May 31, 2013

Friday's letters #6

Image via SoNailicious
Dear Nail Bloggers, 
Stop doing such gorgeous manicures and to-die-for nail art. It makes us mere mortals feel impossibly inadequate in the nail art department. I am especially looking at you Maria and your ah-may-zing Great Gatsby inspired nail tutorial. Seriously girl, you make me want to go out and buy all the nail art tools and nail polish in the world, then I look down at my chubby fingers and dry cuticles and sit back down in shame.

Dear Qantas, 
I believe on all airlines, including yours, children up to the age of 2 fly for free. Yet how come your on-board bassinets are made so small that they won't fit children older than 8 months? Is it a sly marketing ploy to get us to buy our infants seats even though they're entitled to fly for free? PS: Your customer service in Australia leaves a lot to be desired! Disappointed.

Dear Singapore Airlines, 
Thank you for making your on board bassinets a realistic size so that my 11 month old will fit in it when we fly to France later this year. And your customer service is exemplary. Others (^^^) can learn a lot from you!

Dear Luca, 
What's up with the 4:30am wake ups baby? Don't you know mummy needs her beauty sleep? 4:30am is still nighttime baby, so how about we stay in bed for a bit longer ok? I'm not asking for much, all I want is to be able to sleep in till 7am. The pre-baby Lilit would have thought 7am was too early, now 7am is a sleep-in!

Dear High Heel Shoes In My Wardrobe, 
Ummm... what happened to you since I last wore you? It seems like the majority of my dressy shoes are too big on me now! Have my feet shrank? Is that even possible? Or is it because I wore you when I had swollen pregnancy feet and somehow managed to stretch you? This can only mean one thing - shoe shopping is in order!



May 30, 2013

Nails: Orly Pretty Ugly

My love for all things mint and aqua is not over yet. Case in point, this gorgeous nail polish from Orly's Summer 2013 Mash Up Collection called Pretty Ugly*. Yes, the name is tongue in cheek as there's nothing ugly about this gorgeous aqua shade. It has beautiful iridescent lilac shimmer through it which was impossible for me to capture on film, but trust me, it's there.
Mint coloured earrings from Colette Accessories

May 29, 2013

MAC RiRi Woo lipstick - review, swatches and FOTD

I wasn't sure if I'd get MAC RiRi Woo lipstick when it was first released. I don't tend to wear deep red shades like this one, but since Ruby Woo (on which RiRi is based) had been on my wishlist for a while I thought I might as well get this one instead as I quite like the monogrammed bullet.
mac lipstick riri woo review photo swatches

mac lipstick riri woo review photo swatches

What you need to know
It's a deep red shade that I imagine would suit a lot of skintones. For me this is a winter red as it lacks the brightness I love in my summer lippies. It's also very very drying. Prepping your lips with a lip balm is essential as otherwise the lipstick will drag as you apply. It looks almost velvet like on the lips which is quite different from other mattes I have tried. 

May 27, 2013

My skincare journey

This post is sponsored by Nuffnang

When I was growing up, right up until my early 20s I had horrible acne. I would try to cover it up with the thickest, most full coverage foundation I could find at the time but of course it just made things look worse. Nothing like a mask-like coverage full of bumps under the surface.

I tried everything to get it to clear, various topical creams including Clearasil. While most of them worked on the surface to dry up my acne, it didn't stop them from coming back. The only thing that eventually helped me was to go on prescription only medication Roaccutane which cleared up my acne in about 6 months and stopped it from coming back.

In the midst of my acne-full days I also tried lots of different moisturisers, serums and cleansers hoping they'd help my acne, but I think they made things worse as I was forever trying out new things.

So when I finally did get clear skin I stopped trying new things all the time and stuck to safe and mild products, hardly ever changing my routine.You'll notice I hardly ever try or write about skincare products as I don't want to freak out my skin with new things all the time. For me skincare is about maintaining my current clear skin, rather than trying to achieve it.

