Stormy Weather

Living in the desert, it's easy to forget what "normal" weather is like. Sure, I don't live in the DESERT desert, like other people, and there are plants and trees and greenery around. But the weather, while mostly nice, can be downright depressing on occasions.

In winter, it's very pleasant, nice temperatures and the odd cloudy days perfect for going to the beach, every so often a windy day and occasionally a sudden dust storm will blow up out of nowhere. Those can be quite scary! During summer it's about 5 months on endless furnace temps (50'C is not uncommon) and the wind only makes it worse...

One thing I do miss living here is rain. Sure, at the time I used to moan about how annoying it was, getting from my car to the house and car to work and getting soaked. But I do love lying in bed & listening to the rain fall, it's soothing. I also love how the air smells after rain, it's fresh and earthy, like eveything is clean.

The other day a friend & I were talking about this exact thing actually, how nice it is to be snuggled up under the covers & listening to the rain on the roof. The weather forecast said there was supposed to be some rain the next day. We pooh-poohed it as probably coming to nothing like most rain showers here. I commented how I really missed the rain and how nice it would be to be able to do just that, hide under the doona while the rain comes down.

Funnily enough, about 30mins later I got a text from said friend telling me that at their place it has just started bucketing down rain, and was it raining at my house yet? It was starting to drizzle a little bit by this time, so I went downstairs. All of a sudden it was like someone turned on the tap- water coming down in sheets, thunder and lightning (very very frightening, haha) It was GREAT!!!

I stood in front of my building under the eave, still getting partly soaked but loving that we were in the middle of a storm and it was still WARM!! I was getting odd looks from everyone else takign shelter in the building lobby. A stack of delivery bicycles and motorbikes was slowly growing in our driveway as the poor food delivery guys ran to the lobby to get out of the rain.

It was awesome, and the rain probably happened again about three or four times that night, and again the next day. The storm seemed really close from 20+ floors up! My friends down the road are more than 40 floors up & said that it felt like the lightning was going to come inside the apartment! I woke up at about 4am with rain pelting my windows. I recalled seeing the window cleaners out all that day prior to the storm and felt sorry for them, all that work wasted and probably lots of gunk washed down from the top of the building to keep them occupied for another month!

So weird that I had just been saying I missed the rain, and not an hour later here was a storm! Now, about that million dollars I've been wanting...

Cosmetic Review: Besame Classic Color Lipstick

I've been very behind with this blog post but finally I'm glad to be able to share it with you. Part of the delay was in getting some good photos that I was happy with, but the other night I finally managed to get the elements together that I wanted for the photos.



The lovely Gabriela from Besame Cosmetics sent me a 'Classic Color' lipstick to try out for myself. I'd long been an admirer of the range both for its vintage appeal and also the natural pigments- the reds of which are reproductions of the shades used in old Hollywood films. How glam! :)

Of the ingredients, Gabriela says on the website:


Formulations that I consider responsible luxury, non-toxic, natural, and beneficial to your skin, while still retaining the feel and performance of a truly luxurious product. A mix of today's cutting edge technology and some wonderful natural ingredients that have proven benefits to your skin.

Aloe, ginseng, olive oil, green tea, jojoba oil, rose waxes, lavender flower extract, avocado oil, just to name few. Ingredients that go beyond the glamour and contribute to your well being, delivering the quality that has become synonymous with Besame Cosmetics.

The lipstick arrived in my mailbox the morning I left for a trip, I was excited to try it out but had to wait until I got back. It went in my suitcase and gave me something to look forward to when I arrived at the hotel.

This version of their lipsticks comes presented in a cute velvet pouch for safekeeping. The case is a nice metal embossed with the signature chysthanthemums and the Besame name.

It is heavy enough to be substantial but not too heavy. The size is a little bit smaller than my Maybelline Color Sensational, but still plenty big enough.

The lipstick itself is in the old 'blunt bullet' shape which means you can use either the edge for lining or the blunt face for coloring. Very handy actually!



The shade I tried out is called 'Dusty Rose'. It's a nice, slightly dark pinky brown. The Classic Color comes in 12 different shades, with a good range including a coral-type for those girls who like their bright colors.



I also got a pamphlet in the package which tells a bit about some of the Besame range. The Classic Color lipstick includes Vitamin A, E & C as well as aloe and green tea. I definitely noticed this when I tried it out. Felt very moisturising, but not too shiny or slippery- almost like a balm which is a nice change from the usual drying-out feeling I get from some other lipsticks. (The website describes the CC lipstick as "semi matte"). It also has a slight but pleasant fragrance, nothing too strong but quite soothing which I am guessing is from the aloe and other oils used in the products such as jojoba and avocado.

Photo showing me with makeup but before applying the lipstick.

The colour coverage was great; It only took one sweep to get a deep colour. While I didn't do any heavy-duty eating, I did have a drink out of a glass and while there was a little bit of transfer (usual I think with moisturising lipstick) it wasn't anything major. For me, I usually reapply after eating or drinking so personally I wouldn't find it a problem at all had it been more left.




As I don't usually wear a lipliner for everyday (non-work) wear, I tested this the same way, with just the lipstick. I didn't notice any feathering, even though the colour is quite dark on me. I hate it when my lipstick feathers so this was a plus for me. I think for a deep red a liner would be a good idea anyway, but for this shade it wasn't really necessary.



Another way I tried this lipstick was to put it on & then blot some of the colour away, leaving more of a stain and then some gloss on the top for a more understated look. I liked this method for times when I didn't want so much colour. For night time wear, I'd probably wear it right out of the tube. The only negative would be if you don't like a lipstick that's not matte. In which case one of the other formulas might suit you better. For me, I don't like totally matte so this is a nice compromise.

Overall, I really liked this lipstick, and when payday allows will be getting one of the reds for work. =)

Currently the Classic Color is available to purchase online for $22USD. Considering the packaging I think this is very reasonable. In Australia, the Maybelline I used everyday retails between $12-16AUD and my L'Oreal between $22 to $30AUD. Those are lipsticks I don't know the ingredients of and also with plastic packaging. Besame Classic Color comes in a very attractive tube which is more substantial and an accessory in itself!

(For those of you who are eco-conscious, metal tubes are great for re-using once your colour is done- just Google for how to re-make your lipstick using the tubes)

Overall, I was very happy with the product and think any girl would love to have a little bit of glamour back in her makeup bag, without breaking the bank.

Thanks Gabriela!

Be sure to check out the Besame website as there are some cool instructional videos and other vintage-styled makeup products that might be just what you're looking for to complete your look.



(Note: In the interests of transparency; my Classic Color was sent to me as a gift from Besame Cosmetics. All views are my own and aside from the product gift I was not paid for my review. You should read my review in conjunction with the Besame website to decide if this product is right for your personal circumstance.)

Makeup: Cover Girl Advanced Radiance Foundation in Buff Beige, CG Eyeshadow Quad in Country Woods, CG TruBlend Minerals Powder Compact in #2 Creamy Natural, Maybelline The Colossal Volum' Express Mascara in Black & Besame Cosmetics Classic Color Lipstick in C212 Dusty Rose.