Lavender skirt OOTD with Lime Crime Airborne Unicorn lipstick

Posted in Beauty, Fashion by Brianna Johnson

LONG time, no post!

The past few months have been a whirlwind with an awesome new job and a new routine and unfortunately this little part of the internet got left by the wayside. But here’s to getting back into the swing of things!

Outfit lavender purple skirt OOTD | Extraordinary Days blog

Purple lipstick, purple skirt!

I pulled this lavender skirt out of my wardrobe to celebrate the incredible weather we’ve had in Perth this week, and matched it with Lime Crime’s Airborne Unicorn lipstick. (I may have also been celebrating how well the curls i got done at the hairdresser the day before held up!)

I love this shade!

I picked up the skirt in an op-shop and I think it was hand-made. I really like the shape — there’s tulle underneath to give it lots of extra poof. I paired it with a black singlet and some sparkly drop earrings to keep things fairly simple because I didn’t want to detract from the lipstick!

Outfit lavender purple skirt OOTD Lime Crime Airborne Unicorn lipstick | Extraordinary Days blog

This skirt is just so big!

This light purple lipstick isn’t the easiest to work into an everyday makeup look but it’s definitely a fun shade! I’ve worn it before with a nude lip liner but a tinted lip primer (to remove some of the pink colour in my lips) will also help make the colour pop. The brightness did fade after a few hours and needed a second application.

Outfit lavender purple full skirt OOTD with Lime Crime Airborne Unicorn lipstick

I used Sleek Makeup’s Highlighting Palette – it’s so shiny!

I’m definitely going to work this colour into my summer wardrobe more often!

What’s the most out-there lip colour you’ve tried? Let me know in the comments below!

10May2015

Review: Lush BIG sea salt shampoo

Posted in Beauty by Brianna Johnson

IF THERE is a shampoo with more hype around it than Big, I haven’t heard of it!

Lush Big shampoo review | Extraordinary Days blog

Little container, big hype.

I finally got my hands in this sea salt shampoo, which promises to give hair a lot of lift and volume and make it “easy to get a comb through”.
It also has seaweed, coconut to make hair soft and fresh lemons and limes for shine.
Having thin hair, I really, really wanted this to work.
Unfortunately, my hair did not want to play the game.

Lush Big sea salt shampoo.

My usually tangle-free locks became a massive mess after I washed it with Big, so much so that I could barely comb it, even when wet. I was worried I’d pull out all of my hair before I got out all of the knots!
I tried this twice, once when I let my hair dry naturally, (which usually results in lovely curls) and once when I blow-dried and straightened it.
On both occasions I didn’t notice a difference in volume once my hair was dry.
After blow-drying it was just as fluffy as it always is and when I let it dry naturally I ended up with LESS curls than I usually do!
Sure, I got some loose, beachy waves but nothing like the tighter coils I usually get.

Lush Big comparison | Extraordinary Days blog

Hair after using Lush Big and air-drying and how it usually dries.

(The photo on the right is from this post about flower crowns!
While I didn’t get the results I wanted, there are some things I really like about this product.
It smells completely divine, it is made up of natural, vegan and cruelty free ingredients and the pot is made of recycled plastic.

I love Lush’s use of natural and sustainable ingredients.

It smells divine!

I’ve heard other people really love it so I’d say it’s worth a try!
Pick it up here.

Have you tried Big? What were your experiences?

12Apr2015

Review: Lime Crime Poisonberry and Geradium

Posted in Beauty by Brianna Johnson

CHECK out these colours!
I’d been eyeing off more of the Lime Crime collection for a while.

Oh those colours!

Lime Crime Poisonberry and Geradium swatch

Lime Crime Geradium and Poisonberry

Poisonberry is one of the darkest lipsticks I own but it’s got that classic Lime Crime stickability so it stays on without much retouching.
I’ve worn this with MAC’s Magenta lip liner underneath to even out the colour.

I may be a little bit in love with the holographic packaging.

Moving onto the pink!
I usually stick to cool colours because they suit my skin tone more and Geradium is just a tad warm.
That said, it’s a fun, bright colour and still worth giving a go, especially if you’ve got a skin tone that’s darker than mine.

This is a warm pink and may not suit all skin types.

I’ve done a lot of reading about the questionable practices of this business and its founder and although I can see why people don’t want to support it, I haven’t found lipsticks that live up to Lime Crime’s.
As I said in an earlier review of Centrifuschia, it just stays put all day.

What’s your favourite Lime Crime colour?

5Apr2015

Flower crowns and glitter

Posted in Beauty, Fashion by Brianna Johnson

I THINK I just fell in love with flower crowns!
I’ve always liked them but never found the right outfit to wear them with.
Today’s outfit is part boho vibe and partly filled with glitter.

I love this headband!

