Tuesday 30 September 2008

Clinique Super City Block


Clinique's Super City Block was the first holy grail product that I found. I'm a very fickle person, always on the lookout for something new and better. But when it comes to sunscreen for my face, I don't bother trying anything else, because I know that nothing I find will be better than my Super City Block. I've tried so many different face sunscreens, and none can match my City Block, so now I don't even bother.

This is a light, sheer, oil free sunscreen that provides a matte coverage. It has a slight tint so evens out skin tone, and can be worn alone or under foundation. It can even be used on the eyes as it's fragrance free and safe for sensitive skin.


Super City Block is a broad spectrum sunscreen that protects against UVA and UVB rays. It also contains antioxidants that help protect the skin from environmental irritants.


According to Clinique '
Micronized form of titanium dioxide provides physical sun block protection SPF 25. Protects skin from premature aging caused by environmental pollutants. Contains zinc oxide, high level of vitamins and other antioxidants, and skin comforts. Oil-free. Ophthalmologist tested. Free of chemical sunscreens.'

I purchased a 40 ml tube for $34.
With daily use this lasts me about four months.

Monday 29 September 2008

Bloom Shadow Liner


This is one of my favorite Bloom products. It has a nice creamy texture that lasts well, and due to the flat shape can be used as an eyeliner or eyeshadow. This means it's great for touch ups and a product that I carry around in my handbag.

It has a flat shape so that it can easily be used sideways to create a thin line or on the wide side as a shadow.

I have two colours, Soft Taupe which is a shimmery mid brown colour and Charcoal Grey which is a dark shimmery grey. Both colours can be
built up to create a darker effect or used sparingly to create a soft look.

As this is a pencil, when used as an eye shadow, unlike other cream eye shadow's that I've used it doesn't crease, and lasts all day without fading.

Bloom Shadow Liners cost $24.

There are 6 different shades available, and they're all gorgeous!

Sunday 28 September 2008

The Body Shop Aloe Gentle Exfoliator


I am constantly on the search for products to keep my skin feeling smooth and soft. One of my favorite ways to keep my skin smooth is using facial scrubs. I've tried so many different ones that I've lost count, but one of the best ever has been the Aloe Gentle Exfoliator. In fact, I'd even say that this may well be one of my holy grail face scrubs!

According to The Body Shop, this gentle scrub returns lustre to the skin. Fine exfoliating beads help lift away dead skin, dirt and grime.

It's suitable for both dry and sensitive skin. The scrub contains aloe vera gel, jojoba micro beads, glycerin and sorbitol. It is colour and fragrance free.

The scrub itself has small, fine beads in a moisturising cream base. The beads are fine enough that they are not at all irritating to sensitive skin.

The Body Shop says: Aloe Vera is renowned for its incredible soothing, hydrating and moisturising properties – perfect for sensitive skin. It is grown without the use of pesticides and is of the highest quality; natural, pure and preservative free. Hand harvested, hand washed and hand filleted (all within 12 hours of harvesting) to ensure that its natural qualities are maintained all the way through production. Provides vital income for farmers in a country where half the population earns less than $1 a day (the UN’s official poverty level), and helps with the provision of teaching materials for schools in the district. Community Trade aloe vera gel is renowned for its incredible soothing, hydrating and moisturising properties - perfect for sensitive skin.

It comes in a 75ml flip top tube for $19.95.

Saturday 27 September 2008

The Body Shop High Shine Lip Treatment


It's not very often that I can pass up the temptation of a new lip gloss. And in this instance I'm really glad that I didn't.

The colour I purchased is Pink Cream, which is a pale, shiny pink. The colour is quite subtle, and goes on with more shine than colour. This means that it's perfect to wear over lip liner or lipstick, but is equally suited to wear on it's own, due to the shiny colour.

It is a fairly sticky gloss, and lasts well. I found it to be very moisturising, so perfect for those days when my lips are dry and chapped. When I use this gloss it leaves my lips feeling smooth and moisturised, and as a result of this I use it a lot.

It contains Avocado and Marula oils, and smells like Papaya. There is no flavour to it,and the fragrance fades quickly.

I purchased a 13ml, slant top tube for $19.50.

There are seven different colours available, they are: Pink Cream, Mauve Dream, Bronze Beam, Red Gleam, Party Pink, Perfectly Pink and Juicy Peach.

Ingredients: polybutene, ricinus communis (castor seed) oil, dextrin palmitate, hydrogenated polyisobutene,bis-diglyceryl polyacyladipate-2, diisostearyl malate, lanolin, calcium sodium borosilicate, sclerocarya birrea (marula) oil, persea gratissima (avocade) oil, flavour, propylparaben, ammonium glycyrrhizate, hexyl cinnamal, limonene, tin oxide, linalool, citronellol, talc, geraniol, eugenol, tocopherol, citral and alpha-isomethyl ionone.

