Primark/Penneys Mini Shoe Haul

Hello everyone! It's been ages since I've posted but I hope to get back into it properly this month. I am currently on holidays at home in Ireland and loving every minute of it. Of course a trip home would not be complete without a visit to Primark (Penneys if you're Irish :) )! I did buy more than shoes but I thought this would make for a quick blogpost.

The only pain with shopping at home is the clash of seasons between Europe and Australia, so it's mostly Summer clothes in stock at the moment but that didn't stop me from spending a small fortune! First, I picked up these chambray canvas shoes for only €4, I actually buy a pair like this nearly every summer, they're great to wear with dresses, shorts or skinny jeans and so light weight. I love the floral design on this pair and can't wait to wear them during the summer months in Perth.

Next, I bought these lovely snake skin effect with gold chain detail sandals for €10. I love these because they're so different from any pair of sandals that I already own. I think these will be perfect for nights out when I don't feel like trekking around town in a pair of heels, they have a nice dressy feel to them.

This next pair of shoes were bought to me from my Mom, I had seen these heels doing the rounds on Instagram and I was desperate to get a pair because I knew well they would have been sold out by the time I got back to Ireland. These are the ulitmate mermaid shoes! I can't wait to wear these on a night out with some leather look trousers or even with an LBD. These again  where a bargain at only €15.

Last but not least is my new favourite pair of shoes! Again I seen these in numerous Instagram posts last month and I was mad to get a pair. Like the heels I thought they would be sold out but I spotted them on my second visit to Penneys (yes I went more than once) and put them in my basket straight away. I'm obsessed with any kind of shoe that laces up and I can't wait to wear these to school when I get back. They are so comfy, they also come in a beige/cream colour but I prefer black because it will go with most outfits. These were priced at €13

So that's my little shoe haul, if you'd like me to do a lookbook of some of the other things I got whilst home please leave a comment below or comment on my Instagram (@lipstickwanderlust). 

As always thanks for reading,

Colleen x

20 Random Facts About Me

I thought I would do a blog post about me to share a bit more about myself with you :) So here is 20 random facts about me:

1. I have four tattoos

2. I am absolutely obsessed with penguins and anything penguin related, I have over 20 cuddly penguins in my room at home in Ireland

3. I moved to Australia 2 years ago by myself and it was the scariest thing I've ever done to date

4. I am a secondary school science teacher

5. I am the youngest in my family and I have 2 older brothers

6. I've been with my boyfriend for over 8 years and I honestly don't know what I would do without him <3

7. My all time favourite tv show has to be Sons of Anarchy and I was devastated when it finished up earlier this year!

8. I have traveled to France, Spain, Russia, Indonesia, Thailand, Germany, England, America and Australia. I hope to add to that list over the next few years, travelling is an experience like no other.

9. During my first few weeks in Australia I got to meet Heath ( Dan Ewing) from Home and Away
10. I love to run! I've taken part in a number of 10k runs and hope to one day train for a marathon ( all I need is a little bit more motivation).

11. My favourite shop without a shadow of a doubt is Penneys (Primark), if I had to shop at one place for the rest of my life I'd gladly live in Penneys clothes.

12. Hozier is my go to music for the last few months and I'm going to see him here in Perth this coming October.

13. I am obsessed with green tea, I drink at least 5 cups of it a day

14. My star sign is Pisces

15. My celebrity crush is Bradley Cooper ( its his eyes! )

16. I hate mushrooms

17. The one place I'd like to visit is Machu Picchu in Peru, every picture I see of it is so beautiful.

18. When it comes to my clothes and make up I am really messy, I leave them lying around the house which drives my boyfriend mad

19. My name is the Irish for girl, when I was in primary school at Christmas time I would get cards addressed to Coleen, Cailín (the Irish spelling) or Collen

20. The person who inspires me the most is my mother (cheesy I know) she is the strongest, most generous and loving person I know

May Favourites 2015

Rubi Cheeks (Highlighter)

This highlighter is so pretty on the skin, I got this free in my gift box from the Hoyts Girls Night Out recently and I haven't stop using it since. It's a lovely peach/gold colour that is so pigmented! My skin has such a nice glow when I use it. This is the first Rubi make up product I've used and I really eager to try more of their products, they're definitely good quality. ( Just to note it says its a blusher but I find the colour is more suited for use as a highlighter)

Available from Rubi here

Skull Watch

This is an accessories favourite that I've been loving this month. I wanted a new watch for more everyday wear and something that wouldn't break the bank. This watch was an absolute bargain at $10 and I love the design. It's perfect because its small and the fact that it was so cheap I don't have to worry too much about damaging it. It also goes with most outfits too which is another bonus.

I picked up this watch from Cheep in Caruosel. 

