NARS x Sarah Moon 'Isadora' Blush Review

If you haven't witnessed the insane hype around NARS products - in particular, their blushers along with the famous 'Laguna Bronzer' - then hello, welcome to the world of beauty blogging, it's nice to meet you!

NARS blushers are frequently referred to as some of the best blushers on the market, but at the hefty price of $44 per a single blush (and they're not huge or anything, either!), it's taken me quite some time to actually splurge on one of these cult classics. What finally convinced me was a combination of having leftover spending money from my trip to Europe at hand, and this particular blush shade being limited edition as part of the NARS x Sarah Moon Holiday Collection.

Isadora is a medium, warm and rosy plum shade with a frosted finish. This is honestly such a gorgeous shade, and perfect for mid-autumn right through winter. It's extremely pigmented - I honestly think this is going to last me for years because you really only need the smallest amount to cover both cheeks. Unfortunately, I learnt that the hard way the first time I tested it out - I'm sure you can imagine some hilarious images of me with a strong, dark pink splotch on my left cheek. *cringe*

I'd definitely suggest being very light-handed with this one, and tapping off the excess. While it's taken some getting used to, I do appreciate the insane pigmentation of this blush.

Once it's on your cheeks, it stays there. This blush lasts all day with little-to-no fading, which I'm certainly pleased about. The colour is super gorgeous, and the interesting mixture of plum colouring (which usually leans cool) with a warm undertone to it is lovely for those of you who, like me, seem to bounce between skin tones.

What do you think of NARS blushers - love them, or hate them? Did you pick up anything from the NARS x Sarah Moon Collection?

Have a lovely day!

x Chontelle

BEAUTY | Too Faced 'Sweet Peach' Palette Sneak Peak!

Today I found out about something that will finally convince me to purchase my first Too Faced palette - the first sneak peek of the Sweet Peach palette from the brand's upcoming Summer 2016 (aka.Aussie Winter 2016) collection!

As the name so clearly suggests, this palette is all about the peachy hues, full of beautiful warm toned shadows that are perfect for any Summer/Fall look (or just year-round really, depending on how much you like peachy colours)! Now for me, this is the perfect palette - I love love LOVE peach tones and I've yet to find a palette that actually embraces and provides such a gorgeous range of peachiness, well until now that is!

Picture Credit: @trendmood1 on Instagram

Now, I totally appreciate the quality, pigmentation, variety etc etc of the current Too Faced palettes, not just the Chocolate Bar palettes but the natural eyes, budoir, cat eyes - all of them are lovely, great quality palettes. But I'm not a fan of 'too crazy' colours (if you haven't already noticed, I'm a neutrals kinda gal), and both of the Chocolate Bar palettes really don't offer the hugest range of new shades after my original Naked 1 palette so despite loving the palettes, with my student & casual employee budget I really cannot justify such similar palettes (at least not at $70-$81 each).

So this gorgeous palette has me SUPER excited, because I've always wanted to own some of the amazing Too Faced eyeshadows, and this here is not only a palette I can totally and completely justify, but one I could honestly see becoming my favourite! I'm especially lusting over 'Just Peachy', 'Candied Peach', and 'Bell-something (I can't make it out)'!

Oh, and did I mention that it's supposedly going to be infused with real peach essence and smells like peahces!?! YES PLEASE!

Picture Credit: @trendmood1 on Instagram

And here's a photo that shows the packaging - seriously, how cute is it? I love the ombre look going on, gorgeous peachy colours, and as with the previous palettes the palette is in a sturdy, slim tin palette. 

I seriously cannot wait for this palette to be released, and hopefully it won't take too long for it to be released here in little ole' Australia after the US. Who knows, it may even be released in time for my 20th Birthday at the end of July?! ;)

What do you think of this new palette, are you as excited as I am? Will you be picking this one up? Let me know in the comments below!

xx Chontelle Louise

BEAUTY | What I Got for Christmas 2015

Hey lovelies, I hope you've had an amazing Christmas! Today's post comes with much excitement as I begin to unbox and play around with the beauty bits I got this Christmas. I'm really happy with the mix of products I received this year, which included a few surprises I didn't expect! I'll just point out in here that this post is not intended to be 'bragging', I simply wanted to share my little haul with you guys. 

