July Lust Have It

A couple of days ago I received the July Lust Have It pack. Rather than muck around I'll just get straight into telling you about the contents.

(The cosmetic bag this month was bright orange)

(Please forgive my little man's inquisitive hand in the photo)

The pack contents were as follows:

1) Baby Foot Exfoliating Socks (1 x pack, RRP $29.95) - These look very interesting. I don't really have rough feet at all but will be happy to give these a go just before it warms up again and thongs become a staple footwear item.

2) Matrix Deep Smoothing Shampoo (50ml sample, RRP $29.00 for 500ml)

3) Matrix Deep Smoothing Conditioner (30ml sample, RRP $29.00 for 250ml) - I don't know why the conditioner sample is smaller than the shampoo one as surely I'm not the only person on earth who tends to use more conditioner than shampoo?

4) Mirenesse Velvet Lip Lift Moisture Shine (1.5gm mini gloss, RRP $39.95 for 4.5gm full size) - I already have 4 more of these glosses in other shades as they are one of my all-time favourite lip gloss. I love this deep bright pink shade that I got which is No. 39.

5) Avene Gentle Eye Makeup Remover (25ml sample, RRP $22.95 for 125ml) - I've never tried this product so will be interested to see what it's like.

6) Avene Ystheal+ Cream Anti Ageing (5ml sample, RRP $49.95 for 30ml) - I received another sample of this in a previous box and wasn't really a fan.

All in all I think the contents of this box were reasonable and I was super happy about getting a makeup item FINALLY in the form of the Mirenesse Lip Gloss. The shampoo and conditioner samples are always handy for going away and will definitely be included in my bag next week when we go to Port Macquarie for 5 days.

I have to admit that I'm getting quite sick of the cosmetic bags now. It was a nice novelty the first couple of times but is getting a bit silly now. Seriously, how many of these things do they think we need? I've found they make great play toys for my little man as he loves to fill them with things and then empty them out again so at least they are getting some sort of use :-)

What does everyone else think of the July pack?

Michelle xx

Covergirl Lip Perfection Lipstick in Kiss

Lately I have had a new love in the form of this lipstick. It's such a soft, creamy lipstick which has amazing colour pay-off and feels super moisturising on the lips.

The shade I have is called Kiss and it is a soft peachey/apricot shade with a hint of frost. I was a little bit worried when I first bought this lipstick because the first couple of times I wore it all I could see was frostiness and I wondered if I had a dud tube! Luckily, it must just be the coating on the outside of the lipstick which contains the frost as when I used it a few more times it seemed to reduce by a huge amount and now is at the pretty peachey/apricot shade that I fell in love with in store.

A Little Bit About Covergirl Lip Perfection:
Lip Perfection Lipsticks combine colour and moisture to give you more supple lips in just seven days. In a single stroke lips are enhanced with colour. After a week silk-therapy moisturisers ensure lips are smooth and soft. The formula contains avocado, shea and aloe butters.

Apparently these lipsticks are supposed to improve the condition of the lips if used for at least 7 days consecutively but this isn't something I've really noticed as I use a lip balm every day as well as my lipstick anyway. It certainly feels moisturising when on and wears off nice and evenly too. I get around 2-3 hours of wear out of this lipstick (a little less if I eat or drink).

One thing I love about this lipstick is the base matches the shade almost exactly which is great when searching through my stash as it really stands out. It also has a subtle sweet taste which is kind of vanillary. It's not unpleasant but definitely noticeable for a while after applied to the lips.

I love the Kiss shade I have as it goes with almost any makeup look and suits my pale skin tone really well. I will definitely be looking at acquiring another one or two of these in different shades in the future.

Has anyone else tried these lipsticks?

Michelle xx

Napoleon Perdis Haul and Happy Birthday to me!

Tomorrow is my birthday - Yay! So, as a little treat to myself I decided to attend a Napoleon Perdis backstage event at my local David Jones yesterday where I got a gorgeous makeup look done for my birthday dinner and ended up coming home with some things that I've been eyeing off for a long time.

I have to admit that prior to this the only NP product that I'd ever personally tried is the Auto Pilot primer so I really wanted to get a feel for the products at this event and get to know a bit more about NP makeup.

