Let's talk HIGHLIGHTERS/ILLUMINATORS!

You know those people that have their favourite type of item so much so that they continuously just hoard as many as they can full knowing that they probably 1. don't need it, 2. never use it or 3. don't ever finish it. Well, i'm one of those people and i collect highlighters lol. I have serious problem where i just buy so many different highlighters even though they somewhat end up looking the same and i don't think i've ever gone through a whole tube/bottle/palette/stick before. So today I wanted to share with you guys 10 of my highlighters/illuminators that i grabbed from the top of my makeup drawers.

Most used highlighters/illuminators

 My favourite type of look is the flawless skin, fresh faced dewy glow hence why i think i buy so many of these kinds of products, so i can fake that glow! With Spring upon us and the sun coming out, i've been reaching for these products more to give myself that healthy glow.
Let's have a look at the products one by one (Swatches will be shown at the end):

Bobbi Brown Shimmer brick in ROSE.

This is a gorgeous blush but can double up as a highlighter if you use just the top 2 or 3 shades and swipe it across the cheekbones. It's quite powdery and a little chalky so i don't often reach for this as a highlighter but more as an all over blush. It's also quite pricey too here in Aus, retailing for AUD$85 for 10.3g of product.

SportGirl Glow&Behold illuminating bronzer

I purchased this back in either 2010/2011 during the Christmas season. I do remember finding out that they ended up bringing back this product but under a different name. Again, this is more of a blush/bronzer type product but the colour is so beautiful you can always just use this as a highlighter. i love love this product and i actually only JUST used it around August because i had totally forgot i had it. See what happens.. I still have the price on the back of it which says i got it for $9.95! bargain, i hope they bring it back this year!

Benefit's Highbeam

Well.. who hasn't heard of highbeam? otherwise known as "model in a bottle", or so i was told by the Benefit SA. This stuff is pretty amazing, i love using it down the bridge of my nose and on the browbone, it has a very nice glowy sheen and isn't shimmery hence why i like to use it to highlight those particular parts of my face. It's a liquid form and with 13ml of product i doubt i will ever get through a whole bottle of this. I believe this retails for around AUD$52 at any Benefit counter.

Face of Australia liquid illuminator in "Angel Flame"

I kind of stumbled across this product by accident while holidaying in Echuca in August. I'd never heard of this product before but after some research after purchasing it, i found it it was a limited edition product released in 2010 which 3 other shades (How did i not know about this!). At the time it retailed for $14.95 each for 50ml of product! I purchased this on sale in Priceline for $7.50. Had i known this was a LE i probably would have picked up an extra just for the sake of it but really, what caught my attention was the massive ILLUMINATOR sprawled across it, i could not walk away! So i'm glad i purchased it because this stuff is gorgeous. It's a very liquidy light pink illuminator with gold flecks and looks perfect on top of a rose pink blush. It just gives a really nice sheen which is how i like to wear it. So if you're lucky enough to still come across this product i definitely recommend getting it because it won't disappoint! if only i could find the other 3 shades..

MAC skinfinishes in "Whisper of Gilt" and "Superb"

These came out with the Extra Dimension collection back at the start of the year i think. Gorgeous gorgeous highlighters and I couldnt decide which one to get so i just grabbed both! I actually haven't used "Superb" yet until today and that was just to do the swatch down below. These retailed for $50 each and sold out pretty quick so i was really happy to pick these up. Whisper of gilt is a beautiful shimmery gold highlighter that is of a powdery-liquid consistency. It glides on so smoothly and again, i love to apply this to my cheekbones to give a healthy dewy glow to my face. Superb is just as beautiful but is more of a bronze colour, but has the same consistency as Whisper of Gilt. Both are gorgeous products.

Revlon Skinlights

This is a pretty old product, I don't even know if it was released here but i received it as a gift. I used to use this more often back in the days as it was one of my first highlighters/illuminators. I'm not sure if you can still find it around at discount outlets but i have seen them here before. It's a liquid form that comes out of the pump and at 44.3ml, it's taking me a looong time to get through. I doubt i'll make it halfway lol. This product is a shimmery bronze-pink which again, i use to apply on the highpoints of my face but i find that it's tends to become quite oily after a few hours and the shimmer just melts off or disappears, so i guess the staying power is not all that great.

YSL Touche Eclat

This is marketed as a highlighter but i find that it's more of a concealer. I wouldnt really apply this on my face as a highlighter because i find it doesn't really do anything in terms of highlighting. Instead i use it to brighten up any dark spots around my face, generally under my eyes and around the sides of my nose just to even and brighten up the skin tone before applying powder over it. I find it works better this way but it's probably not something i have to have. I wouldn't repurchase it for AUD$58.