So why am I here holding a tube of Clearasil? Isn't Clearasil only to help you get rid of pimples? Actually no. The new Clearasil Vitamins & Extracts Daily wash is there to help you maintain clear skin.


Maintain Clear Skin with Clearasil Vitamins & Extracts Daily Wash
Clearasil Vitamins & Extracts Daily Wash contains Pomegranate and Avocado extracts as well as Vitamin E which makes it gentle enough to use every day, while giving your skin a glow. Above all it promises not to leave skin over dried, which is very important for me as I already have dry skin. It's important to note that this particular Clearasil has less salicylic acid (the active ingredient for getting rid of pimples), which is also what can dry out skin. You can also use this as a face mask by applying to your face and leaving it on for 3 minutes before rinsing it off.

I'll be trying this out over the course of the next few weeks and I'll let you know how I go! Hopefully my skin will continue to behave and this won't cause it to freak out.



Clearasil Vitamins & Extracts Daily Wash RRP $10.99
More info about this wash is available from the Clearasil FB Page or website.


What's your skincare journey like? Are you happy with your skin or is there something you'd like to improve about it?


May 25, 2013

Femme Boulevard: Nude for New Beginnings

Hi all, some exciting news on my blog front today. I will be part of a blogger group called Femme Boulevard. It's a group that was started by LilyJoey and Teri and I am thrilled to join these gorgeous ladies now. The aim of the group is to do a themed makeup look once a month and of course have fun! The theme will be the same for all, but the way each blogger interprets it is different.

So who are the ladies of Femme Boulevard?
  • Chloeash: Lily is a working mother of two who blogs for passion. Read more about her here.
  • Teri’s blog Bellachique is all about her latest findings in the beauty world and you can read more about her here
  • Joey’s Space: A space where she shares her journey through life, a beautiful lifestyle blog from Singapore. Find out more about her here.
  • And of course now me, Lilit, from Makeup and Macaroons. In case you're new, I'm a part time working mum of a 10 month old boy, trying to juggle a corporate career with looking after my little dragon and of course fit in beauty blogging whenever I can. You can read more about me here.  
Ok, enough with the introductions, let's get started.

Nude for New Beginnings
Because this is my first post as part of Femme Boulevard, my assignment was to go back to the beginning and do the photo challenge that started it all - nude look of the day. Going completely makeup free was of course not an option, so instead I carefully selected products to help me achieve a no-makeup-makeup look, defined but still natural.

May 24, 2013

Friday's Letters #5

MAC RiRi Woo (image credit)
Dear Mac
Your recent make up collections have failed to impress me. Don't get me wrong, they've been pretty. But they've all been the same-same, you know? Similar shades in different packaging, with different names. But your collaboration with Rihanna caught my eye and yes I did end up buying the RiRi Woo lipstick online the other day. I can't wait to wear it. But I'm also waiting for you to release something unique. Kthxbai. 

Dear Maternity Clothing Advertisers
I don't get why all breastfeeding tops are advertised with pregnant women wearing them. I don't get it. If I'm breastfeeding, doesn't that mean I'm no longer pregnant?  *Scratches head*. 

Dear Illamasqua
You're my favourite makeup brand. You know it. But your latest collection Paranormal didn't really do it for me. Maybe I'm just getting old and no longer impressed with things like UV Glow nail polishes and acid bright pink eyeshadows. Or reminiscing about some of your previous, spectacular collections like the Toxic Nature one. Whatevs, I'm eagerly awaiting your next collection, whenever that may be as  I'm hoping that will impress me more. 

Dear salesperson at the local pharmacy You know when I came in this morning and you asked me if I needed help, and I said "no thank you, I know what I want" and walked straight to where the children's Panadols were and started looking for the right one for my baby? Well, that was your cue to leave me alone, not follow me to the pain relief isle and offer unhelpful suggestions, including telling me that the Panadol I wanted didn't come with a syringe applicator when it clearly did because I WAS HOLDING IT IN MY HAND. You really annoyed me. I hope that was your first day on the job and from now on realise that people don't like pushy sales assistants no matter where they are.

