Friday 31 October 2008

Kit Cosmetcs Lip Sheen


I'm going through a peppermint phase at the moment. In fact, I've been going through it for a few years now, I'm in love with lip products with a peppermint flavour and fragrance.

Kit Cosmetics Lip Sheen is one of my favorites. It's a lip balm with the shine of a lip gloss. To my amusement the Kit website says that this is a unisex product, but unless there are guys out there wanting glossy lips, I don't see how this would be a unisex product. There is a clear and a pink tinted version available. I bought the clear balm.

As a balm this is really effective. It has a smooth, thick, almost ointment like consistency, that spreads well without being waxy or balling up. The peppermint flavour and fragrance are lovely, giving a tingling feeling for a few minutes after application. I love to use this balm when my lips are sore and chapped as it's very moisturising.

Kit Cosmetics can be purchased a Kit stores or online at their website. A 15ml tube costs $15.95.

Would I buy it again? Definitely! Next time I'm going to get the tinted version.

Ingredients: polybutene, ethyl hexyl palmitate, tricontanyl, pvp, beeswax, mentha piperita (peppermint oil), menthol, tocopheryl acetate (vitamin e), persea gratissima (avocado oil), simmondsia chinensis (jojoba oil), saccharin.

Thursday 30 October 2008

Tinderbox Headache Balm

Tinderbox is a gorgeous little store in Balingup that sells a great range of herbal products, from skin care to gourmet food seasonings. I'm a huge fan of their skin and body products.

Headache Balm is a wonderful product that works just as well as pain killers do. To use, I rub it onto my temples and the back of my neck and within a few minutes it starts to work it's magic and my headache disappears. It also works well to help relieve the tension caused by a sore neck. It has a lovely, soft scent that is not overpowering.

I always have a few pots of this around, one at work, one at home and one in my hand bag. A 15ml pot costs $8.00 and usually lasts me at least a year.

Tinderbox products can be purchased online or at most health food stores.

Ingredients: rosemary, lavender, camphor, peppermint and chamomile essential oils in a sunflower oil and pure beeswax base.

Wednesday 29 October 2008

Origins Make a Difference rejuvenating hand treatment

I'm really not a fan of this hand cream. Not that there's anything wrong with it, but it's quite sticky, so I can't use it during the day. As a night treatment it does a pretty good job, but nothing amazing. After I've used it I don't notice that my hands are super hydrated or soft.

I find this cream is best to use as a daily moisturiser. When my hands are dry I don't use this as it isn't moisturising enough, but as a daily treatment it works fine. One thing I do love is the smell. All Origins A Perfect World products smell amazing.

According to Origins:
The resurrection plant rose of Jericho, plus skin-reviving trehalose and sea haricots work hand-in-hand to help hardworking skin rebound and recover from dramatic dehydration. An ancient oceanic flora helps repair damage due to UV exposure, daily use and constant abuse. Scutellaria extract helps even out skin tone. Meadowfoam seed oil lavishes hands that have it rough with long-lasting smoothness that's never greasy. Chapped, cracked, splotchy skin resumes a softer, brighter, more evenly toned, more youthfully textured look and feel. Leaves an elegant, silky feel on skin. Forms an undetectable barrier. Dermatologist Tested.

Would I buy it again? No. There are other hand creams that I like much better than this one.

Tuesday 28 October 2008

MAC Petting Pink Tinted Lip Conditioner


I love the versatility of tinted lip balms. They're easy to use, give a nice wash of sheer colour, and moisturise at the same time. However, one thing I don't like is the messiness of pot balms, it's a hassle having to carry a lip brush around, but if I don't, then I end up with lip balm all over my fingers, which means I have to carry tissues around. But, this doesn't stop me using pot balms. I go through phases where I'll only use stick lip balms, then I'll go through a phase where I'll only used pot lip balms, etc. Which is good, because it means that I rotate my stash of balms and use some of them up. And with the rate at which I buy lip balms, I need to use up as many as I can!