Illamasqua illuminator in "Halcyon"

I purchased this from Sephora when one of my friends was coming back to Melbourne to visit. It's also my first and only Illamasqua product and coincidentally i just had to choose an illuminator. It looked really nice online so i wanted to try it out. Let me tell you, this stuff dries QUICK. By quick i mean, once applied, you barely have time to put the brush back in the tube and twist the lid to close before you touch your face again kind of quick. You literally have to apply it and then blend it in STRAIGHT AWAY or else it will dry up and will.not.move. That can be a good and bad thing i suppose. Good in that at least you know you have a super long lasting illuminator that won't melt off your face and bad because if you don't work quick you can end up having a blob of illuminator stuck on your face that you would have to literally scrub off just to start again. So it's a win-lose kind of situation. The shade i have is a white shimmery gold and because of the quick drying effect i hardly use it unless i have a lot of time to blend or else it would look like i just have a blob of glitter sitting on my face. not pretty. I'm not sure how much it retails for here or if they even stock it here but i'm more positive that they do rather than dont. I would estimate that it's probably sold around the $30 mark.

TheBalm Mary-Lou Manizer

This is my newest addition to the highlighter/illuminating family. I purchased this last week in David Jones for $34.95 and it came with a free gift of the Balmbini face palette valued at $49.95. The offers still on so check it out if you're interested! (Deal is spend $27.95 or more on any of TheBalm products to receive the free gift) This highlighter is amazingly gorgeous. It is a finely milled powder that is nicely pigmented. It gives off the most natural glow compared to all the other highlighters i mentioned and is so easy to work with. If i were to recommend one product, it would definitely be this one and for 8.5g of product, it will last you a long time! I can't get over how pretty this highlighter is and i just dust it on all the high points of my face and my face just instantly lights up. Especially when i'm out in the sun i love the glow it gives me and i'm so glad i purchased this! i'm sure you can find it cheaper online so if you're interested just have a browse around, i promise you won't be disappointed!

Time for swatches!

Natural Light L-R: Illamasqua, Benefit, Face of Australia, YSL, Revlon

(Flash) L-R: Illamasqua, Benefit, Face of Australia, YSL, Revlon

Illamasqua Illuminator in "Halcyon"

I also wanted to show you guys what happened when i wiped off all the other highlighters off my arm, the illamasqua still would not budge, the staying power is amazing!

Natural light L-R: MAC "Superb", MAC "Whisper of Gilt", TheBalm, Bobbi Brown, Sportsgirl

Flash L-R: MAC "Superb", MAC "Whisper of Gilt", TheBalm, Bobbi Brown, Sportsgirl

Sorry the last two swatches aren't of great quality, my camera wouldnt really pick up the colours as much as i would have liked but i tried to categorise them into the liquid highlighters and powders.
Hope you guys enjoyed reading!

Also, i would like to know, do any of you guys collect certain products? if so, which ones?? let me know down below! :) x

Singapore Haul

Back in March I took a small vacation to Singapore with my bf. It was my first time there and I have to say, it was one of my favourite places I've traveled to. Singapore is so beautiful and clean. It reminded me very much of Melbourne except that they have a lot more greenery and it just feels a lot more fresh and open. I remember thinking that I could live there if I had all my friends and family with me, but since that's not the case, Melbourne will always be my home :)
So, as you do when you're overseas, I went a little crazy with the shopping and I had already planned to try pick up as many cosmetic products as I could, especially those that I can't purchase here because we simply don't have them. I probably didnt pick up as much as I could have but keep in mind i bought lots of other things such as clothes, shoes, bags etc. But i'll just show you guys the make up related products for the moment. If you guys want to see what else I picked up just let me know!
(click on images for larger view)

(an overview of the products I purchased)


I swear it felt like a lot while i was shopping but i was mildly disappointed when i got home and unpacked. i had this image in my mind that my suitcase was filled with beauty products but to my surprise, it was a lot smaller than what i had imagined lol.

I first came across this product back in 2009 when i was in Malaysia. Maybelline Angel Fit two-way foundation cake has been a favourite of mine ever since. I even had a friend bring back an extra two while on a trip to Thailand! What I love about this is how quick and easy it is to apply. i can just throw it into my bag and touch up during the day when i get oily. It may be a hit or miss for some but it does have very very fine shimmer in it which is ok for me. I use it on a daily basis on top of my BB cream and i feel that it just ties the look together. I'd say it is of medium coverage and feels very light. You have the option of applying it wet but funny enough i havent done that as yet, maybe i should huh? At the moment i have 5 back ups of this product, that's how much i love it!

While shopping around I really wanted to find a mascara I knew I couldn't find here. So on my last day I picked up this Unstoppable Curly Extension mascara by Maybelline. I actually don't mind this mascara. It adds length to my lashes and doesn't clump at all. However I don't think it holds curls for very long. Maybe 4 hours max. I didn't manage to buy a backup but i'm not too fussed as I'm sure i could pick up any mascara here and it'd be the same. No wow factor for me here.

I also managed to pick up a bunch of eyeliners. Two of them liquid pens and one gel liner. Nothing really special here except yes, if you're wondering and can recognise Ms Hyori Lee on the packet of the Clio eyeliner; I did only pick it up because of her image lol, advertising really works! No, but in all honesty, I do really like the Clio eyeliner liquid pen - I bought 3 packs and have already gone through one, the eyeliner allows for a smooth application and can last during my 9 hour day at work. As for the maybelline eyeliner - I havent had a chance to use that yet. Lastly, the gel liner - I'm really not a fan of. The consistency is quite thin and i find i have to do a few coats just to get a solid black line. Not only that, it's not long lasting at all. Pretty disappointing but luckily i didnt purchase a back up. Such a shame though, i really wanted to like it..