This year things were kept to a minimum, both in quantity and price.

Smith Street Market Musk Stick Scented Body Lotion;

It doesn't really have much of a musky scent to it, or any scent at all really, but I absolutely adore the cute packaging and will probably keep it like this in the bathroom as more of a decoration.

Maybelline Baby Lips Lip Balm in Lychee Addict;

Everyone knows about baby lips lip balm by now, and I'm sure I'm not the only one with a small stash of them lying around in my room or handbag. This is a new scent/flavour (well, here anyway, who knows how long it's been available overseas before it arrived in little old Oz!), and it truly does smell like lychee's - which is perfect for me because I love lychee's! As usual, the balm is super moisturising on the lips and I'll definitely be getting a lot of use out of this one!

Essie Nail Polish in Wrap Me Up (Cashmere Matte);

My first ever Essie Nail Polish (I know, took me long enough)! I was really excited when I found this colour at my local Priceline - it's the perfect nude nail! It only took two coats to get this gorgeous opaque coverage you see above, however my only qualm with this exact polish is that as it is matte, it is absolutely essential to add a top clear coat if you want this one to last all day (which sucks for me right now as I've recently misplaced my only clear polish, boo). But regardless, it is lovely and I will definitely be wearing it more often when I have a clear top coat at hand!

Covergirl All Day Lip Colour Set (Moisturising Top Coat & All Day Colourant) in 598 Forever Fawn;

This is a pretty interesting pair. The set comes with a moisturising lip balm (supposedly a top coat but I feel it is better used underneath the colour, maybe that's just me), and an all day lip colour in the form of a creamy gloss/lipstick hybrid in a gorgeous pinky-brown 'fawn' colour. To be honest, I probably won't be bothered to use these two together, but it's nice to have a clear, unscented balm that I could potentially throw under matte and drying lipsticks in the future.

L'Occitane en Provence Cherry Blossom Hand Cream;

According to L'Occitane, their hand cream is an international best seller (I don't know much at all about this brand, this is my first product from them), but after some quick google research it seems to have a pretty good reputation. I'm actually not a big fan of hand creams as I feel so icky and uncomfortable about thick, creamy substances being on my hands (it's just one of those personal things), but I'm going to give this one a go because well, I didn't have to pay for it and I may as well try it once or I'll never know, right? It has a soft hint of a floral scent which is quite nice but not at all overpowering.

Creation Lamis Diable Bleu Eau de Parfum Spray 100mL;

This is the perfect drugstore perfume, and one I've been meaning to pick up for a while now. Honestly, if it wasn't for mum I probably never would have considered this perfume. It's pretty much her go-to everyday perfume which she uses in place of her YSL Paris (special occasions mostly), and it is somewhat similar in scent. It's really hard to describe this perfume in any other way though, so you may just have to test it out for yourself, but I will say it's absolutely gorgeous and for only $12.99aud, it's a steal!

Nutrimetics Lipstick in Sparkling Bordeux (discontinued);

This lipstick is really a gorgeous colour, and coupled with a creamy application and no sickly scents (you know, that awful cheaper-lipstick scent that is almost akin to rubber?), it really is a lovely product. This was a hand me down of sorts, unused but not 'brand new', this colour has been discontinued since 2011 which shows how old the lippy is - but that doesn't seem to have affected its quality, and if it has, then I can only imagine how nice it would have been brand new! That said, like most drugstore lipsticks or Avon/Nutrimetics pamphlet beauty products, it doesn't have the best lasting power and does transfer a fair bit. But it's still gorgeous for short spurts of use!

I really hope you've enjoyed reading this post, I certainly enjoyed writing it up and playing around with my new beauty goodies! I'd love to know what you got for Christmas this year, be it beauty, fashion, or other items! 

xx Chontelle Louise

Pretty Playsuit | OOTD 13.12.15

My Outfit:

Floral Playsuit - ICE

Strappy Sandals - Kmart

Wow, it's been a while since I posted an outfit of the day on here for you guys! Today's ootd is super simple, a playsuit and some strappy sandals. I love throwing a playsuit on whenever I head into the city or somewhere that I'd like to be a little more dressy for, but don't feel like (or have the time to!) put together a complete outfit. Effortless fashion, I like it!

