A Mini American Beauty Haul

Hello again!

I think I am finally (after being home for a week) settling back into some sort of normal again, which includes getting back into my blog!

If you guys didn't know, I was lucky enough to jetset around the states for 4 weeks with my boyfriend on one hell of a holiday!

I have been dying to try out all of my new beauty goodies I purchased on holidays, but wanted to leave it until I could grab some snaps! #bloglife

I really didn't buy a whole lot this trip for a couple of reasons.
1. I have a LOT of makeup already that I don't really use/have occasions to wear/ forget is there and
2. The exchange rate absolutely sucked this time around. Stuff that is normally cheap in America was either more expensive after I converted it back into Australian dollars or around the same price that I could grab it back home.

I did however grab a few pieces that I couldn't get back here in Oz or that were still cheaper after working out the AUD pricing.

Lets start with the pieces from Bath and Body Works. These bits are hard to come by in Australia, however you can grab selected bits from Bath Body and Home.
I picked up 3 travel sized products as they had a promo going, plus they're just easier to cart around. The first is the Velvet Sugar fragrance mist. I had purchased the body wash from Bath Body and Home a while back. This smells SO nice! super sweet. It reminds me of those red love heart lollipops I used to get as a kid!! (who else remembers those??)
I also got the Warm Vanilla Sugar scented body wash and lotion. A lovely sweet but subtle scent.
Then last but not least the hand sanitisers. I love that Bath and Body Works make so many different scents. It's nice not to have to smell so antibacterial after you sanitise your hands. I got the scents Cosy Vanilla Cream and Berry Scary.

Next up are the bits I purchased from Walmart. This is where I found things were still a fair bit cheaper than home and a couple items I hadn't seen in our stores yet.
I got the L'Oreal Miss Manga Rock waterproof mascara in Blackest Black. I had heard good things about the regular Miss Manga mascaras and these were only like $7 USD.
I also grabbed the L'Oreal La Lacque lip crayon in the colour 203 Lacquerized. A glossy fire engine red.
I picked a Milani Powder Blush in the colour Romantic Rose. The picture doesn't really show its true colour but its a lovely dusky rose.
I stocked up on some more Vaseline Lip Therapy Pots. This one is the cocoa butter scent. If you follow me on instagram (@eclecticclash) you would have seen me raving about the creme brûlée flavour.
The last one I'm really excited to try! The Jergens Wet Skin Moisturiser with added coconut oil. If you're a coconut scent fan, you will love this. Perfect for the warmer weather! (when it finally decides to make its way to Victoria...) It's a little different to the Nivea after shower lotion as you don't have to rinse the Jergens lotion off. Just shower, turn off the water, apply to wet skin then pat dry. Sounds really great to me!

Finally I have the bits I grabbed for myself from Sephora. Let me tell you I restrained myself HARD in this store. I wanted everything! I did however grab mainly Kat Von D things as you just can't get them in Australia (apart from Sydney Sephora, which don't do internet orders) I am eagerly awaiting the Melbourne grand opening. This girl will take the day off work if she has to to be there! #eagerbeaver
I purchased one of her new Everlasting Liquid Lipsticks in the colour Outlaw a beautiful traditional blue based red. I could have lashed out and bought majority of the colours available, something for everyone. These are my favourite kinds of lipsticks. Matte and SUPER long-lasting. The swatches on my hand lasted all day long. Perfect for a night out!
I also got a regular Studded Kiss Lipstick in the colour Motorhead. It's a gorgeous matte wine/plum/burgundy red/purple it transfers a lot lighter than the colour of the bullet.

Now I knew before I left home that I wanted to get a Kat Von D Tattoo Liner. This is a lot of YouTuber/bloggers fave liner on the market. BUT! There is a new kid on the block. The Ink! Liner. I thought when I picked it up that it was the same thing but I asked the lady working there at the time if there was any difference and she swatched them together.
This new ink liner is SO much more pigmented than the tattoo liner and it literally does not budge. I can definitely see the hype about her products.

Now this last one was a bit of a splurge for me. I'm not normally a big spender when it comes to makeup. I like my drugstore products but I just had to come home with a Naked Palette. After much deliberation on which one I would get I settled with Naked 2 as i thought I'd get the most wear out of those colours.

And that was my little haul! Very paired back for someone like myself but I'm really happy with all my bits. Besides, this trip was more about just getting away and enjoying each others company and the locations (and lets be honest, THE FOOD) than spending all my money on things I really didn't need.

