too Faced Romantic Eye palette
Eyeliner: Jordana waterproof black
Eyebrow pencil: Rimmel in Black/Brown
Mascara: Maybelline The Falsies in Blackest Black

Lips
Lipstick: Rimmel in "Pink Blush"

What are some of your makeup bag staples?

Sparkly nails for the holidays

I hope everyone had a great Christmas, full of love and joy and time spent with the family. We spent the day at my in-laws' place and feasted on yummy foods like ham, turkey, roast pork and I won't even start by mentioning the desserts. Being Armenian, my Christmas is actually on 6th January, which works out well for the husband and I as we never have to fight over whose parents' house to spend Christmas day!

Anyway, just wanted to show you my mani on Christmas day, when only sparkly nails would do!

I have 2 coats of BYS Diamond Glitter Nail polish in Crystal, worn over a white base (some cheap opaque white I bought from a Korean store).

You might remember I bought this polish during my mini BYS-haul (blogged about it HERE). A few days after my mini haul I was sent some other colours from the Diamond Glitter range to try - Amethyst (purple glitter); Silk (white gold fine glitter); Aquamarine (blue chunky glitter) and Crystal which I already owned.

Here is how they look on the nails, all 2 coats worn over a white base. I'd have to say my favourites are Aquamarine and Crystal. They are $3.95 each and satisfy a sparkly nail craving without breaking the budget.

The only thing I don't like about sparkly glittery polishes is removing them!

Do you like glitter polishes or is the hassle of removing them enough to put you off?

Disclaimer: Some items were sent for review purposes as per my disclosure statement.

CLOSED: Christmas giveaway no 2 - Hair & Beauty Mega Pack

Dear readers, as promised here is my Christmas Giveaway no 2!

This time I have the The Blitz Box, a.k.a. the Hairhouse Warehouse Hair & Beauty Mega Pack to give away to FIVE lucky entrants thanks to the crew at Hairhouse Warehouse.

The Blitz Box, goes on sale at Hairhouse Warehouse stores nationally from 26th December 2011 until sold out, and it has a whopping $150 worth of products for on $34.95AUD. To find your nearest store (and there are over 130 of them), go to their website.

Before we get to the giveaway, let me show you what's inside the pack. I've received a pack of this for myself which I will review when I draw the winner.

 

Just look at all the things you get in the pack.

• RPR Brighten My Blonde Shampoo and Conditioner (300mL) OR RPR My Hydrating Shampoo and Conditioner (300mL)
• RPR Protect My Hair (300mL)
• RPR My Quick Fix (150g)
• RPR My Argan Oil Elixir (60mL)
• Vent Brush
• Mini Dryer
• Models Inc Lipstick
• $20 Salon Voucher 

And can I just say, some shampoos alone cost more than $34.95 so of course this is great value! The thing I'm most looking forward to using is the Argan Oil Elixir and My Quick Fix dry shampoo as I'm always on the lookout for a good dry shampoo.

HOW TO ENTER
This giveaway is open to entrants with Australian mailing addresses only, however don't forget that my skincare giveaway is still open and it's open worldwide! And next weekend I have a makeup giveaway which will also be open internationally.

• Giveaway will close on 6th January 2012
• If you are under 18 please get a parent or guardian's permission before entering
• The winners (5) will be chosen via random org and notified via a blog post and their chosen medium (e.g. email, twitter). 
• The winners will have 3 days to respond or a new winner will be drawn.
• The prizes will be posted from Hairhouse Warehouse directly

To enter, simply fill out the form below. That is all. You don't even have to be a GFC follower (but you do get extra entries if you are!)

Good luck and Merry Christmas to all my readers! 

My HG eyeshadow brush and what I use with L'Oreal Color Infallible eyeshadows

Long time readers of my blog will know how much I love my L'Oreal Color Infallible eyeshadows. The soft squishy formula, the gorgeously pigmented shades, the crease-proof lasting power... what's not to love?

Click HERE for a review and swatches of my L'Oreal Color Infallibles

And from time to time I get asked what brush I use with these eyeshadows as they're not quite powder, not quite cream, just a weird squishy hybrid mixture. The brush I use is this fabulous cheapie one from the Australian brand Models Prefer (sold at Priceline).

Ages and ages ago I was sent one of these brushes for free from Models Prefer PR, and ever since then it's become my HG eyeshadow brush so much so that recently I went and bought 3 more. I would have bought a whole lot more but they were all sold out at my local Priceline! 

Using the Models Prefer small eyeshadow brush with L'Oreal Permanent Khaki eyeshadow

Why do I love it so much?

