This Antipodes' moisturiser has a bunch of good things in it. I absolutely love the manuka honey, an antibacterial that will help to keep the skin clean and clear. The Vinanza Grape is an antibacterial too, and also helps with moisture retention, smoothing and firming the skin.

I have never used a moisturiser in cream form before. I would usually reach for the lotions, which are said to be much friendlier to blemish-prone skin. So I did have concerns that this day cream would be far too rich for my skin, even through it is on the drier side. However, I have not found this moisturiser to be heavy at all. Less really is more when it comes to this product. Once applied it leaves the skin feeling hydrated and looking smooth with a lovely matte finish, something I was quite happy about as my previous moisturiser left me looking super shiny. I have also noticed that this day cream makes for an excellent base before makeup application. I was concerned that because the product is heavily made-up of natural oils, my base makeup would break up over the course of the day. But everything goes on a lot smoother and hardly moves all day even when I haven't set with powder.




Another thing I have to mention is: don't be fooled by the 'vanilla pod' part of the name. This day cream does not smell like vanilla - candles, essence, bean or otherwise. I personally would love if it did have that scent but I do also love the mild vanilla cross mandarin essence it leaves on the skin. The moisturiser itself is off-white in colour as you can see in the image above - I'm so sorry that I already started to use it before photographing but I was desperate! I certainly wouldn't say that it is thick in texture; it just simply feels luxurious on the skin.

For me, there are only a couple downfalls to this product. The first is that the product comes in a jar. Although I keep my hands as clean as possible when handling skincare products, I just can't stand to think how much bacteria I may be putting back into the jar with my fingers. There are a few ways to prevent contamination though, such as never double dipping and using a clean icy pole stick to scoop the cream out of the jar. The second negative is that there is no SPF. This is fine - though still not ideal - for the Winter months. However, if you plan on using this day cream in the Summer, you will need another source of sun protection.

Overall, I am in love with the Antipodes Vanilla Pod Hydrating Day Cream as much as I am with the Grace Cleanser. I don't find it to be too rich for my skin at all, and it hasn't contributed to any breakouts, which is amazing. You can pick up the Antipodes range at your local Priceline, and I do believe that David Jones stocks it as well.

If I'm going for a natural "everyday" makeup kinda vibe, I simply comb my brow hairs away from my nose, beginning at the tail - as this is where I need a bit more coverage - and finishing at the head of the brow. If I'm going for something bolder, I will again start at the tail but comb my brow hairs toward my nose. I then finish by brushing through my brows and shaping them as desired. I also brush through my brows with a clean spoolie prior to application in an attempt to remove any foundation or concealer that may have gotten onto my brow hairs during base application.

The one and only disappointment I have with this product is the brush. I'm not too sure what the thought process was behind it because it is not as functional as I would like. The only product you get out of it is what has clung to the widest part of the brush and you cannot use what is on the skinny end. This means wasted makeup. I really hope that Maybelline changes it too a shorter slim brush. This would make application a lot easier and less messy because with the current brush I find it difficult to control, especially when applying to the tail of the brow.

This brow mascara is incredible at keeping my eyebrows in place all day. They do go a little bit 'crunchy' but it's not necessarily something I hate. I don't find that the colour fades and it wears really well, even in hot weather. I can touch my brows throughout the day and it doesn't smudge or move at all.

You can purchase the Maybelline Brow Drama Sculpting Brow Mascara here for AUD$12.95.

Did you like this brow mascara? Is there another one that you love more?

Highlighters have always been on my 'to avoid' list. Sure, the idea of glowing, luminous skin is appealing but these products - both liquid and powder - are usually riddled with ingredients that are terrible for acne-/blemish-prone skin. Until perhaps now. Since this whole strobing thing has become a trend, I thought I would start looking into highlighters again.

For a beginner, I think powder is the way to go when it comes to highlighting/'strobing'. I know that I don't really understand how liquid highlighters work in terms of whether to apply them before or after you set your face. If you set your face first and then apply liquid over the top, your makeup would separate, wouldn't it? But if you powder after, aren't you going to mattify and lose that luminosity you've just applied? #confused


Retailing at $60, I purchased Becca's Shimmering Skin Perfector Pressed in Opal from Adore Beauty for a bit over $46. It is definitely on the pricey side, so not for those on a smaller budget. Because my skin is on the lighter side, I was hoping to get Moonstone but unfortunately I wasn't quick enough as it was sold out by the time I was ready to make a purchase. Because Becca claims that these highlighters adjust to different skin tones, I thought I might just get away with Opal.

On first impression, this pressed highlighter looked a little more pink than what I thought it would. It has been described as a cool gold but I would say it's more a of a dusty rose gold. As a result, I've noticed that if I pile this on, it does look slightly brown on my skin in certain lighting - basically when light is not reflecting off my skin. This is a little disappointing because it means I can't go for that super highlighted look which is 'in' at the moment but does confirm that Moonstone would be a better match for me. It also suggests that the skin-adjusting claim Becca makes isn't entirely true. This is my only negative for this product so let's move on to the good stuff!

When I first applied this to my skin, I fell in love. I finally had that glow that I was lusting after for years but thought I would never be able to achieve. A little went a really long way, so you can easily go for a subtle daytime glow or build up to a more saturated luminosity. It may seem a little glittery to some but I quite like the effect it gives to the skin and it's definitely not chunky but more akin to a baked eye shadow or blush. I would say the texture is creamy but still obviously a powder and it feels comfortable on the face. I have found that it is best applied with a brush, particularly for my dryer skin. Whenever I applied the highlighter to my skin with my finger, I noticed that it clung to my dry patches and emphasised the brown look I mentioned above. I feel that using a brush also allows for a more even application and makes for easier blending if you have accidentally gone overboard with it. Also, with how little you do need to achieve that 'strobed' look, I can see this lasting me a couple of years at least. Lastly, as far as breakouts go, this product for the most part has been kind to my skin, which I'm incredibly happy about.