Wednesday, February 29, 2012

Liquid Gold - Estee Lauder's Advanced Night Repair Synchronized Recovery Complex


If there was a serum that could be termed 'Liquid Gold' my vote would go out for this one.

I have been using Estee Lauder's Advanced Night Repair Synchronized Recovery Complex for over a month now and the results I have seen are amazing.

What the product claims:
This comprehensive, high-performance anti-aging serum-inspired by groundbreaking DNA research-brings your skin a dramatic reduction in the visible signs of aging.

Use it every day to help continuously repair the appearance of past damage, prevent future damage and deliver high levels of hydration.
If you want younger, healthier-looking skin now and in the future, don't go a night without it.

Exclusive Chronolux™ Technology

  • Repairs the appearance of past damage.
  • Addresses damaging effects before they become permanent.
  • You'll see a visible improvement in the signs of aging-specifically lines, uneven skintone and immediate hydration.
Enhanced Environmental Repair

  • Neutralizes up to 90%* of environmentally generated free radicals before they can affect skin's appearance.
  • That's key, because environmental assaults such as UV, smoke, pollution and even emotional stress are the #1 cause of premature signs of aging.
  • Our advanced technology repairs the appearance of damage caused by every major environmental assault.
Continuous Hydration


  • Creates the optimal environment for repair with nature's long-proven moisture magnet Hyaluronic Acid.
  • Think of it as "insurance" for younger, healthier-looking skin, today and tomorrow.

    Since using this serum my skin has literally never looked better. It is so smooth now and the texture seems to have changed along with my pores looking a bit smaller as well. I also don't seem to be suffering from as many breakouts which is a blessing in itself. I haven't really noticed a difference in any of the fine lines or wrinkles on my face though but they may need a bit more time for this product to work on them.

    I put this on my face after showing at night before putting on my night moisturiser. I love the way it doesn't make my skin feel sticky at all like some other serums can as it is absorbed very fast and leaves a nice soft canvas for applying your moisturiser on top. I've noticed that a little also goes a really long way so the small bottle lasts for ages.

    My only gripe would be the hefty price tag. It's not something I could keep up buying regularly unfortunately, but if someone ever wanted to get it for me as a present it would be much appreciated!

    Has anyone else tried this serum yet?

    Tuesday, February 28, 2012

    Current Perfume Favourites

    Current Perfume Favourites

    Here are some of the perfumes that have been on constant rotation for me lately:

    MARC JACOBS 'Oh, Lola!' Eau de Parfum No Color 1.7 oz
    $88 - nordstrom.com - I love wearing this scent during the day for work or even when I'm just going to be around the house and still wish to smell nice but not too overpowering.

    Kenzo Flower By Kenzo Eau De Parfum 1.7 oz.
    $76 - bloomingdales.com - This has to be one of my favourite all time perfumes. I could almost say this is my signature scent because I will reach for this one whenever I'm in an indecisive mood and cannot pick another. To me it goes with any occasion.

    Vera Wang Princess - 3.4 Oz. Eau De Toilette Spray
    $75 - lordandtaylor.com - I begged my husband to get me this as a present one year, mainly because I just loved the bottle so much. It's a really pretty scent that I think is good for the day time.

    ٭ CK One Shock For Her FOR WOMEN by Calvin Klein - 3.4 oz EDT Spray
    $42 - amazon.com - Another one I use for work or just going shopping/hanging around.

    Versace - Crystal Noir - w Douglas.pl
    douglas.pl - I love wearing this scent when I go out at night as it's a bit heavier than the others. It's a real sexy scent to me and evokes memories of hot summer nights.

    Ralph Lauren - Hot - I'm not sure why this one didn't link. I'm still getting used to playing around with Polyvore :-) Anyway, this is another one that I like to wear at night because it can be a bit too heavy for the day time. This was my most reached for perfume before Kenzo Flower entered my world.

    So, does anyone else have any favourite perfumes at the moment? If so, I'd love to know what ones you reach for often.

    Monday, February 27, 2012

    Nails of the Week - Polished London Nail Enamel in 'Fushcia'


    In the last GlossyBox I received a bottle of Polished London's nail enamel in the colour Fushcia. I had never tried this brand of polish before but had heard a lot of good things about it so was excited to try it myself.

