Adore Beauty Haul

When I received an email from Adore Beauty the other day stating that if you spent over $59 you got a special May goodie bag of samples I couldn't resist putting an order in.

My original order contained the following items:

1) Love & Toast Gin Blossom Hand Creme - I'm almost out of my current hand cream so couldn't resist trying this one.

2) Ecoya French Pear Natural Soy Candle - I love, love, love these candles and they come in such gorgeous scents.

3) L'Occitane Body Lotion with Organic Olive Tree Extracts - I'm a L'Occitane virgin so decided it was time to end that dry spell and try something from this brand.

So, now for the good part. As I spent over $59 on my original order I received their May Goodie Bag along with two other free samples plus a Flake mini chocolate!

Here's what was in the Goodie Bag:

1) Lancome Genifique Youth Activating Concentrate 5ml
2) Guinot Biological Peeling Radiance Gel 15ml
3) Biotherm Aquasource Hydrating Jelly 5ml
4) Burt's Bees Soap Bark & Chamomile Deep Cleansing Cream 20gm
5) Clarins Super Restorative Day Cream 30ml
6) A Thalgo silver hand mirror in a little black pouch

I also got two other small samples purely for making an order. These were an Aesop Fabulous Face Cleanser 1.5ml sachet plus a Subtle Energies Rasayana Body Lotion sachet.

Plus, who can forget the Flake mini chocolate!

Overall, I am quite pleased with the contents of the Goodie Bag and will definitely get some use out of everything in it.

This has been my first ever order from Adore Beauty and considering it only took 2 whole days from me placing my order to receiving my goodies in the post I'm very happy with the whole experience.

Did anyone else take up this special offer?

Michelle xx

Lipstick Love - Models Prefer Lipstick in After Party

I have to admit that I have had a bit of an obsession with this lipstick ever since I purchased it. I just can't get enough of the gorgeous bright colour which has the tendency to make me happy no matter how I'm feeling or what the occasion.



This is the Models Prefer lipstick in After Party. After being so impressed with some of the other Models Prefer products I've tried out lately I decided to give one of their lipsticks a go and I have not been disappointed.

After Party is a gorgeous bright coral shade that can be worn sheer if you only want a hint of colour or built upon to get a nice opaque coverage. This is a colour that I normally would have run screaming from but I've been trying to make an effort to move out of my comfort zone with makeup colours lately and decided to bite the bullet and try this shade. They didn't even have a tester in store so I was flying completely (and nervously!) blind when I plucked this shade off the shelf and walked to the register to pay.

When I came home was the fun part. It was like opening a lucky dip when I got to swatch it for the first time and then proudly pranced around the house with my new lip hue (while hubby watched on like I was the silliest thing he'd ever laid eyes on, but who cares what he thinks!)

Anyhoo, bright, prettiness aside, this is actually a really lovely lipstick to wear as well which is a nice bonus. It goes on super creamy and seems to have a wear time of at least 3 hours or so (a little less with food in between) and fades away to leave a nice hint of colour on the lips. It does have an odd taste though which I wouldn't say is unpleasant, but it definitely borders on the strong side and can hang around a bit after application.

I'm so super happy with this new lippy that I have been wearing it almost everywhere as it's surprisingly a very versatile colour. I'm definitely going to check out some more of these next time I come across them in store. For around $10 who can resist?

Has anyone tried any other shades of these lipsticks that you would recommend?

Michelle xx 

Review - Australis Bronzing Powder in Golden

I think I have achieved the impossible! I have finally found a bronzer that a whiter than white skinned girl can actually wear without looking ridiculous.

Everyone, meet Australis Bronzing Powder in the shade Golden:

What the product claims:
'Australis Bronzing Powder gives skin a sun-kissed glow in an instant with this ultra-fine tinted pressed powder. Light-reflecting minerals provide an instant airbrushed appearance and the compact includes a mirror and applicator sponge, ideal for creating a wash of colour on the face or décolletage. Australis Bronzing Powder is available in two shades: Sunkissed and Golden.'

I decided to be brave and pick this up a while ago when I was browsing in Priceline because when I had a bit of a swatch fest this one seemed to be the best one I could see for someone as white as me. I've always been absolutely terrified of bronzers due to the fact that when other pale gals I have known have used it they have looked awful. There really is no other nice way to say it. There's nothing pretty about having two orange racing stripes heading up the side of your face when you use a bronzer that doesn't suit your skin tone.

