Chi Chi Dynamic Duo - Swatches

Mattes and Bronzes!

Chi Chi have a huge range of eyeshadow palettes out and I've always seen them around, but I've never really purchased anything from Chi Chi. This isn't because I don't like the brand - how can I not like something without ever trying it. I usually do my makeup shopping at Priceline and they don't stock it (or the ones I shop at don't stock it - I'm not sure about others) and the makeup section at target is always filthy and destroyed. Normally the Chi Chi 'Glamorous' palettes retail for $22.95 AUD and I'm sorry, but I think that is just a bit on the pricey side. I've got palettes from other brands that include a double ended brush for $10.00 AUD.

I had seen the palettes before and knew that if I liked them enough, I'd budget and get one, but I knew being the 'completist' I am (once I get one thing in the set I need to get them all even if there is one I don't like - I'm like the Slughorn of beauty) I'd have to get them all and then I'd be poor forever so I'd always just overlooked them, that is until now...

I went shopping with my bestie and fav cosmetic companion in the city last week and came across this set. It is one of the 'Dynamic Duo' sets that contain two of the 'Glamorous' palettes. In total there are 16 palettes. Now if I was to pay $23.00 for each palette thats $368.00 AUD and I don't think I can do that. The dynamic duo sets which contain two of the palettes retail for $30.00 AUD thats cheaper than buying two single palettes and with this, I purchased my first Chi Chi palettes. I got the 'Mattes' and 'Bronzes' palettes. You can find the entire list of palettes right here! 

EYE SHADOW COLLECTION: Chi Chi's collection of velvety soft, highly pigmented eye shadows are easily blended to create individual looks. They may be worn sheer or dramatic, wet or dry to reflect your mood or desire. CAUTION: The increased attention to your eyes may get some getting used to!!!

(Sorry about the photo quality, I didn't realise it was blurry until I uploaded it.)

There are a few sets of the dynamic duo ones 8 in total, so you'd think there would be each palette in a set. WRONG - some of the palettes have one that is already in another set eg, the Mattes palette is in two dynamic duo sets, so be mindful of that. I still think I'd buy all that I could of the dynamic sets and then get the ones that aren't in a set separately because I'm still saving money, but that is future Caitlan's purchase problem. 

First Impressions:

Packaging

 The packaging on these palettes seems pretty sturdy. I like the clean lines and simplicity of the design on the palettes.

One of the things I don't like is the applicator situation. In each palette there are two small double ended foam applicators. These things annoy the crap out of me and I honestly don't know anyone who uses them. I'm not saying a brush needs to be included I'd prefer no brush than these. I wonder if it would be cheaper if they weren't included.

One of the other downfalls of the palette packaging is that the shadows aren't named. I'm not saying they have to be, but it is easier when giving a review to be able to name the better shades instead of saying the 8th one across etc. Also, it makes it easier to see if there are any double ups in other palettes. Sometimes you just cant tell by looking at it if you already have that shade in another palette.

Just little things that ticked me off when inspecting the palette up front. I don't have many bad things to say about the shadows themselves its just purely packaging that was a let down.

 Swatches:

Mattes

KEEP IN MIND THAT I AM VERY PALE AND SOMETIMES THE CAMERA WON'T SHOW UP SUPER LIGHT SHADES ON MY SKIN

I wish there were names of the shadows so it would be easier for me to talk about them, alas there is not.

For a palette full of matte shades, I had high expectations. I wanted to like at least six of the shades (half of the palette) for it to seem like a good purchase to me. I saw some shades that I was really interested in and I'm glad with the turn out. Keep in mind too, these are with no primer on. 

All together the shades are pretty pigmented, it might not seem that way because I'm so pale and some of the shades don't show up in the photo. Please watch the video if you're interested in seeing them clearer. 

Some shades need a little more work than others and there was fall out on some shades, but not as much as I was expecting. I think for a palette of mattes this is actually pretty good and I would recommend it. I've not had a chance to use it in any looks yet so they might apply differently to the eye and I'm keen to apply them with some primer too. 

Even if you cant do any full looks with this palette, there are great shades to blend into the crease as transition shades, and also the two pale shades look like great brow highlights. 

Favorite shades: 6 - Dark chocolate brown

10 - Khaki green

11 - Navy blue

Bronzes

The bottom photo does not do this justice at all, it doesn't pick up any of the shimmer and glitter that these shadows have. Please watch the review video to see them at better quality.