Let me know if you've tried any of the above or if there's other things you'd like to recommend!

Xx

Whats In My MECCA Wishlist

If you're like me and don't have unlimited funds in the bank, but you love to "window shop" online, then you will have all your favourite sites bookmarked with wish lists, hearts, save for laters all neatly filed away waiting patiently for some rainy day spare cashola to come your way.

Today I wanted to share my Mecca wishlist.
SO MANY AMAZING GOODIES!!!

1. Philosophy - Birthday Girl Vanilla Bath Gift Set.
Who says gift sets ACTUALLY have to be gifts!? Vanilla birthday cake scented shower gel AND lipgloss sound like heaven to me and I think it would go peachy with my TIGI Caramel shampoo and conditioner! (Product review on that here)

2. Soap & Glory - Orangeasm Body Wash.
For starters, I love ALL Soap & Glory packaging and this body wash sounds amazing. Scented with fresh green mandarine, lemon and orange, this wash would be a nice pick-me-up in your morning shower.

3. Bobby Brown - Hot Nudes Eye Palette.
Umm... YES PLEASE! I have a thing for nude eyeshadow palettes (or eyeshadow palettes in general) and this one is no exception! There are 8 gorgeous shades that include mattes, metallics and shimmers.

4. Diptyque - Vanille Candle.
"A blend of vanilla orchard, sandalwood, elemi and balsamy bourbon vanilla, this candle delivers a scent that is both warm and comforting"
How dreamy does that sound!?

5. Philosophy - Hope In A Jar Night.
This is an intense night time retexturizing moisturiser which claims to help noticeably smooth the skin, visibly soften lines and restore your rosy glow... Who wouldn't like the sound of that?

6. Mario Badescu - AHA Botanical Body Soap.
This one is currently living in my shower as we speak and I love it! A definite repurchase from Mecca after buying my first bottle from an American site I'm happy I can finally get it in Australia. This was featured in Women's Fitness magazine and claimed to help eliminate those pesky little bumps you get on your upper arms... Well, I can say it works!!

7. NARS - Velvet Matte Lip Pencil in Cruella.
I've seen a few bloggers rave about these lip pencils and I'd love to get my hands on this colour in particular. A beautiful rich deep red. This shade would look amazing on anybody!

8. Bumble and Bumble - Thickening Dry Spun Finish.
I will try anything that claims to give hair some volume and lift. This claims to add volume, fullness and texture to the hair... SOLD!

9. Philosophy - Coconut Frosting Shower Gel.
Another yummy sounding sweet shower gel to go with my caramel smelling hair. Bring it on!

10. Kiehl's - Creamy Eye Treatment with Avocado.
I'm searching for a new eye cream and this one sounds super hydrating and perfect for putting on before bed. The avocado oil helps restore the skins natural moisture.

11. Urban Decay - Naked3 Eyeshadow Palette.
I'm pretty sure I have saved the most wanted until last. The Naked3 palette is the one I would most like in my hands! The rose gold shades look amazing and I am yet to have one of these palettes in my possession. One day soon Urban Decay. One day soon.

Has anyone tried any of the above or have any other suggestions on things I should try? Leave me a shout out below and let me stalk your wish lists!

Xx

The Christmas Gift Guide Trilogy || Part One. Stocking Fillers for him and her

It's closing in on that time of year again! December 1st marks the countdown to the family feasts, drinking far too much punch and the best part... Opening presents!

To help you get organised for this festive season, I have decided to make things a little bit easier for you all by putting together a Christmas gift guide!

Part One is all about the stocking fillers (gifts under $40)

First up is for the ladies!

1. Poptastic Gift. Lush. $11.95AUD
A cute little box from Lush with 2 bath bombs inside. Perfect for anyone who loves bath time.

2. High Roller Beauty Case. Cotton On. $16.95AUD
Great for any sisters, besties or makeup addicts, a handy travel beauty case with a fun print.

3. Rimmel Brit Kit. Target. $20.00AUD
An awesome gift pack from Rimmel. A black mascara, taupe coloured eyeliner, a sexy red lipstick and a black glitter nail polish. Definitely a bag of classics and one I will be putting on my Christmas list.

4. Paddywax Relish Sweet Cream & Honey Candle. Myer $14.99AUD
Everybody loves a candle don't they? Sweet cream and honey sounds divine and the mason jar just tops off the cuteness level for me.

