Sunday Short n Sweet: Tarte Cheek Stain 101

I'm a big fan of Tarte products, it's such a shame that they are virtually impossible to purchase in Australia.

My favourite product has to be their cheek stains. They are multi-purpose and the perfect size for your handbag.


Tarte Cosmetics has just started their own YouTube channel, and what better way to celebrate than to mix my love of their cheek stains with their very own how-to video?




The biggest surprise has to be them saying that you don't rub in the product, you just gently pat it on the skin and wait for it to absorb. I'm going to have to give that a go.

Is that how you apply them?

Korres Naturally Nude Collection

I just love this look:

It is one of the Collections from Sephora, but you can buy most (maybe all) products from Kit Cosmetics if you are in Australia or Sephora if you are lucky enough to have one near you.

A nude face works well both for work, and on the weekend when you want a bit of colour but not look like you are trying too hard. Try it without a base, just with a bit of concealer if needed.

These are the products:

Eyeshadow in 35M Brown and 18S Grey Brown Base
Deep Colour Mascara in Black 01
Blush in 15 Natural
Lip Butter in Guava
Mango Butter Lipstick in Nude 33
Cherry Full Colour Gloss in Nude 33

All up it comes to AU$230.65 at Kit or US$115 at Sephora.

Of course you don't need to buy all of the products, rummage through your makeup and see what you have that can create the look. Pick the key elements: nude glossy lips, natural blush (maybe use a bronzer), brown eyes & glossy lashes and find products that match. If you want to try just one Korres item, I strongly suggest a lip product (I am quite partial to the lip butter).

If you haven't tried Korres yet, I insist you get your butt to the nearest store and try it. They have beautiful colours that are well priced, and make your skin feel superb. I know I rave about the brand so much I should get a job there, but they really are lovely, lovely products. I've converted many friends & none have complained that I was wrong, so it must be good!

P.S. I promise tomorrow will be about a different brand :)

Sunday Short n Sweet: Applying Mineral Makeup

If you have ever wondered how to apply mineral makeup (and not get it all over yourself), watch this video of Stefanie, demonstrating how to apply concealer and mineral makeup, while covering up a few unwanted blemishes:

REVIEW: Lipstick Queen Saint Lipstick

A woman's handbag is usually an endless pit, filled with receipts, Panadol and often many tubes of lipstick. After waving your hand around the bottom of your bag, you finally find a tiny tube - but is it the one you want?

Lipstick Queen lipsticks have a unique waxy coating that make them perfect for finding them through all of the standard sized lippies. They are also a lovely colour; gold for Saint lipstick, deep purple for Sinner and red for the Medieval Tinted Treatment.


I have a tube of Lipstick Queen Saint Lipstick in Natural which I am loving. I've had since they were released and it is often a staple in my handbag.

Im not normally a lipstick person, preferring gloss to that thick feeling that most lipsticks give. This one isnt like that though, it feels more like a balm. The colour is pigmented but still sheer, giving you enough colour to see that you are wearing lipstick, but it doesnt overpower your face.

Inside though, the product is far from waxy. It moisturises and sinks into your lips, making them feel less like they have lipstick on and more like they have a softening balm applied. Shortly after applying, I've forgotten I'm even wearing lipstick.

It is also buildable for either a very sheer, or more pigmented application.


One of the other great things about the range is that while the Saint colours are sheer and soft, if you love the colour but wish it was more pigmented, you'll find the ideal match in the Sinner range. Saints are 10% pigment, while Sinners are 90% pigment and they come in exactly the same colour range.

Want a lip pencil to match? They can do that too with Exact Match Lip Liner.


Once you take a look at the Lipstick Queen packaging, you'll be hooked. Once you've tried the Lipstick Queen products, I dare you to walk away without one in your handbag.

Saints Sheer Lipstick, Sinners Opaque Lipstick and Exact Match Lip Liners are available from Kit Cosmetics online and stores for AU$33.95

HOW TO: Clean Makeup Brushes

I've heard that a lot of people think that cleaning makeup brushes is too hard and too much work. I'm here to tell you that it is actually really easy and only takes around 10 minutes from start to finish.

1. You'll need the following:

• Your makeup brushes (of course!)
• A small bowl
• A small hand towel or tea towel
• Paper towel
• Makeup brush cleaner - I use MAC brush cleanser. You only need a small amount and really notice how clean they are afterwards.

2. Rinse all of your brushes and gently press them with the towel until they are just damp.

3. Place a small amount of brush cleanser in the bowl.

4. Start with your smallest brushes and swirl it around in the bowl, watching the liquid change colour (yup, that was going on your face!). The big brushes (like the one below) will soak up all of the brush cleanser and you'll be left with an empty bowl, so they should be done last.



5. Once you have given the brush a good clean, take the brush out and swirl on a paper towel. Check out the gunk on my mineral makeup brush!



6. Give the brush a good rinse and repeat the swirl on the paper towel. This will tell you if you need to give it another clean.

To compare, on the left is after using the brush cleanser but before rinsing, and on the right is after rinsing off the brush cleanser:


7. Once you have cleansed and rinsed all of your brushes, give them all a good dry by gently patting them until they are only damp. Ensure the brushes are back in their original shape before drying.