This playsuit is from one of the cheaper fast fashion stores here in Australia, ICE Design, so I was super impressed to find it there - and it only cost me $30! Unfortunately, I actually purchased this one in Winter of 2014 and it's been out of stock since about then, but this style of playsuit seems to be quite popular as the chain continues to bring out very similar pieces (and a mix of short, strappy and long sleeves) so if you're interested I'd definitely recommend checking your local store - don't be discouraged by the online range, I find that the online pieces differ so widely from the in store selections that you may as well be shopping at two different stores!

And of course, you can never go wrong with the cheap & comfy Kmart sandals. I always pick up a pair over summer as it's pretty much the only time I wear them and I can't justify spending more than $7-$12 on shoes I rarely put on! They actually last pretty well though, this is still last years pair! You'd never know :P

What do you think of this simple ootd? Let me know in the comments below!

xx Chontelle Louise

Summer Factorie Try On Haul

There's (finally) a new video up on my channel! Enjoy x

Casual Chic

My Outfit:

Oversized Cardigan - Cotton On

Lace Pattern Crop - Factorie

High Waisted Shorts - Sophie Charlotte Italy

Bag - Colette

Suede Look Cut Out Heels - Izabel London

xx Chontelle Louise

'Spring' into Spring

Spring. It's here. The cold season is officially behind us and as the weather warms up and everyone begins to emerge from hibernation, it can be a struggle to get back into the swing of things.

It can be easy to fall into the 'winter trap', losing both inspiration and motivation as the gloomy weather takes hold, bringing your mood down with it. All you want to do is curl up in bed, under your (several) blankets, with a hot drink and the television remote until the heat finally returns. It can be impossible to get out of bed many mornings and it's easy to feel uninspired, lazy and just, blegh. 

Sometimes you just need a little push to regain motivation and bring some life back into your life! Here are some of my top tips to help you do just that!

De-clutter. Also known as a 'Spring Clean'. Honestly, clearing out your space, getting rid of all the junk, sweeping up the dust and re-organising everything to create a space you want to spend time in - there's no better way to start the season! Clear space, clear mind!

Set some goals. Figuring out what you want to work towards is the first step in dragging yourself out of a winter rut. Setting goals gives you something to aspire to achieve and work towards. Do you want to lose 5kg? Start a blog? Spend more time with your friends? Save up for a holiday or some new shoes? Think about it, and set yourself some goals.

Make a vision board. This is such a great, fun way to gather the goals you've set, find some inspiration, and put together a visual representation of what you'd really like to set your sights towards. Ever since I started making vision boards, I honestly believe that the things I've been wanting in life have begun to manifest themselves in some way and it's really helped me to stay on track for what I want to achieve. You can stick inspirational quotes, pictures of dream travel destinations, a graduates cap, the apartment you'd love to live in, a number of blog views you'd like to reach - anything important to you!

Get outside and smell the roses (or whatever flowers are blooming near you). Being cooped up inside all winter can really put a damper on your mood. Get up, get dressed, and get outside - the fresh air will do you a world of good as you take in that spring feeling!

Catch up with friends. I'm sure we're all guilty of letting relationships fall through the cracks over winter, especially when the desirable alternative is to stay home in your p.j's and sleep. Get on your phone, Facebook - whatever, and organise to catch up for lunch or shopping with some friends. Reconnect with friends, have some social interaction, it'll be fun - promise!

Update your wardrobe. Who doesn't love a little retail therapy? Not me, that's for sure. I find that one of the best ways to welcome spring with open arms is with some new spring wardrobe pieces. Now I'm not saying you should spend all your money on things you don't really need and if you don't then you'll feel gloomy and uninspired forever, not at all. If you've got more important things to spend your money on then that'll always come first, and maybe you simply don't want anything new - but a few affordable pieces can really help you brighten up and feel good. Whatever works, right!

Begin a health kick. Chances are, you've been indulging in some naughty, hearty foods throughout winter and your body's feeling a bit sluggish and weak as a result. Now is the perfect time to...
and, bonus - you'll have a head start on that 'summer body' everybody strives to achieve (in the two weeks before summer arrives that is)!