Of the two palettes this is the one that I was most excited for. Warm, earthy tones, shimmer and sparkle - this is totally up my alley. 

There are only a few matte shades in this palette which I don't mind considering I have the all matte palette anyway and to be honest I don't wear that many matte shades anyway (well why did you buy that matte palette? because I want to start wearing them more).

I think this palette is 100% usable for daily looks, I wear shades like this every day I think they're beautiful and I think I'll get a lot of use out of this palette. I'm most excited to wear all the copper and gold tones, as we're coming into Autumn/Fall here in Australia and I love wearing these tones on my eyes in this season. I don't think there is a shade in this palette that I don't like / wouldn't use.

The third colour across doesn't quite show up on my arm in the photo (because I'm so pale), but it is a beautiful shimmer shade. I'm keen to check it out as a face highlight to see how it performs. 

Favorite shades: 5: Orange gold

6: Copper

9: Shimmery brown with purple undertones

10: Magenta berry

I'm sure I'll be doing looks using these palettes and now that I've started I will probably be having more blog posts in the future about the other 'Glamorous' Palettes by Chi Chi. 

Let me know if you've used these palettes or others in the range and what you think about them. 

Thanks for reading. 

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November Favourites!

Products I loved in the month of November!

So December is here and holidays season is in full swing! The weather is heating up, the bbq's are coming out and its time to dust of the swimsuit because a hot summer Christmas is on its way!

With November over, its time for another month of favourites - only a few this month but they're amazing! So if you're keen to know what I've been loving - keep reading or if you'd like to watch it.. >>>> CLICK HERE CLICK HERE CLICK HERE <<<<

FACE

First cab off the rank is this stuff! I'm sure you've heard of products like this (if not this one) before. This is the best makeup remover I've ever used! This doesn't break me out, it takes all my makeup off - including mascara and liquid eyeliner, without rubbing hard at my eyes. I have nothing bad to say about this product. Also a bit of a bonus is that this makes a really great brush cleaner. The reason cleansing waters are so great is because the active ingredient is (obviously) like that of makeup remover wipes etc but this chemicals in this product are in their whole form, they're not broken down, hence their more efficient. The molecules cling to the makeup and when you wipe down your face, they take the makeup with them. Its  more concentrated. Bottom line - Buy this. You won't be sorry. 

LIPS

My second favourite for the month is one of the 'Velourlips - matte lip cream' by 'Australis' this one in particular is in the shade 'MI-A-MEE'. Now I've talked about this product a heap and they're honestly so great. I'm really loving the whole 'liquid lipstick' 'trend' or whatever it is. There are some absolutely great products and this is one of them. This one is a really nice watermelon colour and it is surprisingly wearable! It makes me think of tropical punch and sunbeds by the pool. Its the perfect colour for summer!

EYES

Well here's a surprise! (not) I've raved about this bad boy ever since I got it and I've used it so much this past month! I've done the 'suggested' looks, and even mixed and matched my some of my own. I won't go into too much detail on this product because all you have to do is scroll down and you'll see how much I love this palette and the other 'Models Prefer' palettes. This palette has some really good shades for some nice shimmery 'holiday' looks. This has been my 'go-to' palette this month, I haven't really been reaching for anything else and it'll come with me when I travel next week! The packaging is sturdy and the mirror is amazing! good size and good quality! To say I love this product is an understatement - I'd go more along the lines of 'obsessed with!'

HAIR

And last but not least is a spray - leave in conditioner by schwartzkopf. I've been on the market for a good leave in conditioner for a long time now and I just haven't found any that really interest me. Then I stumbled upon this one. It says on the packaging "Voluptuous volume & express detangling" and that is honestly all I was after (well mainly the detangling - the added volume is an added plus!) it says for 'Fine, Flat Hair' my hair is quite very fine, and there is also a lot of it, which makes it quite heavy and it can tend to be quite flat - but honestly it isn't one of my main concerns when it comes to my hair. My main concerns are dryness, breakage and tangles. Because my hair is so long and fine/thin it tangles SO easily. Not a day goes by when I don't spend at least 20minutes just trying to detangle my hair - let along style. With this product, it cuts the brushing time down by half. I spray it directly in the trouble area - and then some directly on the ends of my hair then some generally all over my head (I don't use this product sparingly and it lasts quite a while) wait a few minutes and then start to brush the product through my hair and the tangles and they just detangle so much easier. I'm glad this particular product has Biotin because that is also good for your hair. If you're in the market for a leave in conditioner (that leaves your hair smelling nice too) I'd give this one a go. It was quite affordable and I expect at least three months usage out of this. (I'll let you know how long it lasts)

Those were my favourites for the month of November! I hope you try them out or comment down below what some of your favourites were, or if you recommend me anything. 

