8 TIPS FOR GOING CRUELTY FREE WITH YOUR COSMETICS || Rivet Licker

I chose to go Cruelty Free with my cosmetics back in 2012, and it has been a world of discovery of interesting brands and products, it was very hard to start out, but I eventually built my entire beauty blog around it. Now I want to give back to people outside of my niche audience.

Here are my tips and some resources to help you make the change!

FIRST TIMER! || Rivet Gets A Fake Tan With MineTan 1 Hour Express Tans || #RivetReview

I don't buy or use fake tan at all. I'm okay with being all various shades of pale, where my darkest is lighter than most peoples' lightest. I'm not this pale by choice - my childhood days were filled with golden olive skin that disappeared as I got older and started developing rashes upon sun exposure, rather than producing a tan.

MineTan was a brand featured at the TVSN Beauty Bazaar this year, where we were told about its humble beginnings by its founder, Kristie Kirkham, and its rapid expansion into the professional and consumer beauty worlds.

INSTANT RESULTS COSMETICS || Hooded Eyelid Holy Grail? Contours Rx Lids By Design || #RivetReview

Here at Rivet HQ, I suffer from really terrible hooded eyelids and have tried so many things short of getting surgery (eh herm, being able to afford it, that is).

Contours Rx is brought to you by the hooded eyed babe, Britain Todd, who wanted to help improve the look of saggy eyelids and also improve vision for those who cannot undergo blepharoplasty (upper eyelid surgery). Us hooded eyed wonders are going to be thanking her!

$17 BRUSH CLEANER FROM ALDI?! || Lacura Brush Cleaner & Dryer || #RivetReview

Brush cleaning has to be one of the worst things about being into makeup. Trying to find ways to minimize time spent cleaning and drying your brushes can be a nightmare. With the recent advent of a brand name brush cleaner, dupes quickly became available, costing around $60.

Enter Aldi, with their own beauty brand, Lacura, giving access to popular makeup and beauty tools at budget prices. But does it work?

THE DOWNFALL OF DECIEM || What about the products?! || #RivetReview

As things get more bizarre, I'm talking conspiracy theories and incomprehensible banter bizarre, with Deciem and its problematic founder, Brandon Truaxe, it's hard to tell what is going to happen with the brand. Brandon was ousted as CEO as of the 12th October 2018, after he stated that Deciem was going to cease operations for two months. With the Instagram account deactivated (reactivated as of 15th October) we don't know what is happening inside the brand, and whether this is just all an elaborate PR stunt or just somebody who has lost themselves to their mind.

Leading up to this, I have been trying to use up the stash I have left, and I said I would give my thoughts on the products, feelings aside for a person who publishes confidential emails, accuses his board of criminal activity, and calls customers 'idiots'. I'm not sure where the brand is going now, only time will tell, but I want to be confident that things turn around for the better.

10 Shitty Things Nobody Tells You About Life With Chronic Illness || #RivetRant

Everyone thinks that chronic illness is a one way ticket to Lazy Town (not to be confused with the children's television series that appealed to creepers on the internet), but it's no cakewalk. Most chronically ill people are working harder to achieve the same results with half the resources, and that's just to survive the day.

Image Description: Cartoon depiction of Rivet Licker, the author of this blog. She is a tired looking woman with short purple/pink hair and has thermometer in her mouth. She is wearing a bath robe and holding a mug of coffee in one hand, and the other is placed on her face. Text reads "Chronic Illness Is Shitty".

I know it's not beauty related, but I don't really want to publish a story with a well known chronic illness website that is pretty crappy to neurodivergent people and rhymes with 'She Fighty'. Better published on an independent platform!

This post comes with a massive trigger warning for lots of swearing, mental health, suicidal ideation, drugs, bodily functions, dismissive doctors, ableism (naturally), financial woes, inspiration porn, flashy GIFs, etc.

SAMPLES & BROCHURES & GIFTS, OH MY! || Beauty Expo Product Haul || Rivet Licker

Now that I got my comprehensive edit out of the way, I can now show you all what I bought and the samples I got at Beauty Expo. So much for my no buy.

Also, I have never seen so many foil packets in my life...!

