Wednesday, January 30, 2013

MitoQ - Review and Free Trial Offer


Over the past few weeks I have been using a new cream which is called MitoQ.

For those of you who may be like I was and not have a clue as to what MitoQ is, here is a little bit of info:

'MitoQ is a patented next generation CoQ cream that is 1000 times more active than leading CoQ topical formulations to protect your skin cells from oxidative damage. MitoQ enhances and restores your natural antioxidant defenses and is scientifically proven to enhance and rejuvenate your skin. MitoQ has a lightening and brightening effect reducing blemishes and gives you younger looking skin.'



MitoQ comes in a very luxe looking bottle with a pump dispenser. It's a very lightweight cream that is easy to smooth over the skin and absorbs super fast without leaving any sort of greasy feeling behind. I find that my skin feels extremely soft and totally moisturised after application and I have been using this cream both morning and night after cleansing my face. It has a light but pleasant scent that isn't too overpowering and isn't really noticeable after it has been on for a few minutes.


Since using this cream twice a day I've found the texture of my skin seems to have smoothed out a bit and I don't seem to suffer from as many blemishes anymore (being summer where the grease factor of the skin is amped up this is a huge bonus in itself!) I've also noticed that my skintone seems to have evened out as well and I don't seem to have as much redness in my cheek area like I used to.

For the first time in my life I've been able to get away with just using a bit of pressed powder on my face (and maybe some concealer under the eyes) on most days. For me this is great in this hot weather we have been having rather than needing to wear foundation which always feels so heavy this time of year.

I have to say that I haven't really noticed any improvement in my fine lines but maybe I'm just too critical when I look at those areas of my face.

I do have one gripe regarding this cream, and that's the fact that it doesn't contain an SPF. In my opinion this is the only factor that makes using this cream a little bit painful because if I'm going anywhere I have to make sure I put a sunscreen over the top.

Free Trial Offer:
Currently, MitoQ are offering a certain number of people in Australia the ability to trial their cream for free. All you need to do is visit their facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/Mitoq?fref=ts, like them and let them know you're interested in trialing MitoQ and they could be in touch!

You can also find out a bit more about MitoQ on their website at http://www.mitoq.com/.

Has anyone else had the chance to try this cream yet?

Michelle


***This product was provided for review but my opinions are always honest***

Saturday, January 26, 2013

Disappointment of the Month - Mirenesse Flawless Revolution 24hr Skin Corrector


As this is only my second ever Disappointment of the Month post, you know that I don't give up on a product easily. Unfortunately, I am at a complete loss with this one and feel I'd be doing the public a disservice by not mentioning it.

(So pretty, but so useless!)

I have to admit, I bought this product for the eye candy factor originally. I thought it looked so pretty and decided I had to have it. As you are aware I have a bit of a soft spot for Mirenesse products and have loved virtually everything of their's I have tried so far but I just could not get my head around what this one was supposed to do.

The Mirenesse Flawless Revolution Antiageing 3 in 1 24hr Skin Corrector claims to be a multi-tasking skin corrector with revolutionary Chromafusion Technology to instantly perfect and correct skin colour and texture.

It's made up of 4 different creams swirled together which all work (supposedly) as follows:
* Clear - smoothes pores and lines
* Lemon - corrects darkness
* Peach - corrects dullness
* Green - corrects redness


Now, no matter how I apply this product, I can't get it to either stay on my skin or look anything other than like snakeskin. When I rub it in I get one section to look really good (the instructions are very strict that you have to only apply it to one section of the face at a time) but then as soon as I try to apply it to another section, if I accidentally go anywhere near the bit I just applied it starts to rub itself away and then clumps on my skin and overall becomes impossible to work with.

Also, it makes my pores look huge!! It seems to sink into them which makes me look like I have little white-filled craters all over my face. Not a good look!

The last straw is the fact that not a single foundation I own will go over this product without clumping and/or rubbing it off and causing an awful mess on my skin. It's just so hard to explain, but think of it the same way as if you just applied fresh filler to a hole in a wall and didn't let it dry properly before trying to paint over it. The filler bunches in with the paint and starts to flake off the wall all over the place - well that pretty much what happens every time I try to apply foundation when I'm wearing this product.