Friday 26 September 2008

MAC Cremestick Lip Liner in Beurre


Amazingly enough before I purchased Beurre Cremestick Liner I'd never tried a Mac lipliner, but these felt so soft and creamy that I just couldn't resist.

My first Beurre liner lasted me for for about six months as I used it nearly every day. Since then I've gone through about four of these. It's one of the nicest lip liners that I've ever used, and one that I've repurchased over and over again.

Beurre is a pinky brown colour, which on me comes out very close to my actual lip colour. Mac describe this colour as a dirty plum.

Unlike some liners this is soft and non drying. Because it's soft and creamy it doesn't pull on my lips. It is an automatic pencil so doesn't need to be sharpened, which in my opinion means that you get to use more of the product.

I purchased my Beurre lipliner for $34 for a 0.25 gram pencil.

Thursday 25 September 2008

MAC Lingering Brow Pencil

I've always been fussy about my eyebrows because their appearance makes such a difference to the look of my face. In the pasts I used a mascara type brow gel. If only I'd known the difference that an eyebrow pencil would make I would have been using them years ago.

What I love about using an eyebrow pencil is the way it makes my brows look polished and flawless. I picked up MAC's Lingering eyebrow pencil on a whim a few years ago, and it's one of the best cosmetic purchases I've ever made!

Lingering is a darkened taupe colour which MAC describes as a rich hazel brown. My brows are a medium brown, and Lingering is the perfect colour for me. The girls at the MAC counter tell me that Lingering suits 'everyone'.

With daily use this lasts me 3 months. I paid $30.00 for a 0.90gram twist up pencil. There are six different colours available.

As an added bonus, this can be used for Back to MAC.

Wednesday 24 September 2008

Hissyfit Saving Face



As I was wandering through Myer a while ago I noticed a new line called Hissyfit. Since I'm always interesting in any new cosmetics, I stopped to have a look. The Hissyfit range consists of SPF 30+ tinted moisturiser, hand cream, lip balm and body lotion. So when Myer had a GWP at the same time that I'd run out of my tinted moisturiser, I purchased a Hissyfit one for $55.

Firstly, the colour range is all very dark. There are about five different colours and a clear version, but the lightest colour (called Light), is too dark for me. I do have pale skin, but not that pale. I'm usually the second or third lightest colour in foundations, so it's not like I'm super pale.

Other than the limited colour range, this is a pretty nice tinted moisturiser. It's very thick textured, even thicker than Invisible Zinc. I find it to be quite moisturising, but not moisturising enough that I could wear it without moisturiser underneath. It gives great coverage, enough to even out my skin tone without looking too heavy.


Here's the Hissyfit blurb: S
PF 30+ broad spectrum UVA/UVB protection moisturising tinted sunscreen with pomegranate, green tea and cehami.

Why you'll love it...Because it will make you even more gorgeous than you already are! It's a super smart tinted sunscreen for super smart girls, with skin care, make-up and sun pr
otection in one. Three hour water resistant. Saving Face is rich in pure botanical extracts, anti-oxidants, pomegranate, green tea and soothing Australian daisy cehami and is the perfect weapon against the signs of environmental damage.

Why you need it...Saving Face is suitable for all skin types and may assist in preventing some skin cancers and premature ageing.
You should know by now you're a goddess.

Overall, this is a nice product, but I won't be buying it again due to the limited colour range. I've been hearing great things about the Eles tinted moisturiser, so that's on my list for next time.

Tuesday 23 September 2008

Napoleon Perdis Auto Pilot Lip Service



This is designed by Napoleon to be a moisturising lip primer. I find it better used as a lip gloss, as it's a little to thick and glossy for use as a primer. If I use a really small amount it might be okay as a primer, but there are much better primers out there.

But, after saying all that, this is a nice lip gloss. It comes in Original (clear), Hush (pale pink) and Cherry (bright pink). I have the clear version. I like that it's as moisturising as a lip balm, but has a lovely glossy finish.

It has a soft mint fragrance that smells just like tic tac's, and no fragrance. It's not at all sticky, and usually lasts a few hours before I need to reapply.

Ingredients: hydrogenated polysobutene, ethylene/propylene/styrene copolymer, butylene/ethylene/styrene copolymer, ethylhexyl palmitate, tocopheryl acetate (vitamin e), flavour, menthol.

Overall, although this is a nice gloss, I wouldn't buy it again. There's nothing wrong with it, but there's nothing amazing about it either.

Monday 22 September 2008

My Silk Naturals Order

Thanks to the raves of the girls over at So Loverly, I was recently forced to place an order with Silk Naturals. My order only took a week to arrive in Western Australia from Trumansburg NY, which I was really happy with, and the shipping cost $6.75 which I thought was very reasonable. I ordered ebony medium coverage foundation sample kit, premium synthetic flat top brush, berry nice, soft and clear lip glosses and swept away demi-gloss.