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Priceline Haul!

40% off Cosmetics!

So Priceline are great in the fact that they have a lot of huge sales all year round. The last 40% off sale I took (major) advantage of was the 40% off all skincare - and let me tell you - no regrets were had. 

So when I found out about the 40% off ALL COSMETICS I couldn't not take advantage of it. So in the morning, I met my two good friends and favourite shopping babes in the city at 9:30am to get all the things! Here is what I got!

As you can see, there are quite a few things. I have no regrets on buying anything, and I picked up the brushes for an absolute steal! In this post I'll put in some swatches and first impressions too, along with the normal and sale prices. 

I'll start off with the brush set by Nude by Nature. The kit includes 7 brushes, a double barrel sharpener and comes in a nice zip up case with elastic brush holders. 

The brushes included in this kit are:

1. Kabuki Brush
2. Defining Blush / Powder Brush
3. Deluxe Eye Shader
4. Domed Eye Blending Brush
5. Concealer Brush
6. Dual Headed Eye Definer and Lip Brush (basically a fancy way of saying a double ended brush, one side is angled the other is for lips)
7. Precision Sharpener

Standard Price: $29.95 Sale Price: $17.97

SAVING: $11.98

There is no secret that I love the Models Prefer palettes. I have other posts on my blog here absolutely raving about them. So when I came across this little beauty, I couldn't resist. The one and ONLY bad thing I have to say about the MP palettes is: The matte shades just aren't up to scratch. The shimmer shades are fantastic! Such good pigmentation and colour pay off. But the mattes just aren't as good quality. Mattes are a hard thing to get right, and its not like they're useless, they just take some layering and some work to get them to be as good as they should be first off. 

This is the Warm Smokey / Brown Smokey palette.

Top Left: The mirror in this palette is amazing. Good size and quality, can definitely do a full face of makeup in this. 

Top right: The packaging on this is fantastic. The box it comes in shows you just what to expect and shows you ideas on how to use the palette in step by step instructions. The palette itself is sleek and made of a hard plastic, it feels like it could take a knock or two and is a good size for travelling. The lid as quite a good weight to it too. 

Bottom Left: The swatches - left column: There is a matte creamy/white shade, that on my skin just doesn't show up, it is poor quality but with some work and layering (I suggest using a primer) it will have more pay off - however in saying that, it does blend well with the other shimmer shades, so perhaps a test run of these eye looks are in order. The next shade down is a very pigmented cool toned gold, the colour pay off is excellent and it blends well. The last shade is a shimmer brown. Perfect for adding the smokey effect to the suggested look. 

Bottom Left: The swatches - Right column: Top colour is a shimmer peachy gold, very pretty and highly pigmented. The middle shade is a red/brown maroon/burgundy shade, how it is used in the suggested look is quite interesting and I'm very keen to do this look. The last shade on this side is a matte brown. It shows up on my hand well, but is still a bit chalky, however - it does blend well so experiments will have to be done. 

Bottom Right: Here I wanted to show the inside of the palette - the 6shades (and an eyeliner down the bottom - that I probably wouldn't use) and right next to the shade is the step by step of how to use the shades to accomplish the certain looks. I'm glad its included INSIDE the actual palette instead of just on the outside packaging. I hate it when you lose the packaging and then have no idea on how to do the looks. So GOOD ON YOU MODELS PREFER!

Standard Price: $10.00 Sale Price: $6.00

SAVING: $4.00

There is also no doubt that I love the Australis Velourlips range. I think I'm only a few away from completing the set. So when I saw these colours in Priceline, I thought 'WHY NOT?' Its coming up into the warmer months and these colours are perfect for spring!

Left to Right we have: HO-CHI-MIN

LUN-DUN

MI-A-MEE

The swatches on the side go down in the same order. 

Each colour is perfectly wearable on the daily. Get your hands on these bad boys. I love them and you should too!

(INDIVIDUAL / SINGLE PRICING)

Standard Price: $9.95 Sale Price: $5.97

SAVING: 3:98

I have never really gotten into the 'essence' brand. They're cheaply priced so I always assumed they were cheaply made and poor quality. I assumed they were aimed more at little girls who are first getting into makeup. This might be so, but lately I have been really liking coloured eye shadows, and have been drawn to this brand. These are two essence mini palettes each containing 6 shimmer shades. 

