Well, folks. I did the thing again. I had the big feelings and I spent money on shiny, pretty things. But if there is one advantage of being a blogger that buys the shiny, pretty things, it’s that I’ll eventually get to talk about them on here! That’s right, we are once again doing speed run style reviews for the products that I’ve picked up from my various wishlist’s. I have 5 new products to talk about, let’s get into it!
NARS RISING STAR CHEEK PALETTE – discontinued
First up, we have the Rising Star Cheek Palette, which was the big holiday launch for Nars last year. And I’m 99% certain I bought this the day that wishlist post went live (in my defense, I was having a really crappy week). Long story short, this was 100% worth it. Right off the bat, this formula is exquisite! It’s very much a baked gelee style formula that is extremely pigmented, but still super easy to work with. It blends so seamlessly. Like, seriously? Why isn’t this Nars’s permanent blush formula? And the colours all work with my skin tone. Unfortunately, because this was holiday, it has long since sold out (I checked). But Nars does bring out palettes like these throughout the year.
OLAPLEX NO. 4C BOND MAINTENANCE CLARIFYING SHAMPOO – $54.00
Oh boy, did this take ages to launch in Australia! I believe this was a Sephora exclusive for a while. And then later became available elsewhere. Either way, I only picked this up in November. And I’ve spent the last three months playing with it. Initially, I was using it weekly, leaving it in my hair for the full five minutes before rinsing and then continuing on with my conditioning. It took me about a month to realise that it was a bit too intense for my hair. My hair is quite fine and on the dry side. So what was happening was that it was cleansing my scalp too much and causing my roots to become more oily than usual.
I now use this every fortnight, only leaving it on my scalp for around 3 minutes. And then following with a hair mask to get back some of that hydration (I’m using the Don’t Despair, Repair from Briogeo). Since making those changes, I’ve been liking it a lot more. But I’m not sure that I would buy this again.
GLOW RECIPE WATERMELON GLOW HYALURONIC CLAY PORE-TIGHT FACIAL – $67.00
Man, this mask rules! Why don’t I hear anyone talking about it? This is my go to mask for those nights where my skin wants a little boost but I have no time. It feels so soothing and wonderful on the skin, it has a slight exfoliation from the blueberry seed powder. And best of all? No super harsh dry down! Definitely one that I recommend.
MAISON FRANCIS KURKDJIAN GENTLY FLUIDITY GOLD – $289.00 for 70ml
Seeing as I just talked this one up last week, I won’t spend too much time here. Suffice it to say, this fragrance is worth every cent that I paid for it. I am truly obsessed. While I’m here, if you see the MFK Discovery Set available at Mecca, grab it. You might wind up hating me because of it, bit it’s such a great way to discover this brand.
SOL DE JANERIO BRAZILAN BUM BUM CREAM – $36.00 for 75ml
Finally, we end this post with a product that actually featured on my very first wishlist back in 2018. I remember wanting to actually smell the Bum Bum Cream before I bought it just in case I didn’t like the scent. Yeah, the scent is so addictive. I can see how they made a beauty empire out of it. I have actually repurchased this a few times since that first time. And while I do like it, the scent is the biggest draw. The cream itself is nice and hydrating. But I’ve definitely tried body butters and creams that I’ve liked more (Hell, the Bom Dia from Sol De Janerio beats this every time). But there is something about the pistachio and caramel goodness that lures me into buying this every time I run out.
And that is a wrap on my spending habits! Well, for this post anyway. Lord knows that the beauty world is always tempting me and my wallet. What have you picked up recently that you’ve been really wanting? Let me know in the comments.
Cheers and love
Emily xo