    The below photos don't really do this colour justice. It's a deep red wine/grape colour. For some reason the colour just won't come up as deep in the photos as it appears in real life and funnily enough the photos I took using my flash are a much closer representation of this shade than the photos without flash (even though it was the middle of the day when I took these, go figure?)




    The one thing I noticed about this polish is that is seemed to be a bit watery to apply and I needed three coats to get good coverage. It also seems to take a very long time to dry between coats so I think I may have rushed the third coat a little which meant it bubbled quite a bit unfortunately (you can just see some of the bubbles in the above photos).

    I'm not sure if these problems happen with all the polishes in this range, maybe I was just having a bad day.

    Has anyone else used a Polished London nail enamel before? If so, what's your favourite shade?

    Sunday, February 26, 2012

    Face of Australia Lip Quench - Pink Champagne


    Ok, ok, it may have taken me a little longer than others to get on the Lip Quench bandwagon but when i finally did I have seen what all the fuss is about.

    Recently I purchased the Face of Australia Lip Quench in Pink Champagne. I felt like I was going against nature by not picking up the Lychee Crush shade that everyone has raved about but I already have a similar colour at home and wanted to try something a little out of my comfort zone for a change. Therefore I chose Pink Champagne as it's a pale, but still fairly bright, pink that normally isn't a colour I would wear as I tend to steer towards darker, less intense pinks.

    Pink Champagne reminds me of fairy floss in it's oh so super sweet pinkyness and I've come to adore the colour and may start to turn towards more shades like this. It's great if I don't feel like wearing much other makeup as it looks good on it's own and it's also the perfect colour if I go for a darker or smokey eye look.

    One thing that really steered me towards trying this lipstick as well is that Face of Australia are of course an Australian brand who are against animal testing. I'm really trying to start to be more aware of products that are cruelty free where practical as I don't see why poor little animals need to suffer just for us to be vain and walk around looking good. I also own a beagle and seeing so many recent images and reading so many stories about beagles being the preferred testing animal due to their 'want to please you' nature has just made me feel sick.

    Anyway, enough of the preaching. I'll step down off my podium now to say that this lipstick seriously applies like butter to the lips. It is so soft that I actually have a bit of a fear of it snapping off if I press too hard when I put it on. This is mainly because it's a very moisturising lipstick with shea butter and jojoba oil built in. It's also got an SPF30+ factor which means it's also great to wear if you are going somewhere outdoors for the day as you don't need to apply a lip balm with SPF underneath it (which is what I do with most of my other lipsticks/glosses).

    Another thing I like is the packaging, it's got a little peep hole in the top of the case so you can see the colour of the lipstick tube at a glance. This would be great for those who like to store their lipsticks standing up.

    I've found that it lasts around 3 hours on my lips before needing to be reapplied. It can last a little less if you eat and/or drink a bit while wearing it.

    Here are some more pictures:




    Is there anyone out there who hasn't tried these lipsticks yet???

    Friday, February 24, 2012

    Review - Aveeno Active Naturals Daily Moisturising Lotion

    I've always been a huge fan of the Aveeno brand and use some of their baby products on my bub as well as their moisturisers and washes for myself.

    Lately I have been religiously using their Daily Moisturising Lotion as I wanted a daily moisturiser that wasn't too overpowering to use constantly, especially after a day of spending time in the sun (with sunscreen of course!)

    What this product claims: 'Contains natural oatmeal blended with rich emollients to moisturise your skin for a full 24 hours. The unique colloidal oatmeal formula of Aveeno also helps prevent and protect dry skin providing temporary relief of the scaling and chapping associated with dry skin. This naturally nourishing, nongreasy formula absorbs quickly, is noncomedogenic (won't clog pores) and contains no added fragrance. Aveeno Daily Moisturising Lotion leaves your skin soft, smooth and naturally healthy looking.'

    I must say that this moisturiser rocks!! It's virtually fragrance free, is nice to apply, sinks in within seconds and feels so luxurious on the skin because it isn't thin or runny like some other lotions can be.

