Clinique Haul & GWP

So I am a self-confessed sucker for the Gift With Purchase, especially those that are usually run by Clinique so last week I couldn't help but give myself a little treat by purchasing something that I really did NEED (I truly did!) just so that I could get their latest GWP.

First up I decided to buy myself some of their Youth Surge Night Moisturiser as I had actually run out of my last night cream. I haven't tried this one before so I'm hoping for good things.

Also, because I placed my order online I was entitled to two little bonus extras with my order. I chose to get the mini-lipstick in Runway Coral and the Liquid Facial Soap.

The Runway Coral lipstick is a shade I have been wanting literally forever so I was so excited to be able to get the mini version as a bonus. It is such a pretty and flattering coral shade that I can tell I am going to get a lot of wear out of.

Now, on to the gift with purchase! Overall I am pretty happy with what was included in it this time around and will definitely be getting use out of everything.

 

The cosmetic bag is what really caught my eye at first. I just think that the love heart pattern is so sweet and cute and it's a nice size for overnight trips.

 

 The products included were as follows:
* Rinse Off Foaming Cleanser - 30 ml
* Dramatically Different Moisturising Lotion - 30 ml
* Colour Compact with an Eyeshadow Duo in Strawberry Fudge plus a Blushing Blush Powder Blush in Bashful Blush.
* High Impact Curling Mascara mini in Black
* Chubby Stick Baby Tint mini in Poppin' Poppy
* Clinique Happy Heart Perfume Spray - 4 ml

The eyeshadow and blush compact is really cute and contains shades that will be great for everyday wear.

My only small disappointment is with the Chubby Stick Baby Tint as I hadn't tried one of these before and was really surprised at how little colour payoff you get with them. The shade in the GWP was Poppin' Poppy and it is practically a clear balm with the teeniest hint of a peachy shine. I tried really hard to photograph it below and had to wait until I could get a bit of sun shining directly onto the swatch before it would show up at all. Even then it's very hard to see anything except a bit of shine on my arm.

 

Overall though I am very happy with my little haul and can't wait to play with all the new goodies.

Is anyone else a sucker for the GWP like me? Are there any other good ones going on right now that I should (or probably shouldn't!) know about?

Have a great weekend!

Michelle xx 

Nivea In-Shower Rich Body Lotion Skin Conditioner

So, I must confess that I have a new love and it comes in the form of this lovely blue packaging pictured above.

As any long-time readers will know, I suffer from bouts of the driest of dry, itchy skin and can be prone to eczema when it's either really, really hot, or really, really cold. Normally, I have to moisturise every time I get out of the shower otherwise I will pay for it all day/night by itching all over the place, but sometimes I seriously just cannot be bothered, even though I know the consequences.

A little while ago I discovered this little beauty when doing my weekly grocery shopping at Coles and decided that it couldn't hurt to give it a go and see what miracle it could weave on my skin.

What the packaging claims:

' The caring formula optimally works with your wet skin and is quickly absorbed. Result: A silky, solft skin feeling when stepping out of the shower. There is no need to apply a normal body lotion afterwards. Suitable for use after shaving and depilation.'

Well, it has definitely been a bit of a miracle worker for me, that's for sure. Firstly, I love how quick and easy it is to apply while I am still in the shower and now it has just become a part of my normal routine in there before I finish up.

The lotion itself is a little bit thicker than your average moisturiser and all I do is squeeze a palm-sized amount into each hand then quickly distribute it evenly all over my body. Once I've applied it everywhere I do a quick rinse under the running water then I'm done!

I notice that the water kind of beads on top of my skin once this is applied, almost like you see on your car when it's had a polish recently and when I step out of the shower I feel like I have the softest skin around.

The scent is the original Nivea trademark scent which I have always loved as it takes me back to my childhood when my mother used to use their original face cream and it does linger very subtly on the skin after application which I don't mind.

One thing I am going to seriously love about this product is the fact that in the middle of winter there will be no mad moisturising dash after my shower to try and minimise the time spent in the freezing cold before being able to get dressed. I'll be able to just get it all over and done with while still under the lovely hot running water and towel off and get dressed straight away!

Has anyone else tried this product yet? Did you love it as much as I do?

Have a lovely week.

Michelle xx

I'm Not Dead!

But might be just a little bit pregnant!

