Nars vs Smashbox Foundations

Hey guys!

How are you all? As you have probably figured, I have been going through a funk lately where I haven't really been motivated to write any blogs but now I'm four blogs behind and finally have some motivation! I really do feel like taking a bit of a break from writing was a good idea because I was getting very anxious and stressed and started getting to the point where my blog was annoying me and I never want that. So now I'm sat with a bunch of Zoella videos playing in the background whilst writing a few! 

So today I wanted to do a bit of a different blog that I kind of want to start doing more of and that is a comparison between two beauty products and today I will be comparing two of my high end foundations, Nars and Smashbox. 

So lets get onto the good stuff! Today I'm comparing the Smashbox Studio Skin foundation and the Nars Sheer Glow foundation. Comparing prices; they aren't that different in price at all, both bottles are 30ml and the Smashbox in Mecca Maxima Aus retails for $61AUD whereas I bought the Nars Sheer Glow foundation for $65AUD. So basically the price isn't all that different at all. The shades are the next thing I want to talk about, Smashbox has a total of 12 different shades whereas Nars has 19 different shades and in those I found that even the lightest shade in the Smashbox foundation is still a bit dark for my skin but with a little bit of blending works just fine.  Mont Blanc was the shade that the lady colour matched for me in the Nars foundation and I do feel like it suits my skin tone very well.  I love that there is such a range in both foundations it is such a plus to be able to match so closely.  Next is the coverage.  I feel like both foundations are a light to medium coverage however can be built up to a very well however are definitely not full coverage.  I don't have bad skin however I have a few problem areas around my chin and with both foundations two coats made my skin basically flawless as you can see in the below picture.  You can also see that the shades aren't very different after a bit of blending. One plus that the Smashbox has is the pump that it comes with, I realise you can buy a pump for the Nars however I didn't think to do that when I first bought it.

Right side - Nars         Left Side -  Smashbox

Lastly I want to talk about how they wear. I have fairly oily skin however I don't find that either of these foundations separate very much at all. I work in a greasy, oily kitchen so I have to take that into consideration when I'm testing these out and they wear fairly well however after a 6 hour shift in that said hot kitchen as you would expect both have started to move and separate and that for me is completely understandable.  However I did find that the Smashbox foundation holds better when coming in contact with water, I didn't even think about it when I was testing it out but I did go for a shower and found that the Smashbox barely had any difference whereas the Nars did start becoming patchy.  I don't know if that's really a factor though because not many people expect foundations to last in water but if you are one of those people who wear foundation to the beach, the Smashbox would be for you! All in all I think I would have to say they are both very good foundations in comparison however in my preference I would pick the Smashbox purely for the convenience and staying power.  I do like both of them equally however do find myself reaching for my Smashbox more than my Nars.  However if you are someone who can never find the perfect shade I would highly recommend checking out the selection that Nars has! 

I hope you all enjoyed this post, I definitely enjoyed trying these out for you! If you have any further questions please do leave them in the comments below, I'd love to get chatty! Thankyou all so much for reading and I hope you come back again! I also just want to say that I am in the middle of filming and editing my first ever video and I can't wait to have that up and running! If you have any suggestions for videos or blogs that you would like to see feel free to post them in the comments! 

Until Next Time

BrittanieDe-Ann xoxo

PIIT28 Review/Experience

Hey guys! 

I hope you all had a lovely week and a super good weekend.  I unfortunately had to work the weekend, which wasn't fun, but a girl has got to pay her bills some how! Now I'm going to be completely honest, this post is going to be intense (in a good way), so I need you all to take a seat and listen carefully because what you are about to read could change your life just like it has changed mine. If you looking for a workout that works please read on, if you are looking for a workout that makes you happy please, read on!

Today I want to talk to you about something very honest and important to me and that is PIIT28 - Pilates Intense Interval Training.  What is PIIT28 you ask? Well, PIIT28 is a program that Cassey Ho created with the help of a few of her friends to help and motivate people to not only lose weight but to gain happiness and self worth in the process.  Cassey Ho is also the creator of Blogilates, I have written a full post on my experience and story with blogilates which you can find here.  PIIT however has been a little bit different for me than Blogilates.  