• Short, dense bristles mean that it picks up the right amount of colour with no fallout
• It's great for packing colour on the lid, and also for blending out any harsh lines and of course I don't just use it with the Color Infallibles but with any powder eyeshadow.
• Shorter than usual handle means it's more convenient to hold. So if you're like me and practically step inside the mirror when you're applying your eye makeup, you don't have to worry about any long handles hitting the mirror as you work. 
• It's excellent value at $9.95aud (in comparison, a similar MAC e/s brush is $45aud)

I haven't tried any of the other brushes in the range yet but I definitely will as soon as my local Priceline tops up the Models Prefer stock, as last time I was there there were hardly any brushes left, just the testers.  Just goes to show you don't need to spend a lot of money to get good quality items.

What's your favourite brush? Do you invest in high price brushes or are you happy to give cheaper brands a chance?

Disclaimer - one brush was provided for review purposes. The additional 3 I bought with my own money as they're damn good and I want more! Oh and PS - I'm not affiliated with the brand or its stockists.

Lilac and Purple FOTD with Sleek and Too Faced

Because the weather in Sydney has left a lot to be desired lately (allegedly it's meant to be summer here, you wouldn't know it looking outside at the clouds), I've been leaving my coral and orange colours to the side and using more cooler toned makeup.

This is a look I wore to our work Christmas party a few weeks ago, using my beloved Too Faced Romantic Eye palette and Sleek Pout Paint in Mauve Over. I kept the eyes and cheeks fairly soft as Mauve Over is a really full on colour and I didn't want it competing with dark eyes.

Makeup Breakdown

Face

• Concealer - e.l.f all over cover stick in Apricot Beige
• Foundation - Revlon New Complexion Oil Control in Sand Beige
• Powder - MAC MSFN in Light/Medium
• Contour - Benefit Hoola
• Blush - Tarte Amazonian Clay in Dollface

Eyes (all eyeshadows from the Too Faced Romantic Eye Palette)

• Lid - "Cut the Cake" 
• Inner corner/browbone - "Soulmates"
• Eyeliner - Jordana waterproof liner in Black
• Mascara - Maybelline The Falsies in Blackest Black
• Eyebrows - Rimmel eyebrow pencil in black/brown

Lips

• Sleek Pout Paint in Mauve over

What colours have you been wearing lately?

Top 11 for 2011

I was tagged by one of my favourite bloggers, Irene from Blushingloves, to do this post, to showcase my top 11 beauty products for 2011.

I started my blog just at the end of last year, so 2011 is when I really got to experiment with a lot of beauty products. Picking top 11 products wasn't as hard as I thought it would be as even after trying a gazillion (ok, slight exaggeration) products these are the ones I keep returning to.

Face

1. Benefit Hoola
Ever since I bought this at the beginning of the year I have been using it on an almost daily basis to contour my face. For me there’s no other product that looks more natural for contouring purposes. It’s matte, finely milled and above all it doesn’t go orange. Full review HERE.

2. Illamasqua lover
Possibly the most perfect peachy blush. It’s extremely finely milled, and beautifully pigmented. It looks really natural on and really brightens the entire complexion. I’ve worn this with a summer tan, and also on pale winter skin, and it looks good no matter my skintone. Full review HERE.

3. NARS Desire
A super bright cool toned blush. Looks scary in the pan, translates beautifully onto cheeks. It makes me look like I’ve just been exercising (yeah right!) and that pink flush is from within. Full review HERE.

4. Dior Amber Diamond
This is a fairly recent addition to my collection, and boy it’s worth the hype. It looks great alone or over a blush to add a beautiful glow to the cheeks. Best highlighter ever. Full review HERE.

Lips

5. MAC impassioned
My all time favourite lipstick. Ever. I’ve talked about it many many times before. If you love bright lipsticks you need this in your life. Previous posts HERE (1), HERE (2) and HERE (3)

6. Illamasqua Corrupt
This was the year I discovered Illamasqua, and I completely credit the brand for my love for bright lipsticks. It started with Corrupt. I guess you could say I was Corrupted (pun intended!). Previous posts on it HERE (1) and HERE (2)

7. Rimmel lipstick Pink Blush
I haven’t talked about this much, but this one never leaves my handbag. It’s a gorgeous mid toned pink that smells of lollies. It’s one of those colours I don’t’ have to think about too much, and goes with a variety of eye looks.

Eyes

8. Revlon Lashliner
I only got to try this a few months ago and straight away it gained HG status. It’s incredibly black, glides on smoothly and lasts the whole day. What more can you want from an eyeliner? Sorry, make that lash liner. Full review HERE.