Beauty Expo || PROFESSIONAL BEAUTY TRADE SHOW RECAP|| #RivetReview

Every year around September, beauty industry professionals gather to attend Beauty Expo, a trade show that caters to the needs of beauty therapists, nail technicians, clinical aestheticians, and makeup artists.

My inner beauty therapist was really thrilled to discover so many new brands and innovations, and my journalistic intuition took me to the event to cover what went on. BE WARNED, THIS IS LONG!

PEEL-OFF FACE MASKS || Do they do anything or are they a gimmick? || Rivet Licker

Remember when you were a kid and you would brush PVA glue on your hand, wait for it to dry, then peel it off? Satisfying hey?

Peel-off face masks have been trending lately, and some, well, they are quite fun, but very expensive. Do these masks actually do anything for our skin, or are they just a huge gimmick?

Sand & Sky Flash Perfection Exfoliating Treatment || #RivetReview

Australia is very isolated from the rest of the world and some of the most interesting cosmetic ingredients can be found here. Pink clay can be found in several different parts of the world, but Australian Pink Clay is the only kind that goes into these formulations!

After the hit success of Sand & Sky's Pore Refining Mask, the team brought out Flash Perfection - a dual action scrub and mask that aims to mattify and invigorate skin.

TESTING OUT PRODUCTS FROM BRANDS I WON'T BUY || Kylie Cosmetics Lip Kit || #RivetReview

Vogue Australia released their September 2018 issue featuring Kylie Jenner on the cover and a free Lip Kit worth $39. If you have been keeping up to date with the beauty community via The Makeup Social group on Facebook, you'll know the hype. People are buying swarms of magazines just for the freebie!

Here is me, doing my grocery shopping, and I spot the latest issue and I'm contemplating, even though I really don't care much for Kardashian/Jenner troupe.  $13 for a magazine is steep, but, FOR SCIENCE (and a beauty section to snoop in)!

Beauty Heaven Natural Beauty Month || Event Recap + Haul || #RivetReview

I have been a Beauty Heaven member for a few years, and I was invited to another wonderful event held at BH HQ in Sydney to celebrate Natural Beauty Month.

Beauty Heaven is a website where Australian beauty consumers can review products for points and exchange them in the Rewards Room for free beauty products! You'll find almost every drugstore, pharmacy, and salon brand of cosmetics listed for review!

SPELLS & POTIONS: EMPORIUM BEAUTY BOX JULY 2018 || Femme Fatale Cosmetics Bi-Monthly Indie Beauty Box || Rivet Licker

You're a wizard, Harry!

My third Emporium Beauty Box is Harry Potter themed. An enchanting world of spells and potions straight out of Hogwarts gives this box a little bit of magic on the side.

Cultural Beauty Trends || Skin Whitening: Racism, Class Warfare, WHAT? || Rivet Licker

I have been putting off this post for a while because of its sensitive nature, and I respectfully want to open the discussion. We've come to see different world views on the beauty industry because of the mainstream boom in Asian beauty trends. We were once pretty much sold an ideal created in Europe, but now we are finding ourselves immersed in different standards of beauty from around the world, but unfortunately, they're still very limited (as standards usually are). Black and brown skin still needs pride movements and representation; tanned skin is accepted and desired; but light skin is still the winner in some parts of the world.

Where does skin whitening stem from?

Penny Lane & My Perfect Cosmetics Company || REPRISE || #RivetReview

Penny Lane is a pretty remarkable human, and a champion at professional beauty treatments at home. I'm so thrilled to be working with Penny and her amazing product range again!

Two years ago, I brought a couple of demo and review posts for My Perfect Facial and My Perfect Eyes, not just by using them on myself, but on others, to show that they really do make a world of difference. I'm two years older and wanted to reprise these to see if I feel the same about these products.

Dr. Nassif MD Detox Pads - Complexion Perfecting Pads With Alpha/Beta Hydroxy Acids || #RivetReview

You may know Dr. Paul Nassif as one of the stars of Botched, a reality show about botched cosmetic procedures, where his expertise as a plastic surgeon is highly sought after for those who've undergone a dodgy treatment.