Dear Tine, 
Thank you for including me in your line up of gorgeous and talented bloggers in your last Bloggie Wednesday post. It was great reading everyone's answers to the questions "how has blogging helped you grow as a person". Thank you!


May 23, 2013

L'Oreal Pro Keratin Haircare Range review

After having a baby my hair became very dry, and because I was too busy with the baby to get myself to a hairdresser I went about 8 months between haircuts. Needless to say this caused my hair to become even more damaged, and full of split ends. You can see my damaged hair from a few months ago in THIS post. So when I was offered to try the L'Oreal Pro Keratin* haircare range I was excited as it promised to "Turn your split end nightmare into a healthy hair dream".

What they say
For a modern woman – split ends are a nightmare! But split ends are only the beginning, with every day factors such as heat-styling and colouring causing weak and damaged hair. But styling your hair shouldn’t mean having to sacrifice its health. Now, with the new L’Oréal Professionnel Série Expert Pro-Keratin collection – you don’t have to. The innovative formula repairs, strengthens and protects hair to increase hair strength by 70%.


My thoughts
I'm not going to lie, I didn't like everything in this range but there were some standout items.

May 21, 2013

Love it, Leave it - Rimmel vs Revlon gel eyeliners


A quickie for you today... I'm comparing two very similar gel eyeliners, one I love, the other I'll leave. Both come in similar packaging, a pot with a brush under the lid. My comments are purely based on the formula of the eyeliner, and not the packaging which some love, some don't. Personally, I don't mind.



Rimmel Waterproof Gel eyeliner in Black - RRP $12.95
I got this for half price at the Chemist Warehouse sale and even full price it would definitely be worth it.  Colour pay off is great, it's an intense dark black. One dip of the brush in the pot is enough to line the whole eye. And best of all it lasts the whole day without smudging.
Verdict: Love it.

Revlon Colorstay Gel eyeliner in Black - RRP $24.95
I picked this up from Priceline when they were having that 40% off sale and let me tell you, I'm not impressed. If I'd paid full price I'd be pretty disappointed. In fact I am disappointed. The pigmentation is very weak, I need to dip the brush into the pot several times to get any colour pay off, and it feels very dry when I apply it.
Verdict: Leave it.

Both eyeliners applied with one dip of the brush - as you can see the Revlon one has very weak pigmentation. PS: excuse the super dry hands, that's what happens when it's cold out and you don't apply hand cream. 

Have you tried any of these eyeliners? What are your thoughts?


May 20, 2013

Mani Monday: Covergirl Outlast Stay Brilliant nail polishes

Today I've got 5 shades to show you from the new Covergirl Outlast Stay Brilliant* nail polish range (RRP $6.95). These polishes are meant to contain both a base coat and a top coat so you achieve perfectly glossy long lasting colour with one simple step. Overall I think the concept is great, especially for lazy people like me who hate the whole base/top coat process, but if you really want them to last a top coat is a must.

The colours left to right are:
  • Wine to Five - Deep wine creme. There was absolutely no staining when I swatched this shade which is great as colours like these are notorious for staining your nails if worn without a base coat. 
  • Ever Reddy - An orange based red creme. 
  • Tickled Pink - Beautiful bright fuchsia pink creme. Perfect spring shade. I'm wearing this shade right now and unfortunately after 2 days it's already chipped on the sides. 
  • Everbloom - Muted dusky pink creme. Loved it. I wore this one all of last week and only experienced minor chipping after about 4 days. 
  • Perma-pink - Pearl pale pink shade. I'm not a fan of pearl formulas as they end up very streaky on my nails. Though not as bad as some other pearls I've tried, I still experienced streakiness after 3 coats. 

Now for some swatches... The colours are in reverse order to the above and I'm wearing 2 coats without any base/top coats.