    Also, this moisturiser lasts for hours and hours! I wholeheartedly agree with the 24 hour moisturisation claim that it gives. I usually apply this at night after showering and I can still feel the effects of it on my skin at least halfway through the next day. For someone who is normally an eczema sufferer and therefore needs a lot out of a moisturiser for my skin to feel good, this is just amazing to me. It stops my skin from ever feeling dry or tight and I haven't experienced any awful eczema itchiness at all since using this on a daily basis. Talk about a miracle worker!

    I also love anything with a pump dispenser. It makes getting the product out so damn easy and for anyone who normally has slightly long fingernails like I do you don't want to be digging into tubs of moisturiser all the time as there's nothing more frustrating than all that product that gets stuck under your nails and has to be scraped out (maybe that's just a pet hate that I have).

    I definitely recommend this moisturiser to anyone with sensitive and/or super dry skin.

    Has anyone else used this moisturiser before and liked it as much as I do?




    Thursday, February 23, 2012

    Book Review - 'Dixie City Jam' by James Lee Burke

    Dixie City Jam (Dave Robicheaux, #7)Dixie City Jam by James Lee Burke
    My rating: 4 of 5 stars

    'When a Nazi submarine is discovered lying in sixty feet of water off the Louisiana coast, some troubled ghosts are ready to be released. A local businessman is offering Detective Dave Robicheaux big money to bring the wreck to the surface, but he his not the only one after the submarine and its cargo. A new spirit of hatred is abroad, and its embodiment is stalking Robicheaux's wife...'


    I've always been a huge fan of James Lee Burke. I just love the feeling I get of being swept away down south into the world of Louisiana and New Orleans and the vivid picture he paints of the places and people in his books. Burke's writing is always so descriptive, down to the leaves on a tree and this always adds such a great extra element to his stories and enhances your whole reading experience.

    I always get mixed feelings when reading one of Burke's books, and this one was no exception. I gravitate from being disgusted at certain events, to being fascinated by others and that is another reason why I love this author.

    The way he makes you feel as if you can visualise and even smell the evilness of the main character, Will Buchalter really gets you interested in the story and makes you want nothing more than to see this guy get put in his place.

    Dave Robicheaux is again playing the typical cop trying to do things the correct way but who doesn't mind going against the grain whenever it will work out in the good guys favour, or if it means protecting his family.

    I've always been a huge fan of Clete Purcell too. I think this character is hilarious and I just love his complete disregard for any laws. Sometimes he can go overboard but that's half the fun of waiting to see what he will do next.

    I definitely recommend this book to any Burke fan. Once I was halfway through I just couldn't put it down!

    View all my reviews

    Sunday, February 19, 2012

    My Non-Valentines Day Romantic Dinner

    I just had to share a little about the beautiful and romantic dinner my husband prepared for me last night.

    I must say one thing about my husband, when he's in the wrong he'll certainly do his best to make up for it and last night is proof of this.

    And the reason I got so spoilt? Well it was all because he felt guilty about completely forgetting about Valentine's Day and not even giving me so much as a card or a 'Happy Valentine's Day honey' on the day. This is because he's been so caught up in a project he's doing for work and working ridiculous hours because of it and therefore just plain forgot about the day.

    Now, I'm not someone who needs a ridiculous amount of money spent on me for dinner or with flowers, etc, but I do like a little something done that just shows a bit of effort and though and that you are still special to the one you love. My present to him on Valentine's day was a 'Love' book which I filled out with our whole history of memorable times together plus a heap of fun and silly quotes/sayings and tid bits of our life together so far. This took me ages to do so I will admit I was a tad miffed when Valentine's Day came and went and it didn't even get the slightest acknowledgement from hubby.

    But, he certainly made up for it last night. Firstly, he organised his parents to take bub for the night and after I'd dropped him off there (while hubby was at home apparently busy making dessert) I came home to this taped on our front door:


    Then, when I walked inside the dining table was cleared and set with candles, wine and a menu of what we were having for dinner:


    Also, he'd run a bath for me while I was gone and lit candles in the bathroom as well and timed the entree so I had a good half an hour in the bath first before dinner began.