The glosses are gorgeous. They're the only lip products that I've used for the last week, and I'm sure I'll be buying them again. The demi-gloss gives great coverage that lasts for half a day before I need to reapply it. It's soft and creamy, but also long lasting, and not at all drying or thick feeling like a lot of long lasting lip products are. The lip glosses are beautiful, they have great pigmentation, taste great and last well, plus I find them to be ultra hydrating.
Here's Silk Natural's description and pictures of the lip glosses:

Berry Nice - sheer raspberry gloss, Bobbi Brown Raspberry clone.












Soft- medium pink almost sheer lip gloss, Bobbi Brown Clear Pink clone.













Swept Away - medium nude pink demi-gloss, Bobbi Brown Sandwash Pink clone.














I've used the foundation every day for a week now and I love it. The coverage is great, it's not itchy or drying and it provides great coverage. I've used it alone as a foundation and also lightly dusted over my liquid foundation as a setting powder and it was great for use both ways. It lasts all day and doesn't accentuate my pores or settle into fine lines. It was fun mixing it up myself too. I initially thought that'd be difficult, but the instructions are very clear and it's really easy.













I'm also extremely happy with my flat top brush. It's really thick and is great for applying my Silk Naturals foundation. I also really like it for applying cream blush, so I'm going to purchase a flat top kabuki for my foundation and leave this brush for applying my cream blush.

If you enter the code Friend with your first order, you'll receive a 5% discount. Unfortunately for me, I didn't know this until after I'd placed my first order!

Sunday 21 September 2008

Vrindavan Organic Peppermint Lip balm

Vrindavan is an Australian company that sells certified organic skin care products. Their lip balm is available in Lemon, Peppermint, Orange and Spearmint flavours. I've only tried the Peppermint flavour, which is lovely.

Vrindavan organic peppermint lip balm is a light, shiny lip balm that's moderately moisturising. Due to the peppermint oil it tingles on application, which I like. As it's quite light weight and slippery, I find that I need to reapply this every half hour.

Whilst this is a nice balm, it's not one that I'll purchase again. Aside from the fact that I have enough lip balms to last me at least the next 2 years, I'm just not a huge fan of this balm. There's nothing wrong with it, but there are others that I like better. I prefer a more moisturising, thicker texture. To me, this lip balm seems to slip right off, and the peppermint fragrance is fairly strong which seems to irritate my lips when used for more than a day. This is a great balm to use every now and again, but not one that I could use every day.

Ingredients: olive oil, beeswax and peppermint essential oil. The olive oil and beeswax are both certified organic.

Saturday 20 September 2008

Vintage Sister Lip Balms


I'm constantly on the hunt for new lip balms, especially ones that taste and smell great, and if they're not available in Australia then I want them even more! On one of my regular web hunts I stumbled across the Vintage Sister website, and immediately fell in love.

Their lip balms come in gorgeous little slide tins, and there are over 34 different flavours. I really like these balms. They've got a great, non waxy texture, with a subtle shine. They're really moisturising and they taste great. Plus, the little tins are so cute!

I purchased Caramel, Devil's Food Cake, Mochachino and Frosting lip indulgences, plus Candy Corn and Cookies and Cream lip lickers. The lip lickers and lip indulgences have exactly the same ingredients, so I'm not sure why they have different names. My favorite flavours are Candy corn and Caramel. All of the flavours are lovely and exactly like I imagined they'd be from their names.

The fragrance is really strong at first, so when I first bought them I left them out to air a bit cause they were stinking out my cupboard. But after a few days the fragrance disappeared.

Shipping to Australia was fast and reasonably priced, so I'll definitely be ordering again.

Ingredients: glycine soja oil (soybean oil) cera alba (beeswax) helianthus annus (sunflower) seed oil, theobroma cacao (cocoa) seed butter, butyrospermum parkii (shea butter) fruit, tocopherol acetate (vitamin e), natural additive (as sweetener), colour and fragrance.

Friday 19 September 2008

Laura Mercier Kohl Eye Pencils

I can't say I've ever really thought much about eye pencils. They're nice, and something that I use every day, but other than the Bloom shadow liners, I've never really fell in love with an eyeliner until I received a mini Kohl eye pencil from Laura Mercier as part of a GWP. I got the most amazing colour called black turquoise.


This is pretty close to how it looks, it's just a little darker with more shimmer to it.
It's described by Laura Mercier as black with turquoise pearl. There's a lot of turquoise in it, and it has a gorgeous shimmer to it. The texture is soft and creamy, making it easy to smudge for the smoky eye look, but not creamy enough that it runs down my face after a few hours. It lasts all day and looks as good at the end of the day as it did at the start of the day.


As soon as I'd used this I headed to strawberrynet and bought two more, a full size black turquoise and black navy. I'm hoping that black navy will be as gorgeous as black turquoise will be, and that it'll be close to the colour shown here. I was very tempted to buy black violet too, but then decided that it was probably not a great idea to spend $79.50 on eye pencils, even if they are a bargain.