Naturally, being a medical aesthetics fixture in Beverly Hills, California, he has released a line of clinical grade skincare that is designed to target concerns such as dryness and dehydration, and help prevent damage to the function and appearance of our skin. In today's review, we'll be breaking down the Bio-clock Dermaceuticals Detox Pads, which has just won TVSN's 2018 Customer Beauty Award for Best New Innovation!

Winged eyeliner stamps are probably not going to give us hooded folk any hope, anyway. || #RivetReview

The Vamp Stamp tool was designed by a fellow disabled makeup artist, Veronica Lorenz, after losing sensation in her hands following a spinal tumor. This tool made application of winged liner accessible, and surely enough, the copies flew in, and suddenly a new innovation was brought to town, The Quick Flick. Rather than being a stamping tool dipped into product, it was made as a self-inking eyeliner stamp. It gained popularity after appearing on Shark Tank Australia. 

Even more copies became available, including one by Model Co Cosmetics, which I managed to pick up at Woolworths on my last supermarket trip. Does it work when your eyelids are so hooded that winged liner doesn't even look right? Let's find out!

OCCULT: EMPORIUM BEAUTY BOX MAY 2018 || Femme Fatale Cosmetics Bi-Monthly Indie Beauty Box || Rivet Licker

My second Femme Fatale Cosmetics Emporium Beauty Box finally arrived after a few issues with postage (Australia Post is THE WORST), and I was able to experience the spooky goodness that followed.

May 2018's box theme was the Occult, and gave rise to all sorts of wicked and delicious beauty treats and swatches!

MAGNETIC LASHES || Do they really work? MY EXPERIENCE! || #RivetReview

False lashes are the finishing touch to a makeup look. Most people use strip lashes, but some like to use accents and individuals. They can also be a very huge pain to apply, not to mention the disdain that comes with being allergic to the adhesives.

Welcome the magnetic lash – no glue needed. These magic lashes have two parts, one that goes on top, and one that goes underneath, which sandwich your natural lashes between magnets on the strips, but do they work or are they just a waste of time and money?

RIVET HACKS || 3 Ways To Use Microfibre Makeup Remover Cloths! || Rivet Licker

Ever since the original Makeup Eraser hit the market a few years ago, many dupes have become available through eBay, The Reject Shop, and other brands putting their names on them. The idea was that they remove makeup with just water, and yes, they do work, but I have found better ways to use them!

I've used my fair share of face towels in my time, but I feel the microfibre cloths are the best at removing things, and not just makeup. The latest innovation are the small disc shaped makeup removers marketed as Santé By Enjo, and Chloe Morello's Face Halo, offering environmentally friendly alternatives to disposable wipes.

Carbon Coco Teeth Whitening || Activated Charcoal Tooth Polish || #RivetReview

I'm not huge on teeth whitening because of how sensitive my teeth are, with some days being worse than others, especially because I'm a grinder and my botox has worn off. I also drink copious amounts of coffee, including long blacks, I'm surprised that my teeth aren't more stained. Guess I'm lucky!

Carbon Coco were kind enough to send me their Ultimate Carbon Kit to try, which included the Activated Charcoal Tooth Polish, the product I am reviewing in this post. Charcoal powder ... to whiten teeth? Interesting!

Essano Rosehip Clarifying Clay Masque || #RivetReview

Clay and dry skin, not really a winning combination, as per my last review, but are there ways to actually use clay masques in your skincare routine without leaving skin in a worse state than it was before? Apparently you can!

Essano are a New Zealand born brand that offer their gorgeous Rosehip Oil infused beauty products at budget friendly prices. Their Clarifying Clay Masque is vegan and suitable for dry skin. Winning combination!

Cinch Skin || FACE CHEAT(ER) + FACE IT CLEANSER || #RivetReview

Cinch started with one product, Face Cheat, a spray moisturiser that took the place of multiple products, including a primer, illuminator, and powerful antioxidant treatment. The all in one formula was an innovative take on a quick and easy beauty routine for those who are rushed, however, it wasn't suitable for my skin type. You can read my full review here.