The end result is usually me giving up and washing my face and starting all over again with my old faithful primers.

I've never been so frustrated with a product in my life!

Here is an example I tried to capture of the snakeskin effect and how it highlights rather than smoothes my pores:

(Yuk!)
 
(Extremely exaggerated pores!)
 
 
So yes, this product is unfortunately going in the 'Do not use unless absolutely desperate or I feel like punishing myself' pile until I can bare to part with it (It's certrainly not that cheap at around $69.50 a bottle, or $55.60 for VIPs). If it wasn't for the pricetag, it would be going straight into the bin, but I feel some sort of need to keep trying to work with it until I just can't even look at the prettiness of it anymore to try and justify how much I paid for it.
 
So, so sad.....
 
Has anyone else ever used this product before? Is there a special trick to using it that I just don't know about?
 
Michelle xx


Thursday, January 24, 2013

Personal Planner Giveaway!!

If there is one thing on this earth that I love more than makeup, it's stationery. I am physically banned from going toOfficeworks on my own hubby and if we ever pass by a stationery shop he always gives the biggest groan and eye-roll you've ever seen because he knows he can kiss the next half an hour at least goodbye.

It's because of this unhealthy obsession that I gave a little happy dance around my lounge room when I was contacted by Personal Planner to see if I wanted to offer my readers the chance to win a planner of their choice.

Seriously, these planners are the coolest. There are endless design possibilities dependent purely on your imagination. You can change the colour, text and design on the front and back cover as well as the inlay. There are also clever little boxes you can include for a to-do list, gym sessions, preschool, idea of the week and the weather. Friend's and family member birthdays can also be added to the inlay directly from Facebook!




Once you have chosen your design it will be printed and then delivered direct to your door.

The planners come in 4 different sizes and you can pick the start date to be whenever you want rather than just the calendar or financial year.


One of these will be so much nicer than the old organiser I've been using as my blog planner this year. I made my own from my scrapbooking supplies last year but just haven't had the chance to be that creative for this year so I literally cannot wait until my Personal Planner arrives!

So, now for the really exciting part. Personal Planner are giving away to one lucky recipient One (1) Planner of their choice. To enter, just complete the Rafflecopter form below and then cross your fingers! The giveaway is open internationally and will run unto the 3rd Febuary 2013.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Once you have entered I highly recommend you visit their website and/or Facebook page to start being inspired!

W: http://personal-planner.com.au
Fb: https://www.facebook.com/PersonalPlannerAU

Good Luck!!

Michelle xx

Tuesday, January 22, 2013

January Bellabox

I received the January Bellabox yesterday and was happy to see that it was focusing on Australian beauty brands this time around. I love finding new products from Australian brands as it's always good to support our own economy.

Here's what was in the January box:


1) Plunkett's 99% Pure Aloe Vera Cooling Gel (20gm, RRP $2.99) - I love using Aloe Vera gel in summer as a cooling and refreshing moisture boost for the skin. I'll be interested to see how this one stacks up.

2) Swisse Body Wash with Vitamin B3 and Macrobiotic Sea Minerals (30ml sample, RRP $14.95 for 250ml) - Well that sure is a mouthful and a half of a name. I've liked all of the Swisse products I've tried in the past so am looking forward to trying this one too.

3) Natio Pure Mineral Skin Perfecting BB Cream (5gm sample, RRP $14.95 for 50gm) - Yet, another BB Cream hits the market. Seriously, how many of these are there now?? This is something that I'll have to try when I know I'm not leaving the house because I received it in the shade Medium which will most likely be way too dark for my skin tone.

4) Ibeauty Cosmetics Eyeshadow in Hummingbird and Foxy (1gm sample, RRP $7.50 for full size single colour) - These shadows are so cute but I wish the packaging was a little more practical even though it is a sample pack. I'm not really sure which shade is which as they are not labelled separately but one is a really pretty shimmery pale blue and the other is a shimmery brown. They both seem to be fairly pigmented as far as I can tell from an initial swipe.

5) NS-8 Heel Balm Complex (50ml sample, RRP $11.45 for 60mls) - This is certainly something that will get a lot of use as this time of year means lots of thongs and sandals on the feet. I'm interested to see how well this actually works on dry feet.