MAC's Tinted Lip Conditioner is a nice product. It has a soft vanilla scent and flavour (like all MAC lip products do). Petting Pink goes on a natural pink colour. One layer gives a sheer wash of shiny colour, and extra layers increase the colour intensity. The texture is moisturising and gel like. I don't find this to be very moisturising, but it's okay for those days when my lips aren't dry. As with most sheer balms, it doesn't last long so needs to be reapplied frequently.

Would I buy it again? No. It's a nice balm, but I don't think it's worth $28. If it was cheaper I might buy it again.

Monday 27 October 2008

Dior Long-Wearing Moisturising Concealer

I am delighted to announce that I have found my Holy Grail concealer! For a long time I didn't think that I'd ever say this, I've tried so many different concealers in the hunt for 'The One', I started to think it'd never happen. But thankfully, Dior's Hydrating Concealer is 'The One'.

Long-Wearing Moisturising Concealer is perfect for hiding dark under eye circles. It totally covers my circles, lasts all day and does not sink into my fine lines. This concealer applies so flawlessly that people don't even realise I'm wearing it. When I use this I get compliments on how well I'm looking, and I usually just smile smugly, because I know it's all due to my concealer.

This concealer is very easy to apply. I've applied it with my fingers, with a brush and with the beautyblender sponge. All of these methods work well as the concealer is fool proof. I use shade 410, which is perfect for my pale skin. For reference, this link shows my colours in other foundations and concealers.

I buy my concealer from Strawberrynet as it's a lot cheaper than buying it from the counter.

Friday 24 October 2008

MAC Lilacrush Lipgelee


I'm on a mission at the moment to use up more of my MAC products so that I can take the empties back and swap them for a new lipstick as part of the back to MAC program. If you haven't heard of this, you take back six empty MAC plastic containers (such as eye shadows, lipsticks, lip glosses and automatic pencils) and they'll exchange them for a lipstick of your choice. Because of this, I've now got several of my MAC products on daily rotation, and I'm remembering how much I like them.

The Lipgelee's are amazing. I absolutely love the texture, they feel very soft and moisturising on my lips. They're very light and non sticky, in fact they feel more like a lip balm that a gloss. They have a beautiful glossy finish, with a sheer wash of colour.

Like most MAC lip products, Lipgelee's have a vanilla fragrance but no flavour. I'd almost say that these could be a holy grail product. If they had a sweet flavour then they would definitely be a holy grail product for me.

Would I buy them again? Definitely!

Thursday 23 October 2008

Beautyblender Sponge

I've heard people raving about how amazing this sponge is for ages now, and I always thought they were exaggerating. Really, how much difference can a sponge make, it's only a sponge! But, never one to resist a cosmetic fad, I had to buy one. At the time, they weren't available in Australia, so I ordered mine from Cherryculture. Thankfully, they're now available in Australia from Noveau Visage.

I've been using my Beautyblender for about six months now, and I have to say, all the hype is true. This sponge is amazing. It makes my foundation look flawless. I also love it to apply my powder with, it makes the powder go on smoothly without looking caked on or too sheer.

According to Beautyblender the patent-pending elliptical shape makes application foolproof by allowing you to access hard-to-reach areas with stunning ease. Its suede texture is sensual to the touch and its unique curves fit the contours of your face, leaving your make-up dazzling and undetectable. Best of all beautyblender does not absorb make-up like ordinary sponges do therefore an application using beautyblender saves you time, make-up and money. Beautyblender is ideal for sensitive skin too because it’s latex free, non-allergenic and odour free.

I never thought that a sponge could make such a difference to the way my foundation looks, but it does, and I'll never be without my Beautyblender again. If you only buy one new product this year, make it a Beautyblender!

Wednesday 22 October 2008

Moon Haven Achy Breaky Rub


Where possible, I prefer to use natural remedies, and there are a few amazing products that I always have in my first aid tub. Moon Haven's Achy Breaky Rub is one of them. I discovered this about six years ago when I was visiting the Moon Haven store down in Cowaramup. I've tried a lot of different products for sore, aching muscles, and this is one of the few that actually work.