Up until I purchased this little beauty I had been using a pale golden/brown eyeshadow I had as a bronzer as it seemed to work perfectly for me. Ever since I have pretty much used product on a daily basis.

(Left: Blended out, Right: Swatched)

As you can see from the above photos, this is a light golden bronzer that is very fine without having a heap of shimmer. It is extremely easy to blend out and buildable so it is impossible to put too much of this on your face at once. I usually find I have to do at least two or three applications of this bronzer before I really notice it on my face which shows you how fine a powder this is.

I'd love to know of any other bronzers out there that someone with ivory skin and freckles like me can get away with using without looking like a tiger. Any suggestions?

Michelle xx

FOTF - Plum Smokey Eye

Today's face of the fortnight is a simple smokey eye that is noticeable but not too overdone for day time or work.


 

To achieve this look I used the following products:

Face:
* Maybelline Fit Me Foundation in #115
* Australis Pressed Powder in Natural
* Australis Bronzing Powder in Golden
* Prestige Skin Loving Minerals Bronzing Powder in Pure Shimmer
* Blush - From an Elizabeth Arden palette I received as a GWP many moon ago - Sunblush

Eyes:
* I also used both the eyeshadows from the Elizabeth Arden palette. The pale shade, Platinum, all over the lid and inner corners plus the dark shade, Graphite, smudged in the crease
* Calvin Klein Intense Eyeshadow in Merlot (a deep plum shade) from the centre of the lid to the outer corner
* LimeLily Cosmetics Waterproof Eye Pencil in Jet
* Clinique High Impact Mascara in Black

Lips:
* Face of Australia Lip Quench in Pink Champagne

Hope everyone has a great week!

Michelle xx

My Current Wishlist

I have being doing a lot of online browsing lately and have found just so many new products that I would kill for.

Here are just a few things that I am lusting after right now. Some are new, others have been around for a while:


1) Thierry Mugler Womanity Eau Pour Elles Eau De Toilette Refillable Spray - How gorgeous is this bottle. I don't know if I could ever bring myself to use this but it would sure look damn pretty sitting on my dressing table.


2) Clinique Lid Smoothie Antioxidant 8 Hour Eye Colour - # 06 Cute-Cumber - Ok, I am the only one who feels wrong about wanting to eat this product? I mainly want one of these just to say the name to anyone who asks.


3) Guerlain Rouge Automatiqe- #166 Shalimar - My goal in life is to get a Guerlain lipstick. Yep, I have simple goals but they make me happy. Just how gorgeous is this colour?



4) Napoleon Perdis - Off Duty Tinted Moisturiser - Light/Medium - I just love the look of this product in the bottle. I could literally stare at this all day.

5) Emani Mosaic Eye Shadow - Feeling Mischievous - I love the look of this eyeshadow. You could create a heap of different looks by concentrating on using only a couple of the shades or mix them together for something completely different. So versatile!

So these are just a few of the things I am putting on my wishlist for now.

Has anyone used any of the above products before? If so, did you love or hate them?

Michelle xx

May Bellabox - Pamper Yourself

I received the May Bellabox today and was very excited because for once I received mine before sneak peeking at any other blogs to see what the contents were. It was nice for it to be a surprise for once!

Anyhoo, behold the contents of the May Bellabox below:

1) Emergin C Hydra Repair Capsules (4 x capsules, RRP $139 for 40 capsules)

2) Avene Eau Thermale Ystheal Emulsion and Eluage Eye Contour Care (5ml & 2ml respectively, RRP $61.95 for 30ml and $63.95 for $15ml)

3) Bobbi Brown Mini Mascara (RRP $48 for full size)

4) Savior Faire Mini Lipstick - Unite (1.2gm sample size, RRP $48 for full size)

5) Sebastian Professional Shampoo, Conditioner and Masque (1 x 10ml sample of each, RRP $34+ for full size)

While I think it's awesome there were two makeup products this month, I just wish the lipstick was in a better shade. The shade I got was Unite which is a caramel/beige kind of shade which unfortunately is not something I will wear very often. I almost cried when I opened it as I absolutely LOVE the Savior Faire lipstick we got in the first ever Bellabox and wear it all the time. Oh well, hopefully others got a colour they can enjoy so they can really appreaciate how gorgeous these lipsticks really are.