I'm happy there was a makeup item in there this time even though it's a brand I've never heard of before but everything else is a little bit underwhelming. It will all certainly get used though, even if the BB Cream will have to be worn behind closed doors.

So, what do you think of the January box?

Michelle xx

Friday, January 18, 2013

Battle of the Facial Mists

In this super hot weather we have been having here is Australia I've developed a little bit of an obsession with facial mists. There is nothing nicer than spritzing a lovely cool and sweet smelling mist all over your face and neck during the day when you're feeling a bit wilted and flat.

At this particular point in time I have been alternating between three different mists (one in my handbag, one in the fridge and the other to set my makeup) so I thought I'd do a little comparison between them for you.



(Left to Right: Baji Rose Kakadu Plum Face Mist, Jurlique Citrus Purifying Mist, Kosmea Hydtrating Rosewater Mist)
 
1) Baji Rose Kakadu Plum Face Mist Antioxidant Formula
This mist contains combinations of unique botanical extracts which are formulated to help tone, clarify and moisturise. This is the one that I keep in the fridge because I love spraying it on when I've come inside from doing some gardening or if it's just a hot day and I feel I need a bit of a skin boost.
 
Pros
 - Nice slim bottle
 - Gorgeous bush flower essence smell
 - Sinks in quickly and feels very hydrating
 
Cons
 - Very, very misty so I feel I have to spray it a good three to four times before I get enough on my face
 
2) Jurlique Citrus Purifying Mist *
A clarifying mist infused with the living energy of witch hazel and marshmallow combined with essential oils of tangerine and lemon to enliven and purify. This is the one I have been using to set my makeup for the day.
 
Pros
 - Refreshing and uplifting citrus scent - great for morning use!
 - Also sinks in quickly and makes the skin feel hydtrated and refreshed
 
Cons
 - Glass bottle makes me terrified of dropping it and not really travel or handbag friendly
 - The nozzle can spray out a bit heavy sometimes
 
3) Kosmea Hydrating Rosewater Mist
Gentle, soothing, cooling and hydrating. This to me is one of the best facial mists and I take it everywhere with me. I panic if I can't locate it in my handbag sometimes!
 
Pros
 - Lovely rose scent is calming when you've had a rough day
 - Great compact and portable bottle
 - Perfect amount of mist comes out per pump - not too much and not too little
 - Sinks in super fast and skin feels refreshed after use
 
Cons
 - The rose scent can be a bit 'old lady' sometimes (this is according to my husband apparently)
 
 
So that's my little comparison between my three favourite mists at the moment. The Kosmea one is my overall favourite, followed by the Jurlique one.
 
The Baji one unfortunately loses points by the mist being just way too 'misty' for me. This probably sounds ridiculous but I don't want the entire room I'm standing in to be sprayed when I use one of these which is what I feel happens when I use this one. Maybe the one I have just has a faulty nozzle?
 
I'd love to know of any other mists out there that would be worth trying if anyone has any suggestions they'd like to share?
 
Michelle xx


* Denotes product received for consideration but my opinions are honest, as always.


Wednesday, January 16, 2013

Nails of the Week - Wet 'n' Wild Nail Colour in 'Mystery Shade'


This week I've been wearing a polish from Wet 'n' Wild that I received in one of the monthly subsciption boxes a little while ago.

Unfortunately, there is no label on this polish anywhere that lets me know what shade it is. Talk about frustrating!!



This polish is what I call 'Extreme Glitter' as it's practically opaque in one coat and is so thickly packed that it is in no way a layering glitter. It's one that hogs the spotlight all on it's own.

It's a gorgeous shade that I love wearing but the first time I had it on a couple of weeks ago I realised just how nightmarise it is to actually remove. It takes sooooo many cotton pads soaked in nail polish remover to get it off, and you end up with glitter where no glitter should ever be, that now I've worn it twice I'm debating as to whether I'll ever actually attempt to wear it again.

It's one of those polishes that look great on but are just too much trouble in the end to really bother, which is a real shame.


Just to satisfy my curiousity, does anyone have the faintest idea what this shade is actually called?? I'd love to know!