I had already been using MUFE HD Foundation prior to this as I had a friend bring a bottle back for me from the US. But that was a few years ago so obviously my shade had changed. This is in the colour #127. I really wished that Australia stocked MUFE products here, in Myer, Priceline or just anywhere! This is my HG foundation ever since I first started using it. It has the perfect coverage of medium to full depending on how much you use and definitely buildable. I apply it with a beauty blender and it really does just make my skin look so flawless and dewy - I always just feel I look so fresh and glowy everytime I use it. Unfortunately I didnt purchase back ups so I use this sparingly.

While I was in Sephora getting colour matched for the HD foundation, the SA applied this on top of the foundation and I just loved the result. My skin felt so soft and just set everything flawlessly. I was sold and although I don't think its a complete necessity in a makeup kit, more of a splurge - it does come in handy for special events as I find it controls my oily skin a lot better.

This.. this concealer is seriously the best concealer i have ever used. I'm using the colour Medium Beige and it is definitely a HG product for me. I'd previously heard about this brand before from beauty videos on youtube a few years back but only when i was in Sephora I came across it for the first time. I had the SA apply some under my eye on the dark circles and wow was I impressed. The texture is quite thick and very creamy. It blends amazingly and although i've read mixed reviews, I find that it doesnt crease at all on my skin. It can hide any blemishes and dark circles or red spots entirely and just blends so so well, I absolutely love this concealer! I'm a little sad i bought the smaller tube, I think its about 5ml but that already set me back something ridiculous like $45 so I couldnt bring myself to purchase the bigger tube. But no doubt i'll be on the hunt for it once i'm through with this one. I love it way too much.

Nothing too special here, you can actually buy the Duo eyelash glue from MAC here in Australia but they don't actually stock the dark tone one which is what i originally wanted. I dont wear false eyelashes too often but I really wanted to just have this in my collection.

Again, not a really exciting product. I do already own the original UD Primer Potion and I hadn't really intended to purchase a primer however I was randomly doing swatches and tests at the UD county and I just liked the thick consistency of the texture. I also liked that it was matte and how it manages to even out skintone. I always have a problem with creasing on my lids so i decided to purchase this and i'm glad i did. I use it whenever I'm wearing eyeshadow and I'm always impressed at how it holds my eyeshadow all night. If you're looking for a good eye primer and can get your hand on one of these then i definitely recommend it!

Yes yes I know.. I don't want to go into this too much cos i'm sure you girls have all read countless reviews on this gorgeous palette. Funnily enough I did not plan to purchase this AT ALL. I already own the original naked palette and honestly I didnt find this one too appealing. However while i was in Sephora I was curious and wanted to swatch the shadows but they didnt have them at the counter. I asked the SA and apparently the launch date was the day AFTER. i was there one day too early. However, I gave the story of how i was a tourist etc etc and somehow she spoke to her manager and he allowed me to have a palette early. Again, wasn't really planning to purchase it but i felt bad as the SA had gone out of her way to ask her boss to give me a palette one day early. It was so sweet of her so I succumbed and purchased it. I actually have not used all the shadows as yet. My favourite is snakebite though which has been the only shade i've used. I love it as an all over lid colour just blended out with black eyeliner. It's my quick go-to for night time. I love the pigmentation and the colour is just perfect for my skin tone. Again, i cant really comment on all the colours as I have not had a chance to go through them as yet.

This is MACs blush in Gingerly. I had previously seen this on a haul video on Youtube and held off purchasing it here as blushes sell for $41-$42 each which is crazzzzy! Although, in Singapore this did set me back I think $36 so it wasn't that much different but hey, i still saved something lol. This blush is the perfect rose colour on my skin. It's my everyday blush and very buildable. It gives the perfect 'flush' without it looking exaggerated. I feel that it looks very natural and just gives my skin the right amount of colour and blends naturally into my skin tone. Will definitely be repurchasing once i run out, even if i have to pay the inflated AUD prices.

(Left to Right: Strawberry Shortcake, Cherry Tart, Peach Parfait & Lollipop)

Before going to Singapore I had known about the imminent release of the Revlon Lip Butters in Australia and i was really curious to try them. I knew the prices would be inflated as usual so i made a mental note to suss them out in Singapore and to my delight they had already been released. So I picked up these four shades. Actually, in Singapore they only had a small selection of colours, i think about 9? I was surprised to see so many different shades over here but I havent bought anymore since. Out of the four I actually use Lollipop the most. It's a very bold deep pink/purple and because my eyes are always very plain with most days i'm just wearing black liner on the top lid - lollipop just completes the look and adds colour to my face. I do like the texture of the lip butters overall, very moisturizing and quite long lasting also. I dont think i'll be purchasing anymore though as i think 4 is enough lol.

So that's all for my Singapore cosmetics haul. Have you guys tried any of these products? What do you think? What do you wish you could try? let me know! x