    So, the dinner was absolutely delicious. I forgot to take photos of the actual meals but he even went to extreme effort in presenting everything on the plate like a fancy restaurant would.

    After dinner, there were even cocktails prepared and they were my favourite Margaritas!!

    I did manage to take a photo of the table after dinner, so this is why there are no table settings left, but it shows the candles he had going and the printed menus (yes, he chose the ugliest tablecloth I think we own):


    Don't I just have the sweetest husband ever? I can't believe the trouble he went to to prepare all this and he even did three loads of dishes in between cooking to keep the kitchen tidy!! He based the dinner around the show 'My Kitchen Rules' where you create an instant restaurant at home. So cute!

    So, do you guys think he made up for forgetting all about Valentine's Day? I certainly do :-)

    Saturday, February 18, 2012

    February BellaBox -

    I received my February BellaBox a couple of days ago and must say that I am very happy with its contents yet again.


    The contents in the February box were as follows:

    1) Sasy n Savy Hand Cream in Rose Lavender (5ml sample, RRP $15.00 for 50mls) - This is the second sample of this I have now received which I guess is a good thing as it means I can get a better feel for how it works as they are very small tubes which I think will only give two or three uses. One thing I have to mention is the spelling of this brand, does the awful spelling annoy anyone else or just me??

    2) B by Bloom Collecta Eyeshadow in Sahara Desert (RRP $9.95) - I am a little confused as it says this is supposed to be an eyeshadow duo on my card but it's only a single shade which is a really shimmery bronze colour. Maybe they run out of the duos?

    3) Mememe Seventh Heaven Face Base (10ml, RRP $34.95 for 30mls) - I am really excited to try this as it feels so nice on the skin from the tiny bit I have tried so far and it has a gorgeous citrus scent.

    4) Sparoma Body Shimmer with Jasmine (10mls, RRP $44.95 for 150mls) - This is a pretty shimmer cream which isn't too overboard on the sparkle. It's extremely strong smelling though which means it may be used on my legs rather than my upper body as I don't know if I could live with such a strong scent so close to my nose all day.

    5) Star and Rose Confetti Soap Roses (RRP $25.95 for a box of 12) - This is so cute and I really don't want to ruin it by using it. I'm guessing you just pull off a petal of soap to use as you wish.


    6) Two chocolate hearts from The Chocolate Box - who can resist chocolate, right?

    All in all I'm again very happy with the contents of the BellaBox and am glad that there is a good range of products this month. I will definitely get good use out of all of these items.

    Was everyone else happy with their BellaBox this month?

    Friday, February 17, 2012

    Uh oh! I Went Shopping... And I'm Now A Priceline Sister!

    I made the mistake of deciding to get out of the house today. This is mainly because bub is in a bit of a clingy stage at the moment and as nice as that may sound, it can get a bit much when you have someone constantly wanting to be on top of you and not wanting to let you out of their sight (and screaming blue murder if you do manage to slip away for a moment) for as long as they are awake. Due to this, I decided to take us out for a little bit of a walk around our local Westfield where we had some coffee and cake (well, I had the coffee and bub shared some of my cake), then I bought myself the second last instalment in the Sookie Stackhouse series I have been reading (I'm obsessed with the True Blood TV series based on these books too!) and then I made the ultimate mistake of dropping into Priceline (it was only supposed to be for a little look, I promise!).

    Anyway, here is whay I managed to finally escape out of there with:

    (Sorry about the crap photo quality, I can't find the charger for our good camera since we've been back from holidays and it's completely flat so had to take this with my phone camera instead)

    1) Savvy by DB Automatic Eyeliners in Jade (a nice forest green) and Gold - These were on a clearance shelf for $2.99 each. Talk about a bargain and a half!

    2) Models Prefer Ultra Lipgloss Pencil in Kiss and Make Up - I've been eyeing these off for a while so finally decided to give one a go.

    3) Face of Australia Lip Quench in Pink Champagne - This was a total lemming purchase as I've been reading soooooo many blogs about these lipsticks and felt compelled to try one for myself. I know everyone is obsessed with the Lychee Crush shade but I already had similar shades to that at home so thought I'd try this pretty light pink shade instead.