Yep, you read it right. I'm now just over 12 weeks pregnant with our second child and it has been the roughest 12 weeks of my life to date.

I could seriously pinpoint the day I fell pregnant this time because it all went downhill from there. I've had the worst nausea since November, I keep getting debilitating migraines for days on end (and can't take anything strong enough to deal with them - ouch!) and am seriously ready to go to bed by 2pm in the afternoon. I think that is what has been hitting me the hardest out of everything, the fact that I am just so exhausted in a daily basis and there is absolutely nothing I can do about it but ride it out.

So, this has been my excuse for disappearing off the planet for the past couple of months. I have had to rest a lot and have been struggling to concentrate on more than a little bit of TV and candy crush most days so blogging has been the furtherest thing from my mind.

I have missed it terribly though and am keen to try and make the effort to put some time aside to get posts up again. Unfortunately, with running my own business (which I am in the process of hiring another employee to take some strain off - can't wait until that is finalised!), looking after my almost 4 year old son and trying to make the hubby feel like he doesn't have the most miserable wife on earth, it may take me a little bit of time to get back in the rhythm of this blogging business but I will do my best.

I will tell you that this past couple of months has been a huge shock and eye opener to me though. I hardly had any morning sickness or pregnancy symptoms at all with my first child and just cannot believe how awful I have felt with this one. I'm really hoping that things are improving a little bit from here though as I don't feel like vomiting every minute of the day anymore (a big yay!) but I still am very, very tired every day and the headaches don't seem to be letting up much as yet.

At least I know there is a light at the end of the tunnel!

Have a great week everyone!

Michelle xx

Beautyheaven Best in Beauty Awards 2014

Australian votes reveal best beauty products of 2014

Last week the Winners of the Best in Beauty awards 2014 were announced by leading Australian beauty website beautyheaven.com.au. Nearly 2000 votes from across the country were submitted for most loved and effective beauty products, showing what is really in makeup cases and bathroom cabinets of Australia.

The beautyheaven Best in Beauty awards show top beauty products Australian women simply can’t live without from a huge range of price point and brands, ranging from the most expensive Crem de la mer by La Mer to the most cost effective Ulta3 nail colour. Overall, Benefit and Garnier swept up the most awards with three products each in the make-up, skincare and hair categories. 

Commenting on the awards, Olivia Mackinnon, Hair Editor of beautyheaven, says: “A record number of people voted in this year’s Best in Beauty awards, picking out products that are consistently reliable and essential to beauty regimes. The Best in Beauty awards help men and women across Australia determine the crème-de-la-crème of what is out there, discovering the hidden beauty essentials of others along the way!”

There are over 60 winning products across 12 categories, chosen from over 1,100 nominees. There were some recognisable names which held onto their titles from last year’s Best in Beauty awards including Benefit Hoola as Best Bronzer and ghd eclipse as Best Straightener, as well as some new names including Morrocoanoil Original Treatment claiming Best Hair Treatment and Dr. Lewinn’s Day Cream winning Best Day Moisturiser.

Olivia Mackinnon, Hair Editor at beautyheaven.com.au, adds: “The Best in Beauty awards are about establishing and rewarding cult products, so it makes sense that some of the winners are those that have made their way into the hands and hearts of consumers and win time and time again.”

beautyheaven members submitted reviews and gave products star ratings for their favourite nominees, with an additional secret ballot to reveal the most highly regarded products in each category. Everyone across Australia is encouraged to join the conversation to express their opinions on the winners, nominees and runners-up using the hashtag #bhbestinbeauty.

Makeup

Best Eyeshadow - Maybelline NY Color Tattoo                    

Best Eye Line - Maybelline NY Master Precise Liquid Liner

Best Mascara - Benefit They’re Real Mascara

Best Lashes - Ardell Lashes #120     

Best Lip Line - Innoxa Invisible Lip Shaper

Best Lip Gloss - Lanolips Lip Ointment with Colour

Best Lip Plumper - Mirenesse Velvet Lip Lift Moisture Shine

Best Lip Balm - Nuxe Reve De Miel Lip Balm

Best Lipstick - YSL Rouge Pur Couture Lipstick       

Best Blush - M.A.C Blush      

Best Brow Product - Benefit Gimme Brow   

Best Bronzer - Benefit Hoola 

Best Illuminator - YSL Touche Eclat 

Best Concealer - Maybelline NY FITme Concealer  

Best Foundation - Estée Lauder Double Wear Stay-In-Place Makeup        

Best BB Cream - Garnier Skin Naturals Miracle Skin Perfector BB Cream

Best Primer - L'Oreal Paris Base Magique Primer   

Best Make-Up Tool - Shu Uemura Eyelash Curler   

Best Make-Up Remover - Garnier Skin Naturals Micellar Water

           