Here was my little haul:

1) Sheer Genius Foundation in Light Look 2 - This is such a lovely smooth foundation to apply and is easy to build coverage or wear sheer depending on what type of look you want.

2) The One Concealer - If anyone ever told me to try a concealer that is a peachy-pink tone I'd probably go 'thank you very much' and back away slowly. But, I've now been totally converted to thinking that this concealer is the best thing ever invented. When the makeup artist applied it and suddenly I looked like I actually got a peaceful sleep the night before and didn't in fact have a toddler making me an exhausted wreck I wanted to buy every tub of this they had in store!

3) The Ultimate Contour Palette - Oh boy! I have had a very unhealthy obsession with this palette for a very long time but just never bit the bullet and bought it. Yesterday I was in the 'hell, it's my birthday!' mentality so decided to get it. I am in love!


Then, as a little bonus there was the following gift-with-purchase which was also quite awesome in itself:

It contained the following items:
1) Skinny Latte Nail Polish
2) Colour Disc in Naturelle #55
3) Long Black Mascara in Double Black
4) Auto Pilot Skin Primer; and
5) Lip Patrol lipstick in Private Kiss

Plus, the cosmetic bag is so cute with three separate pockets on the front and one at the back. It will be great for taking on holidays.

All in all I loved my little makeover and the makeup artist was just lovely. I tried taking photos of the finished look but was having a bad camera day and just couldn't get the lighting right to really show everything off so ended up giving up.

I've got my eye on a few other items now for the next time I'm near the Napoleon Perdis counter, with the Pale Rider Eyebrow pencil and a Luminous Lip Veil in Coral Island on the top of my list.

I'd love to know what everyone's favourite Napoleon Perdis product is?

Michelle xx

July Bellabox - Essential Beauty Buys

So, I got the July Bellabox this week and instead of the contents coming in the usual cardboard box they were loosely packed into the outside cardboard packaging and a small cosmetic bag was also included. It's obvious the regular box wasn't used due to the contents being so chunky.

Here is what came in my Bellabox for July:

1) You, Me & Everybody Shady Lady Daily Face Milk (75ml Full size, RRP $9.99) - A daily moisturiser with SPF30+. This will definitely come in handy.

2) Carmex Moisturising Lip Balm (10gm Full size, RRP $5.99) - I've heard so much about Carmex lip products but have never tried them myself. I'm interested to see what all the hype is about.l

3) Neutrogena Deep Clean Foaming Cleanser (Full size, RRP $13.99 for 175gm) - I've used this in the past and it's a decent cleanser.

4) Nutri-Synergy Sensitive Skin Cleanser (100ml trial size, RRP $15.95 for 500ml) - This is a non-foaming cleanser for sensitive, very dry or problem skin. Sounds just like my skin!

5) Ulta3 Nail Polish in Mulberry (Full size, RRP $2.00) - There are good polishes for their price.

6) ELF Eyeshadow Brush (RRP $3.99) - Another eyeshadow brush is always handy.

7) Royal Moroccan Hair Repair Shampoo, Conditioner & Serum (1 x sample sachet of each, RRP $29.95 for 100ml Serum, $17.95 for 300ml Shampoo, $17.95 for 300ml Conditioner) - I always love trying new hair products to see what they do to my fine and frizzy locks.

8) Neutrogena Deep Clean Gentle Scrub (15ml sample size, not written up on card) - Hmmm, two cleansers and a scrub. I'm seeing a bit of a trend with this box. Maybe they think I have a dirty face?

9) Givenchy Pi Neo (Sample sachet) - This isn't pictured as my hubby has already taken off with it. I quite like Givenchy scents so will be interested to see what this one is like.

Well, this was certainly a jam packed box that was great value for money this month. Yet again I missed out on any makeup as I noticed that some other boxes got an Almay mascara which would have been a welcome addition. Oh well, all of the items I did get will certainly get some use.

Michelle xx

Jurlique Sweepstakes

How gorgeous are Jurlique products? Well, I am lucky enough (and also very excited too!) to give you the opportunity to win a lovely prize pack from Jurlique which includes the following products:

* Rose Moisture Plus Moisture Cream
* Rosewater Balancing Mist; and
* Rose Moisture Plus Moisturising Cleanser

20 very lucky readers will have the opportunity to win this prize which is valued at $114 AUD.