On strawberrynet they cost $26.50 each and at the counter they cost $34.00, so if you're going to buy some, head to strawberrynet. If you're planning on heading to Myer for the Laura Mercier GWP, you'll get a mini black turquoise eye liner as part of your gift.

Thursday 18 September 2008

Fruits and Passion Deodorant in Citrus

When I was in Hong Kong a few years ago I discovered all sorts of amazing goodies. I could have happily stayed there and shopped for months, there were so many great finds. One product that I found has now become my holy grail deodorant, and that's really annoying because it's not available in Australia! However, I have emailed Fruits and Passion in Hong Kong and they have said that they will ship to Australia.

Fruits and Passion deodorant is in stick form and it smells heavenly, just like fresh citrus fruit. It's non irritating to my sensitive skin, dries quickly and controls odour all day.

What I really liked about it is the lovely fruity scent, and the fact that it is not too strong. It's strong enough to cover odour, without being strong enough to overpower my perfume.

I purchased a 45 gram stick for $95.00 (HKD).

You can purchase the deodorant stick in the following fragrances: Citrus, Fieldberries, Fruits of the Islands, Honey-Dew, Lemon-Vanilla and Peach and Apricot.

Wednesday 17 September 2008

Napoleon Perdis Jet Black Mascara

I got this mascara free with a magazine, and I'm really glad that I did, because if I'd paid for it I would have been really annoyed and probably would have asked for my money back. This is one of those mascaras like Maybelline's Great Lash and Mirenese's Secret Weapon, it just does nothing for me.

I want a mascara to lengthen, thicken or curl my lashes, or do anything that makes my lashes look better than they do naturally. I didn't find that Jet Black mascara did anything for me. I put on five layers before I could even tell that I'd put mascara on, and even then it was difficult to tell I was wearing mascara.

For those people who want a subtle look, this would be the perfect mascara. It provides a very subtle colour, with no flaking and lasts all day.

I can't find this on the Napoleon website, which is strange as I only got it a few months ago.


Tuesday 16 September 2008

My huge haul!

I love September because Myer has its beauty month, with heaps of great GWP's and a discount for Myer One members. I always eagerly await the catalogue, then spend hours looking at it and researching products on the net to decide what I'm going to buy. This year I decided that I'd have a huge haul (i've been saving some of my tax return money), and I certainly did! I don't think I've ever spent so much money on cosmetics at one time, other than when I was on holidays in Hong Kong.

And here's what I got:


From Laura Mercier, mineral foundation powder and silk creme foundation. These came with a GWP of vanilla nuts eye shadow, persimmon lip plumper, foundation primer, thickening building mascara, black turquoise eye kohl, creme brulee sugar scrub and a bronze make-up bag.
I'm already in love with the eye kohl, and have ordered two more of them from strawberrynet.



From Dr LeWinn's I got the line smoothing complex high potency treatment masks, and they came with a GWP of sunless self tanning lotion, facial polishing gel, line smoothing complex high potency treatment mask, advanced night cream, ultra r4 restorative cream SPF 15 and a black cosmetics purse, which is the perfect size for my handbag.

From Hissyfit I got the saving face moisturising tinted sunscreen which came with a GWP of the lip service balm SPF 30+.


From Natio I got the wellness foot scrub, wellness body scrub and the spa pep up body cleanser, which came with the GWP of mineral sparkle dust eye shadow compact, melon ultra shiny fruit gloss, ageless firming night cream, ageless lifting day cream, heavenly hand cream, clay and plant face mask purifier, mini face brush and a stripey make-up bag.

Needless to say, I was in cosmetics heaven with this haul. I'm slowly working my way through all my new goodies, and will report back when I've tested them all out.

Monday 15 September 2008

Beauty and the Bees Aromatic Nut Oil Body Balm


Beauty and the Bees is a beautiful little shop that I discovered a few years ago whilst I was working in Hobart. They make a range of natural skincare products using local ingredients. All of their products are 100% chemical free, and non irritating for sensitive skins.

The Aromatic Nut Oil Body Balm is perfect for dry to very dry skin. As it's a solid oil, it melts on contact with the skin and leaves my skin feeling soft and smooth.

This is very moisturising and takes a while to sink into the skin, but it doesn't stain or mark clothes so can be applied before dressing.

It contains leatherwood beeswax, leatherwood honey, olive oil, castor oil, wheatgerm oil, sesame oil, coconut oil, palm oil, carrot oil, cocoa butter and
siam benzoin.

The fragrance is light to medium intensity, and fades within an hour.

I purchased the Aromatic Nut Oil Body Balm for $27.95 for a 120 ml tin.

There are three different fragrances available, Tangerine and Lavender, Marigold or Lavender.

Beauty and the Bees products can be purchased online from their website. They have great service and super fast shipping.

Sunday 14 September 2008

Honeybee Gardens Strawberry Champagne Lip Balm

This is my new favorite lip balm, at least for the next week or so until I discover something that I like more. In my quest for strawberry flavoured balms to keep Mr Glossy happy, this is definitely my favorite.