May 18, 2013

5 to Try - Statement Necklaces

Long time readers will know how much I love statement necklaces, and I'm always being asked where I get mine from. Besides my usual haunts of Diva, Lovisa and Colette I also turn to online stores. In fact lately I've been loving the items in online stores that little bit more, as they're more unique. Here are 5 statement necklaces that I'm loving, and the online store where you can get it from. You'll also notice that they're all reasonably priced as I don't believe in spending a fortune on fashion jewellery that I'll only wear for a few months.


1. The woven necklace
Grey Cord & Bead Necklace from Fun Accessories - $29.95. I've already got the red one which I'm wearing in THIS post, but now I have my eye on this dark grey one as well. It'll be perfect to dress up a wintery outfit.

2. The lace necklace
Call me necklace in gold from Coco Kitten. This is normally $29.95 but if you use code CocoMakeupMacaroons you can get it for $14.95 until 23 May 2013. It's also available in white and neon-yellow.

3. The braided necklace
Cord and Chrystal braided necklace from Bellucci Collection - $34.95. I absolutely adore the colour of this one, makes me think of warm summer days. It would look great worn with a strapless white dress or even to brighten an all black outfit.

4. The tassel necklace
Metal tassel necklace from Vyviart Boutique - normally $30.00 but on sale for $22.00. I think this would look incredible worn with a v-neck blouse.

5. The chunky necklace
Soft green glamour statement necklace from Issy Bags - $34.00. Another one that conjures warm summer days, but could also look great worn over a crisp white shirt to dress up a casual outfit. Until 23 June '13 you can get 10% off all jewellery from this website by using coupon code "makeupmacaroons".


What are some of your favourite places to shop for statement necklaces?


*please note that Coco Kitten is an affiliate link


May 17, 2013

Friday's letters #4



Dear Angelina,
What you did was very brave. I'm especially happy for your children as they don't have to worry about losing you too soon to breast cancer, since having that double mastectomy has greatly reduced your chances of getting that evil disease. And bravo for not keeping it a secret either. Team Angelina forever.

Dear Friday,
How is it Friday already? It seems like between being a full time mummy and a part time corporate slave my days just fly in the brink of an eye. Don't get me wrong, I love that it's almost the weekend, but I just feel like I'm not achieving anything as the days are going by too fast.

Dear winter, 
Looks like you are just around the corner. The nights are getting freezing and the days are cooler too. But at least we still have sunshine.

Dear wardrobe, 
How is it that you are full to the brim yet I have nothing to wear? #firstworldproblems

Dear makeup, 
I'm feeling a bit uninspired this week. I seem to be stuck in a smokey eye, pink lip rut and I don't know how to get out.

Dear Luca, 
It's been a big week for you. You went to your very first swimming lesson this week, and didn't hate it. And you managed to pull yourself up to a standing position for the first time! While mummy was thinking you were sleeping you were busy practicing standing in your cot. My sneaky little boy.


*image credit

May 16, 2013

SAX All Day & All Night Mascara review

I love mascaras. It's my desert island product. However I don't think I'll ever find, or even want to find, THE one for me as I love trying out new ones. One that I've been testing for the last few weeks is All Day & All Night mascara by SAX*.


May 15, 2013

Easy Tiramisu Recipe (low fat)

Tiramisu is one of my favourite desserts but I try not to indulge in it too often as it's not exactly figure friendly. However I do have a low(ish) fat recipe that I use from time to time whenever I feel like tiramisu but don't want the calories of the full fat version. I made this last weekend for mother's day and it was a hit with everyone.


Low Fat Tiramisu Recipe

250gm Marscapone cheese
250gm light Ricotta cheese
2 x egg whites
3tbs sugar
3tbs marsala or brandy
20 Savoiardi sponge finger biscuits - you can get these at most Italian delis or large supermarkets
1 cup of freshly brewed coffee
Cocoa powder to garnish

Step 1
Pour the marsala/brandy and the freshly brewed coffee into a shallow dish and set aside.

Step 2
With electric mixer beat the egg whites with the sugar until firm peaks form.

