My Top 5 Cosmetics

It’s been a while since I did a little beauty show and tell. I’m constantly rotating my favourite products and discovering some newbies along the way. I’ve tried to not buy anything new since I’ll be hitting Sephora in person very soon. I’ve been advised by everyone to NOT buy one single thing until I get to NY. And I haven’t really…just the necessities. Sort of.

First cab off the rank is one I picked up while I was waiting in line at Priceline or Chemist Warehouse or one of those big beauty barns. Its BYS Eyeliner Gel and from memory it was around $10. It comes in a cute little pot with a great angled brush to apply it with. I’m no expert at applying gel eyeliner but I found the consistency of this one very easy to use. The best tip I can give is to dab a straight line in stages rather than try to draw it all in one go. It seems to last all day unless there’s a full moon in which I’m reduced to a hysterical lunatic and many tears will ensue. Not waterproof at all.

The next product is a bit of a cult buy. I’ve been using this since I discovered it about 15 years ago. It will instantly plump up your skin and make it glow. If you’ve had a late night are hung over or just need a pick me up then look no further. Clarins Beauty Flash Balm is one of the pioneers in primers. There really is no primer I love quite as much as this. I use it under my BB cream or just on it’s own when I’m feeling brave. It feels cool and soothing on your skin and gives an instant luminous glow.
True story.

One of my pet beauty hates is having to dye my hair. A girlfriend of mine recently discovered a few stray greys along her hairline and was wondering if she should start dyeing it. She’s in her 30’s and has never dyed her hair! So jealous! Never, ever dye your hair unless you really have to.
Unfortunately I really have to. And having dark hair my greys show up almost overnight. In between dyeing my hair I sometimes use this clever mascara brush thingy (technical term) to instantly cover the greys. I do not recommend you use this instead of dyeing your hair- it’s only a quick fix when you’re about to run out the door and notice a white hair standing up in salute. It covers it instantly. Apparently it’s also good for men to use on their beards. I got mine from a salon warehouse for around $10. The mascara, not the beard.

This next product was recommend by my sister who has been using it for ages and absolutely loves it. It’s Garnier’s Dark Spot Corrector. I use it as my daily moisturiser and I absolutely love it! It smells fresh and citrusy (Vitamin C) and feels quite concentrated. It’s designed to even skin tone by visibly reducing the appearance of dark spots and discolourations.
It retails for around $15 for 50ml. I highly recommend this if you’re looking to fade some sun damage or hormone spots on your face.

Does anyone remember when Revlon first bought out the Vixen shade? It was a revolution in nail colour as it was one of the first dark tones available. Up till then all we had were pretty pinks and reds. Vixen was that deep blood colour, almost black. I was a teenager when it first came out and remember what a revolution it was. This shade by L’Oreal Paris is one of the closest colours I’ve found to it. It’s from their Colour Riche range that includes a top coat in it so it’s extra hard wearing.
I can actually get 5 days from it before it starts to chip. This shade is called Burgundy Diva and retails for around $10. I love the brush on this polish- it feels thick and luxurious so you don’t need to mess around when applying it. One stroke usually does it.

What are some of your favourite beauty products at the moment. Do you stick to the same ones or do you experiment and chop and change? 

Chrystal Lovevintage is the mother of twins, loving wife and vintage tragic.

A child of the 80s who loves pop culture, Danish design and vegemite toast with honey.

Loves fashion, reading autobiographies and has a knack for turning trash to treasure.

Chrystal’s honest reflections are an insight into her colourful and at times crazy world.

You can follow her blog at www.chrystalovevintage.wordpress.com