EOTM: "Your Favourite July EOTD" Giveaway!...

August is already here, and it's time again for the EOTM giveaway. I have an extra special prize this month, just arrived from the UK - the MUA LUXE Pretty Edgy Eyeshadow Palette! I put my clever hat on for a change, and bought two of these - one for me, and one for you ♥ (In fact I may be partly responsible for it now being Out of Stock!) It's even more gorgeous than I thought it would be - soft and romantic rosy hues with a couple of "gothic grunge" pans just to make the mix an interesting one. Plus I'm throwing in a toning MUA Matte Lipstick, in the shade Lilac Belle...

The case is stunning - glossy black with gold studs. There's a full sized mirror inside, a double-ended sponge applicator is included, and the lid closes shut with a very firm click ...

And here's what's on the back...

The shades are Antique, Bow, Toile, Ruffle, Flounce, Lace, Sinful, Gothic, Wrath & Envy. The top row are all pearly shimmers except for the last one (Lace) which is not quite so light reflective, and the bottom ones are all mattes. It doesn't come in a box, but there's a cellophane seal around the shadows... 

Here are some finger swatches (two swipes). The shadows are deliciously creamy, and the pigmentation is brilliant, especially the mattes - in fact, it's sensational! How about that charcoal?

And here's the lipstick - a soft sheer orchid, just perfect for the fast approaching Spring. This is my one (see how smart I'm getting?) - the prize lippy is sealed...

And here's what it looks like on my lips - I've not been impressed with MUA lip products in the past (their shadows however are awesome) but this particular formula is excellent. It isn't completely matte, but it lasts well, and doesn't dry out my pucker...

As always, you need to choose which of the July EOTD's is your favourite from the eight pictured below, and let me know in the comments section why you like it the most...

The Rafflecopter will decide the winner, so please make sure that you follow the entry instructions, and read the Terms and Conditions inside (Australian residents only). Please note that leaving a comment, providing your email address inside the Rafflecopter, AND following my blog one way or another from the many choices listed are MANDATORY for entry...

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This giveaway is now closed

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Yay - random.org has chosen the beautiful Anna M. as the winner.  

Congratulations gorgeous! 

Anna please respond to the email I've sent you by 

Wednesday 27th August to claim your prize :-)

Edit: Anna M. has claimed her prize ♥

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Good luck gals!

Take care of you,

kats xxx

COME PLAY WITH ME: Winter into Spring...

Woo hoo! My turn to choose the Come Play With Me theme this time ♥ And true to form, no surprises here  lol - hey if I get to choose, then you can pretty much guarantee I'll come up with something COLOURFUL! And I realise it's still technically Winter (brrrrrrr!), but I figured I should put together something that might just entice Spring to show her pretty face (and flowers) ahead of time...

Of course if I'm going to do colour, then I'll invariably use my Sugarpill mattes - they're just so incredibly versatile and blendable, and I simply can't imagine a springish theme without them. I deliberately toned them down a few notches because I only wanted to create a tantalising little soupçon of Spring that would lure our most precious season out from the dark, and into the light...

It seemed appropriate to start this whole affair with an icy base, so I chose Maybelline Color Tattoo in Too Cool. Over this I added a hint of yellow (Buttercupcake) along the top lashline to represent the sun - oh please come and warm us all up! On the inner corner I then blended the two pinky purple shades (Poison Plum and 2am) to remind Our Fair Lady that we need a bucketload of blossoms to brighten the landscape and fill the air with exquisite fragrance. After this I included a fair whack of new leaf green (Acidberry) and a lush foliage shade (Midori) to encourage nature's growth spurt, and then finished it all off with a vibrant blue (Velocity) to encourage clear, cloud-free skies ♥

But I wanted to keep it real, and let's face it we're not quite out of the chilly woods yet, so I lined my waterline with a wintery green (bhcosmetics Huntress)...

So to all my darling Come Play With Me companions, how would you go about beckoning Spring from the dark depths of Winter? So looking forward to seeing your take on this hopeful theme ♥...

Woo hoo - IndieAna's fab look is up!

And you MUST check out Hailey's work of art - nothing short of exquisite...

AND Monique has just published her play time - a tribute to orange, so gorgeous...

Take care of you,

kats xxx

EOTD: Hello Kitty Les Turquoises...

Here's another shadow that's been lurking untouched in my drawer for over 12 months - Hello Kitty Les Turquoises. With so many tealy greens and blues in my kit, I've been neglecting her terribly, and she's such a pretty gal - to me she has too much green to be labelled a turquoise, I think she's more of an "aquamarine"...

So here she is - the only Hello Kitty shadow in my collection. At the time I found her, there was a deep blue that I fancied as well, but my local Priceline never actually ever had it in stock, and now I'm not even sure if they have the single eye shadows any more - they're certainly not available online. Anyways I'm still in love with this vibrant mermaid-hued gal - the pigmentation is astounding, and the consistency is just as creamy as it was on day one, and blends like a dream...

To bring out her best, I laid down Australis Star Bright (white) pencil all over the top lid, and then pressed the shadow over it with a dry brush. In the crease I added MUA matte charcoal...