Flower crown headband spring / fairy-inspired outfit

I mixed in blues and purples in my accessories to match the headband.

Flower crown headband spring / fairy-inspired outfit and glitter handbag

This skirt has an opaque mini-skirt under a sheer maxi skirt.

I picked this skirt up at a clothes swap event and wanted to keep the rest of my accessories fairly neutral. (Okay, for me, silver glitter counts as a neutral!)
I like how this skirt has an opaque mini skirt underneath the sheer maxi skirt – it makes it just that little bit lighter and different.
For my jewellery I followed the colours in the flower crown – blues and lavender.

The weather was great today!

Simple makeup was key to this light, daytime look.

I kept my makeup quite simple but with hints of glitter.
I used two Sleek Makeup palettes in this look: the Precious Metals Highlighting Palette and the Eye and Cheek Palette in Dancing Til Dusk.
For my eyes I used Two Faced Shadow Insurance and the two gold colours in the Sleek Eye and Cheek Palette – one matte and one with shimmer, as well as the silver colour from the Highlighting Palette for underneath my eyebrow arch.
I used the pale gold highlighters on my cheekbones, down the bridge of my nose and on my cupid’s bow.
My mascara is Maybelline The Falsies Volum’ Express Flared — it’s been my go-to mascara for years!
I used the light pink shimmery colour from this Max Factor Flip Stick, too.

[Top to bottom] Sleek Eye and Cheek Pallete in Dancing til Dusk, Max Factor Flipstick Colour Effect in Boreal Mauve and Sleek Highlighting Pallette in Precious Metals.

[Top to bottom] Sleek Eye and Cheek Palete in Dancing til Dusk, Max Factor Flipstick Colour Effect in Boreal Mauve and Sleek Highlighting Palette in Precious Metals.

I’ll take any excuse to use highlighter.

The cat decided he wanted to be part of the photoshoot!

This is definitely an outfit I’ll be bringing out again.
Perfect for sunny days with the family and eating lots of food!
This also really makes me want to buy 100 huge flower crowns. I wish I’d discovered them earlier!

Is glitter one of your staples, either in outfits or in beauty products?

26Feb2015

Review: Lime Crime Carousel Gloss in Cherry on Top

Posted in Beauty by Brianna Johnson

PRETTY please with a cherry on top!
This Lime Crime Carousel Gloss is something I’ve wanted to try for ages and I just couldn’t go past Cherry on Top, with its bright colour and glittery finish.

Lime Crime Carousel Gloss Cherry on Top | Extraordinary Days

Such a lovely colour!

The colour pay-off is pretty good and I didn’t feel like I needed to use half the tube to get an even coverage.
That said, I’d seen other people say it lasts better if you put lipstick underneath it.
I tested this with Tony Moly Kiss Lover lipstick in Summer Orange (for a lighter red/orange) and Australia Colour Inject Mineral Lipstick in Cha Cha (for a deep red).

From top to bottom: Cherry on Top by itself, over Tony Moly Kiss Lover in Summer Orange and Australis Colour Inject in Cha Cha.

Although the difference wasn’t that stark, I think it would stand the test of time and food to have a decent lipstick underneath.
This lipgloss doesn’t feel too sticky (although I’ve yet to wear it out with my hair down and in a strong breeze!) and is a nice change to matte-look lip colours.

This lipgloss isn’t too sticky.

I still want to try the rest of this collection, which includes an icy white/blue glittery gloss (Snowsicle), a deep red (candy apple), a deep purple shade (Present) and, in a shade that’s not for everyone, emerald green (Hollygram).
Keen for more red lip colour love? I wore the deep red Australis lipstick with an incredible black lace dress.
And did you catch my last Lime Crime review? I wrote about the awesome hot pink lipstick, Centrifuschia.
This is a makeup brand I just can’t get enough of!

Have you tried any Lime Crime products? What did you think of it?

8Feb2015

Little make up sponge – big results

Posted in Beauty by Brianna Johnson

GOODBYE, make up brushes – I’ve found a replacement!
As I don’t wear foundation every day (BB cream usually provides enough coverage), there is nothing I hate more than getting to the weekend, going to put on my make up before a night out and finding my brushes really need a wash.
The result ends up as a streaky mess!
I don’t have that problem any more though!

Chi Chi makeup blending sponge | Extraordinary Days

This little sponge gives great results.