Achy Breaky Rub has a soft, pleasant herbal scent that fades quickly. It doesn't stain clothes, so can be used under clothes. I usually decant some of this into a little pot so that I can keep some at work to use during the day. It is also available as a massage lotion and essential oil blend.

According to Moon Haven Achy Breaky Rub is ideal for those aching muscles and joints. Leonie formulated this aromatherapy and herbal based salve to help deal with her Fibromyalgia muscular aches and pains. With St Johns Wort, Calendula and a range of essential oils for stimulating circulation and helping with inflammation, many of our clients are telling us that it is also great for arthritis, sports injuries & tense muscles.

I don't have arthritis, so can't comment on how well it works for, but I know that when I've got sore muscles or aching joints Achy Breaky Rub works magic. I've given a lot of pots of this to friends who all love it for sore muscles post exercise.

Tuesday 21 October 2008

Crabtree and Evelyn Naturals Soothing Garden Mint Lip Balm

The first few times I used this lip balm I really didn't like it, it seemed to have a really strong peppermint scent that was overpowering. So I left it for a few months, and now that I've been using it for a while I'm in love.

Soothing Garden Mint lip balm is a deeply hydrating, peppermint scented lip balm with a glossy finish. It's one of those great balms that look like a lip gloss, so it's perfect to use when I'm at work. I keep one at work and one in my handbag.

I've tried a lot of other glossy lip balms, but I find most of them aren't really moisturising, but this really is hydrating. I use it when my lips are really sore and cracked as it helps to sooth and heal them. In fact I'd say it even heals my lips as well as Carmex does, and that's something I never thought I'd say.

Would I buy it again? Yes, it's a really nice balm, it does a great job of healing my lips when they're cracked and it's reasonably priced.

I can't find the ingredients list for this, but I've checked the website and it doesn't contain any paraffin, mineral oil, parabens, nitrosamines, propylene glycol or synthetic colourants. It does contain olive oil, beeswax and peppermint oil.

Monday 20 October 2008

Carmex Lip Balm

I've always had a problem with cracked lips, and it's due to this that my lip balm addiction started. As a teenager I was always searching for a product that would heal and soothe my cracked lips. When I'd tried every lip balm they had at the chemist, and still had cracked lips, the chemist suggested Carmex, and I've always had a pot of it since then.

Carmex really works! When my lips are cracked and sore, Carmex starts to heal them within a day. I'll wake up with cracked, sore lips, and by the end of the day my lips are starting to heal and they're not sore anymore. It takes three days to fully heal my lips when they're cracked, which is quicker than any other balm I've tried. The only balm I've used that comes close to the healing power of Carmex is Burt's Bees.

Carmex has a soft menthol scent and no flavour. It contains menthol so tingles for a few minutes upon application. Carmex has a slight shine, but when applied sheerly is great to use under lipstick or gloss.



Carmex is available in the original tub, a squeeze tube and now in click sticks. The click sticks come in original, cherry and strawberry flavours.

Would I buy it again? Definitely, this is a product that I'm never without.

Sunday 19 October 2008

My colours in foundation, powder, concealer, red lipstick and bronzer

Foundation:

Alima Satin Matte - N3 Pongee

Almay Smart Shade - Light

Australis Perfection Brush on - Nude

Bare Escentuals - Fairly Light

Becca Stick - Praline

Chanel Vitalumier Compact - 10 Limpide

Clinique Moisture Sheer Tint Gel - Fair

Clinique Superbalanced Compact - 02 Alabaster Breeze

Eles Liquid Powder Mineral Foundation - Porcelain

Flirt Pretty Easy Stick - 02 China Doll

Kevyn Aucoin Sensual Skin Enhancer - SX02

Laura Mercier Mineral Make-up - Tender Rose

Laura Mercier Oil Free - Warm Ivory

Laura Mercier Silk Creme Foundation - Cream Ivory or Rose Ivory

Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturiser - Nude

Lumiere Cashmere - Light Cool

Lumiere Flawless - Light Medium Neutral

Lumiere Veena Velvet - Light Cool

Hissyfit - Light

Mac Select Tint - NC20

Maybelline Pure - 03 Natural Ivory

RMK Creme - 201

Shu Uemura Water Perfect Compact - 564

Smashbox Creme Compact - 1.5


Powder:

Becca Fine Loose Finishing Powder - Wheat

Chanel Double Perfection Compact - 10 Lumiere

Clinique Gentle Light Powder - 02 Gentle Glow

Diorskin Perfect Fit - 200

Mac Mineralise Skinfinish - Medium

Maybelline Dream Matte Powder - Ivory

MMU Second Skin - Linen


Concealer:

3 Custom Colours Creme - 2

American Beauty - Fair

Clinique Airbrush - 01 Fair

Clinique All About Eyes - 03 Light Petal

Dior Long Wearing Moisturising - 410

Lancome Effacernes - 02 Beige Sable

Laura Mercier Secret - 1

Mac Studio Lights - Tender Glow

Maybelline Age Rewind - Light and Fair

Revlon Age Defying - 01 Neutralizer

Senna - Cameo

The Balm Time Balm - Light


Bronzer:
Clinique True Bronze - 02 Sunkissed

Red Lipstick:

Clinique Different Lipstick - Angel Red 93

Guerlain Kiss Kiss - Red Shine 620

L’oreal Glam shine – Glam Red 105

Kanebo T’estimo – RD 150

Utowa – ML Rouge Red 56

Friday 17 October 2008

Korres Lip Butter


As you all know, I'm a real sucker for lip balms, especially ones that are difficult to get hold of, or not available in Australia. Korres lip butter is a product that's not available in Australia, I got mine off ebay. The girls at Kit have told me that they're getting Korres colour products soon, so we'll probably be able to buy the lip butters here soon. The colour range is due to arrive at the end of this month.

Korres lip butter has a really unique texture, I've never had any other balms with a texture like this. It's like a medium to thick gel, similar to how jelly feels. I love the way these apply. They go on very smoothly, as you would expect from a lip butter and have a shiny, glossy finish.

I don't find these to be overly moisturising. They're great to use as a tinted balm during the day, but if my lips were dry or chapped these wouldn't help much.

There are four colours available, Wild Rose, Guava, Quince and Pomegranate. I have Guava which is white, and if applied too thickly leaves a white sheen on my lips (not a good look), and Quince, which is a soft pink colour.

Would I buy it again? No. It's a nice product, but nothing outstanding, and it's too difficult to get hold of.

Ingredients: polybutene, trimethylolpropane triisostearate, hydrogenated polydecene, hydroxystearic acid, polyethylene, stearalkoniumhectorite, propylene carbonate, polyglyceryl-3 diisostearate, sucrose tetrastearate triacetate, dicalcium phosphate, tocopherol, aroma, helianthus annuus seed oil, ascorbyl palmitate, chaenomeles japonika seed extract, tocopheryl acetate, linalool, limonene.

Thursday 16 October 2008

L'Occitane Rose BonBon Lip Gloss

For me, L'Occitane's Rose BonBon Lip Gloss is a hand bag essential. It's one of those multi purpose products that save space in my bag. Rose BonBon is a lip balm and lip gloss in one. It has a gorgeous rosy fragrance and colour, with a softly shiny finish.

As a lip balm, it's moisturising and perfect for every day use. It has a very soft rose flavour that is barely detectable. As a lip gloss it's a gorgeous, natural colour. It gives a sheer, pink tint that looks lovely and natural. The texture is smooth and gel like, with no hint of stickiness.

Rose BonBon comes in a gorgeous little old fashioned looking glass pot with roses on the lid. it looks like something I'd find at my Grandma's house. I purchased a 5ml pot for $19.95.

Would I buy it again? Yes, I'd also like to try the other flavours.