PIIT was created based on the HIIT, High Intensity Interval Training method however it incorporates POP Pilates moves and only takes a mere 28 minutes and 40 seconds to complete the full workout, which is amazing considering we all use the excuse that we don't have enough time to workout... I'm guilty of it.  

Each workout targets a specific part of your body, for instance during round 1, Monday targeted the booty whereas Thursday targeted the upper body. So each day you are working something different while burning fat.  Before I move onto my personal opinion, I want to tell you what Cassey guarantees PIIT will do for you; cut your workout time in half, melt all-over body fat fast, increase your resting metabolism, build lean muscle with no equipment, sculpt the strongest Pilates abs ever, improve your posture so that you'll look taller, increase your confidence and happiness levels and lastly, find new friends and make real relationships with like minded people.  I can wholeheartedly tell you that in only a month all of the above happened for me and I truly was amazed. 

Not only is there a workout guide though, Cassey has also put together a 28 Day Reset (meal plan) to follow along with PIIT, unfortunately I haven't yet purchased this purely for the fact that I can't afford it yet but if you can afford it I would highly recommend it as it not only teaches you to eat healthier but it shows you how easy it is and how beneficial it is! I am going to go on now and tell you a bit about my experience but please stick through to the end or skip ahead to find out prices!

When I started PIIT28 on March 1st I was super excited, and eager to begin this next phase in my journey, however when I first came to perform the exercises I had a breakdown.  I was so upset, I won't lie. I have been doing Blogilates now for almost four years on and off and although I'm not thin I thought I was fairly fit but when I got down on my mat and struggled to even start Mountain Climbers I got angry and defeated. My poor boyfriend copped it that night, I wanted to quit in that moment but my boyfriend held me and comforted me as I lost it and kept telling me that this is why I started this program, to get stronger, right? I couldn't disagree with him, that's exactly why I started, so I got back down on my mat and tried again and that night I could barely finish any of the workout but I tried and I remember thinking to myself after I had finished 'I can't wait to get back to this workout to see how much I had progressed'. To tell you the truth, the next time I came to do mountain climbers only a week or two later I could push myself to do one full round of 45seconds without stopping. I was so happy! 

I wrote in a journal for the entirety of month 1 and I want you to read what I wrote on the first day:

Dear future Brittanie. If you succeed in this I am so proud of you! You will remember this day and the emotional rollercoaster that it was.  Today was the first day of PIIT and I got a rude shock as to how unfit I really was. I had great difficulty completing the first round and got so upset by that, however I pushed on and finished the second, had a much needed cry to Julian and we both completed the third. After the third I felt my mindset change, I had to finish the final round regardless of how I felt, and I did.  That moment was amazing.  I was so happy and sore, even though I took some breaks and did some exercises the easy way, I finished it and that's all I'm expecting from myself. Keep it up!

To read that now actually brings tears to my eyes because I am so proud of myself for sticking with PIIT28, it's not as easy as you think but it really does make you happy, relieve stress and in the process you shed fat fast.  I lost a total of 5inches off my entire body and in only a month got strong enough to complete almost every first round for the entire 45 seconds without modifications.  I won't lie, I still have to take breaks and modify some moves but that's where I am growing, each week I can feel myself getting stronger, I can actually feel my biceps toning and that's so big for me because I don't have great upper body strength but each day I find another reason why PIIT is so amazing! I honestly don't think I will stop doing PIIT because finally I have found something that not only helps my body, it also helps my mind and I can not thank Cassey enough for creating PIIT28!

Now lastly, lets talk prices, PIIT28 in my opinion is fully worth the money you put in. As I have said though, I have only currently purchased the PIIT28 1.0.  For a mere $89USD you can get the entire PIT POWER PACK which if you can afford this is the pack I would recommend the highest as you are saving money, however if you can't I would recommend first purchasing the workout schedule.  You can purchase the PIIT28 1.0  for a mere $39USD and lastly you can purchase the 28 DAY RESET for a mere $69USD. Trust me guys, these are worth it!! If you have any questions at all feel free to leave them in the comments or message me on my instagram or facebook, I'd love to chat with you further! 

Until Next Time

BrittanieDe-Ann xoxo

March Favourites!