I spotted this Chi Chi Make Up Sponge while killing time browsing in the beauty aisle and as it was only about $6, I decided to take the chance and buy it.
I won’t lie, using it for the first time was a bit daunting so I read the instructions carefully and watched a few YouTube videos before I tried to apply my make up with it.
When using it you first fully submerge it in water so the sponge can expand to its full size.
You then squeeze out as much of the water as you can (using a towel helps) and start using it to apply your make up.
I pump my liquid foundation (MAC Studio Fix Fluid) on to the back of my hand and use the wide, round end of the sponge to pat it onto my face in a stippling motion.
The pointed end is for around your nose and eyes – harder to reach places.
It feels a bit weird at first but the effect is seriously amazing.
These types of sponges were designed to give an airbrushed look and that’s exactly what it does.
I’ve also started applying my powder (MAC Mineralize Skinfinish) with the sponge and my blush and highlighter too.
I’d read not to drag the sponge through pressed powder as it picks up too much product and I’ve found this to be true – it’s especially noticeable when you end up with a cheek full of blush!
After using it I wash it with warm water and goat’s milk soap because I’ve used it on my face before and I know my skin can handle it.
The packaging says not to use anything too harsh to clean it because it could irritate your skin.
One thing to keep in mind is it seems to take ages to dry properly, even when wrung out properly and left in the open. I’ve previously washed it before going to bed and it was still slightly damp in the morning.
The original version of this product is the Beauty Blender but it’s $27 for a single sponge and I found the Chi Chi version works perfectly well without the price tag.
In the long run the Chi Chi version probably won’t last as long but the price is something to keep in mind, especially if you don’t know whether you will like putting on your make up on this way.
I have heard from people who still prefer using brushes.
All in all I really love this sponge though and definitely won’t be going back to brushes any time soon!
Bonus points – they don’t test on animals!
Get more info here.

Have you used a make up sponge? What did you think?

1Feb2015

Garnier Micellar Cleansing Water review

Posted in Beauty by Brianna Johnson

THIS is a product that I’ve been wanting to try for a while now but I honestly didn’t know if it would live up to the hype.
According to the creators it “removes makeup, cleanses and soothes” and is for use on your face, eyes and lips.

Garnier Micellar Cleansing Water | Extraordinary Days

Way more than just water!

It also promised “no vigorous rubbing or rinsing required”.
Those are big claims in my eyes!
But I thought ‘how is it going to clean my skin if it’s just water?’
How wrong I was!
Apparently the key is the active cleansing ingredient, the micells, which “act as a magnet to capture impurities makeup and sebum”.
This has really changed my cleansing process.
Up until now I’ve just been using goat’s milk soap to cleanse and remove makeup because for a long time, that was all my sensitive, eczema-prone skin could handle.
Now I’ve got my skin under control, though (more on that here) I could reassess what I use.
I wanted to use something gentle, that wouldn’t clog up my pores and that I wouldn’t have to roughly scrub my skin with just to get my makeup off.
To put it simply, this cleansing water just works.

This has changed my cleansing routine.

To use it you put a bit on a cotton pad and wipe your face with it.
Foundation, lipstick, eyeliner and long-wear concealer have been no match for this product.
It usually takes about four cotton pads to remove a full face of makeup, including all of my mascara and liquid eyeliner.
The impressive part is there’s no residue left behind.
My skin feels cool and refreshed after I use it and not tight and dry like it does with a lot of soaps or other cleansers.
And, true to their word, I didn’t have to scrub heaps to get my makeup off.
I first spotted this in a chemist and really liked the look of the packaging (this happened with another Garnier product I reviewed here) – so their marketing people are doing a good job.
To sum up, this product is awesome, perfect for sensitive skin and I will definitely buy this again.

What’s in your makeup removing routine? Would you try a cleansing water?

29Jan2015

MAC Saint Germain lipstick vs Savvy High Shine lipgloss

Posted in Beauty by Brianna Johnson

I CAN’T get enough of light, bright pink lip colours right now!
Today I wanted to review two very eye-catching lip products in my collection that are similar shades, MAC’s Saint Germain and Savvy High Shine Paparazzi.
Let’s start with Saint Germain.

MAC Saint Germaine lipstick and Savvy High Shine lipgloss | Extraordinary Days

Can you tell that lipgloss has rolled around in my handbag for a long time?

When I first picked out this colour I was intending to match it to the dress I wore to the Melbourne Cup last year.
Needless to say I should have actually brought the dress with me to the shops that day because while it would have gone well with the fluoro pink (can you tell yet that I’m a huge fan of fluoro?) it’s not quite what I was going for.

Melbourne Cup fluoro pink dress | Extraordinary Days

This was an amazing day!

But I’ve since teamed Saint Germain with other outfits like a little black dress and I really love how bright it is!
As far as lip liners go I’ve worn this shade just by itself with MAC’s lip clear lip primer underneath, with a rose-coloured liner and also with a bit of concealer on my lips to make the colour really pop.
My favourite was the concealer just for that boost to the colour but I really enhancing my Cupid’s bow when I don’t wear lip liner so I’ll probably just continue to change it up depending on how I feel.
I love how bright this is when you first put it on but unfortunately, I’ve found the vibrancy just doesn’t last.
That said, it’s still a lovely rosy colour when it does fade and I think there’d be people out there who would prefer that to how full-on if is when it’s first applied but I’m just not one of them.
Of course, there’s always the option to just keep applying it to keep the colour vibrant but that wouldn’t be my first choice.
Before I found Saint Germain my go-to product for that sort of shade was Savvy High Shine gloss in Paparazzi.