Skincare        

Best Exfoliant - Dermalogica Daily Microfoliant       

Best Face Mask - Biore Self Heating One Minute Mask      

Best Day Moisturiser - Dr. Lewinn’s Day Cream Moisturiser

Best Night Moisturiser - Nuxe Creme Prodigieuse Nuit       

Best Age Management Product - Estée Lauder Advanced Night Repair Syncronized Recovery Complex II

Best Spot Treatment - La Roche-Posay Effaclar Duo [+]    

Best Eye Treatment - Strivectin Eye Concentrate for Wrinkles       

Best Wash/Cleanser - Cetaphil - Gentle Skin Cleanser        

Best Face Wipes - WOTNOT Facial Wipes  

Best Toner - Sukin Hydrating Mist Toner      

Best Skin Care Device - Olay Regenerist Advanced Cleansing System     

Best Skin Tone Corrector - Trilogy Rosehip Oil Antioxidant+           

Best Treatment Product - Trilogy Certified Organic Rosehip Oil      

Hair    

Best Hair Treatment - Moroccanoil Original Treatment        

Best Shampoo - Fudge Clean Blonde Shampoo      

Best Conditioner - Aveda Invati™ Thickening Conditioner   

Best Hair Colour - Garnier Olia Hair Color    

Best Curler - muk Haircare muk Curl Stick  

Best Straightener - ghd eclipse          

Best Dry Shampoo - Klorane Dry Shampoo with Oat Milk  

Best Hair Dryer - Philips Pro Dryer   

Best Styling Product - Wella System Professional LuxeOil Reconstructive Elixir   

Best Hair Accessory - Lady Jayne Bun Styl'r

To see a full list of winners across all categories please visit:

http://www.beautyheaven.com.au/hair/hair-treatments-masks/best-in-beauty-2014-winners-announced-13622

What do you think? Did any of your favourites make the list? Are there any products on there that surprise you?

Have a great week!

Michelle xx

Manicare Cuticle Therapy - Saving my winter ravaged nails!

Hello there! Do you remember me? Huge apologies for disappearing for a little while but life just got a little crazy for a while and something had to give. Unfortunately the easiest thing to give up without too many consequences was this blog. I really have missed it though and can't wait to get back into posting about all of the products I've been loving.

Today I am telling you all about a little gem I found in the form of Manicare Cuticle Therapy. After the cold winter we just went though my poor nails and cuticles were a little worse for wear and after applying this treatment for a couple of weeks the results were amazing!

Cuticle Therapy contains Apricot Kernel Oil, Wheat Germ Oil, Coconut Oil and Aloe Vera Extract and is great for dry and rough cuticles and weak, brittle nails.

I have been applying it at night after showering and before bed and have begun to really enjoy my little routine of massaging it into my nails. I find that you really have to make sure you massage it in well though as it does have a tendency to stick around on top of the skin for a while before sinking in which can make things a little messy.


It applies the same as a regular nail polish where you just brush it onto the nails and cuticles and then massage in. I find it easiest to brush some onto every nail on one hand first, massage it all in as much as I can, then do the same on the other hand.

It has a very subtle lemony kind of scent which goes away pretty fast after use. I think it will last forever too as I've hardly made a dent in the bottle so far even though I've used it practically every night for around a month now.



The difference in the look of my poor, dry cuticles and nails has been amazing and I don't seem to suffer from torn cuticles anymore either. My nails seem to be a little stronger too and less transparent looking which is a nice bonus.

The photo on the left above was the state of my poor, dry nails before I started using this treatment and the photo on the right is how nourished they look after just a few uses.

If you have dry, brittle nails and cuticles then I sincerely recommend trying this stuff out. I got mine from Priceline so it's pretty easy to track down.

I hope you are all having a lovely weekend!

Michelle xx