Left top and bottom: 'All About Candies' - beautiful pastel colours. Perfect for sprint

Right top and bottom: 'All about Nude' - gorgeous neutrals. Perfect for every day. I will definitely be doing some looks with these little gems. 

(INDIVIDUAL / PER PALETTE)

Standard Price: $7.15 Sale Price: $4.29

SAVING: $2.86

This product had my friends and I baffled! Obviously it is L'OREAL'S take on the liquid matte lip product that so many brands are doing (such as Australis - Velourlips) But the description of the product had us thrown. Its one of the 'Glam Matte' (everything good so far) 'Intense Matte Gloss' (I'm sorry, what?)

We were all confused on how you can have a 'matte gloss' but never the less once one was swatched - I fell in love. This is in the colour/shade 513 'zip it rouge'. Sarah and I each purchased this shade, we took a risk because there was no tester for this one. But we're both so happy we did. I definitely want more of these. (probably in all the shades because I have to complete the set) But as they're on the pricier side - I'll wait until there is a sale - or slowly buy them.  

Standard Price: $21.95 Sale Price: $13.17

SAVING: $8.78

I have really been getting more into nail art recently and for some reason I've been loving grey toned nails for sprint. Because in my opinion its the perfect colour to stand out against all the pastel pinks without being as harsh as a white. SO, I was on a mission (or so it would seem) I picked up 4 polishes all up. 3 grey tones and a base coat.

Left to Right:

'Bourjois Paris - laque glossy - shade: 05 - Taupe Modèle

'Bourjois Paris - laque glossy - shade: 03 - BCBeigé

'Sally Hansen - Xtreme wear - shade: 330 - Grey Area

'OPI' Natural Nail Base Coat.

I love Sally Hansen polishes, OPI is such a fantastic brand and I've used many Bourjois products before and I'm really excited to try out the polishes. 

Bourjois: Standard Price: $12.00 Sale Price: $7.20

SAVING: $4.80

Sally Hansen: Standard Price: $6.95 Sale Price: $4.17

SAVING: $2.78

OPI: Standard Price: $10.00 Sale Price: $6.00

SAVING: $4.00

I think this is the only reason why I needed to go into Priceline. I have been using this product ever since I can remember. 

I have quite dry skin so I can use a lot of cream products. This product is for 'oil and shine' control so I think it will be perfect for summer. In summer I don't like to use a lot of foundation so, I might change to a BB cream and use this too, then set with a translucent powder. But I'll save that for another post. 

This product is the 'MATTE UP Cream to Powder Foundation' in the shade 'Nude'.  I love australis products but I think they need to get a wider range of colours, even the nude (their lightest) is a bit too dark for me, but as its summer, I'll tend to tan. 

Standard Price: $14.95 Sale Price: $8.97

SAVING: $5.98

This is the other reason I needed to go in, I needed an eyebrow pencil. 

This is just a basic pencil, its not the ones I usually use but it does the job. This is by the brand Savvy. 

I got a dark brown one, because thats my natural colour - side note: Finding the right shade of eyebrow 'filler' is important. Eyebrows really stand out on the face and its good to know that you're using the right colour!

Standard Price: $3.00 Sale Price: $1.80

SAVING: $1.20

The last items on my list are these three blushes. I've really been on a mission lately to expand my blush collection and I've heard rather good things about these. I have sworn by savvy matte lip creams and some of their other products, I've always walked up to the display and swatched their blushes but they've always been out of stock. So when I saw some in stock, I knew I had to get some! Swatches: Left to Right:

'Silky Pink'

'Rose'

'Plum'

you can see how they show up on my hand. They're highly pigmented and I can't wait to start using them!

With a normal affordable price, I think I've just begun my new obsession!

(INDIVIDUAL / PER PRODUCT)

Standard Price: $4.99 Sale Price: $2.99

SAVING: $2.00

And there you have it! Here if you made it this far, thank you! You did a great job! Usually I wouldn't spend this much in one go, but because of the amazing sale, (I also had a $13.08 off 'coupon') I went for it.  The original price of all of this is $179.92AUD (NOW THAT IS A LOT) with the 40% off that brings the total to $107.95AUD. That is a saving of $71.97AUD and if you also minus the $13.08 from the total sale price $94.87AUD.

I paid $94.87 and got $179.92 worth of products. I am beyond amazed by this! 

Sale ends midnight on the 19th of November - There is still time to shop online!

Good Luck! 

Ciao! X