I'm a bit surprised there weren't any full sized products at all this month but I guess we can't complain considering how good value these boxes are when you average them over the last few months with what we have received in them.

So, what did everyone else think of the May Bellabox?

Review - Press and Go Press-On Nail Covers

I recently received these in a goodie bag from Priceline and as we had an engagement party to go to last weekend I just couldn't resist seeing how they worked.

First up, I love the pattern of these. Anything animal print is an instant hit with me so I was extremely happy to receive this pattern rather than any other.

These nail covers are so simple to use. You just peel off the backing strip, align the cuticle end with your nail and press them on. I held them in place for probably around 20 seconds each and once they stick they DO NOT budge.

It states on the pack that these are supposed to last up to one week. I have had mine on for three days now and they still seem to be sticking really well so it will be interesting to see how long they do actually last.

Here is the finished product:

I am totally in love with these and wish that they were my real nails!!

I did find that finding the correct size covers for my nails was a bit tricky because my natural nails are quite small so most of the covers were just a tad too big for me but you can't really tell unless you look really close.

You get 24 nail covers in one pack so you could possibly get two uses out of these if you weren't too fussy with having the exact size of your real nail and weren't doing something where anyone would be scrutinizing your nails under a microscope. Otherwise, I'm probably going to use the rest as accent nails as part of my normal manicures from now on just to add some interest.

What do you think? Would you wear these nail covers?

Review - Dr LeWinn's Line Smoothing Complex Corrective Line Filler

How much of a mouthful is the name of this product??

I was recently ridiculously excited to receive this cream to trial as part of being a member of BeautyHeaven as I've always heard such good things about Dr Lewinn's products and have never tried any myself due to them usually being quite expensive.

This is a lovely cream to apply and the tiny nozzle makes it easy to squeeze out just the right amount for spot coverage so that there is no waste (and for the price of this you don't want to waste it!)
It sinks into the skin straight away without leaving any greasy feel and I found that it made my foundation apply like a dream as it was almost like it primed my face.
I do notice a very small plumping effect a few minutes after use but haven't seen any long lasting effects of using this just yet. I've mainly been using it on the fine lines around my mouth, my smile lines, under the eyes and on the 'concentration' lines on my forehead. Around the mouth is where I notice the most difference after application as I've found that applying my lipstick is much easier these days because my lips seem a little fuller.
I'm hoping to see lasting results with a bit more use as it seems to wear off after a couple of hours and I don't really see the point in applying this cream several times a day just to keep my lines plumped out.

The scent is subtle but pleasant and a tube of this would last quite a long time with regular use (around twice a day). I think I've only gone through a third of the tube so far in the month we've had it for trial.

Also, an important factor for me is that this cream has not caused any irritation to my usually sensitive skin or caused me to have any additional breakouts. This is a definite bonus to me.
Overall, I'd like to see a more permanent reduction in my fine lines rather than just straight after use before I'd consider purchasing this product.

Has anyone tried any other Dr LeWinn's products that you recommend?

Review - Yumbums Bottom Balm for Bubs

This review is courtesy of Product Talk at Nuffnang.

I was lucky enough to be chosen to review a new all natural balm called Yumbums.

A Little Bit About Yumbums:

'Yumbums blends organic olive oil, organic beeswax and organic coconut oil to create a natural protective barrier which also hydrates and maintains skin pH. Together with herbal extracts of Calendula, Chamomile, Golden Seal and Licorice root which have been specially chosen for their skin healing properties, Yumbums will keep your baby’s bum YUM!

Yumbums can also be used for any irritated skin conditions for adults and children such as, eczema. Its ingredients are naturally anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial and extremely healing to the skin.' 

I was excited to try this product for two main reasons: 1) To see what difference it made to my little man as far as his nappy rash was concerned, and 2) To see if it helped my eczema at all.