As well as being all natural, this is a lovely, moisturising balm. It tastes great, with a really fresh strawberry flavour, that's sweet but not sickly. The texture is lovely, smooth and not waxy. It has a very slight shine that seems to enhance my natural lip colour. I find that this lasts a few hours before I need to reapply it, which is pretty good for a lip balm.

Honeybee Gardens products are all natural, environmentally friendly and cruelty free. Their mission is to "Create pure, all-natural bath and body care products made from only the finest organic ingredients, offer them at a reasonable price, and treat every customer like a friend."

I purchased my Honeybee Gardens lip balm from Organic Beauty World for $4.95

Ingredients: beeswax, coconut oil, jojoba, sweet almond oil, vitamin e, flavour.

Saturday 13 September 2008

Be Genki Serenity Face Mist


IF YOU COULD IMPROVE AN ELEMENT OF YOUR LIFE WHAT WOULD IT BE?

The Japanese word "genki" means to be happy, healthy, and in harmony with oneself. It suggests wellbeing is achieved by balancing physical, emotional and spiritual elements equally to create an integrated and tranquil Self.

Be Genki takes this to heart, with a unique range of natural products that utilize the healing benefits of pure essential oils and provide lifestyle recommendations to help put you on the path to holistic happiness. The bath, body and home range provides a luxurious and well-earned respite from the fast pace of contemporary lifestyles, promoting optimum inner health and harmony.

Whether you would like a little "pick me up" throughout the day; a little help coping with everyday stresses; assistance in preparing yourself for a peaceful night’s sleep; or are wanting to nurture the loving relationship that you have with yourself and/or your partner, Be Genki has the product combination and lifestyle tips to help you.

Be Genki products are:

  • Made from the finest quality natural ingredients that work with the body’s natural physiology to promote a healthy glowing complexion. Be Genki products contain NO genetically modified ingredients, artificial colours, artificial fragrances, fillers, parabens, sulphates, phlatates or petrochemicals. Every ingredient that is included in a Be Genki product has a beneficial property.
  • Preserved in amber bottles and jars protecting the product from damage due to heat, sunlight and air, therefore greatly enhancing shelf life and effectiveness.
  • Packaged in environmentally friendly recyclable bottles, jars, and boxes. Boxes are manufactured from recycled paper and are coated with a cellulose based coating that is 100% biodegradable and recyclable.
  • Labelled with a comprehensive listing of ALL ingredients to ensure that you know exactly what is in each product.
  • NEVER tested on animals.
  • Australian made and owned.

Be Genki donates 5% of its profits to environmental sustainability campaigns that work towards a better, brighter and cleaner future for the world we live in, ensuring that every Be Genki purchase also gives back to the planet.

be happy. be healthy. be genki.

With a blurb like that, I just couldn't resist trying these products. They have several different ranges, Vitality, Tranquility, Serenity and Sensuality. I tried the Serenity Face mist, which is heavenly. It has a lovely fresh, floral scent that I find really refreshing. The face spray is soothing and moisturising. I like to use it to hydrate my skin throughout the day when it's feeling dry and tight. I also use it as a toner and to help set my make-up. Basically, it's a great all round product.

I really like the philosophy of Be Genki. Below I've listed some of the comments that are on the box.


Be Beneficial. A gentle hydrating face mist to replenish lost moisture, leaving your skin lightly scented. Idea for long flights, air-conditioned offices or hot summer days. Blended with essential oils of rosewood, bergamot, palmarosa, neroli and rose otto. Ideally designed for application throughout the day and night to help bring about a sense of calm.

Be Holistic. Make yourself a priority. Set a period of time during which you can not be interrupted. Turn your phone off and spend some time doing what you want. Finish that book, practice meditation, exercise, have a bath, or simply give yourself a massage. However you choose to spend this time for yourself, make it a routine ritual that is sacrosanct for your sanity.

Be Content. this products is made from the finest quality natural ingredients that are GM free, with no synthetic colours, fillers, fragrances, parabens, mineral oils or petrochemicals. The cosmetic active ingredients within this product are 100% plant derived. Not tested on animals. Australian made and owned.

Be Genki. Be Genki is an advocate for the wellness of people on a physical, emotional and spiritual level. To be "genki" is to be happy, healthy, positive and in harmony with oneself on all levels.
Be Genki products contain natural plant derived ingredients and essential oils that promote a healthy glowing complexion.
The environment has been carefully considered in all Be Genki packaging solutions.

I'll definitely be purchasing more Be Genki products, they smell great, are reasonably priced, and they're an Australian company.

Ingredients: purified water, hydrogenated castor oil, glycerine (vegetable derived), potassium sorbate, lactic acid, citrus bergamia oil, aniba rosaeodora oil, cymbopongon martini oil, citrus aurantium oil, rosa damascene oil.