Ingredients: Polybutene, ricinus communis (castor) seed oil, tridecyl trimellitate, oleyl alcohol, euphorbia cerifera (candelilla) wax, stearic acid, myristyl lactate, hydroxystearic/linolenic/oleic/polyglycerides, copernica cerifera (carnuba) wax, butyrospermum parkii (shea butter) extract, tocopheryl acetate, fragrance, benzophenone 3 propylparaben, bht, mica, titanium dioxide.

Wednesday 15 October 2008

Blistex Lip Infusion

This is what Blistex has to say about Lip Infusion:

Blistex Lip Infusion is a unique liquid lip balm that glides on with an ultra-smooth rolling tip.

A lip balm like no other
Blistex Lip Infusion is a liquid lip balm with an ultra smooth rolling tip. The applicator is
stainless steel – it feels cool and smooth on your lips.

Sheer liquid balm
Blistex Lip Infusion has a liquid formula, so it feels light and comfortable on your lips even as it
moisturises and protects.

Penetrating formula
Blistex Lip Infusion bathes your lips in moisture and the sheer liquid formula goes in quickly and
deeply for effortless hydration. It leaves your lips feeling soft as silk.

SPF 12 – Moderate Protection Sunscreen PABA-Free.

And here's what I think:

This is a really strange balm, and not one that I'm particularly fond of. I wouldn't call it a balm, because it's not moisturising at all. It's a very thin gloss, that only lasts for about 15 minutes and needs to be constantly reapplied. The roller ball does give a nice cool feeling when I apply it, and it has a pleasant, sweet taste, but that's about all I like about it.

If you're looking for a very light, non sticky gloss, then this is the product for you, but if you're after a lip balm, don't buy this!

Would I buy it again? No way.

Ingredients: octyl methoxycinnamate, oxybenzone, benzyl alcohol, phenoxyethanol, butyl hydroxybenzoate, cresol, butylated hydroxyanisole and saccharin.

Tuesday 14 October 2008

Mama Coco's Red Hibiscus Rouge Lip Balm


Since my friends know me so well, every now and again they give me lip balm as a gift (gotta love friends like that!) It was one of my lovely friends who introduced me to Mama Coco's Red Hibiscus Rouge lip balm.

As the name indicates, Red Hibiscus Rouge lip balm is made from red hibiscus flowers which provide a beautiful deep red tint. The ingredients are all natural and completely organic. It gives a sheer wash of red to my lips, and can also be used as a sheer blush.

There's a very slight chocolately fragrance with no flavour. This is a rather hard lip balm, so in winter it needs to be warmed up before use. It's moisturising and has a sheer, non shiny finish.

Would I buy it again? Yes, because I like the sheer, natural colour that it gives.

Ingredients: cocos nucifera (coconut) oil, theobroma cacao butter, cera alba (beeswax) , acadamia ternifolia seed oil, butyrospermum parkii butter, honey, vanilla planifolia extract, rosa alba extract, hibiscus sabdariffa extract, hippophae rhamonoides fruit extract, calendula officinalis extract, rosa canina extract, daucus carota extract.

Monday 13 October 2008

Too Faced Grapefruit Beauty Balm

I have a great arsenal of lip balms, some of them half used, some of them brand new and some barely used. I've got to the point now, where I'll use a new balm a few times, and if I don't like it I get rid of it straight away. Beauty Balm is a balm that I definitely won't be giving away.

There are a few things I love about my Beauty Balm. Firstly, it comes in a gorgeous little pink tin that looks great when I pull it out of my hand bag, and people are always asking what it is.
Secondly, it's got a gorgeous glossy look, so I look like I'm wearing gloss not just balm, but it's very hydrating, so I can use this when my lips are really dry and still look like I'm wearing lip colour.
Thirdly, it smells and tastes great.

The texture is thick and slightly sticky. It's not sticky enough to be annoying, but sticky enough that it has lasting powder. I have the Grapefruit flavour, which is a very soft sheer pink, and on my very pigmented lips it looks clear. I find this very similar to Clinique's Air Kiss gloss (which is an all time favorite of mine).

There are three flavours available, they are Grapefruit, Watermelon and Chocolate.