5. Squared Studs. Cotton On. $6.95AUD
Cute coloured studs, perfect for the party girls.

6. Coconut Gift Cube. The Body Shop. $9.95AUD
A perfect secret Santa gift or for the girls who love their bath and beauty products. The body shop coconut scent is to die for. This little pack comes with a shower cream and body milk with a super soft loofa. Also comes in shea, wild argan oil, mango and strawberry scents.

7. Ashdene Over the Hedgerow Fox Mug. Myer. $14.95AUD
I'm a tea drinker. So therefore I have a bit of a thing for collecting tea cups. These are beautiful. With four different woodland animals to collect, these would make a great gift for anyone who likes their hot drinks.

8. Fred Drinkup Babushka Carafe. Myer. $24.95AUD
Another fun Kris Kringle gift. I own one of these and it lives on my bedside table. Perfect for having a drink before bed and with the top lid/drinking glass on top it stops all of the dust getting in there.

9. Peace Hand Ring Holder. Sportsgirl. $16.95
A super fun gift for your friends. I'd be stoked to unwrap this one on Christmas Day.




Now for the men in your lives.

1. Tommy Snapback. Cotton On. $9.95AUD
I think most guys would be happy with this hat. A simple design that would suit a range of dudes.

2. Cafe Racer Workshop Water Bottle. Myer. $39.95AUD
Something for the motorbike lovers out there. A cool drink bottle they can take to work or use while out in the working on their "man stuff"

3. Lonely Planet You Only Live Once 1st Edition. Myer. $29.99AUD
A cool book written by the lonely planet full of "bucket list" places to see and ideas to reignite the old passions from wanting to learn an instrument or a language. A bit of an eclectic mix of places and things everybody should try at least once. A super fun gift for anyone!

4. Selfie Scope. Cotton On. $19.95AUD
One word. FUN!! A cool gift for those boys who like a good gadget for their phones. An awesome way to get some good group pics or videos. Comes with a bluetooth shutter remote. Even I would like one of these!

5. Pac Man Magnets. Myer $12.95AUD
The retro resurgence is still going strong. People young and old love and know of Pac Man. I think these are a cool stocking filler.

6. Fred Mr Tea Man Infuser. Myer $12.95AUD
Again with the tea. This time a fun infuser for the guys in your life to make tea fun.

7. 50 Fifty Space Invaders Colour Changing Mug. Myer $19.95AUD
Another fun retro gift for the arcade games playing boy. A cool Space Invaders mug that changes as you fill it with hot water.

8. Bailey Case. Cotton On. $12.95AUD
A cool case for your guy to keep his shaving gear or toiletries in.



And that concludes part one of my Christmas gift guide trilogy. I hope it has sparked some ideas for your Christmas shopping adventures. Stay tuned for part 2...

Xx

Review || Zoella Beauty Range.

Another review!

I'm sure anyone who is into the blogging and YouTube world is familiar with Zoella and her new range of products. If not, check out her blog here and her YouTube channel here.

So when they were released on feelunique.com I of course put my order in. 

There are 7 pieces in the range. 

2 makeup/pencil cases, the bath bomb, body lotion, shower/bath gel, a fragrance mist and a candle.

The candle and fragrance were what I was interested in most but they were sold out of the candles and they won't post the fragrance overseas.

The 3 pieces I did get were the Creamy Madly Dreamy Body Lotion, the Fizz Bar and the Soak Opera Bath Soak And Shower Cream.

All 3 products have the same scent. A sweet, floral, musk smell. Not overpowering but very feminine and pretty. I love the packaging design. The bright pinks and gold with polka dots and lace is definitely something that I would gravitate towards in stores.

The body lotion is lovely, it doesn't leave your skin feeling greasy. The bath fizz block is something that is one of a kind in the way it is shaped. It looks like a chocolate bar with 8 squares inside that you can break up and put into your bath. It's nice to be able to get more than one use out of it rather than the regular one use round bath bombs. The shower cream/bath soak makes great bubbles in the bath and lathers up lovely in the shower and leaves you smelling of the fragrance afterwards which is nice.

Overall I think the range is really great! It caters for her younger tween audience as well as people like me in their mid to late 20's. They are super affordable too. Each item was around the $10AUD mark. 

Definitely worth a try if you're in the market for some nice bath products, or also a lovely Christmas present for any ladies in your life. I even think my Mum would enjoy these.

Xx