It's also super easy peezy to enter. All you have to do is click through the options on the widget you see on my sidebar on the right. There are three simple steps:

1) Log in to Facebook
2) 'Like' Jurlique on Facebook; and
3) Follow 'Jurlique' on Twitter (this step is optional)

No purchase is required and anyone over 18 in Australia can enter. The official rules can be viewed by clicking on the bottom of the widget if you are so inclined.

The competition ends on the 27th July 2012 and the winners will be announced on the 1st August 2012 and contacted directly by Jurlique.

Good luck everyone!!

Michelle xx

Review - Dove Purely Pampering Shea Butter with Warm Vanilla Body Wash

I was fortunate enough to receive this for review as part of the Beauty Heaven trial team a little while ago. (Apologies for using the supplier photo, mine is a bit manky from being in the shower :-))

What the Product Claims:

'Dove Purely Pampering Shea Butter with Warm Vanilla Body Wash combines wholesome and luxurious ingredients with Dove’s NutriumMoisture™ technology to leave your skin feeling nourished and pampered. The body wash features a subtle scent of shea butter and warm vanilla.'

Firstly, when I received my little package in the mail I was excited as I love Dove body washes and vanilla is one of my favourite scents.

This wash comes in a very generous size bottle with a flip top lid that is easy to deal with in the shower. It's a lovely thick, creamy wash that lathers like you wouldn't believe. A little definitely goes a long way with this wash so you only need about a 20cent piece size amount for each use.

It's also got a beautiful warming scent which I found quite relaxing at night when showering.
Although the wash is super creamy, I still found I had to apply my normal body moisturiser after showering or my skin still felt a little dry. My skin is always a lot more thirsty than most so if you have normal skin you may just be able to get away without adding a moisturiser afterwards.

This is a very affordable body wash that I will definitely be looking at purchasing again.



Is it just me or does Dove have about 2 billion different types of body wash now?

Michelle xx

Nails of the Week - Sally Hansen Color Quick Fast Dry Nail Color Pen - Turquoise Chrome

I received this in one of my monthly sample boxes and was very intrigued as to how it would work as I've never used a nail polish pen before.

With this one I had to click the top about 5-6 times to get a good amount on the brush which was dry when it was first opened. The polish kind of flows out around the top of the brush and makes its way down the bristles to give you a good coverage prior to application.

Once I started using this I was amazed. It goes on so smoothly and dries in a ridiculously short amount of time. You get enough coverage with just one coat too which means the whole process of painting my nails was over within about 3 minutes and I could get up and get on with my day without any worries of smudging.

The pen says to apply 1-2 coats but when I tried to apply a second coat the brush seemed to keep dragging off the first coat rather than applying on top of it so I gave up after practically ruining my thumbnail and decided to leave it at just one coat which looks fine to me anyway. 

This polish was seriously the hardest colour I think I have ever tried to photograph. Due to the shiny chrome finish I just couldn't get it to look right no matter what lighting I used so I apologise in advance now for the dodginess of the below photos. Hopefully you'll get the gist of how gorgeous this blue shade actually is.

(With flash)

(Without flash)

(I took this photo so you could see how well the coverage was for just one coat. If you look really close you can see some very small streaks but they are not overly noticeable)

For a mother with a very active and inquisitive 16 month old, a nail polish that can be done and dusted in less than 5 minutes gets my big tick of approval. Usually I have to wait until hubby is around to apply nail polish because I am guaranteed to have to stop and ruin it by picking something up or stopping a little someone from doing something he shouldn't be doing if I try to do it when I am home on my own.

My only gripe with this polish would have to be the brush. It's a very dense brush that is kind of round rather than flat like most polish brushes. This took a bit of getting used to as it meant getting up close to the base of the nail was a bit tricky with such a thick brush.

I think I will definitely be checking out some more shades in this range.

Has anyone use any other colours in this range that you would recommend?

Michelle xx

Simple Shopping Trip FOTD

So the other day we were going out for a bit of retail therapy (gotta love end of financial year bonus time at hubby's work!) and I decided to do a very simple look that would last the day without any fuss.

