November Bellabox

I received my November Bellabox yesterday and have to say that yet again I have been impressed by what was in my box.

The contents this month were as follows:

1) Bioderma Sebium H2O Cleansing Water (20ml sample, RRP $29.95 for 250ml) - Out of everything this was probably the product I was the least impressed with as I just don't see how great this water is like the majority of people do.

2) 4Me Nail Polish Remover Pads (30 pads full size RRP $3.49) - These look really cool and are something I haven't tried before. I am looking forward to trying these out.

3) Swisse Hand Cream (30ml sample, RRP $14.95 for 100ml) - Hand creams are always welcome in my house as I have one in almost every room plus my handbag and my desk at work! For some reason I haven't been inundated with hand creams in my monthly boxes like some others have so I am always happy when I get one.

4) Palmolive Luscious Mango Body Wash (50ml sample, RRP $6.49 for 400ml) - This smells delicious and will be great for when travelling due to the cute size. It's not something that I would consider 'luxury' for a monthly sample box though. It will certainly get used regardless.

5) David Jones Radiant Moisture Day Cream (30ml sample, RRP $24.95 for 14gm) - I seem to have way too many day creams now that I have to try and use so this will just go onto the pile. It has a lovely citrus smell so would be a nice cream to use in the warmer months.

6) B by Bloom Col.lecta Colour Cheek Tint (Full size, RRP 19.95) - I was really excited about this until I opened it and discovered the colour. It's a shimmery brown kind of shade that doesn't really show up on my skin very much except as a subtle highlighter. It might end up being something I keep in my handbag for subtle touch-ups I think.

7) Rose-Hip Vital Rosehip Oil (30ml, RRP $19.95) - This was the best product in the box for me this month. Rosehip oil works wonders for my eczema when it flares up so I'm going to get some very good use out of this little gem. This one kind of has a bit of a weird smell though which is a little bit like hot sesame seed oil but that doesn't worry me too much.

So, overall I was very impressed with what they managed to fit into the box this month. I still think that Bellabox is the star performer every month and will definitely get use of everything that I received this month.

What did you think of this months box?

Michelle xx

Nails of the Week - Rubi Shoes Nail Polish in Miami Coral

I'm a really big fan of these polishes as they have a really nice consistency that is easy to apply, are opaque in two coats, dry reasonably fast and have a lovely shine all on their own without needing a topcoat.

I had been wearing this shade on my toes for ages before remembering that I hadn't actually posted about it before. Miami Coral is a lovely coral red that is great for the warmer weather we are finally starting to have now.

On my ring finger I have applied two coats of Ozotic's glitter polish in No. 530 just for something a little different.

These are such cheap polishes (around $2 I think!) and are sold in most Rubi Shoes stores. For the price they are super value for money. The only thing that might put anyone off is the strong chemical smell the polish can have when first applied. This does go away pretty quickly once it dries though.

I hope everyone is having a lovely week!

Michelle xx

Review: Clear Scalp & Hair Beauty Therapy Shampoo and Conditioner

I was very excited to receive these to trial as part of the Beauty Heaven trial team as I'd seen a lot of advertisements about the brand and seriously, who wouldn't want their hair to look as silky and gorgeous as Miranda Kerr's?

I received the Damage & Colour Repair Shampoo and Conditioner to try and I must say that I was really pleased with how each one worked.

What the product claims:
"Clear Scalp & Hair Beauty Therapy Damage & Colour Repair Nourishing Shampoo and Daily Conditioner cleanses and nourishes the scalp and hair and is gentle for damaged and coloured hair. Formulated with Nutrium 10™, an advanced nutrient complex of vitamins and nutrients including vitamins B5, C & E, sunflower, almond, soybean & coconut oils & aloe vera, the proven colour-safe formula offers advanced protection from damage and is clinically proven to help restore scalp’s natural moisture balance."

Nourishing Shampoo:
This shampoo has a really nice, light scent and is easy to distribute and lather into the hair. It rinses out nicely leaving no residue and doesn't make my hair feel like straw like some shampoos have a tendency to do because of it being quite fine and also curly.
The bottle is nice to hold and there is a flip top lid where the shampoo is squeezed out in a typical fashion.

Nourishing Daily Conditioner:
This is a lovely lightly scented conditioner which is easy to distribute and massage through the hair and leaves it feeling soft and silky once rinsed out.
The packaging is easy to use as it's got the same type of lid as the shampoo.

I can sometimes suffer from a sensitive scalp which can get a bit itchy and irritated if I use a shampoo and conditioner that doesn't agree with me but I haven't had any problems at all when using the Clear shampoo or conditioner range.

My hair has actually been more manageable since using it regularly and doesn't bust out in it's usual frizz-fest when dry anymore.

For the ridiculously cheap price this range is and the fact that it's available in most supermarkets I'd definitely recommend it as a great budget brand to try. The slimline 200ml bottles are a great size to take away as well and don't take up as much room as other shampoo and conditioner bottles can.

Has anyone else tried the Clear Shampoo & Conditioner range yet?

Michelle xx

My First Gingerbread House

Yesterday I participated in a Gingerbread House making class with a couple of friends that a local community organisation in my area runs every year before Christmas.

I'd seriously been looking forward to this class all year after seeing the creation that my friend did last year when she went.

Here is what I managed to pull together in just over an hour and a half:

 

The class is only $30 and you get the pre-cut gingerbread pieces supplied plus a bag full of icing as well as a container completely full of every lolly imaginable to let your creative side run wild. They even sprinkle the whole thing with icing sugar when you're done which makes it just look awesome and then wrap it up all nice and pretty.

I haven't had so much fun in ages and I was really surprised at how easy it is to actually create something like this. I can't wait to do it again next year.

I have no idea what I'll do with this one now though. I don't eat gingerbread so it may be up to my husband and toddler to polish it off I think as I'm not too sure it will stay very fresh if we wait to use it as a centrepiece on Christmas day.

What do you think? I must admit that I'm quite proud of my creation being that it's my first ever attempt.

Michelle xx

Silk Oil of Morocco Lip Gloss in Moroccan Sunrise

I purchased this lip gloss a few weeks ago from the Bellabox shop and have been pleasantly surprised with it so far.

This gloss comes in your typical glass tube with a doe-foot applicator. According to the Silk Oil of Morocco website, these lip glosses contain the following beneficial ingredients:

Certified Organic Argan Oil	Key active ingredient provides hydration to the skin and contains many vitamins and fatty acids that have amazing healing properties. In particular, Vitamin E and Lineoic Acids help protect the skin from oxidisation (aging), environmental pollution and harsh UV rays. It is non-greasy and light.
Spearmint Oil	Naturally restoring and plumping
Tocopheral (Vitamin E)	Heals, rejuvenates, softens, soothes and protects. A powerful anti-oxidant that reduces the aging process.

The shade Moroccan Sunrise is described as a Fuchsia with pinky gold undertones. I'd describe it more as a pinky-peach with quite a bit of shimmer.

Overall I like this gloss and the way it feels on my lips. The spearmint flavouring it quite refreshing and it's not a gloss that's too sticky or gloopy so it stays put on the lips for a good couple of hours.

Personally I would have preferred it to have been a bit more pigmented when applied but it's become a good gloss for me to slap on when I'm in a hurry and don't need to worry about precision. I've also found that it's lovely to apply over any of my pink or peach lipsticks to give them that little bit of extra shine.

Silk Oil of Morocco is Australian made and owned which I just love. It's always good to help support our great Aussie brands.

Has anyone tried any of the other shades in this range?

Michelle xx