Step 3
In a separate bowl beat the Marscapone and Ricotta cheeses until smooth, then fold the egg white mixture into it.

Step 4
Dip the savoiardi biscuits, one at a time, in the coffee and lay them down on the bottom of a ceramic serving dish (20cm) in a single layer. Cover the biscuits with half the mixture, then add another layer of coffee soaked biscuits. Pour the remaining mixture over this layer, then wrap in cling wrap and refrigerate for 2 hours (or overnight). I prefer making this the night before as the cream cheese mixture really soaks into the biscuits making them super soft and yummy.

Step 5
Sprinkle with cocoa powder just before serving and enjoy!


Enjoy!


May 13, 2013

Mmmmm... watermelon

Hands up who loves watermelon? I do. It's not my favourite fruit (mango has that title), or even my second favourite fruit (strawberries and figs are battling it out for that one) but it's there in my top 5. But regardless of how I feel about watermelon the fruit, there's no denying that I love watermelon the colour. After all my favourite lippy of all time, Impassioned, is a sort of watermelon pink. And my current favourite nailpolish from Essie is also watermelon pink, and lo and behold the colour is actually called Watermelon! Both the nail polish and the lipstick were gifted to me by my friend Ebony (thank you!) who blogs over at Skin Deep. And oh love them both! They are such a perfect match, makes me think of summer just looking at them.

Essie Watermelon and MAC Impassioned
Essie Watermelon and MAC Impassioned - a perfect colour match

May 12, 2013

Happy Mother's Day

Happy Mother's Day to all the mothers out there. This is my first Mother's Day, a very special day. Being a mother is the most amazing thing  to have ever happened to me, even if it does mean sleepless nights, vomit in my hair and stains on my clothes. And did I mention the extra wrinkles around my eyes? But seriously who cares about any of that when it means I have this little boy whose smile just lights up my world.
With my baby boy Luca, who is 10 months old today

Happy Mother's Day!

May 10, 2013

Friday's letters #3

Emmy Rossum at the 2013 Met Ball in NY

Dear Emmy Rossum, 
Oh my goodness... Your eye makeup at the 2013 Met Ball was immaculate. You ditched the girl next door look and brought out your inner Sopha Loren. Va va voom.

Dear woman at the cafe who ordered a weak decaf mocha with 3 sugars. 
Really? Call yourself a coffee drinker?

Dear Paris
Me again, I know I wrote to you last week. Well guess what? We are coming for a visit in a few months time. And we are bringing our little dragon with us, who will be just over a year old by then. Besides doing some site seeing I also plan on visiting Sephora... a lot. So I hope you're looking forward to seeing us again as much as we're looking forward to our visit.

Dear Australis cosmetics
Since when did you become one of the most re-purchased brands for me? In the last week I repurchased your longwear lipstick in Preppy, Curve Ink Eyeliner, and Voluptulash mascara. And they weren't even on sale! All I will say is, keep up the great work!

Dear Kim Kardashian
I didn't want to say anything, I really didn't. But I couldn't help it, I'm only human. There are so many gorgeous maternity clothes out there so why do you insist on wearing unflattering clothes that do nothing for that baby bump? Please fire your stylist and turn to your sister Kourtney who has done the whole pregnancy thing with style, twice!

Dear cinemas, 
We haven't been to see a movie there in, oh I don't know, over a year. But we will come back. I promise. It's just that with the whole sleep deprivation thing we got going at the moment thanks to the baby, we're worried that as soon as we go into the darkened cinema hall we might fall asleep. But we'll be back. One day.



May 09, 2013

Mint and gold gradient glitter nail art tutorial

A while ago I did a cream and gold gradient nail look (HERE) and loved the effect so much I decided to do it again but this time using one of my favourite polishes, Essie Mint Candy Apple.


Here's a quick tutorial on how to achieve this look. All you need is a creamy base colour (I used Essie Mint Candy Apple) and a complementary glitter shade (I used Sally Hansen Gem Crush in Big Money).