Ingredients: lanolin oil, hydroxylated lanolin, polybutene, isopropyl palmitate, cera microcristallina (microcrystalline) was, ethylhexyl palmitate, ceresin, cera alba (beeswax), isopropyl lanolate, aroma (flavour), ethylhexyl methoxycinnamate, bonzophenone-3, euphorbia cerifera (candelilla) eax, ricinus communis (castor) seed oil, monthol, tocopherol, tocopheryl acetate and propylparaben.

Friday 10 October 2008

Est Velvet Lip Balm


I probably should have called this the Lip Balm Blog, since that's the main thing I write about. But, we all know I'm an addict. One of my more recent loves is Est Velvet Lip Balm. It comes in two flavours, Peppermint Lemon and Vanilla Orange. They both smell amazing, and I had such a hard time choosing that I nearly bought both of them. In the end I decided on Vanilla Orange.

This is a beautiful balm. It has a waxy, matte texture, so I mainly use it as a night time balm. It's also good to use a light coat under lipstick. Due to the thick texture, it lasts hours before I need to reapply. I find it to be super moisturising with a lovely smell and taste. There's something about this balm that makes me feel earthy and grounded when I use it. I know that's a strange thing to say about a lip balm, but there is something so natural and wholesome about it. I'll definitely be purchasing this again, I want to try the Peppermint Lemon flavour next.

Est is a Melbourne company that started in 1998. They use natural products, and where possible, organic products. The Velvet Lip Balm is hand made, and contains 100% organic extra virgin olive oil, organic beeswax, organic honey, calendula healing oil, glycerine, olive leaf extract, vitamin e and essential oils.

Thursday 9 October 2008

Lipstick Queen is here!!!!!



Back in the nineties I was a huge fan of Poppy King products, in fact most of my lip products were Poppy's. I was really excited when I heard that Poppy was releasing a new line of lip products called Lipstick Queen, and even happier when I heard they were finally going to be released in Australia.

It was with great excitement that I headed to Kit last Wednesday, where I was delighted to see that they had Lipstick Queen products in stock. And to my great delight they are just like they used to be! There's the classic gloss in a huge pot, a range of sheer lipsticks, a range of pigmented lipsticks and a new product called Oxymoron, which is a matte gloss.

I purchased two products, Saints sheer lipstick in Pink and Oxymoron gloss in Free Ride.

The Saints sheer lipstick is a gorgeous mid tone pink colour that on me is very close to my natural lip colour. It's got quite a waxy texture with a soft shine. Due to the waxy texture it lasts about three hours on me before I need to reapply. I don't detect any fragrance or flavour.


The Oxymoron gloss is really interesting. It can be used on lips or as a blush. It's got a nice texture, moisturising and matte. It's less waxy than the lipstick, fairly pigmented and lasts well. Free ride is a medium tone pink with a slight nude/brown tint to it. I found with the Oxymoron glosses that they go on a different colour than what they look in the pot, so you definitely need to try before you buy.


For those people who live in Perth, Poppy King will be at the Kit store on Wednesday the 15th of October, doing lip analysis. You don't have to make an appointment, you just turn up between 12 and 2pm and she'll pick the best lipstick colour for you.

Wednesday 8 October 2008

Moon Haven Lip Balm


I am on a constant, lifelong search for lip balm. I'm always buying new lip balm, it's my addiction. Along the way, I have found a lot of really lovely lip balms, and a few holy grails. Moon Haven's lip balm is one of those products that could well become a holy grail balm for me.

There are two flavours, vanilla and herbal. The vanilla lip balm has a gorgeous vanilla flavour and fragrance. It is a very soothing lip balm that leaves a gentle gloss to my lips whilst also helping to moisturise and protect them from the elements. It's made with cocoa butter, castor oil and lanolin.


The herbal version of this gorgeous balm is full of healing essential oils which makes it ideal for peeling, split and sore lips. It has a soft lemon scent and no fragrance. Moon Haven's Herbal Lip Balm is made with deeply nurturing cocoa butter, castor oil and lanolin and is infused with skin nurturing and protecting essential oils.