On the waterline is Mirenesse Mineral Face Gel Colour in Aquamarine - an exact colour match for the shadow. I find these creams far superior to the Inside Out 27 hr Kohl pencils - some of them contain sparkly bits which are downright uncomfortable on the waterline, but the gels are smooth, shimmery, and once dry, they last a good 4 or 5 hours, and don't irritate my eyes... 

I think Hello Kitty is a stunner - not bad for being at least 2 years old, and doesn't look like going off any time soon. The shimmer factor is beautiful, and becomes even more pronounced when applied with a damp brush...

Take care of you,

kats xxx

CONFESSIONS: of a Body Washaholic (Part 6)...

*** S P E C I A L  E D I T I O N ***

I've been even naughtier than usual, and went out and bought all these before finishing up any of my other ones, but that's the problem with addictions - "I don't really need this" purchasing takes on a whole new meaning lol. Indulgence aside, Imperial Leather must be picking up on the vibe because they've recently brought out the most GLORIOUS range of body (and hand) washes, and they're cheap as chips ($5-$7 for the large bottles). They're available in most supermarkets, but the best selection I've seen so far has been at Woolies. The fragrance blends are creative and inspired, subtle and innovative, and some of the colours are exquisite (you know how I feel about colour). I'm so enamoured, I've decided to devote an entire part of this series to them ♥ There are more varieties available on the shelves, but these four are the ones I fell in love with at first sniff...

Imperial Leather Flirtatious Pomegranate & Wild Rose Triple Moisturising Bodywash...

Wowee, gotta love that colour - looks like pureed strawberries, but the fragrance is heavenly soft with very little fruit overtones. According to their website, Master Perfumers are behind every one of the blends, and I reckon it's true. Apart from the pomegranate and rose, this particular one also contains patchouli, jasmine, spiced cedar and black vanilla, and yet no single ingredient really stands out on its own, which is indicative of the expertise behind it. The blending is superb, and if they brought this out as an eau de perfume, I'd wear it in a heartbeat. Calming and comforting with a slathering of sophistication, I'm putting Flirtatious at the top of my list of faves. The formula is thick and creamy with a satiny patina, and lathers effortlessly - not sure that I'd classify it as "triple" moisturising, but it sure does leave my skin deliciously soft and delicately fragranced. All Imperial Leather body washes are soap free and dermatologically tested, and if you love the scent of tenderly spiced roses, then you'll adore this shower gem ♥

Imperial Leather Tahitian Retreat Coconut & Sandalwood Triple Moisturising Bodywash...

Well now Tahitian Retreat takes coconut body wash to another level. I've only just recently discovered the joy of showering with coconut scented products - the various ones I've tried so far have been a delight, but they all smell pretty much the same. Imperial Leather No. 30 however is in a class all it's own - sophisticated yet playful, there's no overpoweringly astringent tang of coconut here because it's been magically tempered with cherry blossom, vanilla and sandalwood. Coconut fragrance lovers may be disappointed because of its subtlety, but if coconut hasn't ever been your thing, this enchanting blend might just change your mind. While it's perfect for any season, I'm expecting it to hit the #1 spot in my bathroom when summer comes around - I've never been to Tahiti, but if it has a smell, then this is it ♥

Imperial Leather Blue Lagoon Exotic Guava & Champaca Triple Moisturising Bodywash...

This is the only one of the range I've spotted so far that is marked as a "Limited Edition". Of this somewhat intriguing banner, the Imperial Leather website says...

"Our Limited Edition fragrances reflect our Master Perfumers’ playground – an opportunity for them to experiment with new scents that reflect their journey of scouring the world for the latest trends in luxury fine fragrance."

This fabulously flamboyant fella is SO interesting - the stunning tealy green colour is what caught my eye, and this is the first one that flung itself into my trolley. I'm mad keen on guava fragrance, and this delicious fruit is the dominant scent here, however included in the mix is champaca - I've never head of it and needed Google to tell me it's the Magnolia Champaca flower, a native of Southeast Asia, and stars in various perfumes like Champaca Absolute by Tom Ford, Incanto Bloom by Salvatore Ferragamo, and Wonderstruck Enchanted by Taylor Swift. Also included in this fascinating blend is peach nectar, hibiscus, blonde wood and musk. It's really REALLY tangy, and far stronger than any of the others. I'm crazy about it, but there's been one or two occasions when the fragrance has reminded me of...wait for it...cat pee. Lol! Gosh I hope that doesn't put you off, but I figure what's the point of all this if I'm not honest ♥

Imperial Leather Summer Bliss Mango Butter & Frangipani Triple Moisturising Bodywash...

Mango lovers, you can rejoice - there's enough fruit content in this to send you tripping, but once again, those clever perfumers have added tangerine, peach, papaya, lily, cherry blossom and aromatic vanilla into the mix Absolutely delish! So uplifting and fun, this blend of tropical fruits and flowers to me encapsulates the spirit of summer in a bottle. Smells like the real deal, and I'd say this would be a firm favourite with all members of the family. Once again the blending is nothing short of genius ♥

The plastic containers are sturdy and strong, and one of mine survived unscathed after being dropped from chest height. My only beef with all of these shower delights is that the bottles are so fat and tubby, I can only fit one in each wire hanger - boo! Still it's a minor inconvenience that I'll gladly ignore because they're all just so unbelievably scrummy ♥

Have you tried any of the Imperial Leather body washes yet? Which one is your favourite?

Take care of you,

kats xxx

Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5...