Friday 12 September 2008

The Body Shop Sage and Comfrey Blemish Gel

To my great disgust I still get the occasional pimple even though I'm in my 30's. In my opinion pimples should not occur after you are out of your teenage years! But since I do still get these horrible things, I need a good treatment for them.
I've been using Sage and Comfrey Blemish Gel for about 10 years and I swear by it. In fact I've converted so many people to it that The Body Shop should be paying me a commission!
It is a colourless gel that is applied to the spot a few times a day. It helps to dry out the pimple and makes it disappear faster. When I use this the pimple is usually gone within 2 days.
The gel is very lightweigh and sinks in quickly, so is not visible once applied. It contains Witch hazel which helps to cleanse and soothe blemishes. Infusions of sage and comfrey help to soothe the skin and allantoin (the active ingredient within comfrey) has soothing and conditioning properties.

Thursday 11 September 2008

Origins Calm to Your Senses Body Souffle


Imagine a heavenly blend of lavender and vanilla, mixed together and made into a luxuriously rich body lotion, and you have Origins Calm to Your Senses Body Souffle.

This is one of my absolute favorite body lotions, it smells heavenly and does an amazing job of keeping my skin soft and moisturised. It contains Olive Oil, Grape Seed Oil and Apricot Kernel Oil.

It's a gorgeous, richly moisturising cream, that sinks in well and is not at all oily. After I apply it my skin doesn't feel sticky or oily. The fragrance lasts well, usually for about 1/2 a day, however it is a soft fragrance it doesn't overpower other scents (such as perfume).

This doesn't irritate my sensitive skin at all, I can use it even when my skin is dry and itchy, with no bad effects.

The only negative thing I have to say about Calm to Your Senses is it's price. It's a lot of money to pay for a body lotion, and for this reason alone I probably won't purchase it again. I purchased a 200ml tub for $50.95 (AUD).

Wednesday 10 September 2008

Some of my favorite websites

There are so many great websites out there, I spend hours and hours browsing and looking at all of the things that I want to buy.

Some of my favorite beauty sites are:


Beauty Heaven - A great Australian website with a great forum, interesting articles which are updated daily and lots of information about products.
Girl Gloss - This is a great blog all about lip products.
Beautyholics Anonymous - Another great blog.
The Make-up Girl - And another great blog.
Make-up Alley - This is a wonderful forum with lots of great members and information, plus a swap section.
Make-up Talk - This too is a great forum, it's got plenty of reviews and information, along with a swap section.
So Loverly - And yet another amazing blog.


And my favorite shopping sites:

Strawberrynet - This is a Hong Kong company with great, cheap products and fast, free shipping.
Adore Beauty - A brilliant Australian company with lots of great brands such as Smashbox, Burt's Bees, Badger Balms and Shizen to name a few.
Eles Cosmetics - A great Australian mineral make-up range, I love everything I've tried from this company.
My Lip Stuff - My favorite lip balms ever
Beauty and the Bees - I love this Tasmanian company, they make gorgeous soaps, lotions and potions.
Moon Haven - A West Australian company that makes the most amazing soaps I've ever used.
Skincare Store - This is an offshoot of the American company Skin Store. They have a great range of hard to find brands, free delivery, no fuss returns and a lowest price guarantee.
Lip Luxury - A new Australian store started by my favorite ebay seller. She has great prices on hard to find lip balms.

Tuesday 9 September 2008

This week's empties

This was a pretty good week for empties. I finished two samples, and four full sized products. And I even hit metal on an eyeshadow (which I was very excited about, I don't remember the last time I hit metal on an eyeshadow).

But back to my empties, I used up samples of Astara Golden Flame Hydration Mask and Mario Badescu Cleansing Milk with carnation and rose oil. They were both nice products, but not ones that I'd buy again.
The Astara mask came with my last skincarestore order. It was a nice mask with a gel like texture, but I didn't find it to be very hydrating.
The Mario Badescu cleanser was an okay product, but it didn't do a very good job of removing my make-up.

I also finished my Origins liquid lipstick in Pink Dawn. This is one of my favorite products, it's a great mlbb pink shade with a hint of shimmer, and a lovely tingly peppermint flavour. I'm not sure if these are still available, if they are then I'll probably be buying another one. I've had this one for years, probably about four years, so I was very pleased to get to the end of it, but also disappointed because I love it so much.

I won't be buying another Invisible Zinc. It was a really nice product, but there are other tinted moisturisers that I like more (like Becca and Laura Mercier). I loved the thickness and coverage of this, but didn't find it to be hydrating enough for me.

I also won't be buying another Olay Regenerist Eye Lifting serum. I was pretty disappointed with this one. Firstly it only lasted me four weeks, and secondly it didn't do anything. I've been really happy with the other Olay Regenerist products I've used, so was sure that this would be a winner, but it wasn't. I did like the light texture and the shimmer particles which made my dark circles look a bit lighter, but that was all I liked about this one.