8. The last step is to hang all your brushes over the side of your bathroom sink, table or as in my case, the kitchen bench, so they can be dried from all sides and wont be squashed.


You'll now have beautifully clean brushes to give you the perfect face!

2 quick & cheap ways to a cleaner face

1. Change your pillow

PROBLEM: How many of you go to sleep with makeup on? Come on, own up! I do some days when I am too exhausted to even take off my clothes or if I'm just plain lazy. Even if you remove all your makeup, you still have dirt and oil on your face that gets smooshed into your pillow for 8 hours a night.


If you change your sheets and pillowcases once a week, it is likely that you have slept on 7 days or 56 hours worth of face grime by the end of the week. Personally, I sleep in exactly the same tiny corner of the pillow every night and by the end of the week, the pillowcase is a different colour in that spot, even if I’ve removed my makeup every night. Pretty gross.

SOLUTION: Changing your pillowcase every couple of days doesn’t add a lot to your washing, but makes a real difference to you face.


2. Wash your makeup brushes

PROBLEM: So now I have you thinking about all that face gunk that is transferred to your face, it’s time to think about how you touch your face. If you apply makeup with your fingers, you would ensure that they are clean. The same should be said for your makeup brushes.


Product mixed with the natural oils in your skin and used over and over will affect the application of your makeup. It will also be transferring any dirt and oil it picked up from your face back to your skin over and over.

SOLUTION: You should wash your brushes every week to remove build up of product and general dirt. I rinse my foundation brush after every use and also my eye shadow brushes as I don’t want the colour contamination the next day.

I’ll go deeper into the process of washing your brushes tomorrow with a quick how-to guide.


Now you have two really simple tips that cost next to nothing, but can make a real difference in the state of your skin. Give it a go and tell me what you think!

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Beauty Haulage

Of course I need new products like a hole in the head but hey, new products mean new stories here at Beauticology.

I introduce the latest from The Boyfriends trip to the US, first up from Sephora:


Then from MAC:


Lastly from Aveda:


Stay tuned for reviews shortly, and if you have any requests, please drop me an email.

Sunday Short n Sweet: Classic Eyeliner

The video I posted almost a year ago, on applying eyeliner like a pro has been one of the most viewed posts on this blog. Since I found out this fun fact yesterday, I thought I would give you all another expert view, this time from MAC Senior Artist Romero J.

For some reason, I just want to squeeze his cheeks whenever I see him. Speaking of cheeks, notice how the models face is almost completely bare (save for her criminal cheekbones), which makes the focus all on the eyes.

If you fail at applying liner with a brush, try using a pen eyeliner, like MAC Penultimate Liner (AU$32), or a cheaper alternative is the CoverGirl LineExact Liquid Liner for around AU$10. It is basically like drawing on your face with a pen. But not. Don't try that at home people!



One of the reasons I like the MAC videos is the last few seconds at the end where they break it all down into easy steps.

Sunday Short n Sweet: Lady Gaga

This Sundays YouTube clip is a bit different this week. We are taking a look at Lady Gaga.


Whether you like her music or not, you have to respect her unwavering sense of style. She has said herself in interviews that the way she dresses in public is the way she is. Most people couldn't say that they wake up of a morning with a desire to wear only a g-string leotard around the house. Personally, I'm more partial to pyjamas.

Her latest clip 'Paparazzi' is banned from most tv stations due to the lack of clothes and sexual content. Looking past that, she is very experimental with not only her clothes, but also her makeup and hair.

What do you think? Too outrageous? Have a favourite Gaga look? Let me know in the comments.

Be warned: It is NSFW!



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REVIEW: Prescriptives Camouflage Cream

My parents have blessed me with many things: long eyelashes, tiny feet, a belly button that goes in rather than out... One of the not-so-pleasant blessings though, was dark eye circles from a very young age.

I don’t mess about when it comes to cover these suckers up, I need something that covers well, lasts the distance and comes in a colour that suits my super pale skin.

Introducing Prescriptives Camouflage Cream Concealer. Dark circle salvation in a tiny little tube.

Use it to cover spots, conceal redness and cover dark circles. It even doubles as a eye shadow primer if you are lazy and like to multi task (like me!).

It also comes in a range of shades to suit different skin tones. If you are yellow or pink based, or something in between, there should be a colour to match. I am B/R Light which is the lightest colour for ‘cool rose undertones’. A visit to your local Prescriptives counter should help you determine the correct shade.

The coverage is medium but should be applied in thin layers to build up to the level of cover you are after. While it is a creamy liquid consistency, it dries to a powder finish and doesn’t budge all day.

If my face is a little dry, it will accentuate the dryness, so be sure to moisturise well before applying.

A tiny amount (much smaller than a pea) covers my under eye circles, along with the redness on the sides of my nose and chin. Most days I don’t even need foundation.

All up, an excellent product. I haven’t found one better.

Prescriptives Camouflage Cream Concealer is available for AU$40 from Mecca Cosmetica or US$17.50 from Prescriptives online.