May 08, 2013

Look with NARS And God Created The Woman palette

Ever since I bought the NARS "And God Created The Woman" eyeshadow palette (swatches HERE), I've been wearing it non stop. The colours are gorgeous and the mix of matte and shimmer shades makes it very versatile. Here's a look using this palette.

May 06, 2013

Monday's Mani - Butter London Two Fingered Salute

There's this organic store in Balmain, a suburb in Sydney's inner west, which stocks Butter London. It's the only bricks & mortar store I know here that stocks these nail polishes, so whenever we go to Balmain for a lazy Sunday lunch (which isn't near as often enough as in our pre-baby days), I make a beeline to that store just to check out the Butter London colours on offer. During our last visit Two Fingered Salute caught my eye and I just had to have it.

Two Fingered Salute is a greyish green with subtle copper flecks. It's different enough to all my other greens and mints to warrant the $22 AUD price tag. I'm not a 100% certain it suits my skintone, but it's still a gorgeous colour to have. I'm wearing 3 coats in these pics.




What do you think of this shade? 
Have you tried any Butter London nail polishes?


May 03, 2013

Friday's letters #2

Image source

Dear barristas at the office coffee shop
Thank you for remembering exactly how I have my morning coffee, even after being away from the office for so long! You guys rock.

Dear baby Luca, 
You know how for the past few nights you've been waking up at 1am and not going back to sleep till 4am, then waking up for good an hour later. Yeah, there's no need for that. I know you probably think that mummy needs company, but not at that hour sweetie. At that hour I'd rather be catching some sleep. I don't have the luxury of daytime naps like you do. So now that we've got that clarified, how about you sleep through the night again huh?

Dear people on escalators
You have been annoying me a lot this week. The correct etiquette here is to stand to the left so that people in a hurry can walk past you. You can even stand to the right if you want. The point is you should be considerate of other people and allow them to pass.

Dear smokers
When you walk and smoke at the same time, the fumes do not travel with you. Instead they go to the poor person walking behind you giving them a migraine. Or worse still, they travel to the poor baby that's in the pram behind you. Not cool. Oh and while I'm at it, can you also not light that cigarette of yours until you're actually outside of the building? Thanks.

Dear body,
You have almost returned to your pre-pregnancy weight. Go you! Yes there are still 2 kilos hanging around, but you fit into your old clothes so that's all that matters. Plus it's very hard to give up that cheesecake.

Dear Paris,
I have been thinking about you a lot lately, reminiscing about the good old days walking on your cobblestone streets. The husband and I are planning another visit, but this time with our baby dragon. Can you handle it?

May 02, 2013

For long lashes you can't go past this Elizabeth Arden mascara

A while ago I was sent a lovely package from Elizabeth Arden which included one of the best mascaras I've tried in a long time. That's saying a lot, as I love trying out new mascaras and rarely ever repurchase any as my wondering eye (or is it lash) always gets swayed by new releases. Anyway, this particular one has been my go to mascara for the past 2 months and I've worn it in THIS look.

Elizabeth Arden Beautiful Colour Lash Enhancing Mascara in Black
Beautiful Colour Lash Enhancing Mascara is a multi-dimensional mascara that immediately volumes, lengthens and curls lashes while enhancing long term lash health with continued use. 


May 01, 2013

Look with navy eyeshadow

Bored of wearing my usual browns and beiges, but still wanting a fairly dark eye makeup I dug up one of my least used eyeshadows for this look. And I must say I think I'll be using it again as I'm quite happy with how it turned out. The eyeshadow in question is #428 by Inglot, which is a deep navy shade with a pearl finish.

Because of my eye shape you can't really see the eyeshadow colour unless I'm looking down. I also lined my eyes with the navy shade. And to make the colour really stand out and last, I lined my eyes with a black eyeliner first then traced over it with Inglot #428. On my lips I chose a somewhat sparkly lipstick, something that I don't wear that often but I thought it went well with this look.

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