Australis Haul - Part Two!

After the pleasant surprises of my first post, would the good times continue? A lip gloss and a brush set were awaiting my review... and the results are in!

Let's start with the Colour Inject Mineral Lip Gloss in Hip Hop (RRP $11.95)

I was initially worried as bronzes aren't my colour of choice.  I'm not a fan of tanning or bronzing after seeing so many bad examples walking down the Brisbane streets every day.  But this product came out quite sheer, and was actually really wearable.

The smell was like a fruit that I can't put my finger on (but nice - not off-putting at all), and the texture wasn't at all sticky - just smooth and easy to wear.  The colour was almost like a nude that had a subtle bronze tone to it, and the small glitter particles add a touch of fun without being too 'disco' for daytime..  I could see myself wearing this on its own, or over other colours that are too pink for my tastes.  I like it!

And now the Brush Set (RRP $18.95)and Angled Liner Brush (RRP $6.95)- which I have to say I don't hold high hopes for.  I hate scratchy brushes, so I'm very picky with what I use.

First points go for size - great for travel.  Short handles mean they fit in my cosmetic bags.  Good start.

The brush set says it has a 'domed eyeshadow brush, eyeshadow applicator, tapered lip brush, brown brush, mineral powder brush and foundation sponge'.  I would consider it to have an 'eyeshadow brush, lip brush, lash comb/ brow brush, cheap sponge and two useless applicators'.  The mineral powder brush is cheap and scratchy, and the 'eyeshadow applicator' is a cheap sponge-tip that will last one swipe before it splits.  The foundation sponge has the texture of a disposable, so will disintegrate quickly.  But the eyeshadow brush is dense and soft on the eye, the lip brush is tight and will give a great line, and the lash comb/brow brush works well.

The angled liner brush is soft as well and applies shadow well, but it's too soft for a tight line.  Keep it for smudged/smoky shadow.

If you want great brushes at a low price point, go for EcoTools (which is available at Priceline).  Don't bother with these Australis ones.  I'll be using these in emergencies only.

So there you go!  More Australis than you can poke a stick at :)

Australis Haul - Part One!

 had the pleasure of attending some makeup artist workshops run by the awesome Mandi Levanah in Sydney, which were amazing.  She willingly shared the secrets of the industry that she had to learn the hard way, and I am forever thankful for her.  She's also sparked my obsession with manicures and OPI polishes, but that wasn't hard!  So if she ever reads this - thank you so much, and I can't wait to do another workshop with you :)

As part of the workshops we got a goody bag!  Yay for freebies!  And it featured a number of Australis products, which was interesting as their low price point can often reflect poor quality.  But she swore to us that times have changed, and we'd love these products.  And, like so many other things, she was right!

First of all - Colour Inject Mineral Lipstick in Cha Cha

This was surprisingly sheer, and took a couple of coats to build up to this intensity.  This isn't a tone of red I would usually wear, but the smooth and moisturising formulation has me interested.  I think I'll keep this to mix with other colours, but I may pick up a different colour in this range. A RRP of $12.95 for such a wearable formulation is music to my (poor) ears.

Next - Perfection Brush On Lip & Cheek Tint

I've always kept clear or lip & cheek tints, as I'm naturally (too) rosy and thought they would highlight my overall redness.  But I was pleasantly surprised with this combo!  I had an English-rose flush to my cheeks and a subtle stain to my lips that was totally wearable.  Add some volumising mascara (vibrations anyone?) and I'd be ready to leave the house.  This could be my new winter look!

RRP $10.95 (bargain!)

Lucky last - Jumbo Mineral Bronzing Powder

Mandi swore we'd be surprised at this product - she claimed it was the perfect bronzer colour.  And she was totally right!  A soft bronze sheen illumnated my cheeks but in an oh-so-subtle way.  I did have to buff this colour after application to soften the edges, but that may be because it was applied straight over liquid foundation (for the smoothest result I should have powdered my face first).  And I'm not a fan of tans or bronzing, but this was a great contour that just added warmth to my cheeks.  And for RRP $19.95 for 35g of product, you get a lot of bronzing for your buck.

Check out the difference - the cheek tint is on the lips and the left cheek, the bronzer is on the right.

(gosh I look serious - makeup testing requires concentration!)

The lipstick will need some tweaking before it enters my makeup bag, but the lip/cheek tint and the bronzer are going straight to the pool room (oh, how very 'Aussie' of me!).  I always wrote off Australis as poor quality, but these products have proved me wrong.  I love it when that happens!

Next up: review of Australis brushes and a lip gloss - will the surprising results continue?  Stay tuned!