For some reason I seem to always gavitate to purple eyes as it's the one shade I can work with quickly without looking like a clown. Since buying my 120 colour pro palette a few weeks ago I vowed I'd try to get more creative with my eye looks but I haven't even broken the plastic off of it yet, eeek! To tell you the truth, I love colour on other people but I'm scared to death of trying it for myself. I will eventually though, I promise!

Anyway, here is the simple look I went for:

                     

Face:
Maybelline Fit Me Foundation in 115
Australis Paparazzi Perfect Blush in Poser

Eyes:
Clinique Colour Surge Eyeshadows in Plum and Lilac (the two purple shades on the right of the palette
B Collection by Bloom Shade & Line Eyeliner in St Mark's Square on the top and bottom lash line
Elizabeth Arden Ceramide Lash Extending Treatment Mascara in Black

Lips:
Revlon Colourburst Lip Gloss in Hot Pink

And that's it! I've been trying to minimise using powders and concealers too much lately due to my skin being a bit sensitive after I was sick with the flu for so long so a light foundation is all I've been putting on lately.

Do you have a certain shade or combo that is your 'safe' look like I do?

Michelle xx

Review - Rich Skincare Ultra Hydrating Day Cream

It's no secret that I love products that contain natural ingredients. It just makes me feel a bit better if I can actually pronounce the majority of ingredients that I am putting on my skin rather than needing a science degree to know what the active ingredients are in a product.

Therefore, I was very excited when offerred to try the Ultra Hydrating Day Cream from a new skincare brand recently launched called Rich Skincare.

A little bit about Rich Skincare:

Our formulations start with a solid grounding in the abundance and goodness of nature and are then accented by the latest breakthroughs in anti-ageing research to give you a product that will give you superior results without violating your morals or poisoning you with dangerous chemicals.

Made in Australia

NO Sulphates

NO Parabens

NO Artificial colours or fragrances

About the Ultra Hydrating Day Cream:
A luxurious lightweight cream that leaves skin energised, hydrated and protected throughout the day.

Moisture is locked in with the deeply-penetrating hydrating properties of Aloe Vera, Shea Butter, Camellia, Jojoba and Silk Peptide

Vitamin E provides strong protection from environmental oxidation

Palmitoleic acid in Macadamia Oil promotes young, soft skin

Vitamin B5 helps dry skin become more soft and elastic, encouraging healing via the growth of new epithelial cells

Hyaluronic Acid and Marine Collagen plump up your skin and reduce the appearance of fine lines

Ingredients:

Aloe vera juice, Aqua, Cetearyl Olivate/Sorbitan Olivate, Camellia Oil, Macadamia Nut Oil, Shea Butter, Jojoba, Organic Coconut Oil, Vitamin E oil, Hyaluronic Acid, Silk Peptide, Marine Collagen, Vitamin B5, Xanthan Gum, Phenoxyethanol, Potassium Sorbate, Jasmine Essential Oil, Rose Geranium Essential Oil, Beetroot Powder

My Thoughts:

I have fallen in love with the cream. It's a beautiful, lightweight white cream that is easy to massage into the skin and it has a lovely fresh and natural scent that it not too overpowering when applied early in the morning.

It comes in a nice and sturdy plastic bottle with a pump head that distributes a small amount of the cream at a time so you can control how much you want to use. I usually use about three pumps to cover my entire face and neck. 

The cream absorbs very fast and leaves my skin feeling soft and smooth and completely moisturised for the rest of the day. I don't feel greasy at all afterwards and it makes a lovely base for makeup application too as I am always forgetting to put a primer on but haven't really felt a need for one anyway when using this cream. 

As you all may know I have had the super-mega flu for the past three weeks and I have noticed that this cream has minimised any dryness around my nose from constant blowing (so glamorous, I know) and hasn't caused any irritation to this sensitive area which has been a lifesaver. 

I've noticed a small plumping effect when using this cream and some of the fine lines around my eyes and mouth seem to be minimised after application and my skin seems to have a bit more of a natural glow to it now too.

Overall, this cream has definitely been a winter saviour for my skin.

For more information about the Rich Skincare range and to see the other awesome products available you can go to their website at http://www.richskincare.com.au/

Has anyone tried any other products in the Rich Skincare range yet?