    4) Almay Intense I-Colour Trio for Green Eyes - I don't really have green eyes (they are a cross between blue and hazel) but I just loved the colours in this palette and it was reduced to $5.00 due to them now having different packaging. They are normally $25 so I literally wanted to buy every shade available but limited myself to one like a good girl.

    5) Physicians Formula Shimmer Strips Custom Eye Enhancing Gel Cream Liner - I have never tried a gel liner before as I tend to struggle enough with a pencil liner, but the whole range of Physicians Formula was 50% off so I couldn't resist trying these as a bit of an experiment. There are three shades in the pack, Espresso (a natural brown), Purple and Black. I just can't wait to start having a play with these.

    6)  Olay Touch of Sun Body Moisturiser with a touch of Sunless Tanner in Light Sun-Kissed Glow - These were also greatly reduced and are a brand of gradual tanner that I haven't yet tried so thought I may as well give it a go.

    Then, I did what I initially intended to do when I first walked in there, and that was to join the new Priceline Sister Club. For $25 you get some new perks on top of just earning the clubcard points such as VIP invitations to certain events, free samples of new beauty releases and access to their new virtual beauty lounge on the Priceline website.

    You also got a goodie bag for paying the joining fee which included the following:




    Included was a very large black Models Prefer tote bag, a small black Models Prefer cosmetic purse, a cute compact mirror with two mirrors (one normal and one magnified), a Models Prefer Kohl Pencil in Matte Black and, wouldn't you know it, a Models Prefer Lipgloss Pencil in Kiss and Make Up. I couldn't believe when I got home that I now had two of these lip gloss pencils, and in the same damn colour! I certainly didn't plan that very well. I guess tomorrow a return trip is in order to see if I can exchange the pencil I bought with another shade in the range instead. Luckily I haven't opened it yet.

    So, there you have it. My little splurge for the month. I can't believe how many bargains I got today and am very interested in seeing what perks I get by being in the Priceline Sister Club now.

    Has anyone else joined the Priceline Sister Club yet?

    Nails of the Week - Revlon Scented Nail Enamel in 'Mint Fizz'


    This nail polish is such a gorgeous, bright blue with silver glitter. It's a polish that I would proudly label my 'Deserted Island' polish, meaning that if I was stranded on a deserted island and only had one polish to use forever, I'd be happy if it was this one.




    The above pictures show this polish after three coats have been applied. I found that two just wasn't enough and still left the polish a bit streaky and see-through in some spots but three coats seems to be perfect.

    As for the scented part, it seems to have a very strong peppermint scent when applied but I can't say that it's all that pleasant because of the way it combines with the chemical smell of the polish. Even after showering and doing a load of dishes (ahh, I still dream of owning a dishwasher.....) I can smell a faint hint of mint which surprises me.

    I'm interested in trying some of the other scented polishes in this range now to see if any of them smell much better.

    Has anyone else ever tried a scented polish?

    Thursday, February 16, 2012

    Review - Pangea Organics Lip Balm with Pyrenees Lavender & Cardamom


    I received this lip balm in a previous BellaBox and was a bit sceptical at first due to the flavour combinations of Lavender and Cardamom sounding quite out-there for a lip product. But, I decided to give it a fair try and it's now become my favourite most reached for lip balm!

    Pangea Organics pride themselves on using beneficial, organic, raw ingredients and providing open disclosure and transparency of ingredients and operating under responsible business practices that benefit people and the planet. They carefully select the highest quality fatty acids, essential oils and botanical extracts that nature has to offer while avoiding ingredients that have been processed with petrochemicals.


    This lip balm is a bit bigger than your average balm and is twisted up from the top, not the bottom like most others (which takes a little getting used to!). I have used this balm religiously on a daily basis since receiving it and have hardly seemed to make a dent in it yet. I can see this balm lasting for an extremely long time.

    The lavender in this balm is supposed to have healing and calming properties and the cardamom has anti-oxidant and reviving properties.