As for the Nivea Anti Wrinkle Q10 Plus Day Cream with SPF 15, I'm not sure if I'll purchase this again. It's a really nice moisturiser, a little too light for my winter dry skin, but it'd probably be perfect in summer. It's fragrance free and has a great texture, moisturising without being oily. The only thing I don't like about this is that it's in a jar. I prefer moisturisers in a tube or with a pump, so that I don't have to stick my fingers in there, for hygiene reasons.

Monday 8 September 2008

This week's tosses

I actually tossed four products this week, but forgot to take a photo of the last one, which was Clinique's Take the Day Off cleansing milk. This one I threw out because it stung my eyes and made my skin feel tight and itchy. I'd been told that it's good for sensitive skins and safe to use on eyes, but this certainly wasn't the case, so in the bin it went.

The second product I tossed was my Modelista's Hollywood Glow. This should have been called Hollywood junk, cause it's just awful. Every time I've tried to use this I've ended up with a gluggy, splotchy mess all over me, so bad that I've had to shower to get it all off.

The third product I tossed was QV's Naked deodorant. This is aptly named, because using it is like going without deodorant. In fact when I was using it I thought I'd forgotten to put on deodorant. It does nothing to deodorise or mask body odour, so in the bin it goes too!

And the last product I tossed was Avon's Visual Perfection Tint Releasing moisturiser, this was tossed due to age, when I checked the expiry date it was 2005! Obviously I didn't like this product very much, cause it's sat there unused for over three years.

Sunday 7 September 2008

Shu Uemura Depsea Perfect Water-In Cake Foundation

Finally, after years of searching I've found my Holy Grail foundation. This is it. The best foundation I've ever tried, the one that I'd be willing to use for the rest of my life, never being tempted to stray to another brand. That's how perfect this is. Of course, there's one big catch, and that is thatShu Uemura isn't currently available in Australia, although rumour has it that it'll be available at David Jones in Sydney and Melbourne soon. If this is true, then I'll be on the next plane over!

Now, a little about me. I have dry, pale, sensitive skin. In a foundation I like medium coverage to even out my skintone, and something that won't sink into my fine lines. I also want something that will last all day, and not make me look dry or oily.

Depsea Perfect Water-In Cake Foundation provides a light to medium coverage. It is smooth and moisturising and evens my skintone without sinking into fine lines, leaving my skin feeling moisturised all day. One thing I really love about it is that it works as a concealer too, so I don't have to use a separate concealer.

It contains 20% Depsea Water, is sweat resistant and has SPF. The one that I purchased in
Hong Kong says it has SPF of 18, but the website and the second one that I received from a very kind friend has a SPF of 14.

In the
US this foundation is called Water Perfect Water-In Cake Foundation. There are 8 different shades available. I use shade 564, which is a perfect match for me. In other brands I'm a Mac NC20 and Becca Cashmere. Usually I use the lightest or second lightest foundation colour.

Saturday 6 September 2008

Natures Organics Spa Chocolate Truffle Shower Milk


I am a long standing member of chocoholics anonymous. I love all things chocolate. Natures Organics Spa Chocolate Truffle Shower Milk is one of my Holy Grail shower gels.

I found this in the supermarket. When I saw that it cost $2.95 (AUD) for a 400ml bottle, I figured that it wouldn't be any good, cause it was just too cheap. But I opened the top and sniffed it anyhow. The smell is heavenly, just like rich milk chocolate! Then I read the back of the bottle, which says:

"Give in to temptation and wrap yourself in chocolate truffle shower milk. Totally irresistible, you'll want to smooth it all over your body. Your skin will feel nourished and your senses uplifted by the feel good sensation only chocolate can give". So of course, after reading all this, I just had to buy it.

I've gone through about 10 bottles of this so far and I am still in love. It has a beautiful, creamy texture. It smells great and doesn't irritate or dry out my sensitive skin. It lathers up nicely and cleans well, without leaving a film on my skin.

I'd definitely recommend trying this, it's a steal at $2.99. You can find Natures Organics at Woolworths, Safeway, Coles and BiLo stores.

Friday 5 September 2008

Dove Intensive Cellulite Gel-Cream

Like many women I battle with cellulite. Over the years I've tried so many different products, some that work and some that don't. I'm happy to say that Dove Intensive Cellulite Cream is one that has worked for me, and it's the cheapest product I've tried!


According to Dove, the Intensive Cellulite-Gel Cream has been specifically developed to diminish the look of cellulite and dimpled skin by targeting problem areas. It contains seaweed-extract which is known for its firming effect, and elastin-peptides which are known to help improve skin tone and boost firmness.


Dove says that you'll notice a difference within 3 weeks, and they are right. After 2 weeks of once daily use, I could start to see a difference in my cellulite. I've now been using this on and off for a few years and I definitely have less cellulite when I use it. My skin looks smoother and has less dimples.