9. L'Oreal Color Infallible eyeshadows
These are a weird hybrid mixture between cream and mousse, they go on like a dream and don't crease on me at all. That's saying a lot, as I have hooded eyelids so creamy eyeshadows crease on me in no time. I have quite a few colours, but my faves are Permanent Khaki, Endless Chocolate and Hourglass Beige. HERE is my original review of the range.

10. Naked Palette original – I went from country to country looking for this. No joke. HERE is the post about my adventures in Europe trying to track this baby down. Even though I haven't been using this much lately, the reality is it is a classic palette that will never go out of style. Deserves to be included in the top 11.

Hair

11. Moroccan Oil 
I received this as a birthday present at the beginning of the year and have been using it 2 – 3 times a week both as a styling aid and as a blow dry oil. Using this on wet hair makes the blow dry process much quicker, on dry hair it tames my flyaways and makes my hair look smooth. Previous post HERE.

And I can't end a beauty favourites post without mentioning my 11 favourite beauty blogs of the year. In no particular order they are:

The Gloss Goss
Blushingloves
Lucky Packet (mainly fashion)
Bubblegarm
Miss Natty's Beauty Diary
Vivianna Does Makeup
Fix your Face by Maryam Maquillage
Running on happiness (mainly fashion)
Crashing Red (mainly fashion)
Keeping up with me
Fables in Fashion

I now tag Tara, Lauren, and Jen W to do this post. Pretty please ladies, I need a peek inside your beauty stash.

Dear readers, what have been some standout products for you in 2011?

CLOSED: Christmas / Birthday Giveaway No. 1

This month Makeup and Macaroons turned 1 years old! And with Christmas just around the corner what better way to celebrate than with a giveaway? From now until the end of the year I have 3 x giveaways coming up! Skincare, Haircare and Make up! I'm excited!

Giveaway No. 1 - skincare

Kit Cosmetics The Whole Kit and Caboodle essentials kit (L/E)

Yes, this cylindrical kit contains the whole kit and caboodle you need for top to toe grooming. This kit is so good, it's actually sold out at Kit Cosmetics! But of course you have a chance to win one here!

The giveaway is sponsored by the lovely crew at Kit Cosmetics. I can spend hours and hours at Kit, why? Because not only do they stock some of my favourite brands like Too Faced and Smashbox, but also because their own brand of beauty products is to die for!

Anyway, enough rambling. Look at all the goodies contained in this pack, which you could win. 

1. Face Moisturiser SPF 15 (100ML): A readily-absorbed face moisturiser that makes skin feel soft, hydrated and protected.
2. Lip Balm SPF 15 (15ML): An ultra-nourishing, protecting lip balm that superbly softens the most parched lips.
3. Hand Repair Balm SPF 15 (30ML): A deeply hydrating, protecting hand balm that leaves your hands feeling velvety soft.  
4. Hand & Body Wash (200ML): An incredibly silky, sulphate-free hand and body wash. 
5. Hand & Body Lotion (200ML): A really hydrating hand and body lotion that absorbs immediately.

Giveaway Details

• Giveaway is open internationally and closes on 6 January 2012.
• If you're under 18 please make sure you get a parent or guardian's permission before entering.
• Winner will be drawn using random.org
• Winner will be notified via their chosen medium, e.g. email, twitter, FB, and will have 3 days to respond otherwise a new winner will be drawn.

How to Enter

Mandatory

• Be a GFC (1 entry) or Facebook (1 entry) follower (2 entries for both)

Optional extra entries

• Follow Makeup and Macaroons on Bloglovin' +1 entry
• Tweet about this giveaway and tag me +1 entry (e.g. Enter @lilitsblog Christmas giveaway here http://t.co/NLh0VUeR)
• Share on Facebook and tag me (@Makeup and Macaroons) + 1 entry
• Share on your blog (post, sidebar, etc) +1 entry

To enter, simply fill out the form below. Please do not leave a comment below saying you wish to enter as that is not a valid way. The only way to enter is by filling out the form.

Home made sugar scrub for lips and Shizen lip products review

It's no secret that I love lipsticks, but lately my lips had become very dry and chapped which made wearing lipsticks not only uncomfortable but also not very pretty... let's just say bold lipsticks over chapped lips is not a good look.

So when I was contacted by Simone Wyndham, the creator of the Shizen lip care range to try some samples of her products straight away I said "yes, please!".

But before I get to reviewing the products I was sent, I found this recipe for a lip scrub on the Shizen website which I just had to try.

Home made sugar scrub for lips
Mix 1 teaspoon of fine caster sugar with 1 teaspoon of sweet almond oil. Gently scrub your lips and around the contours of your lips for 30 seconds. Wipe away excess with a tissue. Discard any remaining product.