Since giving my feedback and requesting a product better suited to dry skin, in 2017, Cinch expanded the range with two new products that they kindly sent out to me; Face Cheat(er), a cream version of the original spray, and Face It, a cleansing micellar water. I've finally given them a go and here's what's going down!

Touch In Sol || WINTER KBEAUTY EDIT || #RivetReview

I've got this love/hate relationship with KBeauty. I find that it focuses its skincare culture on white and poreless skin, while in the West, tanned skin is considered beautiful and dark skin still needs pride movements to show that it's beautiful. I'm kind of sick to death of these ideals, and being a pale, olive skinned person, my skin colour isn't always catered to by Western brands (or if they are, they're too pink), and so, KBeauty is something I sometimes go for when it comes to finding colours with neutral to yellow undertones, and innovative formulas that make my skin glow!

Touch In Sol is a brand available in Australia that isn't tested on animals, and it's a brand whose BB creams have worked for me. I proclaimed my love for In The Skin Renovation BB Cream last year, and yes, I still love it, but there are plenty of other products that I have tried and loved. Here are some!

Nearly 30, Female, and Autistic || Rivet Licker

Writing about beauty is what this whole blog is about, but sometimes I really have to get raw with my readers and explain things that happen in my personal life.

This is not something I have really spoken about publicly on my blog because it may get too personal and people don't like this kind of whiny crap, but I need to vent so much about having Asperger's as an adult.

The Ordinary Natural Moisturizing Factors + HA Surface Hydration Formula || #RivetReview

Deciem have many brands under their umbrella known as 'THE ABNORMAL BEAUTY COMPANY', and The Ordinary was the brand to bring high end clinical formulations into the hands of consumers at budget friendly prices. I mean, BUDGET FRIENDLY.

Our skin needs moisture to maintain optimum health and function. The outer layer cells may be dead, but there's a crucial component to the mix; Natural Moisturizing Factors.

UNICORNS: EMPORIUM BEAUTY BOX MARCH 2018 || Femme Fatale Cosmetics Bi-Monthly Indie Beauty Box || Rivet Licker

It has been a while since I have personally purchased a beauty box subscription service – I don't count Mecca Beauty Loop as such, but it was fun to get them until I didn't spend enough to qualify. I love watch those kinds of videos on YouTube, particularly when my long-time friend and fellow goth lady, Victoria of Biohazardous Beauty, does them. This is how I discovered an indie beauty box that comes from right here in Australia, despite me having to find out from somebody in the US!

Femme Fatale is a Brisbane based indie and cruelty free/vegan beauty brand, and distributor for other indie brands. This company had been sitting under my nose and I only ever knew them as a nail polish brand. Lo and behold, they sell heaps of different brands! I decided to subscribe to the Emporium Beauty Box, and this box's theme was UNICORNS!

BANNED FROM MY BLOG || Why I won't work with MLM brands || #RivetRant

One thing that gets me riled up is how brands/businesses conduct themselves online. Behaving poorly on social media; whether by insulting customers who ask questions, lying about the security certificates on their website, or trying to avoid PR nightmares by deleting comments calling them out; these are more than enough to put me off buying from that business/brand. Another level of evil is the multi-level marketing brands, because there is no social media team behind their online presence; the annoying ones, or even the honest ones.

AVON. YOUNIQUE. LIPSENSE. RODAN + FIELDS. NUTRIMETICS. JAMBERRY. ARBONNE. DOTERRA. IT WORKS. You're probably familiar with these brands. I don't care if they're cruelty free, they're still not getting my support.
Grab your tea, but I'll do the spilling.

RAWW || Coconut Kiss Lipsticks Swatches + Review || Rivet Licker

RAWW Australian Organics is the latest Aussie natural brand to fall into our makeup bags. Infused with superfood ingredients, this skincare and makeup range smells amazing and offers a botanical banquet to add to your routine.

Lipsticks are always welcome here, but I've hardly shown any off on my blog! Time to change that!

Ultraceuticals Ultra C10+ Firming Serum || #RivetReview

The brainchild of Dr. Geoffrey Heber, of Heber Davis Skin Clinic Broadway, started out as a project in a garage that grew to be one of the most popular and respected cosmeceutical lines in Australia. Ultraceuticals is effective skincare for all types and conditions.