The balm has a soft, smooth texture. It lasts well on my lips, usually for a few hours before I need to reapply. I purchased a tube of Moon Haven lip balm for $5.50.

Tuesday 7 October 2008

Origins A Perfect World Antioxidant Lip Guardian


I must have about 20 different lip balms sitting around the house just in case. I'm really not sure why I do this, because I always have one in my pocket, but I also stash them around the house just in case I don't want to use the one in my pocket. Antioxidant Lip Guardian is one of those balms that I have sitting around, in fact it's sitting on my computer desk right now (along with two other balms).

The first thing I love about this balm is the pot. It's a wide, flat pot, which makes it great cause I don't have to dig my finger in there to get the balm out. I really don't like those balms that come in tiny pots, cause I end up with more balm under my nail than I do on my finger.

The balm itself is nice, but not amazing. It smells great, a sweet smell the same as the other A Perfect World products, and it tastes nice too, it has a soft, sweet flavour. I find this balm moisturising with a soft shine. It doesn't do anything amazing, it's just a nice balm that does what you'd expect it to. As with a lot of pot balms, it's not thick, the texture is medium, and it lasts about an hour before I need to reapply.

Overall, this is a nice balm. If it was priced at $10 I'd buy it again, but for the price, I expect a little more. In winter it gets a little lumpy, but that goes away once it's warmed up.

Monday 6 October 2008

A great offer from Mirenesse



Mirenesse are hoping to raise $10,000. They have put
together aspecial collection at a tiny price and will raise
funds to keep up all the good work being done at the NBCF.

There are 1000 collections available.

Some facts you should know…
1 in 8 women will get breast cancer

Get exercise, eat well, stay trim, don’t smoke and you
have a better chance of not being the 1 in 8!

Men get breast cancer too- make the man in your life check his breasts when you check yours!

Eat your broccoli, cabbage and don’t wear your bra at night!

Get some sunshine – Vitamin D can help prevent

breast cancer!


Stay Beautiful
Irene , Andrew & All the Staff @ Mirenesse

Sunday 5 October 2008

Badger Lip Balms

Badger lip balms are some of my all time favorite balms. I've been using them for years, and still love them as much now as when I first discovered them. Thankfully now they are much easier to find as they're stocked by David Jones.

Badger Cocoa Butter lip balms are my favorite Badger Balms. They're certified organic, creamy and super moisturising. I have Cool Mint, Coffee Roast and Creamy Cocoa, and they're all heavenly. The Coffee Roast smells exactly like coffee beans, and the Cool Mint and Creamy Cocoa both smell exactly like you'd expect.

If just one layer is applied it goes on matt, but if more than one layer is applied it has a very soft, glossy finish. The tubes of these are huge, so one tube lasts me for about 3 months, compared to one month for a normal sized lip balm.

Base Ingredients:
Extra virgin olive oil, cocoa butter, golden yellow beeswax, castor bean oil, extract of aloe vera, CO2 extracts of rosehip, and seabuckthorn berry.

Other Ingredients:
Cool Mint: peppermint oil, spearmint oil, and sweet orange peel extract
Sweet Orange: essential oils of sweet orange peel, sicilian orange, mandarin and bergamot
Lime Rocket: essential oils of lime, litsea cubeba, and tangerine
Coffee Roast: CO2 extract of dark roasted arabaca coffee beans
Creamy Cocoa: just the base ingredients.


These were the first Badger Balms that I tried, and they're still favorites. Like the Cocoa Butter balms, they're certified organic and come in a range of amazing flavours. I use and love Vanilla Madagascar, Highland Mint (this is my favorite) and Tangerine Breeze.

These balms are very hydrating and have a lovely glossy finish. They have a gorgeous smooth texture and they taste good too.

Base Ingredients: extra virgin olive oil, golden yellow beeswax, castor bean oil, extracts of aloe vera, CO2 extracts of rosehip and seabuckthorn berry.