Michelle xx

Thursday, January 10, 2013

Everyday Minerals Cheek Colour in Nature's Sweet Side


I was recently introduced to this blush when I received it in one of the monthly sample boxes I get and I just can't seem to get used to it as much as I try and try.


I have to admit that this is my first ever loose mineral powder product and I now know why I have tried to steer clear of them in the past. They are just so ridiculously messy to use!!

No matter what I do I end up with this product everywhere in a big powdery cloud. I also find it pratically impossible to get the amount of product on my brush right too and either end up with not enough or waaaaay too much.


Is there a trick that I just haven't found when using these sifter type containers. I have found that turning the container upside down and tapping when it's sealed seems to be the easiest way to get some powder out for use but then the residue in the lid just ends up going everywhere.

Overall, this is just way too much effort for very little gain as far as I'm concerned.

 (Left: First swatched, Right: Blended out)

The shade I received, Nature's Sweet Side, is a darker pink that almost leans towards looking mauve in the container but when it's blended out it turns into a weird kind of bronzey/orange shade. Now I don't know if this is just a reaction purely with my skin tone or whether this is normal but it has really turned me off from using this blush.

On a positive note, this blush does last a long time on my skin and manages to get through an entire work day for me without much fading. It also doesn't seem to accentuate my pores at all and is pretty easy to blend even though the colour change is very offputting.

I'm kind of glad I didn't personally purchase this blush as I'd be even more disappointed if I had. It certainly hasn't made me want to rush out and try any more mineral products either.

Am I just an uncoordinated ninny by thinking that loose powders are too difficult to use?? Is the colour change when applied normal or am I radioactive or something??

I hope everyone is having a lovely week.

Michelle xx


Monday, January 7, 2013

December Empties

I have to apologise for not being around this week but my laptop needed some extra work and I wasn't able to upload any pictures onto it all week. Hopefully it's all fixed now!



So, I didn't really seem to get through that much in December as I normally do and I think it was because I was a bit fickle during the month and chopped and changed between products a lot. I know that's a bit naughty but tough!

Anyway, here's what I managed to get through during the month of December:

1) Clear Scalp & Hair Beauty Therapy Conditioner - I've previously reviewed this Shampoo & Conditioner range and really liked it. It made my hair feel really soft and didn't irritate my scalp at all which was a great bonus.

2) A'kin Body Wash in Orange Blossom - I really love these body washes and have about three others in reserve already.

3) Clinique Take The Day Off Makeup Remover - I have become a huge fan of this makeup remover and think that if you can get over how oily it feels then it really is a great product that takes off every speck of makeup without drying out or irritating the skin at all.

4) 4me Nail Polish Remover Pads - These pads are a great, versatile idea although they just couldn't stand up to the last insanely glitter-filled polish that I had on my nails. But, for regular polish removel, and as a convenient little travel alternative, I think these are awesome.

5) Bioderma Sebium H2O Solution - I much preferred using this to the Crealine version as it just seemed to work better and feel nicer on my skin. It's probably not something that I would repurchase though.

6) EmerginC Multi-Fruit Cleanser and Earth Hydrating Phytelene Cream - I took these on a weekend away as they took up next to no room in my cosmetic case. They seemed nice enough but the sample size is a bit too small to really tell.

7) Mememe Seventh Heaven Moisturising Facebase - I can't believe how long it took me to get through this tiny sample. A little of this stuff goes a really long way and it was a lovely primer that smells like citrus and really wakes you up when applying your makeup. I'd definitely repurchase this.

8) Garnier Miracle Skin Perfector - This came in a magazine I bought recently but was in the Medium shade which made me look like a bad extra from Jersey Shore so I didn't really keep it on for long enough to see if I liked it or not.

9) Clinique All About Eyes - This is a lovely eye cream that I have used many times in the past. It always seems to be included in almost every Clinique gift-with-purchase so even though I've been through a heap of these I don't think I've ever actually paid for one directly. I might need to hunt down another gift-with-purchase again soon as it's one of the best eye creams I've used.

So there you have it. Nothing really exciting this month but hey, I'm still sad enough to get a small thrill no matter what I manage to use up every month :-)

Hope everyone is having a great week!

Michelle xx



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