What are some of your favourite ways to put some 'spring' into your step? Let me know in the comments below! 

Thanks so much for reading, and Happy Spring! <3

xx Chontelle Louise

Brunch at Mr Mister | Windsor

I've been wanting to try the new trend in cafe brunch food - 'baked eggs' - for a pretty long time now, but for some reason I'd never gotten around to it. Well, today was the day that all changed, and I honestly can't believe it took me this long to try this meal out!

Mr Mister is a lovely and well-loved cafe on Chapel Street in Windsor. After reading an array of great reviews on Zomato and their Facebook page, I was completely set on checking the place out for myself. I'd also already decided on exactly what I would be ordering the night before (I can be a bit OCD, but I don't see any issue with that!), and while I did have a browse over the menu in case any of the other equally attractive options stood out, I stuck by my original choice.

For my brunch food, I ordered the Baked Eggs with wild mushrooms, brie, and toasted hazelnuts. It also came with a side of toasted bread with oil.

Oh my goodness. Where has this been all my life!? I can honestly say that this is one of the best meals I've ever had! The combination of crispy melted brie, toasted hazelnuts and herbs on the top of the dish gave the most amazing first taste - and it only got better from there. Inside, the baked eggs had a fluffy, almost omelette-like quality and again, a strong but not overwhelming taste of brie and herbs. The wild mushrooms added a lovely touch to the dish. As a side, we received some simple toasted bread. It was fresh, perfectly toasted, and rather than butter there was a touch of oil on the bread - perfect.

I had also decided on trying the Matcha Latte. I absolutely love matcha, however I usually have it as a tea drink so I was really excited to find a cafe that offered it in latte-form. Honestly, it was amazing, and I'm pretty certain matcha lattes will soon replace chai lattes as the trendy new tea/coffee substitute! Not to mention, they have the bonus of being really good for you! It's a win win really! Unfortunately, I completely forgot to take some snaps of the lattes with my camera, but I did take some pics for Instagram with my iPhone so I'll pop them in here for you to drool over!

I had a really great experience at Mr Mister cafe in Windsor, and it was the perfect outing to start the Spring season with. I'll definitely be heading back for another Matcha Latte and Baked Eggs, however I'll force myself to broaden my horizons and consider something else on the menu too (can't make any promises, though)!

xx Chontelle Louise

Spring City Brunch | #OOTD

My Outfit:

Scallop Hem Check Top - Dotti

Denim/Suede Feel High Waist Shorts - Sophie Charlotte Italy

Baby Blue Leather Look Shoulder/Handbag - Laurentino

Black Ankle Boots/Booties - Spend Less Shoes

Spring has officially sprung today in Melbourne, so what better way to celebrate (while on my week-long uni break at that!) than a weekday brunch outing? For the first time in months, it was actually warm enough (for some of the day anyway) to go out in a short-sleeved shirt, so I took the opportunity to wear my new scallop hemmed top from Dotti (on sale for only $19.99!!) that I picked up at Southland Shopping Centre yesterday. Definitely loving this purchase, the top is super comfy and looks really stylish - I could easily dress this up for a day in the office or dress it down to run up to the shops.

I paired the top with my favourite shorts that I picked up from Sophie Charlotte Italy when I was on holiday in Rome last October (about 45€, so around $75aud). They're such amazing quality, so comfy & look amazing on, I just love them! I wore some thick black stockings underneath because, well it's not that warm yet guys!

I decided to add a slight pop of colour to my outfit seeing as though it is Spring now, in the form of my gorgeous Laurentino shoulder/hand bag ($65 on sale). It's got the nicest sort of crumpled-style leather look to it, cream lining inside, two separate zipped pouches, and an abundance of outside pockets for phones/cameras/spare change - you name it! I got this for my birthday just over a month ago and it's honestly my favourite bag now! I finished the look with these cute black ankle boots/booties from Spend Less Shoes. Confession, they're actually not mine! I found them in mum's shoe closet (yes, shoe closet) with the tag still on ($39.99 for anyone interested) and kind of took them over!

This outfit was perfect for a semi-casual day shopping and wandering around Chapel Street and a lovely brunch at Mr Mister Cafe (blog post here).

