Beauty in a tick: Becca's Beach Tints in Lychee and Watermelon

Lychee (left) and Watermelon (right)

Colour that's good enough for your lips (not mine) and cheeks.

Personally, I love wearing Becca's Beach Tint on my cheeks, because all you need is your chosen tube (any one of the eight shades will do) and your ring finger to dab and blend.

Sheer them out or build them up for a flirty flush. A subtle wash of colour really makes your cheeks glow.

Watermelon (left) and Lychee (right) swatches unblended

Watermelon (left) and Lychee (right) swatches slightly sheered out

Watermelon worn as a lippie

Lychee worn as blush

When worn on the lips I've noticed both Lychee and Watermelon suck the moisture straight out of my lips and leaves them feeling parched. The Sahara-like conditions force the colour to collect and settle within the fine lines of my lips, making the once matte finish appear patchy and downright gross.

Recently, I sent P-Cakes the tube of Watermelon I purchased -- she had the same feedback as me. Great on her cheeks and drying on her lips.

The Bagful breakdown:

Total amount for Becca's Beach Tint:

• $42.00 AUS / $25.00 USD

Value for money spent (performance and quality):

• 7 out of 10 bags — it's not a multi-purpose product for me, but it might work for you.

Would another purchase be on the horizon?:

• Maraschino looks sweet enough to eat.

*PR samples provided –  Thoughts and ramblings written here are completely my own.

Wave bye bye to frizz with a little help from Paul Mitchell

My war against frizz continues on.

It's tiring -- just when you think you got your hair to fall in line, a few soldiers go on the lam and spring out with guns blazing when you least expect it.

Now that I've upped the maintenance with bi-monthly visits to the salon thanks to my new 'do -- I also need to look after my investment with hair product that will fight the good fight while making it look shiny, bouncy and awesomely healthy.

Paul Mitchell has come in and out of my life over the years; I tend to tumble in whichever direction, especially after encountering a new stylist. Super Skinny Serum happens to be one of my favourite products for its travel-friendly bottle, green apple scent and its ability to quell errant hairs. Because my hair is so fine, I've found I really only need a half pump worth of product.

Tip: Always, always apply the product to your ends first and then work your way up, if not you run the risk weighing your hair down with too much product.

Been there, done that.

As for Paul's Super Skinny Daily Shampoo and Treatment, there was a slight learning curve during the first week of using all three smoothing products. On the first day my hair came out shiny and lovely, but on the second day (after washing and styling) it looked nice yet felt greasy to the touch. I'm a squeaky clean kinda gal, which is precisely why I wash my hair every day. Instead of throwing my hands in the air out of frustration, I changed my approach and used less product. My hair had finally reached its happy medium.

Guess what: Paul Mitchell's Smoothing range is colour-safe, too. Bonus!

Styled straight

Curled

Yesterday, I set my style with Paul Mitchell's Freeze and Shine Super Spray and boy does that stuff "freeze" your locks, so much that I thought my man-made waves would last the day. Alas, my curls fell flat, typical. Inquiring minds want to know why my naturally wavy hair refuses to hold a curl after tangoing with the barrel iron?! 

The Bagful breakdown:

Total amount for Paul Mitchell's haircare products:

• Super Skinny Daily Shampoo
• Super Skinny Daily Treatment 
• Super Skinny Serum 
• Freeze and Shine Super Spray

I actually had a hard time tracking down consistent pricing, sorry guys. I've linked back to Paul Mitchell's global website in case you'd like to buy something at your nearest salon/retailer.

Value for money spent (performance and quality):

• 8 out of 10 bags — good stuff and my hair says thank you.

Would another purchase be on the horizon?:

• Hey @Sarzparella, this might be the thing you've been looking for!

*PR sample provided –  Thoughts and ramblings written here are completely my own.

Wishing you a very..

Hope Santa was good to you this year!

Are you really The One?

Becca's The One Perfecting Brush

It's one thing to have your makeup done by a professional and another to try to replicate their handiwork at home, especially with the tools they used.

The One Perfecting Brush came into my life a few weeks ago after Kristi used it in order to create a flawless and natural looking complexion.

This stout brush is a cross between the kabuki and a traditional paint brush. The handle is finished with rubberised plastic to help keep the brush from slipping out of your hands and the bristles are made of super soft goat hair. The abundance of hair and the manner in which it was perfectly trimmed lends itself to getting the makeup onto your face, instead of seeping down and gunking up the base of your brush.

Goat Hair

Profile

View from the top

To have and to hold

So far I've used The One to apply my powder foundation, bronzer (to contour), blush and finishing powder -- its ability to align itself with the hollows of my cheeks is unreal. Talk about contour heaven!

The One washes up quite nicely too. Lukewarm water and gentle soap works like a charm.

Becca promises The One will replace your foundation brush, powder brush, highlighter brush, contour brush, precision brush and sponge. That's at least six brushes you could potentially stow away, toss or not even consider adding to your makeup bag.

The Bagful breakdown:

Total amount for Becca's The One Perfecting Brush:

• $65.00 AUS / $49.00 USD

Value for money spent (performance and quality):

• 9 out of 10 bags — My other brushes are shaking in their boots.

Would another purchase be on the horizon?:

• I've been told to keep an eye out for an exciting release in early 2014. Yay!