This was such an easy yet effective scrub! I initially thought the sugar, though it was fine, would hurt my poor chapped lips but instead it felt quite soothing. The addition of the almond oil helped I guess. I bought my almond oil from Priceline, but you can also get it from chemists for a few dollars. This scrub is something I will be repeating again no doubt.

Now to the products.

Shizen Salve All Over Balm (40ml $19.95 AUD)
This is my favourite, I use it all over my lips but you can use it on dry cuticles, dry elbows, knees, or even tame unruly eyebrows. The texture is very much like the famous Lucas Paw Paw ointment, except unlike the Lucas balm this one does not contain petroleum. It contains shea butter, lemon myrtle oil and lime oil amongst other things. It has a slight lemony smell but it's refreshing rather than tart. This is definitely a repurchase for me.

Shizen Tint Lip Conditioner in Pinkie (2.5gr $15.95)
This is a lip tint and lip balm in one. It has the same lemony smell like the salve, and has a slight pinish tint which is quite noticeable on the lips. It's perfect for those days when you're mainly after something soothing on the lips but still want a hint of colour. You can even use it on cheeks to add a pinkish glow. I'll be topping up on this one too once it runs out.

About Shizen
"The Shizen range is a simple and delicate blend of 100% natural ingredients containing super moisturisers like shea butter and vitamin E and great natural repairers such as lemon myrtle oil. All products are free from mineral oils, petroleum, sulphates, parabens and artificial fragrances and colourings, ensuring your lips are well protected and moisturised - naturally. " Shizen website

Have you tried anything from the Shizen range? 

Have you ever made your own home made skincare products?

Disclaimer: PR sample sent for review. I do not get compensated for writing product reviews. 

Lunch time BYS mini-haul

I dropped in to my local Gloss store "just for a browse" one lunch time at work and noticed the BYS Cosmetics counter had been completed restocked. I'm a huge fan of this Australian budget brand of cosmetics, and their lipstick, Champagne Rain, is one of my all time favourite nudes. HERE's a previous post where I've compared it to MAC Hue.

These three items caught my eye, and at just $3.95 each I couldn't pass them up.

Lipsticks in Sassy Salmon and Beautifully Bare

L/R - Sassy Salmon, Beautifully Bare

I'd been after Sassy Salmon for a while but they never had any stock of it left, just the tester there to entice me. This time they had quite a few of these gorgeous pale pink colours in stock so I picked one up. Beautifully Bare is one from their Longwear line which I hadn't seen before. It's a pale creamy nude colour that's perfect with dark smokey eyes. On my lips they last about 2 hours before needing a re-apply, but seriously at that price I can't complain.

The only thing I don't like about the BYS lipsticks are the cheap flimsy packaging. They look and feel like they'll break apart any second now and I wish BYS would improve the quality of the packaging a bit as I feel because it looks cheap people don't give it enough of a chance. Shame really, as the quality of the products are great.

Diamond Glitter Satin Nail Polish

With the holiday season upon us I was after a glitter polish, and this one is perfect to layer over different colour bases. I'm yet to do a mani with this polish, but I did try them over peach, green, white and pink nail polishes (above) to see how it would look. I think so far I like it layered over the green, but I'll have to test it with other shades later and will do a proper NOTD on it.

Have you been hauling anything lately?

Pantone Colour of the Year 2012 inspired mani

Recently Pantone announced "Tangerine Tango" as the colour of the year for 2012.

“Sophisticated but at the same time dramatic and seductive, Tangerine Tango is an orange with a lot of depth to it”

About the PANTONE Color of the Year

The color of the year selection is a very thoughtful process. To arrive at the selection, Pantone quite literally combs the world looking for color influences. This can include the entertainment industry and films that are in production, traveling art collections, hot new artists, popular travel destinations and other socio-economic conditions...  (above images and words in italics are from the Pantone website)

Essie "Meet Me At Sunset"

I think Tangerine Tango would make a great colour for summer, bright but not in a neon way. Here's a NOTD using Essie's "Meet Me At Sunset" which in my opinion is very close to Tangerine Tango. This mini nail polish was included in my November Glossybox, and it's a lovely shade for summer which goes opaque in 2 coats.

Expect to see a lot more of this vibrant shade influencing the colour of our clothes and makeup in 2012. It can be a bit of a scary colour to pull off, but accents of orange, e.g. orange earrings, belt, handbag, will be an easy way of injecting some Tangerine Tango into your life in 2012. 

What do you think of Tangerine Tango? Wearable or not?