Firstly, to me Yumbums kind of smells like chocolate. It's a very pleasant, natural smell that is obviously a lot nicer to apply to bub than the other chemical barrier creams that you can get. We're very lucky in that bub doesnt really get bad bouts of nappy rash all that often. He mainly just gets a small red irritated area now and then and any time I used this balm it cleared any redness almost straight away. I've come to using it after almost every nappy change just as a precaution against anything popping up and he's had clear skin for over a week now.

As for my eczema, this balm definitely eases any dryness and itchiness I get without being too greasy. As I said before, it's got a pleasant, almost chocolate like smell which makes using this balm a lot more pleasant than other chemical smelling creams like cortisone that I have to resort to using sometimes. 

The only negative thing I could say about this balm is that it's texture can make it a little difficult to get out of the pot and spread around. It's a very thick balm which can be a little clumpy sometimes. To me this is something which can be easily overlooked though because the benefits of using something so natural obviously outweigh a small problem like this.

   

Lastly, Yumbums:

*Contains only the highest quality natural and organic ingredients

* Is formulated by a qualified naturopath, Gali Lenko.

* Contains no petrochemicals, parabens, sulphates or synthetic fragrances
* Is Australian made and owned
* Can be ordered online and more information at http://www.nuffnang.com.au/www.yumbums.com.au
* RRP $18.50


*This product was sent to me for review purposes but this has in no way affected my opinion above.

FOTF - Feeling a Bit Pink

So I finally remembered to take a photo of my latest Face of the Fortnight look just before I swapped my products over again.

This is another daytime look I did for work so it's pretty toned down:

Here's all the products that I used:

Face:
* Models Prefer Liquid Foundation in Ivory with a bit of Models Prefer Liquid Illuminizor in Illuminate mixed in;
* Australis Pressed Powder in Natural
* Australis Bronzing Powder in Golden
* Prestige Skin Loving Minerals Powder in Pure Shimmer
* Clinique Quick Blush in In-A Rush Blush

Eyes:
* Mirenesse Pearl Crush Creashless Shadows in Baroque Pearls (I used the two light shades blended together all over the lid)
* Avon Ultra Luxury Eye Liner in Charcoal smudged under the bottom lashes
* Clinique High Impact Mascara in Black

Lips:
* Avon Ultra Luxury Lip Liner in Baby Pink
* Savoir Faire Cosmetics Lipstick in Miss You (I love this lipstick, it is the creamiest and yummiest lipstick ever!)

Michelle xx

Review - Lash Republic False Lashes - I am a false lash virgin no longer

So, the other day I was a bit bored (bub was asleep for once and I had some time to kill, it doesn't happen often!)

Anyway, I decided to have a go at applying some false eyelashes because it is something that I have never done before and I've been intrigued a lot lately as to how easy or hard it is to do and what I would actually look like with some on.

The lashes I decided to try were my Lash Republic lashes in Baby Doll. I received these in a monthly sample box a few months ago and they have been sitting at the bottom of my eye makeup box ever since.

Well, I soon found out that trying to get these babies on is HARD! I had many unsuccessful attempts at getting these on at first, mainly because the glue that came in the packet was absolutely awful and wouldn't seem to stick at all. After tracking down another box of lashes I received from another beauty sample box (some Eylure ones) and stealing the glue from them, I finally got them to stick.

(Here's what the lashes looked like once on. I have a coat of mascara on my normal lashes to build them up a bit)

(The above picture shows a comparison between my eyes with the lashes on my left eye and my natural lashes on my right. No mascara was applied here on my normal lashes)

What do you guys think? I'm personally not really a fan unfortunately. I just found them too much trouble and time consuming and time is something that is sacred to me these days. I also felt absolutely ridiculous with them on. I felt like my eyelashes were going to take off and I could feel them constantly every time I blinked as they moved with my eyelid.

I don't know about anyone else, but I had so much trouble getting them close to the base of my normal lashes and kept ending up with a gap of skin that looked terrible close up. I guess it just takes a lot of practice to get these right and unfortunately I'm not really the most patient being on earth either.

Maybe I'd consider having a go with these again for a fancy dress party but I don't think I'd bother for anything else. I guess I'm lucky that my own lashes are quite curved and long anyway so when I apply the right mascara they have enough impact on their own.

I've seen you can get individual lashes instead of these strips so that could maybe be a possibility for me to try instead one day. But, for now I think I'll just leave these in the 'tried but didn't really like' basket.


Michelle xx