It is a soft, light cream that sinks in fast and doesn't leave a sticky residue. There is a very light fragrance that disappears quickly.

I purchased a 200 ml flip top tube which when used once a day lasts me about 3 months. This is a product that is always in my cupboard and one that I have repurchased over and over again.

Thursday 4 September 2008

An amazing book


Now I know that this isn't beauty related at all, but it's such a great book that I really wanted to share it with you. For those of you who work full time, you probably haven't heard of Randy Pausch. He was an amazing man, who died in July this year, at the age of 47, of pancreatic cancer.

But he's not famous for that, he's famous for his Last Lecture. He was a lecturer at Carnegie Mellon University in the USA. Over there, it's a tradition for retiring teachers to give their last lecture. When Randy did this he was recording his last words of wisdom for his three young children, imparting to them the way he hoped they would live their lives.

You can view his lecture on You Tube, by following this link:
Really Achieving Your Childhood Dreams

When he gave his last lecture there was a journalist in the audience who wrote an article about it. Since he gave his lecture (titled Really Achieving Your Childhood Dreams), he's become famous. He's been on Oprah, spoken to congress and received a letter from the President. He's also written a book called the Last Lecture. I loved the book so much that I finished it in a night. I was very sad to read on his website that he'd recently died. However his legacy will certainly live on, as his last lecture has touched so many lives.

The principles by which this man lived his life are amazing, as are the lecture and the book.

Wednesday 3 September 2008

Origins Calm to Your Senses


This is one of my all time favorite scents, and I wish I could buy it in perfume form. If I could I'd probably wear it every day. According to Origins they have, "blended two of the most well-known comforting aromas to create one calming new scent-sation. Lush Lavender evokes memories of home, family and friends, loved ones and being loved. While warming Vanilla relaxes, relieves and puts you at ease. And skin-nourishing Soybean Oil, Olive Oil and Jojoba Oil silkens, soothes, softens and smooths."

I couldn't have put it better myself. This really is a lovely, comforting scent. It makes me feel calm, warm and happy. I love to use this at the end of a tough day to help me wind down. But I also love using it in the morning to start my day feeling and smelling great.

Calm to Your Senses Bath and Body oil can be used as a shower and body oil. In the shower it's really moisturising, and leaves a coating on my skin so that when I get out of the shower I don't need to use a body lotion. It's great for when my skin is really dry and sensitive.

It can also be used on dry skin as a hydrating body oil. When used this well it sinks in quickly. The scent is soft and lingers pleasantly for a few hours after application. I don't find this at all irritating to my skin, even when I have eczema.

HOW TO USE: As a bath oil: Pour one to two capfuls under running water. Sink in and enjoy.
As a body oil: smooth over skin after bathing.

I purchased a 150ml bottle for $49.

Tuesday 2 September 2008

Shizen Rose Hydrating Mist


Shizen is a relatively new Australian line that has been around since 2003. It started out with a natural lip balm and has now branched out to hand and body care, face spray and essential oil blends. All Shizen products are free of genetically modified ingredients.

Rose hydrating mist contains vitamin E, green tea, calendula and rose flower water, and smells heavenly, like a fresh rose garden. It makes my skin feel soft, hydrated and refreshed. The spray is very light and sinks in quickly, however, the rose fragrance lasts for an hour or so, which could be a problem for those who don't like fragranced products.

This also works well for setting make-up, so I spray it on in the mornings after I've done my face. It also makes a great toner and body spray.

Shizen products are made from all natural ingredients and are not tested on animals. Rose hydrating mist is an Australian certified organic product.

It comes in a recyclable 100 ml spray bottle.


Ingredients: rosa hydrosol, vitamin e, calendula extract, green tea extract.

Monday 1 September 2008

Elizabeth Arden 8 Hour Cream


You know how you have those products that you use all the time but underestimate? You know they're good but you don't realise how good they really are? Eight Hour Cream is one of those products for me.

I've been using this for about 10 year now, it's something I always have as part of my stash. Considering that the main ingredient is petrolatum I'm not sure why this works so well, but it does.

The story behind this says that Elizabeth Arden made it to use on her horses, and one day her neighbour used it on a wound on her son. She said that it healed the wound in eight hours, and so Eight Hour Cream was born.

I use my Eight Hour Cream for so many different things. It's a great healing cream for pimples and dry patches. It works really well on dry lips, it's great for dry hair and on skin rashes. It's beautiful mixed with shimmer powder and put on areas I want to highlight. The uses are endless. My sister in law even used it as a nappy rash cream for my nephew!

It has a thick, ointment like texture and a strange but pleasant smell, with no flavour. The fragrance fades quickly upon application.

As it's an ointment it lasts well, at least 4 hours when I use it on my lips.

Ingredients: Petrolatum, Lanolin, Mineral Oil, Fragrance, Salicylic Acid, Propylparaben, Castor Oil, Corn Oil, Tocopherol, BHT, Iron Oxides.