Hey there guys! 

I hope you all are having a great week and aren't working too hard! I have a little confession for you and that is that although I don't have a following on my blog or any frequent readers I have been feeling very stressed and anxious lately when it comes to my blog and that's why my posts have been a little sporadic and I hope to combat this and get back into proper routine. 

Today I'm back with another monthly favourites post and I'm super excited to share these with you! I went hunting around the house last week for products and what not that I had been loving through March and I came up with a fair few so I better get straight into it! 

Firstly we have the beauty products. Among these are the Ecotools Makeup Brush Shampoo, the Unani Micellar Water, the Vera Wang Princess Perfume and the Neon & Co Hair oil.  I am going to rave a bit because I have been living on these products lately.  A few weeks ago I rediscovered the Perfume and have been using it ever since, it has the most incredible smell, so fresh and sweet but unfortunately I am very quickly running out so I'll definitely have to buy another one soon!

 The Ecotools brush shampoo is also a product that I have been constantly reaching for through March.  A few weeks ago I realised I was breaking out due to dirty brushes so I invested in the cleaner and have not been disappointed.  It is so quick and easy to use and cleans my brushes and sponges so well that they could nearly be new! I highly, highly recommend this product, I can't stop telling people about it! 

Next is the Micellar Water, I wrote about this in my February Lust Have It unboxing and to be honest I have been using it almost every day since, I use it at night after my toner, sometimes in replacement of my moisturiser and I wake up with vibrant, hydrated skin and it feels amazing!  Lastly we have the Neon & Co Hair oil.  I have always been super careful when it comes to hair oils purely because I already have really oily hair and they never seem to work on my curly hair but after receiving this product in last months Bella Box I decided to give it a try and I can honestly say that I am super sad that it's only a sample size.  It works so well to tame my curls without leaving my hair feeling greasy or gross.  I have been reaching for this product whenever I wear my hair down so that I can achieve those beachy curls that my hair naturally gave me. 

Next we have my makeup products that I have been loving and these consist of my Hoola Bronzer by Benefit, the Real Techniques sponge and a Rimmel nail polish in the shade 'roll in the grass' which is a gorgeous mint green colour.  I purchased my Hoola bronzer on one of my Brisbane trips earlier this year and have been using it almost every day since.  I gives me that perfect matte bronzed look that can suit either a natural or dramatic look.  I love that the intensity can be built without trying too hard and the packaging is so cute!  Next is the Real Techniques sponge and to be honest when I first purchased this I didn't think much of it and didn't really use it often but lately I have been reaching for it constantly.  I have been using it for a number of different thing from blending my foundation and concealer to powdering the under eye area.  It is such a perfect sponge and super easy to clean!  Lastly is the nail polish, I bought this in the beginning or March and absolutely fell in love with the colour, unfortunately it is really a spring colour and I'm now in Autumn so I'm sure this will be in another favourites post in spring time!

And lastly I've chosen two pleasure/workout items and these are the Lord Of The Rings Trilogy and PIIT28.

Now some of you may kill me but I literally watched this trilogy for the first time last month and I am so sad that I hadn't watched it earlier because I loved it so so much!  Everything about the movies made me happy and I reckon I could watch them at least once or twice a year without hesitation! My favourite characters in the movie would have to be Legolas and Aragorn, they are such great characters and lets be honest, Legolas is so attractive.  However my favourite hobbit would have to be Pippin, he's just so cute haha.  My workout favourite for last month was PIIT28, I am in the process of writing a full experience/review of this program but all I will say is that this program works, it is so damn efficient and fun and if you have the money I would highly recommend it.  Stay tuned though for that blog post soon! 

Thank you guys for tuning in and reading my posts, I can't thank you enough for reading them! If any of you have any questions or comments leave them below, I would love to here about your favourites for last month! Have a wonderful week and stay happy!

Until Next Time

 BrittanieDe-Ann xoxo

Lust Have It/Bella Box March Unboxing

Hey there everyone!! 

How are you all? I hope you all had or are having a lovely day! I've had a really busy week with work and some other issues and that's why this post is so late, I'm sorry for that.  Today I'm back with not only a Lust Have It Unboxing but also a Bella Box Unboxing! I decided last month to jump on the bandwagon with Bella Box and see what it was all about and and discover what sort of products it had, so I'll let you know now what I received!