Maybelline Master Graphic Eyeliner

I'm always on the lookout for easy to use liquid liners, I seen a video Lauren Curtis posted about this eyeliner and she made it seem so simple to use. I picked this up a few weeks ago and I haven't used any of my other eyeliners since. This is AMAZING! It's so easy to make a thick or thin line by turning the nib of the marker at different angles. It's really pigmented and it last's all day. If you're looking for liquid liner that's easy to master then this is for you.

Available from Chemist Warehouse here

Rubi Shoes Tan Ankle Boots

Now that Australia is coming into winter, boots are a must have for your wardrobe. I own a couple of pairs of boots already but they're all black so I wanted something in tan or brown that I could wear with jeans and in particular navy outfits ( I own a LOT of navy clothes). I picked this pair up from Rubi shoes and I love them, the colour is perfect and they are so comfortable, if you follow me on Instagram  (username: lipstickwanderlust) you'll have noticed I'm getting great wear out of the altogether! :)

Available from Rubi Shoes here

So that's everything I've been loving this month.

Hope you enjoyed,

thanks for reading,

Colleen x

My Favourite Brow Products

NYX Cake Powder

Image  from nyxcosmetics.com

Image from nyxcosmetics.com

This powder palette is my holy grail brow product! I've been using this for nearly two years now and I haven't found anything better. I have the palette in the dark brown shades, it comes with  two different shades,dark brown and light brown,  as well as this you get some wax which you can use to hold your brows in place. I use the darkest colour to shape the tail of my brow and the lighter colour to shape the inner part of the brow. Before I apply the powders I use the wax to hold the shape of my brows, I only use a small amount of wax because too much and you end up with a 'slick rick' look. :) The powders are so pigmented and for the price ($9.95) it is definitely worth the purchase!

(I took this picture from the NYX cosmetics website because my palette is a bit grubby from using it so much)

Available from Target here

Essence Brow Pencil

I use this brow pencil in conjunction with the NYX powder, before I apply any powder I use this pencil to fill in the middle of my brows to fill in any gaps where there's less hair. I use the shade darkest brown and it suits my brow colour perfectly. The pencil itself is so soft and pigmented and doesn't clump or flake away when you apply it. The best thing about it as with all Essence products is the price.

Available from Priceline here

Rimmel Brow This Way

If you prefer a more natural looking brow this is the product for you, I use this when I'm having a 'no make up' day. It has a wand that you use to apply the product and you just simply brush it through your brows. It helps to hold your brows in place and thicken out your brows. If I'm going on a night out I usually use all three of the these products depending on the look I'm going for, I usually apply the Brow This Way last.

Available from ASOS here

So that's my favourite brow products, if you have a 'Holy Grail' product that's worth trying out comment below and let me know :)

Thanks for reading,

Colleen x

April Favourites 2015

Hello! My blog has been seriously neglected over the last few weeks while I wait to get the broadband sorted in our new house. Hence why this post is a few weeks late. :)

Australis Cya Later Pores (20ml)

So first up is this primer from Australis, to be honest I have only got into primers over the last year I never really bothered with them before but I do finally understand the benefits of using one! This primer is supposed to promote matte-look finish which I agree with 100% , after I apply it my skin feels soo soft and gives a nice finish to any type of foundation that I've tried it with. It's also suppose to help tackle spots and I do think it has helped with some of my problem areas but I do use a couple of products to tackle this problem. If you want your make up to last all day then this primer is defo worth picking up, I've found my foundation can last up to 12 hours when I use this. This primer is definitely very similar to Benefit's Porefessional so if you're looking for a cheaper alternative this is worth picking up.

Find this product here

Rimmel London Wonderfull Mascara (11ml)

I've actually had this mascara for quite awhile now and the first few times I used it I thought it was a bit crap to be honest but then I started to use it for work and I found the trick is to apply 2-3 coats of it and it gives that full and long look. I like it because it's not too dramatic for work but it still gives the voluminous look. It is the perfect every day wear mascara and for those days when you're going for that 'no-make up' look.

Find this product here

Lush Mask of Magnaminty (125g)

If you're a massive fan of YouTube like me you'll know everyone and their mother absolutely raves about Lush products! So I decided to see what all the fuss was about, I had previously attempted to shop in Lush before but always got turned off by the strong smells in the shop and I never knew what to actually buy. Anyways, I asked my friend Elaine from the Weird and Wonderful blog for some recommendations and she suggested this face mask. It's suppose to help tackle any nasty breakouts that you might have, I've been using it for over a month now once a week and I can definitely seen a big improvement in the condition of my skin, the best part about it is the smell you'll be so tempted to eat it because it smells exactly like After Eights! I would highly recommend this product because it works and it lasts ages, I've used it 7 or 8 times now and still have over half a tub left. Also if you keep 5 of your empty containers and bring them back into Lush they'll gift you one free face mask so its another bonus!