Other Ingredients:
Vanilla Madagascar: vanilla CO2 extract.
Pink Grapefruit: pink grapefruit, sweet orange and cedarwood.
Lavender and Orange: lavender, sweet orange and sicilian orange.
Tangerine Breeze: tangerine, mandarin, pink grapefruit, sweet orange and sage.
Ginger and Lemon: ginger, lemon, sweet orange, cardamom, and lemongrass.
Highland Mint: spearmint, peppermint, sweet birch and lavender.
Unscented: extra virgin olive oil, golden yellow beeswax and castor bean oil.


These are my least favorite Badger Balms. They're still amazing, but I much prefer them in stick form as they're less messy. However, the beauty of the tinned balms is that they can be used on any part of the body. I use these on dry patches on my face and body, and they're perfect for when I have eczema. Like the other balms, they're certified organic.

Base Ingredients: extra virgin olive oil, golden yellow beeswax, castor bean oil, extracts of aloe vera, CO2 extracts of rosehip and seabuckthorn berry.

Other Ingredients:
Chai Rose: cardamom, vanilla and rose
Cinnamon Bay: cinnamon, bay leaf, sweet orange and cardamom
Ginger and Lemon: ginger, lemon, sweet orange, cardamom and lemongrass
Highland Mint: spearmint, peppermint, sweet birch and lavender
Lavender and Orange: lavender, sweet orange and sicilian orange
Tangerine Breeze: tangerine, mandarin, pink grapefruit, sweet orange and sage.

Friday 3 October 2008

Mecca Lip De-Lovely Conditioning Lip Balm

Mecca Cosmetica is an amazing store, it's like being in make-up heaven. However, I usually try to stay out of there as it's just way too tempting for me. They have so many amazing products, I always find heaps of things that I want to buy. One of my most recent Mecca purchases is their Lip De-Lovely Conditioning lip balm. It's petrolatum free, tastes great and smells like roses.

I really like this balm. It's super moisturising with a non sticky, glossy finish that looks great. I wear it alone, over lip liner or lipstick, so I like how versatile it is. Most days I just use this on it's own and it's shiny enough that I still look polished.

This is a balm that I'll definitely be purchasing again. It costs $20 for a 15ml tube.

Thursday 2 October 2008

Lancome Juicy Tubes


Lancome's Juicy Tubes are my all time favorite lip glosses. If I could only wear one lip gloss for the rest of my life, it'd be Juicy Tubes. The latest Juicy Tube purchase which I'm loving is from the Juicy Tubes World Tour range, called Chelsea Coffee.


It's a lovely brown colour in the tube, but like most Juicy Tubes, it goes on clear. The flavour is what sold me on this gloss. It smells like a sweet latte, a gorgeous blend of coffee and sugar. And it tastes as good as it smells.

Juicy Tubes are moisturising and slightly sticky, which means they last well for a gloss, at least a few hours. I often use Juicy Tubes instead of lip balm as they are so moisturising. They keep my lips soft and hydrated.

There's a great range of different Juicy Tubes, some of them are sheer and some have great colour. They're all super shiny and glossy. If you haven't already got one of these, run out and buy one now!

Wednesday 1 October 2008

Bonne Bell Lip Lites


Bonne Bell's Lip Lites are one of my two all time favorite lip glosses, in fact I'd nearly go so far as to say it's a holy grail for me. I've gone through so many tubes of it, and always have at least 2 tubes on the go. I've been using this gloss since I was about 14 and I still love it as much now as I did back then.

I love everything about this gloss. The fragrance and flavour, the colour and the texture. My favorite colour is Mocha Mousse. It's the perfect, MLBB shade, with a high shine finish. The texture is slightly thick and a little tacky, which means that it lasts well, at least a few hours. The flavour is sweet, but not overpowering.

Bonne Bell says, "Light colour and a glossy glow are the perfect combination. Lip lites combines a luscious sponge-on liquid lipstick with lasting flavour and shine that is perfect for any occasion."

Lip Lites are available in Mocha Mousse, Creme Brulee, Cream Pop and Cappuccino flavours. You can purchase a tube for $8.95 (AUD).