    Once you get used to the strong lavender flavour, you start to appreciate just how good this lip balm is. I actually find the flavour kind of pleasant now since I've gotten my head around it. This balm is also so smooth and nice to apply and seems to keep my lips feeling hydrated and smooth for hours on end.

    It's a great base to apply prior to a lipstick too to keep your lips from drying out and to give a nice smooth lip surface.

    I am definitely interested in trying more products from this brand now.

    For more information they have a website at PangeaOrganics.com

    Has anyone else ever tried this brand?

    Monday, February 13, 2012

    February GlossyBox - Special Valentine's Day theme

    My February GlossyBox came while we were also away and I had to go to the post office today and pick it up. I was hoping with all fingers crossed that this box would impress me as they made so much hype over the February box and how it was going to be a special Valentine's Day themed box, but, I'm sorry to say that it just didn't deliver in my opinion.

    Here is what was in the February box:


    1) Bobbi Brown Lash Glamour Extreme Lengthening Mascara in Black (3ml sample size, RRP $48.00 for 6ml) - This mascara apparently helps make your lashes ultra long and separated. I have about a thousand mascaras now so will be waiting a while to try this one as I don't want to have another one open at the same time that will potentially dry out.

    2) Jane Iredale Tantasia Self Tanner (5ml sample, RRP $54.00 for 124ml) - This tan sample is teeny! I don't know what on earth I can use it on as I don't think it will even cover one of my shins let alone both legs or arms. Maybe I'll work up the courage to try it on my face one day although I despise seeing women who have a very noticeable orange face from being fake tanned. Seriously, can anyone get a decent application of fake tanner with a sample this small??

    3) Proactiv Deep Cleansing Wash (60ml, RRP $39.95 for 475ml) - This is to clear up skin when it's acting up or for a deep cleanse. Works to penetrate pores and get rid of breakouts. I just can't use anything from Proactiv as it makes my skin go all red and super sensitive and quite painful. I tried their three step system a few years ago and was in agony after a couple of weeks. I might see if my husband wants to use this as a body cleanser for when he gets small breakouts on his back as I am just way too scared to put this anywhere near my skin.

    4) Star and Rose Floral Wonderland Emergency Nail Files (12 x small files, no RRP) - These are cute and I will be throwing them in my handbag. That's pretty much all I can say about them I guess.

    5) Polished London Nail Enamel in Fushcia (Full size 10ml, RRP $7.99) - This is probably my favourite product out of the box this month and the only one I will get any real use out of in the short term. It's a pretty dark pinky purple and this polish claims to dry fast and last a long time. I haven't personally tried Polished London polishes before but I've heard good things about them so can't wait to try this one out.

    There were also some Love Hearts lollies, an offer to get $20 off the Proactiv system, an offer to get $15 off an Active Skin order over $75 and a complimentary makeup application at your nearest Bobbi Brown Studio. None of these I will use.

    Overall, the Valentine's Day theme was a bit lost on me. Ok, it was a neon pink box but I can't see how a Proactiv cleanser and some nail files are Valentine's Day related. I was really hoping for maybe a pretty makeup product (maybe some lipstick/gloss or blush/eyeshadow) that you could wear out for Valentine's Day but no such thing.

    As of today I have unsubscribed to GlossyBox and am thinking of possible trying Beauty Basket or I Love This Box next instead. I have just been disappointed pretty much every month with GlossyBox as they talk themselves up so much throughout the month but just never seem to deliver at the end. The only think that was good this month was that the box came nice and early for once rather than at the end of the month.

    What does everyone think? Am I being too harsh? Does anyone else really love their GlossyBox for reasons that may be lost on me?

    February Lust Have It Box

    So, we've just come back from our first family holiday which was spent at Coffs Harbour for four days so now I'm all refreshed and ready to face whatever 2012 can throw at me.

    I was very excited when my Lust Have It box for February arrived last week and made my husband do a special stop off at our post office just so I could pick it up on the morning we went away. We didn't get one for January so I had a bit of withdrawals from it I guess :-)

    Here is what came in the box for February:


    1) Lancome Juicy Tubes (7ml sample, RRP $46.00 for 14ml) - These glosses give heaps of shine to your lips with a hint of colour and come in several fruity flavours. I have been wanting to try one of these for so long but could never get myself to part with the money they cost just for a lip gloss. They certainly seem to be a nice gloss though and stay on for a really long time. This one is super shiny and has very fine glittery particles in it as well. I can't really see any colour on my lips when applied though and I have no idea what shade mine is as I can't seem to find it written anywhere. It's a bright pink in the tube though.