First off we have Lust Have It. I received this box just before Easter and I'm not going to lie, I wasn't overly excited when I saw the contents.  Don't get me wrong, I'm happy to try all the new products but there was nothing that really jumped out at me and made me super happy that I had it.  As for the products, in my box there was a Be A BombShell Eyeliner (fullsize), a Sebamed Liquid Face and Body Wash (sample size), a Glazed Visage Matte EyeShadow (fullsize), a Jersey Shore Cosmetics Anti Aging Whole Body Balm (fullsize), a Ruby Makeup Brush (fullsize) and a $35AUD Hello Fresh Voucher.

To be honest, I have never heard of any of these brands before but I am super excited to try them out! I swatched the eyeshadow on the back of my hand and the pigmentation was actually amazing, if it stays well on the eye I will probably purchase more of these products.  As for the Makeup brush, I received a small crease brush I would say, well that's what I'm using it for and it works super well! It is 100% natural hair and holds and blends products very well! I'm excited to have it in my collection.  I have already received one products by Be a Bombshell prior to this box and that was the mascara, so I'm kind of intrigued to see how the eyeliner is as I didn't really fancy the mascara and I really like a strong black pigmentation to my eyeliners so we'll see how that holds up and I'll have to get back to you! And lastly onto the Sebamed wash and the Anti Aging balm, I love anything that is anti aging so the fact that this is a full body balm is super fantastic, I have already used it under my eyes once or twice and loved the feel of it.  As for the Wash, I haven't yet had chance to try it but I am loving body washes at the moment so I hope this one is as good or better than my others! Overall I didn't mind the products in this box but I probably wouldn't have bought any myself but that's what these boxes are for right? To find and explore new products! If you have any questions about these products or the subscription leave them in the comments below!

Now onto the Bella Box! I bought this box to try purely because of the deal they had on it through march, they were selling them out for only $10AUD and I knew there was a Porefessional Benefit Primer in it so I wanted that and to see some other products at the same time!  When I received the box I was quite disappointed, all the products were sample size and I realise I can't really complain as I only paid $10 but I was hoping for more I guess.  However the products that I did received seem really cool and  can;t wait to try a few of them (I've already tried out one and loved it).  In this box I received in all sample sizes a Porefessional Primer from Benefit, a sheet of two Monoderma Skin Vitamins, a Neon & Co Hair Treatment oil, a Bliss Lemon and Sage Body Butter. a Laqa and Co cheeky lip - cray cray and a bonus Burts Bees Nourishing Facial Water Sachets.  

I'm not going to lie, as I said previously I love anti aging products and the skin vitamins are said to bring life and youth back to your face, clinically proven to help dull tired skin. They combat the signs of aging  while stimulating the production of collagen. So I'm very excited to try these however I'm disappointed I only have two.  The Porefessional Primer was a bitter disappointment as it is such a small tube however I understand why a fullsize tube wasn't in the box as they cost over $50 and that to me would have been a bit ridiculous, I still do love this primer though!  As for the Neon & Co hair treatment oil, I absolutely love it! I don't want to run out of it! It makes my curls hold so well and tames all my flyaways perfectly! I use it whenever I have my hair down and has definitely been a positive to this box! I'll definitively be repurchasing this!  Moving onto the Body butter and Lip crayon, I always love getting new lip products but I really feel like this is a spring colour and as we are coming into winter I probably won't try it out for a while but it looks super cute and the body butter smells so fresh and clean. I am excited to try this one out and see how it feels on the skin.  Lastly we have the Nourishing facial sachets, I have been all about the hydration with my face lately so I'm super happy about these and wish I had gotten more than one! Overall, I did end up liking this box even though I was originally disappointed and decided to give it another try in April! I'm excited to see if I get any full size items in my next box! 

Anyway guys, I'm so sorry this is so late but hope you enjoyed this post! If you have any questions or concerns leave them in the comments, I'd also love it if you left a link to your blog if you have one so I can check those out! Thank you once again for tuning in and I'll see you all again next time!

Until Next Time

BrittanieDe-Ann xoxo