Find this product here

Savvy Nautral Finish Bronzer 

This has been a holy grail bronzer for me for over two years now, I love it so much and use it almost every day. I like it because it doesn't have any shimmer in it which makes it perfect for everyday wear. I use the colour 06 Tan and its perfect for contouring and blends so easily. The best thing about this bronzer is the price at only $5.99. 

Find this product here

That's everything I was loving last month, hopefully it won't be too long until my next blog post

Thanks for reading,

Colleen x

Collective Makeup Haul

Hello! Over the past week I've picked up a few make up items and thought I’d share them here. Most of the things I bought ended up being lip products, I'm obsessed lately!

Essence Longlasting Lipstick

The first lipstick I bought is from Essence, it’s in the shade ‘Come Naturally’ from their longlasting lipstick range. This is such a nice nude colour perfect for everyday wear. It reminds me of ‘Brave’ by MAC and I think it’s a good match for my Essence lip liner in the colour ‘In the Nude’ that I talked about in my Essence haul post. Also this shade is more brown toned with a hint of pink in it.  Essence lipsticks are such a bargain $4.70 each!

Maybelline Color Drama Lip Pencil

Last weekend when I was in Priceline it was 30% off all Maybelline products so I picked up one of their Color Drama lip pencils. I got the shade 310 ‘Berry Much’, which as you can tell from the name is a purple berry colour. This is the second lip pencil by Maybelline that I've bought in recent weeks and I really, really like them! They’re so soft and creamy and easy to apply because of the pencil style. This colour is really pigmented and just one application does the job. I love all berry tones for the winter season and with the sale they’re priced at less than $7, both Priceline and Target are having the 30% off promotion which makes them easy to get.

Australis ‘Cya Later Pores’ Spot Primer

I don’t own too many primers as I tend to use the same one until it runs out. I've seen a few beauty blogs talk about this primer on Instagram and I am curious to see if it’s any good. The description on the back says that it is a ‘spot primer that promotes a natural matte-look finish whilst concealing imperfections and preventing foundation from caking’.  It’s a silicone-based primer which is the only kind I like and it feels a lot lighter on the skin than the primers I already own. I haven’t had a chance to try this yet, so I might review it in another blog post after I do.

Rimmel’s Moisture Renew Lipstick

I went shopping in Gloss yesterday for the first time in ages and I was kicking myself that I hadn't been going there all along! Gloss is a shop in Australia that sells cheap accessories and make up. All of the makeup they had was almost half the price they are in some chemists. I’m not sure if they are last season or discontinued but they had loads to pick from. I got this lipstick in the shade 180 ‘Vintage Pink’. This colour is very similar to the Essence lipstick but I’m a sucker for nudes because they’re so easy to wear. It is more pink toned than Come Naturally and it’s a satin finish on the lips.

Chi Chi Glamorous Mattes Eye Shadow Palette

The last thing I purchased was this Chi Chi eye shadow palette in the Matte version. I've been planning on getting this palette for awhile and when I went into Target yesterday they were having 30% off all Chi Chi products so I knew it was a sign ha! I don’t own many matte eye shadows so this palette is perfect. With this palette you get 12 different shades starting with a dark burgundy shade and finishing with a black colour. As you can see from the swatches the eye shadows are really pigmented and the colours are all perfect for winter in my opinion. I’m looking forward to experimenting with this palette. J

Well that’s everything I bought recently, thanks again for reading,

Colleen x

Review: L'Oreal Infallible 24Hr Stay Fresh Foundation

I've been lusting after this foundation for awhile now and I finally bought it when Priceline had their 40% off cosmetics sale. It usually retails for $31.95 but with the discount I got it for $19.17 so I was delighted.

I recently watched Dramatic Mac's video on her favourite liquid foundations and she raved about this one in particular. She compared it to Estee Lauder's Double Wear (which I absolutely love) and I was intrigued, so the Priceline sale couldn't have come a better time!

I got the shade True Beige, I couldn't decide between that or the shade Vanilla they both looked very similar on my skin when I swatched them. But now that I've used it I think I definitely made the right decision, it's a perfect match for my skin tone.

The consistency isn't as thick as Double Wear, its quite light in comparison. This is a full coverage foundation, it covered most of my red areas and acne without the use of a concealer. I've used it everyday this week for work and I found it to be long lasting and that it didn't break down on the skin throughout the day.

Before adding to the

I've added a few pictures to this post of me wearing the foundation before I added anything else to it and I've put in a picture of my completed look (also I have used any filters on these pictures just natural light). If you're looking for a drugstore foundation that works just the same as high end brands without the hefty price tag this one is for you.

Perfect match for my skin tone

In my opinion L'Oreal has the best selection of foundations that I've tried Infallible and True Match are the two I reach for for everyday wear. The only downside to using this brand is that they aren't cruelty free which I know a lot of people would have an issue with. When I do my next foundation review I will try to include one that is more animal friendly that everyone can use.

The finished look.

You can purchase this foundation from Priceline here

Thanks for reading,

Colleen x