    2) Davroe Tame Lemongrass Detangler (50ml, RRP $21.50 for 315ml) - This is a lightweight non-greasy leave-in conditioning treatment mist that claims to detangle the most unruly hair, leave hair manageable, luxuriously soft and silky with the fresh natural fragrance of Passionflower and Ylang Ylang. I love these sort of hair products as they are great for my curly hair when I don't feel like washing it but need to spray something in to activate my curls.

    3) Sasy n Savy Rose Lavender Hand n Nail Repair Creme (5ml, RRP $25.00 for 100ml) - This has skin nourishing evening primrose and macadamia oil to soften and smooth. It also contains shea butter to soothe and heal dry skin and Vitamin C & E. It claims to diminish the signs of ageing but I'm not sure how much of that I'll get to see as the sample is quite small and will probably only be enough for a couple of uses.

    4) Lush Sugar Scrub (100ml, RRP $6.50) - This scrub stimulates activity and tackles cellulite with fennel and ginger. It also contains lavender for a skin calming effect. I love all lush products and haven't tried their scrubs before so I can't wait to give this a go.

    5) Taut Collagen Infusion Mask (1 x mask, RRP $44.95 for pack of 5) - These facial masks are meant to infuse concentrated premium collagen-enriched essence to tone, hydrate and brighten your complexion in just 7-10 minutes. I wasn't too fussed on the taut drink we received in one of the earlier Lust Have It boxes but a mask like this seems a lot more practical to me and I'm very interested to try it out.

    The first thing I noticed about this box when I opened it was the gorgeous smell that was coming from it because of the Lush scrub. Overall, Lust Have It are my favourite monthly sample box so far as they have always consistently pleased me with their contents unlike the others that have been a bit hit and miss for the majority of the months.

    The Lust Have It boxes seem to always contain products that I will have a use for and not just items that I will force myself to use just because they are there.

    What does everyone think of the February box? Does anyone have a favourite sample box so far?  

    Thursday, February 9, 2012

    Ecotints Lip Moisturiser in Plush Red


    One of my favourite lip balms right now is my EcoLips Ecotints Lip Moisturiser in Plush Red.


    It's a sheer balm with a really pretty red tint that is just so wearable practically everywhere if you want a little bit of colour but not the full coverage of a lipstick. It's also a great transition for anyone who would love to try red lips but just aren't game enough to try a full-on red lipstick just yet.


    Ecotints are cuelty free, carmine free and gluten free and contain 90% organic ingredients. They also contain aloe vera, beeswax, organic coconut oil and are flavoured with organic vanilla.

    I find it stays on my lips for a couple of hours or so before needing to be reapplied which isn't too bad for a lip balm like product. It's smooth and easy to apply as it's just like any other normal tube lip balm and makes my lips feel nice and moisturised.

    It's also got a pretty shine and doesn't go patchy or wear away unevenly.

    I'm even a fan of applying some of this over a red lip pencil if I want to have red lips without all the hassle of trying to get a red lipstick to look just right.

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

    Tuesday, February 7, 2012

    Savoir Faire Concealer - A little pot of awesomeness!



    In one of my previous BellaBoxes I received this little goody. It is the Savoir Faire Concealer and Finishing Powder in the shade Light.

    I normally skip using a concealer these days, mainly because of time constraints as I have to be quick and efficient with my makeup most of the time when trying to get ready as bub is usually hanging off one leg while also pulling all of my makeup onto the floor.

    But, since discovering this little beauty I have started getting back into the habit of using concealer again because it is just so darn good!


    The little pot contains two shades of concealer, one in a really light shade and another in a bit of a darker shade. On the bottom is also a small container of finishing powder which just twists off.