Michelle xx

***This product was provided for consideration but my opinions are always my own*** 

30 Days of Lippy - Week 3

This was the last week for me of the Instagram challenge called 30 Days of Lippy (#30daysoflippy) which was created by Rosemary at Lashes and Lattes and Kimberley at Pop Couture. I had to bow out after this point as I got the supermega flu and was sick as a dog for the last week of the challenge and wasn't interested in putting anything on my lips except balm to stop them from drying out.

Here is the list that we have been following every day:

So, last week in my Week 1 post I got up to Day 10 (I missed the first couple of days of the challenge) and in Week 2 I got up to day 17. So, here is what I wore from Day 18 onwards:

Day 18 - Berry-liscious:

Clinique Colour Surge Lipstick in Wow Violet

Day 19 - Sheer Flush:

Face of Australia Sheer Gloss Crayon in Cupcake

Day 20 - Orange Red:

I realised I didn't really have anything Orange Red so I decided to wear my new Revlon Lip Butter in Cherry Tart this day instead

Day 21 - Use a Lip Pencil to fill your lips:

Low and behold I ended up finding I did have an Orange Red in the form of my Gorgeous Cosmetics Lip Pencil in Premiere

Day 22 - Deep Purple:

I had to be creative on this day as I don't really have anything Deep Purple either. For this day I wore Clinique Colour Surge lipstick in Wow Violet with my Mirenesse 3D Gloss in Hot Kiss on top

Day 23 - Bee-Stung Lips:

Model Co Ultra Lipgloss in Showgirl Red

Day 24 - Peach:

Clinique High Impact in Peach Pop

So, that's a wrap as far as my 30 Days of Lippy journey is concerned. It was so much fun rediscovering some lip colours that I tend to overlook these days and I now have a new love for my stash.

I hope everyone is having a lovely weekend.

Michelle xx

Great Space Ideas

I finally decided the other night that I want my own space at home for any scrapbooking or crafty things I do. At the moment I use our dining table which is just plain annoying as I have to keep packing everything away constantly, then I forget where I'm up to and by the time I get everything out again either my mojo is gone or the time I had spare is gone (my 15 month old has a tendency to wake up whenever I decide to be constructive when he's sleeping!)

So, with my new mission fresh in my head I decided to hit up Pinterest for some inspiration. Can I just say that this site is DANGEROUS! I have found so many new uses for this site over the past few weeks and could easily lose hours on there if I was allowed. Anyway, here are some of the ideas I found that I just had to share because they were too good not to:

 How cute is this? Such a simple space layout that wouldn't cost the earth and doesn't take up too much room.

 This is just too cool. A great way to transform an old cupboard or storage unit.

 If only I had a whole wall to dedicate to something like this......

 What a great inspirational wall decoration, and so simple!

 An awesome way to use up old jars instead of throwing them out.

 You could use anything for this. A shower caddy, spice rack, the list is endless.....

So, now I have some ideas I just need the funds to put them into action and some spare time. Unfortunately, both of these things are something that I tend to have lacking most of the time so for now I can just keep wishing and hopefully one day I can finally have my own space. In the meantime I'll just keep dreaming and stalking Pinterest.....

Does anyone have any other great sites I should check out for inspiration??

Michelle xx

Review - Palmer's Cocoa Butter Formula Night Renewal Cream

I think I have finally found my holy grail night cream and it's in the form of Palmer's Cocoa Butter Night Renewal Cream.

I bought this cream a little while ago when doing my grocery shopping as I'd seen other good reviews about it and wanted to give it a go for myself.

What the product claims:
'Palmer’s Cocoa Butter Formula Night Renewal Cream is a rich, reviving cream that contains cocoa and shea butter to moisturise, retinol for renewal, peptides to plump skin and milk proteins to improve texture and tone.'
I now have to say that I have fallen in love with this cream and look forward to slathering it on my face every night before bed. It's a gorgeous white cream that is quite thick but it absorbs into the skin really fast and leaves no greasy residue behind. My skin feels so hydrated after applying this cream and any sensitive areas on my face seem to feel soothed after use as well.

I love how soft and smooth it makes my skin feel in the morning and the smell to me is just gorgeous. It's not the typical cocoa butter smell but still very pleasant for a product that goes on the face.