What do you think of this look? Let me know below, and happy Spring! (or Autumn/Fall, to all my northern hemisphere readers)!

xx Chontelle Louise

Conservatory at Crown

Let me just start this post with one simple word that pretty much describes my experience at Crown's Conservatory Buffet...
Wow.

Just, wow.

There is such a huge, successful reputation behind Crown and everything in it - including the Conservatory. They aim to deliver a great dining experience, from the food quality and variety, to the decor and atmosphere - and they do so effortlessly.

Choosing to come by public transport, it was an easy 5-10 minute walk over the Yarra River via Sandridge Bridge from Flinders Street Station. Though it was a wee bit wet, it was hard not to appreciate the beauty of Melbourne as I made my way over to Crown. So points for location.

Crown itself was also in a beautiful location, overlooking the Yarra. The Swanky Casino is somewhat overwhelming, but ultimately its allure draws you in. Inside, it looks like something out of a magazine or a movie. Personally, I'm not used to visiting places as lovely as Crown so I may sound pointlessly starry-eyed, but this was something special to me! The casino reminded me - rightfully so - of the many casino's I ventured into back in 2012 when I was on holiday in Las Vegas. I will admit that it still had nothing on Vegas casino's, but we're not in Vegas - we're in Melbourne. And with that in mind, it was amazing.

After a bit of a stroll around inside the casino, we made our way up to The Conservatory for our lunch time booking. We were still a bit early and the staff were setting up for the lunch sitting. I peered into the Conservatory full of excitement at what lay ahead (well and truly prepared and comfortable in my stretchy jeggings, FYI). At last, we were seated.

Now the real fun began! Once comfortably seated with our bags finally off of our shoulders and no need to worry about waiting for a good seat, we were ready to tackle the buffet. Making our way to the many food stations, we were spoilt for choice. There was a great selection of fresh seafood, sushi, salads, breads and cheeses, an Asian station, Indian station, and a carving station with the most delicious medium-rare beef I have ever tasted. Oh, and my all-time favourite food - a creamy, delicious potato bake!

Yes, I was in love.

If you're not frothing at the mouth at the sight of these pictures yet, you will be soon!

After consuming as much savoury lunch food as we could possibly manage, along with a glass of complimentary red wine, we were ready to approach the dessert station. Now, I'd 110% describe myself as a savoury kinda gal - however - .though I may not be physically capable of consuming too much sweet food, I certainly like to try.

This station had such an amazing variety of gorgeously presented and incredibly tasty desserts! There were all sorts of cakes, slices and puddings - all in single serving sizes and so pretty you almost didn't want to eat them! There were the cutest little mini macaroons, a selection of fresh fruits, multiple flavours of deliciously creamy ice-cream, and the highlight of the station - the chocolate fountains. Yes please.

To die for, really.

Honestly, I was sad when it was time to leave. We literally were seated right away when the Conservatory opened for lunch, and before we knew it, it was almost 2pm and they were letting guests know they were closing soon. We jumped up (slowly, very very slowly) and were on our way home, beyond satisfied with the food, atmosphere and experience we'd just had.

And yes, we will be back. After all, it's mum's birthday in a few weeks time! :P

What do you think of the Crown Conservatory? Love it? Hate it? Never been? Dying to visit? Let me know in the comments below!

xx Chontelle Louise

Casino Adventures.

My Outfit:

Bowler Hat - H&M

Trench Coat - Cotton On

Infinity Scarf - H&M

Shoulder Bag - Colette

Grey Shoulder Cut-Out Top - Temt

Black High-Waist Skinny's - H&M

Black Buckled Booties - I'm not 100% as they're mum's, but I'm going with Big W :)

It's been so so so cold lately here in Melbourne, but over the last few days the weather has finally started to let up just a little and I've been able to make the transition from thermal ski attire, to warm winter layers (no, I'm not over-exaggerating - my body is not made for this kind of climate)!

This outfit is effortlessly classy, while maintaining casual comfort and warmth. The minimal colour scheme is perfect for a winter outing. I wore this outfit the other day when I went to the Crown Conservatory in Southbank for a buffet lunch with mum, and it was perfect for sitting and consuming large portions of food in (and the coat did a great job of hiding my food baby in the aftermath)! 

What do you like (or dislike) about this look? 

xx Chontelle