I had attended a media event for Ultraceuticals back when I was still studying to be a beauty therapist and only dreaming about becoming a dermal clinician, where was gifted the C10+ Firming Serum. I finally cracked it open and I have regrets not doing it sooner.

Know Your Cleansers || A GUIDE TO CLEANSERS || Rivet Licker

Cleansers. Just soap, right? WRONG. Cleansers are the first step in your skincare routine, the step that gets the day off and leaves your skin prepped to receive treatment, but they're not a one size fits all approach. Your cleanser should be appropriately matched to your skin type and condition, because you don't want to be using something that dries your skin out when it's already dry, or worsens your acne.

This post is an adaptive revisit from a story I wrote a couple of years ago for another blog, but the information is absolutely more than relevant for my readers with some products for all budgets!

Claytox Clay Masque || Alumina Silicate Sea Clay for Dry Skin || #RivetReview

I've never been a fan of clay based masques, because I have dry skin and they really just don't work for me, but after being contacted by Claytox, I was willing to give their product a go and was offered a full masque kit to trial.

I was actually really excited to try this – I wound up picking the Alumina Silicate Sea Clay which was recommended for dry skin, and I couldn't help but feel like Louis Litt during a mud session!

Mesoestetic AOX Ferulic & Genesis Device Launch || Rivet Licker

My readers should already know that I am a cosmeceutical nerd. I am studying medicinal chemistry to enter the pharmaceutical and personal care formulation industries, with a niche around dermatology and aesthetic medicine. I'm only at the beginning of my degree, but making contacts in the industry is essential to my learning.

Mesoestetic Pharma Group is a Barcelona based biotechnology laboratory focusing on researching and developing active skincare for use by professionals and at home ranges to complement in-clinic treatments. For the first time, they held a media event here held by distributor Advanced Cosmeceuticals.

Molecule Madness || AN ABC-E GUIDE TO VITAMINS IN SKINCARE || Rivet Licker

In the middle of studying a combination of physical and organic chemistry, I found a break where I felt I could write a story on nothing other than vitamins, some of the organic molecules in our skincare. We need them to survive and we can't make a lot of them, so we get them from our food.

Vitamins in skincare do specific jobs, and some do similar things, but work for different skin types and conditions. Most act as antioxidants, where they bond to free radicals and prevent damage to our DNA. Breaking it down below, here we have a little guide to picking what kind of vitamin may work for your skin.

Hey lovely followers! I’m just posting that I won’t be posting on my usual schedule (weekly blog post, Monday-Friday insta, with the exceptions of makeup looks) until late February. I didn’t realize how intense the study load would be in summer, but it’s two subjects towards my degree down. I’ll be back with regular content in March (when my load subsides)! You can read my latest story, from this week on my blog! . #student #unistudent #chemistrymajor #chemstudentproblem #gonestudying #science #sciencedegree #makeup #makeupaddict #beauty #beautyaddict #beautytalk #beautyblogger #bblogger #bbloggers #bbloggerau #bbloggersau #bbloggeroz #ausbeautybloggers #sydneyblogger #slave2beauty #aussiebeauty #aussiebeautybabes #instabeauty #instabeautyau #beautyinfluencer #discoverunder100k

A post shared by Lara Schilling💄#RivetReview (@rivetlicker) on Jan 24, 2018 at 12:58pm PST

DISAPPOINTING PRODUCTS || Makeup, Skincare, Haircare || #RivetReview

I get to try out a lot of products as a blogger, and while I don't like to be negative (without constructive feedback), I do like to be honest.

Here we have some products that just did not cut it; whether it be the formula, the colour, the fragrance, or just the general consensus of being poor performing. NO BRANDS ARE SAFE! LET THE HONESTY HOUR BEGIN!

Summer Holiday Skin || Antipodes Skincare Edit || Rivet Licker

Antipodes is a good friend here at Rivet Licker. The natural and effective beauty products from the New Zealand brand have been keeping my skin soft and smooth for just over two years.

Being an Aussie, the festive holidays fall in summer. I was offered the opportunity to trial and create my own edit of Antipodes products to keep my skin in top notch this summer.