I've been using this cream for at least two months now and haven't had any reaction to it at all and I seem to have fewer break-outs these days which is a great added bonus. I've also noticed that the dry patches I used to get around my nose have significantly reduced to the point where they are practically non-existent. It's also unbelievable value as you only need a small amount of this cream to cover your entire face and neck. I'll probably get another couple of weeks out of the jar I currently have and will definitely be repurchasing.

My only gripe would be the jar packaging. I hate getting the cream all under my fingernails when scooping it out (I'm way too lazy to use a cotton bud to get it out) and would love it to be available in either a pump pack or tube where you could just squeeze the cream out instead. This is not something that would deter me from purchasing it again though.

 Has anyone else tried this night cream? Are there any other budget friendly night creams that you would recommend?

June Empties

So it's been so long since I did an empties post and I kind of missed keeping track of what I use up every month so am starting them again. I guess that's the OCD part of me rearing it's head.

Anyway, here's what I used up in June:

1) Dermalogica Age Smart Renewal Lip Complex - I wasn't impressed at all by this (hence the reason I never bothered reviewing it). I didn't notice any different in the texture or fine lines around my lips and actually think it irritated me more than anything if I wore it a few days in a row.

2) Burt's Bees Soap Bark & Chamomile Deep Cleansing Cream - Not a big fan of this either. It had a cooling sensation on the skin which I just found uncomfortable in winter and it seemed to burn a little around the edges of my nose . My skin also never really felt clean after using this either.

3) Avene Ystheal Emulsion - This was a sample and didn't make enough of an impression for me to want the full size product. It had a weird yellow tinge to it that I could see on my skin which I didn't like at all.

4) Be in Awe Shaanta Night Balm - This cream smells like cough syrup which I found just odd when putting it on my face. It did make my skin nice and soft but was just so hard to get out of the container. My thumb is now able to break rocks from pumping the top on this thing.

5) Lancome Genifique Youth Activator - This is a lovely serum that makes my skin feel so smooth and my pores seem to just disappear after use. I just wish I could afford a full size tube of this!

6) Davroe Lemongrass Detangler - I absolutely loved this product and used it every time I washed my hair before trying to put a comb in it. It left my hair nice and soft and stopped a lot of frizz from happening. I've actually missed it since I finished it so will be looking into getting some more I think.

7) Dove Go Fresh Deodorant in Nectarine & White Ginger - I seem to use this deodorant religiously. I will try another in between and then always go back to this one. Unfortunately, this can is virtually full but the spray mechanism has seized for some reason and won't work so it has to be chucked, boo!

8) Clinique High Impact Mascara in Black - This is one of my most favourite mascaras and I have had so many of them over the years (I may have a bit of an obsession with getting Clinique gift-with-purchases and they always have one in there). My lashes always look so lush and long when I use this and it never clumps or smudges even after the longest or hottest day. I think the brush is awesome too.

9) Pure DKNY fragrance - I suck at describing fragrances so I won't even attempt to. I liked this enough to use up the sample but wouldn't buy it for myself. It just doesn't wow me enough.

10) OP Therapy Body Hydrator with Emu Oil - Oh boy, this has been a skin saviour for me since winter hit. It's such a lovely thick cream that makes my dry, itchy and eczema prone skin give a big sigh of relief when applied. It's supposed to be unscented but it still has a natural 'animal oil' kind of smell to it so isn't completely scent free. It just doesn't have any artificial scents added to it which I like. I will definitely be getting myself some more of this.

11)  Spa Fresh Blends Romantic Discovery Bathing Ritual - This was a gorgeous bath powder which had a lovely scent but I really disliked the 30,000 pieces of rose petal that was left behind in my bath each time I used it.

12) Emergin C Scientific Organics Phytocell Cream - I used this at night before going to bed and really liked it. There wasn't anything remarkably overwhelming about it but it was still a nice cream that left my skin feeling moisturised and soft at night.

13) Kerastase Resistance Ciment Thermique - I've had a few of these sachets to sample lately and I find it great to use when I straighten my hair but not for any other use. It's a bit too thick for my fine hair and weighed it down too much to use everyday.

So, that's what I managed to get through during June. It wasn't a huge month but good enough.

Michelle xx