These two are a bright pair.

When I first saw the two side by side I thought they were very similar and it wasn’t until I put them together on the back of my hand that I saw Paparazzi is much darker.
Still, I think it gives that punchy colour I was aiming for on my lips and the thicker consistency makes the coverage a bit more even.
In terms of how long they last, in my books a lipstick will usually always win and this is no exception.
While I like lip glosses sometimes, at the end of the day if can’t stand up to me having a meal then it’s probably not going to be one of my favourites.
(My ultimate go-to lipstick/liner combination for THE LONGEST wear in my collection can be found here.)
So for my final verdict, both of these products are great if you bear in mind the colour-fade issue.

Would you wear either of these lip products? Let me know in the comments!

12Jan2015

Review: MAC’s Rebel lipstick

Posted in Beauty by Brianna Johnson

TALK about a bold colour!
I’d been eyeing off New Zealand songstress Lorde’s signature plum lip colour for a while now so I thought I’d give this ago.
While Lorde and MAC collaborated on a similar plum lip colour last year, I’d read that her makeup artist actually used a combination of the Heroine and Cyber lipsticks.

Photo by Rolling Stone. Source: http://tinyurl.com/qac68th

To recreate this look I used the colour Rebel paired it with MAC’s Prep and Prime lip primer and a MAC lip pencil in Nightmoth.
Rebel is part of the brand’s satin range and goes on smoothly with a bit of shine.
Nightmoth looks like a really deep, dark purple on the packet and at the tip of the pencil but when applied is almost a brown.
It’s not a colour you can forget you’ve put on, that’s for sure.

Mac Rebel lipstick and Nightmoth lip miner

Mac Rebel lipstick and Nightmoth lip liner.

While I initially balked at how dark Nightmoth was on its own, I really liked the end result when paired with Rebel because it gave it a more plum-coloured shine.
The first time I tried this look it didn’t pass the food test 100 per cent (I ate a jam and cream donut, yum!) and needed touching up, particularly on the middle of my bottom lip.
However, that might have been because I was a bit over-zealous when putting it on and put on too much.
More tries will tell.
I first wore this during the day and it felt a bit heavy for a sunny morning so I might try wearing it again at night and see how it feels then.
I really like it with this collared top – it’s got a bit of a Wednesday Adams feel to it.

Have you tried a dark lip? What do you think of the trend?

2Jan2015

Garnier Perfect Blur Cream review

Posted in Beauty by Brianna Johnson

IT’S always nice when a spur-of-the-moment purchase turns out to be amazing!
I picked Garnier’s Perfect Blur Cream on a whim after seeing it at the chemist.
It claimed to be an all-over face cream that “reflects light” to help blur imperfections.

Not sure why they decided on such a huge box for such a small tube.

You apply it after your daily moisturiser and I use it its own or under BB cream.
It’s got a velvet texture when applied and it makes my skin feel soft and smooth.
The only downside is that if you touch or rub it too much when you put it on (like when putting BB cream on top of it), it comes off and leaves little balls of product all over your face.
I accidentally applied this before putting on foundation one morning and just using a soft makeup brush on my face made the Garnier cream come off and didn’t leave a smooth base for my foundation.
Don’t let this put you off though!
All in all, it does what it says on the packet and while you’re obviously going to get better coverage with concealer and foundation, it did help with evening out my complexion.
On a good skin day I wear this by itself and it feels like enough.
A small pea-sized amount is enough to cover your whole face and neck and it’s become a staple part of my workday morning routine.

This is about the amount I use each day.

At about $15, this is on the lower end of the price scale so I would definitely buy this again.
Other blurring products include L’Oréal Paris Revitalift Magic Blur Instant Skin Smoother and Indeed Laboratories Nanoblur.

Have you used a light-reflecting or ‘blurring’ face product? What did you think?

Extraordinary days

Category Archives: Beauty

Lavender skirt OOTD with Lime Crime Airborne Unicorn lipstick

Review: Lush BIG sea salt shampoo

Review: Lime Crime Poisonberry and Geradium

Flower crowns and glitter

Review: Lime Crime Carousel Gloss in Cherry on Top

Little make up sponge – big results

Garnier Micellar Cleansing Water review

MAC Saint Germain lipstick vs Savvy High Shine lipgloss

Review: MAC’s Rebel lipstick

Garnier Perfect Blur Cream review