    Here are some formal details about this little product:

    Concealer
    • Long wearing concealer with a unique light and creamy texture
    • Contains two concealer shades on top and finishing powder on the bottom
    • Easy to apply, providing suitable coverage for a flawless finish

    Finishing powder
    • Soft creamy powder
    • Locks in and protects the concealer for long wearing coverage
    • Translucent finish

    I have found this concealer to stay put all day long. It just does not budge from wherever I put it and it gives excellent coverage over almost any blemish. It's so creamy and easy to blend and is also great for the under-eye area too.
     
    The powder is a great little addition as I find it useful if I have to do any small touch ups during the day, or if I'm feeling really lazy I apply it to my whole face instead of my normal pressed powder as it gives a nice light coverage that isn't drying or cakey.
     
    Here are some swatches:
     
    (From left to right: Light & Dark shade mixed together, Light shade, Dark shade, Finishing Powder)
    I find that the best match for the skin on my face at the moment is to mix the two shades together.
     
    Overall this is an awesome little product that I would definitely repurchase.
     
    Has anyone else tried Savoir Faire products before?

    Monday, February 6, 2012

    Revlon ColorStay Soft & Smooth in Plush Pink


    My favourite pink lipcolour at the moment has to be my Revlon ColorStay Soft & Smooth lipcolour in Plush Pink.

    When I first purchased this lipcolour I was a bit sceptical as I've tried other items in the ColorStay range and have found them to be quite drying. The Soft & Smooth range is supposed to contain an exclusive SoftFlex Comfort Technology which is meant to provide hours of luscious colour and comfortable wear and to stay creamy rather than drying out.

    I have to say it has surprised me by being a really comfortable long lasting lipcolour. It's really nice and creamy to apply and covers the lips nice and evenly without any streaking. I tend to get about 6 hours of wear after first applying it and this is normally after having morning tea and lunch as well. I've found that when it does start to fade it does so nice and evenly without leaving awful dry or clumpy patches on the lips as some other long wearing lipcolours can do. It also leaves a slight stain on the lips as it fades that I tend to just enhance by adding some gloss over the top if I don't feel like applying full lipcolour again.

    I must admit that I'm a lip smacker from hell (a bad habit that I just can't seem to stop constantly doing, especially when I'm in deep thought) and constantly rub my lips together during the day and even though this lipcolour does kind of 'set' on the lips it's still comfortable enough to keep rubbing my lips together and not feel like I'm wearing sandpaper on them.

    Here is a swatch to attempt to show you how pretty the shade Plush Pink is:



    I wasn't game enough to show photos of it on my lips today as my skin is having a moment and I just wasn't up for having it posted on the internet in the condition it is in.

    You'll just have to believe me that this is a lovely soft pink with a small hint of shimmer without making your lips blind anyone. This colour pretty much goes with anything.

    What do you guys think? Has anyone used any other shade in this range that they liked?

    Wednesday, February 1, 2012

    Nails of The Week - Sally Hansen Insta-Dry in Petal Pusher


    I received this polish in the January Glossybox last week and decided to try it straight away due to my nails being quite short at the moment and not really that attention worthy.

    This polish claims to dry virtually instantly, which after one coat is definitely true, but once you start applying additional coats it still becomes touch dry pretty quickly but seems to be very soft and easy to mark if you're not careful.

    The colour Petal Pusher is a very pale pink which is similar to that used in French manicures. Unfortunately, I really am not a fan of a colour that is this pale and I don't like polishes that are so see-through with just one coat. The problem I found with this polish is that once you start applying a second coat it tends to streak very badly and if you're not careful you can pull at the first coat and cause bare patches to appear. Due to this formula being so quick-dry you need to work fast when applying too because if you take too long on one nail it starts to get too thick to move around and I found it bubbles quite badly too.

    Here is my second try at using this polish (the first attempt was just plain awful). I have applied two coats of this polish and it is still quite see-through:

    (If you look close you can see the bubbling) 


    (Oh so streaky!)

    This is not a polish that I would use again. To me it is just way too much effort for very little gain. Other colours in this range might be alright but I don't rate this colour or consistency at all.

    Has anyone else used this polish unsuccessfully? Are the other colours in the range any better than this one?

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